The award recognized the presentation of the work titled "Branched glycosylation as key regulator of T cells activity and function in autoimmunity", developed within the research group Immunology, Cancer & GlicoMedicine at i3S, led by Salomé Pinho. The distinction included an acrylic plaque, a certificate, and a monetary prize of 500 euros.
For Beatriz Santos-Pereira, the award represents "the recognition of years of work, dedication, and effort from the entire team". The researcher also highlighted the importance of the contribution from her supervisors, Salomé Pinho and Inês Alves, whose guidance and support were "fundamental throughout this journey".
The awarded research focused on studying the sugar profile (glycans) on the surface of gamma-delta T lymphocytes, in humans and animal models, and their role in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Results showed that these lymphocytes, associated with inflammatory responses, particularly depend on the presence of branched glycans. However, researchers observed a loss of these glycans in cells from patients with diseases like lupus, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
The investigation also revealed that alterations in the sugars present on the surface of these cells can influence how the immune system reacts, favoring inflammatory processes. In experimental models of psoriasis, researchers observed that the loss of branched sugars worsened the disease. Conversely, they found that adding these sugars could alter cell behavior, making them less prone to triggering inflammation. These findings open new perspectives for understanding and, in the future, exploring ways to control inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
The conference brought together researchers from the international immunology community and featured two keynote lectures: one by Shimon Sakaguchi, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, on the role of regulatory T cells in immunological tolerance and their therapeutic potential in autoimmune diseases; and another by Pamela Schwartzberg, dedicated to T cell signaling and immune regulation. Portugal was represented by 12 presentations from principal investigators, including i3S scientists Nuno Alves and Salomé Pinho, and by 14 short oral communications from early-career researchers. In this latter category, besides Beatriz Santos-Pereira, i3S was also represented by Diogo Estevão, Miguel Mendes-Ferreira, Inês Faria, Rute Gonçalves, and Inês Alves.
