29 October 2025

Pedro Mendes Ferreira (FMUP/RISE-Health) represented the REBORN consortium during the 6th Annual Student Research Conference (ASRC), hosted in Porto and dedicated this year to the topic of Global Health.

Speaking in a panel on cardiology, he highlighted the burden of cardiovascular diseases — still the world’s leading cause of death — and underlined a critical gap: only around 10% of scientific discoveries in heart failure successfully reach clinical practice. Among the barriers, he noted the limited time clinicians can dedicate to research and the challenges in bridging academia and medical application.

Ferreira also emphasised the key role of advanced animal models in cardiovascular research: despite the progress in scientific methods, there is currently no available alternative capable of replacing them. Large animal models, such as pigs, remain essential for the translation of innovative cardiovascular therapies.

During his intervention, he presented the ongoing work carried out with his team, including:

  • REBORN – developing an implantable cardiac patch designed to release therapeutic agents directly into damaged heart tissue.

  • SECRET (Sequential Cardiac REsynchonization Therapy) – exploring a new treatment strategy for heart failure.

The event brought together postgraduate students and researchers from across Europe, offering an invaluable forum for discussion and collaboration on scientific advances aimed at improving human health.