Wrapping Up 2020: COVID-19

Despite its difference, its restrictions, and being physically apart, 2020 has been a busy year for INL and for all INLers. This week we take a look at some of this year’s highlights and achievements regarding our people, our projects, and the latest research developments. Join us!

We will all remember 2020. We all have been witnessing how hard the society at large has been affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic The way we work, the way we live, our routines, and our behaviors have been altered in ways we could never have imagined. Everything was rethought both professionally and personally and it was quintessential for institutions, organizations, services, and for society, in general, to provide an effective answer and fully adapt.

Protecting all at INL

At INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory and in light of the risks and its responsibility we’ve kept the health and the safety of all of the entire academic community our first priority. Ou team has been truly resilient and they all quickly adapted to the virtual work environment. We have stood up as one family.

Technology has played a key role in our work. This allowed that we could continue serving the society at full steam and continuing to do, what we do the best, deliver our knowledge and competences to the society by breaking new grounds expanding our knowledge space. 

The year 2020 has also been characterized by a large increase in capturing external funding and we have been very successful in a number of large European and National projects. Especially noted are the increased funding and activities related to fighting the Covid-19. And today we bring you a wrap-up of what has been done in this area.

INL: Preventive measures and Contingency Plan regarding COVID-19

The INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory has been implementing internal measures since the end of last January to limit the spread of the new Coronavirus also known as COVID-19 and has elaborated a Contingency Plan, in compliance with orientations from the DGS (Portuguese Health Authority). Read the latest Contingency Plan >

Researchers at INL are working to develop a new test for COVID-19

A group of scientists from the INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory is working on the design of a European rapid detection test for COVID-19 able to predict the severity of the virus in patients with the support of artificial intelligence. This project involves also research centers and technology companies from Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, and Germany. Read the full article >

INL manufactures protective face shields to donate in Portugal and Spain

INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, is using its laser cutting equipment to produce protective face shields, which are now being offered to several public and social institutions in Portugal and Spain to protect their front-line personnel against infection by the new coronavirus. Read the full article >

FCT approved two INL projects for rapid COVID-19 diagnostics

The Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) launched the call “Research 4 COVID19” for 3-month projects and awarded two that were submitted by INL at the beginning of April to deliver improved diagnostics for COVID-19. Read the full article >

INL points the way to scientific cooperation in fighting COVID-19
Portugal and Spain want to join efforts in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the answers could be to use nanotechnology to detect infections by the new coronavirus more quickly, said the Iberian science ministers on May 26th during the online conference “The Quest for Interdisciplinarity”. Read the full article >

INL donated 4800 face shields to fight COVID-19

Although this was not within our scope or usual activity, INL used its laser cutting equipment to provide 4800 face shields to professionals who needed it the most, in Portugal and Spain, reaching a total of 33 institutions. Six Spanish organizations got 1600 units, and 27 Portuguese got the other 3200. Hospitals had the highest needs, reaching the 2250 face shields donated by INL, followed by the Portuguese Red Cross with 900, Nursing Homes with 800, 550 for Health Centres, 250 for Firemen, and 50 to the Police. Read the full article >

INL awarded with 20 new RTD projects

The INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory was recently awarded six European H2020 Research Technological Development (RTD) projects and 14 additional national projects (PT2020) totaling 20 new research opportunities worth 7 million euros funding for INL. Read the full article >

INL awarded with funding from EIT Food for fighting COVID-19
EIT Food has announced the final list of initiatives that will be awarded a total of 6.17 million euros of funding as part of the COVID-19 Rapid Response Call for Innovation projects. The call was designed to fast-track product or service solutions that could have a significant and immediate impact on the challenges brought about by COVID-19 on the agrifood sector. Read the full article >

INL supports EU Manifesto to maximize the accessibility of research results in the fight against COVID-19

On July 28th, the European Commission has launched a Manifesto to maximize the accessibility of research results in the fight against Covid-19. The Manifesto provides guiding principles for beneficiaries of EU research grants for coronavirus prevention, testing, treatment, and vaccination to ensure that their research results will be accessible for all and guarantee a return on public investment. Read the full article >

European funded project on the Coronavirus Global Response initiative

The INNO4COV19 (Boosting Innovation for COVID-19 Diagnostic, Prevention, and Surveillance) project led by INL was chosen to develop and build an Innovation Hub with the latest technologies: an innovative open-access platform to offer companies and reference laboratories the capabilities, expertise, networks, and services required for the assessment, development, prototyping, testing, scaling-up, pilot production and market exploitation of innovative technologies to tackle COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full article >

SAFE-N-MEDTECH CALL TO FIGHT COVID19

SAFE-N-MEDTECH OITB project gathers 28 partners from around the world and focuses its activity on enabling the safe translation of nano-enabled medical technologies from “proof-of-concept” to markets and clinical practice. Read the full article >

INL supports Reflection Paper on “The role of materials in the post-covid society”

The Alliance for Materials – EUMAT, that INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory is part of, issued a Reflection Paper addressing the relevance of new materials in a future shaped by COVID-19, pointing out what must be the priorities in strategic research and innovation activities and addressed it to the European Union institutions and member-states. Read the full article >

Celebrating the World Science Day while dealing with the global pandemic

This year, at a time when the world is struggling with the global COVID-19 pandemic, the focus of World Science Day is on “Science for and with Society in dealing with the global pandemic.” And today, to celebrate the 2020 World Science Day, we will show you some of the projects that are being developed at INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory and that is fully dedicated to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full article >

It is imperative now more than ever to strengthen and build international and national scientific cooperation between organizations, researchers, policy-makers, industries, and health professionals for an interdisciplinary approach to tackling COVID-19. No one can say how or when the pandemic will end, all we know is that we learn more every day about this virus and that we, as a frontline laboratory, have a responsibility to stay on top of emerging research that can help flatten the curve and ultimately stop the spread of COVID-19.