Ellen Wofford

The RISE-Health Research, Development and Innovation Unit (R&D+I) stems from the unprecedented merger and unanimous strategic decision of the leaders and researchers of four former R&D Units in the northern region of Portugal. Headquartered at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP), RISE-Health is Portugal's largest clinical and translational research unit, with management centres in 16 other public and private Higher Education Institutions. This structure enables a significant increase in critical mass, promotes multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary synergies and ensures comprehensive scientific complementarity. RISE-Health's mission is to foster clinical and translational research, from the laboratory to the community, encouraging collaboration, excellence and innovation, with the aim of becoming a major player and catalyst in changing the landscape of clinical, translational and community research in Portugal and worldwide. With its governance model, RISE-Health aims to be a benchmark in the sustainable development of the National Scientific System, promoting the sharing of scientific infrastructures and equipment between its management centres, while ensuring effective coordination among research, teaching and clinical practice.