Lectures Day:October 18th, 2025
Workshops:
October 13-17th, 2025
Welcome To WBME
The main goal of this annual conference is to expose students, engineers, scientists and the overall academic and scientific communities to the greatest recent advances in the fields of Technology, Health and Biomedical Engineering taking place in some of the most prestigious research institutions. Each year different subjects are explored, always according to our audience's preferences. This is a 100% free event, so make sure you don't miss it!
In 2025, for the 17th WBME, we’ll delve into cutting-edge topics such as Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision in Surgical Robotics, Quantitative MRI for understanding brain structure and function, Computational Neuroscience and Brain Network Modeling, and the intersection between Environmental Factors, Machine Learning, and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Join us on October 18th to explore the future of Biomedical Engineering!
For the practical workshops, we’ll offer training in soft skills, as well as specialized sessions in Brain-Computer Interfaces and Healthcare Data. The week will conclude with an extensive masterclass on Cognitive Neuroimaging. Join us from October 13th to 17th!
For fifteen years, WBME was held only for one Saturday.
On the 17th edition we mantain the event molds, keeping the adding practical workshops
in the following week, in order to provide students with a more in-depth
knowledge and to teach them some useful tools for both their academic and
professional career. Plus, being a completely free event, it's the perfect
opportunity for students to brush up their skills and learn a bit more!
We hope this event will contribute to open new opportunities for research,
from contact with people of the best science universities in the world, in this
fascinating area that is changing the world of healthcare and life quality.
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
Speakers
Dr. Sophia Bano
Associate Professor in Robotics and AI, University College London The Future of AI in Surgical InterventionsIntelligence at the UCL Department of Computer Science and also part of the Surgical Robot Vision (SRV) Group at UCL Hawkes Institute and UCL Robotics Institute at University College London (UCL). She is also the Co-Investigator in the EPSRC OASIS Hub (Optical and Acoustic imaging for Surgical and Interventional Sciences). Her work focuses on developing computer vision and AI techniques for context awareness, machine consciousness and navigation in minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery. With over 80 peer-reviewed publications and multiple research grants and awards, she is recognized for her contributions to biomedical imaging and surgical robotics. She is an active member of the MICCAI society and has been organising several MICCAI endorsed events including the Endoscopic Vision Challenges since 2020. Additionally, she is serving as the Program Chair for IPCAI2025-2026.
Prof. José Marques
Donders Institute, Radboud University The Promise of Quantitative MRI: a window into the mechanisms of Aging, Disease and FunctionJosé Marques formou-se em Física Experimental na Universidade de Coimbra e desde cedo direcionou a sua carreira para a área da Ressonância Magnética (RM). O seu doutoramento, realizado na Universidade de Nottingham no laboratório de Sir Peter Mansfield, marcou o início de um percurso em que aliou a física fundamental a aplicações concretas em neuroimagem. Após um período de pós-doutoramento em Coimbra, onde desenvolveu métodos de processamento de EEG-fMRI , integrou Escola Politécnica Federal de Lausanne (EPFL, Suíça) onde contribuiu para consolidar a imagem de altos campos magnéticos (7T e 14T) e o desenvolvimento de imagens quantitativas que são hoje utilizadas em scanners clinícos. Atualmente, lidera o grupo de Imagem Estrutural e Quantitativa em RM na Radboud University, nos Países Baixos, onde explora os mecanismos biofísicos que sustentam os contrastes de imagem e a cria pontes para a sua aplicação clínica e em estudos populacionais. O seu trabalho foca-se no desenvolvimento de biomarcadores quantitativos, na modelação dos efeitos microestruturais do sinal. No âmbito da sua palestra “(Delivering) The Promise of Quantitative MRI: a window into the mechanisms of Aging, Disease and Function”, José Marques irá apresentar como a RM quantitativa pode oferecer novas perspetivas sobre o envelhecimento, a doença e a função cerebral, mostrando o potencial desta tecnologia para transformar tanto a investigação fundamental como a prática clínica.
Prof. Vasco Conceição
Invited Assistant Professor at Faculdade de Medicina Early-life exposure to second-hand smoke is associated with altered reinforcement learningI am an Invited Assistant Professor at Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal. In addition, I work at the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM) as a Postdoctoral Researcher on a project entitled "Environmental Mixtures, Cognitive Control and Reward Processes, And Risk for Psychiatric Problems", which is led by Doctor Amy Margolis at Ohio State University, USA. My main research goals are to better understand the pathophysiology of certain neuropsychiatric symptoms and disorders, as well as how those symptoms and disorders are affected by environmental stimuli (e.g., tobacco smoke) and how they can best be treated. To do so, I apply state-of-the-art machine-learning techniques, which include the development, fitting, and comparison of biologically inspired computational models. Outside academia, I am the Vice President of the Portuguese Tourette Syndrome Association (APST) and a member of its Scientific Council." presentation.
Prof. Joana Cabral
Assistant Professor at Instituto Superior Tecnico Computational Models of Brain Network DynamicsAfter completing her degree in Biomedical Engineering at NOVA University of Lisbon in 2007, Dr. Joana Cabral pursued a PhD in Computational Neuroscience in Barcelona. Subsequently she worked as Assistant Researcher at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford between 2014 and 2017. She then returned to Portugal, initially joining the University of Minho, and has recently moved to Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon as Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Cabral's interdisciplinary approach combines advanced mathematical and physical modeling with neuroimaging techniques to understand how brain networks coordinate their activity in health and disease. Her research spans multiple scales, from neural oscillations to large-scale brain connectivity, with particular focus on psychiatric and neurological conditions. She has established herself as a leading expert in computational modeling of brain network dynamics. She has published extensively in high-impact journals and has been recognized for her innovative contributions to computational neuroscience. Her work bridges theoretical modeling with clinical applications, exemplifying the translational potential of biomedical engineering.
Program - 18th October
Opening Session
Networking with Coffee Break
Lunch Break
Early-life exposure to second-hand smoke is associated with altered reinforcement learning
Prof. Vasco Conceição
Coffee Break
Best Alumni
Identifying EEG Biomarkers of Virtual Embodiment for Restorative Brain-Computer InterfacesEng. Daniela Esteves
My master’s dissertation explored how combining Motor Imagery–based Brain–Computer Interfaces (MI-BCIs) with Virtual Reality (VR) can enhance post-stroke neurorehabilitation. After a stroke, patients often lose motor function in the upper limbs, and traditional physical therapy alone may not fully restore it. MI-BCIs offer a promising alternative by enabling patients to train their brains through imagined movements, activating neural pathways similar to those used during actual motion and promoting neuroplasticity. When integrated with immersive VR, these systems can further boost engagement and recovery. A key element of this technique is the Sense of Embodiment (SoE), the illusion of owning and controlling a virtual body, which can potentially accelerate brain recovery. My presentation will delve into how this combination of MI-BCI and VR can reshape neurorehabilitation for post-stroke patients, highlighting the fascinating role of SoE in driving brain recovery. -->
Closing Session with Poster Winner Reveal
Workshops, Visitas e Masterclass
Brain-Computer Interfaces
Daniela Esteves e Madalena ValenteDuration: 1h30
Language: Portuguese
Location: FCUL - 1.5.10
Softskils
Prof. Ana PrataDuration: 1h30
Language: Portuguese
Location: FCUL - 1.4.14
The T-Shaped Engineer:
Go beyond technical expertise. Build skills that set you apart in tomorrow’s job market.
In an increasingly competitive market driven by rapid technological revolutions, technical expertise alone is no longer enough—especially for those yet to enter the workforce. This workshop will help you break the classic cycle of “no experience, no job / no job, no experience.” Together, we’ll explore how to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, strengthen essential soft skills and manage knowledge effectively. Expect a dynamic session designed to highlight how to stand out in the job market, and equip you to create real value in the future of engineering.
Visit to Biomecanics Laboratory
Duration: 1h00Language: Portuguese
Location: Instituto Superior Tecnico
Data Healthcare
Ana Margarida Lopes - GlintDuration: 1h30
Language: Portuguese
Location: FCUL - 1.4.20
Visit to Lasige
Duration: 2hLanguage: Portuguese
Location: FCUL
Masterclass about Neurogenereative Diseases
Prof. Sofia FernandesDuration: 1h00
Language: Portuguese
Location: FCUL - 1.3.15
Masterclass about Cognitive Neuroimaging
Prof. José MarquesDuration: 1h
Language: English
Location: FCUL - 1.3.20