Mariana Matos, coordinator of Semana da Mama, shares an overview of the event and awareness campaign that took place at Alameda da Universidade throughout last week.

Science is often seen as a distant and complex field, existing in a realm separate from that of ordinary citizens. It feels inaccessible, doesn’t seem to belong to us, and often fades into the background, only stepping into the spotlight during moments of crisis when we urgently demand answers, as happened during the pandemic, for example.

However, it is up to us – scientific research institutes – to change this paradigm and show how essential it is to foster a culture of dialogue between science and society. In the world of misinformation we live in, scientific literacy and access to comprehensible scientific knowledge are crucial so that citizens can make informed decisions on issues that affect their lives and those around them.

Moreover, individual involvement in the scientific process is a vital element of this relationship. It’s essential to ensure that science is responding to society’s needs and concerns. Active participation from citizens enriches knowledge, offers unique perspectives and sensitivities, and contributes to creating more suitable and effective solutions.

This is what the GIMM Foundation (Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine) aimed to achieve with Semana da Mama 2024, a campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer. Over the course of five days, scientific research was brought to two breast-shaped tents at the Cidade Universitária, where hundreds of people came through.

In this space, visitors had the chance to ask questions to scientists, attend discussions with doctors and researchers, experts, and patients. In addition to learning more about breast cancer, each person could also give a little of themselves to science. It is at this intersection that the relationship between science and society takes on a new dimension: when we talk about concrete actions, like donating blood to the Biobank.

The Biobank plays a crucial role in scientific research by storing biological samples that are fundamental to developing treatments and therapies. Its effectiveness depends directly on the generosity and participation of the public, to store samples from both healthy individuals and those with illnesses.

In research, a sample from a healthy person is essential as a control, to compare and better understand disease mechanisms. It was precisely these samples from healthy people—those who typically wouldn’t be motivated to donate—that were collected during these days. Remarkably, several samples came from people who had donated last year and returned to donate again, allowing for the collection of samples from the same person at different points in their life, leading to more robust conclusions.

Donating blood to the Biobank is not just an altruistic act; it’s also a way for each citizen to actively participate in the scientific process and contribute to advances that can benefit society as a whole. The motivation to contribute varies from person to person, but there is a common denominator: everyone believes they are making a difference in the fight against diseases and in improving public health. And they are.

Semana da Mama 2024 was a success, not only in terms of the number of participants or samples collected but also because it demonstrated, once again, that science and society can—and should—walk hand in hand. When science engages people and people engage in science, we create a virtuous cycle of knowledge sharing, responsibility, and progress. Each one of us can contribute, and, above all, each one of us can experience the thrill of discovery.

If you couldn’t participate, listen to the recordings of the talks in our You Tube channel.