Our Mission

Science at the Service of the Community

 

The Beirão Cruz e Silva Family, Association (fbcs) is a non-profit institution, motivated by the life and work of Prof. Edgar Figueiredo da Cruz e Silva. Fbcs’ mission is to promote the diffusion and dissemination of culture and scientific and technological knowledge, particularly when relevant for educational purposes and scientific development. The fbcs also intends to promote and reward the advancement of scientific and technological knowledge and develop partnerships with education institutions and other public and private organizations, in Portugal and abroad.

The Scientist

Edgar Figueiredo da Cruz e Silva 1958-2010

Edgar F. da Cruz e Silva was an exceptional scientist but also a charismatic and visionary leader.

Edgar was born in Lisbon and, as a child, lived in Porto Alto, Samora Correia. From a very young age he demonstrated a lot of independence by going to live in Lisbon where he studied in the Colégio Gil Vicente. He was always an excellent student and in 1983 obtained a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biological Sciences at the University of Essex, England. In 1988 he obtained a Ph.D in Biochemistry at the University of Dundee, Scotland. It was in the ‘MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit’, headed by Professor Sir Philip Cohen, that he began to develop his scientific areas of interest, in particular signal transduction and protein phosphorylation. He subsequently moved to the laboratory of the renowned scientist, who was awarded a Nobel Prize, Prof Paul Greengard. He worked, in the years that followed, at the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Rockefeller University, New York.

Edgar returned to Portugal and in 1996 founded the Center for Cellular Biology (CBC), at the University of Aveiro, with the intention of continuing with his research in Portugal. The CBC trained several researchers and produced work recognised nationally and even internationally. One of the areas of investigation was Signalling and Cellular Comunication. This is a very important control mechanism in eukaryotic cells, which controls many cellular processes. It follows that many diseases and dysfunctional states are associated with abnormal cell signalling, so Edgar’s research contributes to several biomedical areas such as neuroscience, male infertility and cancer.

Edgar was born on the 17th of May 1958, married Odete Abreu Beirão da Cruz e Silva on 2 September 1984 and had two children, Cristóvão Beirão da Cruz e Silva, who was born on 24 August 1988 and David Beirão da Cruz e Silva, who was born on April 26, 1992. He passed away on March 2, 2010.

Many will miss him in different corners of the world. He is also be missed very much in Samora Correia. This is a quiet city in the heart of Ribatejo, and the place where the family spent many weekends; Family roots are very strong in this region. In recent years Edgar had started activities to bring scientific developments closer to the local communities. Furthermore, Edgar was always concerned with the younger members of our society and with what could be done to ensure scientific knowledge and participation in the future by young people. So it is justified that the fbcs has its home in Samora Correia. The activities of the fbcs stem from the vision that Edgar had for this region, which has a strong driving source for change in the children and the younger ones among us.

Our Partners

Fulfilling our mission is possible with the generous support and collaboration of the institutions that identify with our vision and want to contribute to local growth and development.

fbcs is open to receiving various forms of support and collaboration. Institutions, companies and individuals who wish to support can obtain more details by sending an email to the contact: geral@fbcs.eu.

Founders

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Odete Abreu Beirão da Cruz e Silva
Odete Abreu Beirão da Cruz e SilvaCo-Founder
Odete Abreu Beirão da Cruz e Silva has a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom and a PhD in Biochemistry with a project developed at the ‘Medical Research Council’ unit at the University of Dundee, Scotland. She obtained equivalence to the degree of doctor in Biology with specialisation in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Coimbra. At the University of Aveiro, coordinated the Cell Biology Center, was Course Director of the undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences, the Master’s degree in Molecular Biomedicine and the Doutoral degree in Biomedicine, having been a founder of all these degrees. Currently she is director of the Medical Sciences Department at the same institution. Internationally, she was ‘external partner’ in the neuroscience program of the ‘Center for Disease Control’ (USA), evaluated several European projects and the ‘American Alzheimer’s Association’, was editor in international scientific journals and an invited scientist at the University of Goettingen. Her scientific career owes much to the enthusiasm and motivation of her husband Edgar Figueiredo da Cruz e Silva who passed away on March 2, 2010. Odete was born in Samora Correia, a place chosen by the family to spend much of their leisure and family time. This is the location of the fbcs headquarters. Edgar had, on several occasions, declared his intention to try to implement what became the mission of fbcs. It is with great dedication and intent in trying to fulfil Edgar’s vision for the region that the first activities of the fbcs begin.
Cristóvão Beirão da Cruz e Silva
Cristóvão Beirão da Cruz e SilvaCo-Founder
Cristóvão Beirão da Cruz e Silva was born in Dundee, Scotland on August 24, 1988. His experience with science has always been intense and he grew up surrounded by scientific and technological issues and challenges that will inevitably shape the future. Your father, Edgar Figueiredo da Cruz e Silva, was always an example to follow. The enthusiasm with which he lived the most innovative events was contagious, as a father he was always available and was undoubtedly the person who most shaped the future of Christopher. Cristóvão is currently attending the second year of his PhD in Physics at Universidade Lisboa at Instituto Superior Técnico, having completed his Master’s in Physics and Technological Engineering at the same institution in 2011. Samora Correia is for Cristóvão the family base, and contrasts sharply with the chaotic life of Lisbon. Cristóvão, like his father, believes in the potential of young people. He also believes that “the most important thing is to provide them with the various opportunities”. It is in this spirit that Cristóvão joins the founders, dedicated to creating opportunities to expand the horizons of knowledge, to better face a world that is increasing in its scientific and technological complexity.
David Beirão da Cruz e Silva
David Beirão da Cruz e SilvaCo-Founder
Born on April 26, 1992, in New York, Manhattan, in the United States of America, David Beirão da Cruz e Silva is the youngest son of Odete and Edgar Cruz e Silva. He has a wide range of interests, highlighting the interest in art (especially music), sports and, in a more academic context, management. He is currently enrolled in the Integrated Master course in Engineering and Industrial Management at the University of Lisbon, Instituto Superior Técnico. Samora Correia, for David, has always been the place where he was with his family and rested from the bustle of Lisbon, where he studied since he was 5 years old. David has always had a very close relationship with his father, being an example. Example of hard work, transparency, honesty and initiative. It was because of his father that David says he was able to achieve his results. It is in this sense that David wants to convey this example to the young people of Samora. Keeping in mind your father’s mentality – “Young people are the future.” – David now tries to convey this example to others.

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Discover The Future

The fbcs also intends to promote and reward the advancement of scientific and technological knowledge and develop partnerships with education institutions and other public and private organizations, in Portugal and abroad.

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