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CIDESD-Europeia is cross-institutional, technical and scientifical multidisciplinary unit for applied research, focused on the areas of Health Sciences, Psychology, Sports Sciences and Human Development. CIDESD-Europeia, based at Universidade Europeia in Lisbon, is a research hub, part of CIDESD-Research Centre in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, based at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Vila Real). Founded in 2007, CIDESD emerged through a consortium comprising seven Portuguese universities and technical universities throughout the country, as well as a vast national and international network, with bilateral agreements with approximately 50 recognized institutions worldwide and partnerships with over 20 non-academic organizations, in the areas of health, high-level sports training, and applied technology to sport. The creation of the CIDESD-Europeia Hub in 2024 was a fundamental step towards the development of an increasingly integrative and multidisciplinary vision on the part of CIDESD, which will now include topics related to psychological and behavioural sciences in its research plan. These topics comprise, psychological management of sports performance, both at an individual and organizational level; personality and individual differences; psychosocial risk factors associated with physical and psychological well-being, and with high performance at different levels; health education and healthier lifestyles, and the mediating role of new technologies and artificial intelligence in improving the health and performance of individuals.
In this context, CIDESD-Europeia brings together a set of proven technical-scientific competences in the areas of bullying in sports, athletes’ well-being and children's motor skills (M. Nery); biomechanics, kinetic description and walking kinematics (L. Aguiar); the impact of physical exercise on chronic illness (F. Raposo); the relationship between obesity and nutrition (S. Martins, L. Aguiar & P. Vieira); behavioural change (P. Vieira, A.Q. Martins & T. Santos); human motivation and motivational strategies (P. Vieira & F. Raposo); psychotraumatology, the impact of bereavement and chronic illness on human development (P. Ferrajão); the impact of early adverse experiences on relationship with the body, and development of eating behaviours (L. Roque); health psychology, self-regulation and social support (T. Santos), and abuse/neglect in the elderly (J. Soares).
Among the most relevant partners, we would like to highlight the following:
For more information, visit the CIDESD website.
20. Martins, A.Q., McIntyre, D., Ring, C. (2015). Aversive event unpredictability causes stress-induced hypoalgesia. Psychophysiology, 52, 1066-70.
21. Mendonça, I., Coelho, F., Ferrajão, P., & Abreu, A. (2022). Telework and mental health during COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, Article 2602. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052602
22. Nery, M., Neto, C.; Rosado, A. & Smith, P. K. (2020). Bullying in Youth Sports Training: New perspectives and practical strategies. London: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781315101705
23. Nery, M.; Neto, C.; Rosado, A. & Smith, P. K. (2020). Welfare and protection of young athletes: analysis of nature and prevalence of bullying behaviours (pp. 105-118). In. M. Lang. (Org.). The International Handbook of Athlete Welfare. London: Routledge.
24. Nery, M.; Ventura, C. & Stirling, A. (2021). Bullying in sports (pp. 183-201). In. P. K. Smith & J. O. Norman (Org.). Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Bullying. London: Routledge.
25. Perentos, N., Martins, A. Q., Cumming, R. J., Mitchell, N. L., Palmer, D. N., Sawiak, S. J., & Morton, A. J. (2016). An EEG investigation of sleep homeostasis in healthy and CLN5 batten disease affected sheep. Journal of Neuroscience, 36(31), 8238-8249.
26. Perentos, N., Martins, A.Q., Watson, T.C., Bartsch, U., Mitchell, N.L., Palmer, D.N., Jones, M.W., Morton, A.J. (2015). Translational neurophysiology in sheep: Measuring sleep and neurological dysfunction in Batten disease sheep. Brain, 138, 862-74.
27. Perentos, N., Nicol, A. U., Martins, A. Q., Stewart, J. E., Taylor, P., & Morton, A. J. (2017). Techniques for chronic monitoring of brain activity in freely moving sheep using wireless EEG recording. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 279, 87-100.
28. Raposo, F. Z., Sánchez-Oliva, D., Veiga Carraça, E., Labisa Palmeira, A., & Nunes Silva, M. (2020). The Dark Side of Motivational Practices in Exercise Professionals: Mediators of Controlling Strategies. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(15), 5377. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17155377
29. Raposo, F.Z., Caldeira, P., Batalau, R., Araújo, D. & Silva, M.N. (2020). Self-Determination Theory and Nonlinear Pedagogy: An Approach to Exercise Professionals’ Strategies on Autonomous Motivation. Retos, 37, 680-686. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v37i37.74355
30. Ribeiro G, Torres S, Fernandes AB, Camacho M, Branco TL, Martins SS, Raimundo A and Oliveira-Maia AJ (2022) Enhanced sweet taste perception in obesity: Joint analysis of gustatory data from multiple studies. Front. Nutr. 9:1028261. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.1028261
31. Roque, L., Graça, J., Truninger, M., Guedes, D., Campos, L., Vinnari, M., & Godinho, C. (2022). Plant-based school meals as levers of sustainable food transitions: A narrative review and conceptual framework. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 10, 100429. DOI:10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100429
32. Roque, L., Veríssimo, M. (2011). Emotional context, maternal behavior and emotion regulation. Infant Behavior and Development, 34, 617-626. DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2011.06.002. Epub 2011 Jul 18. PMID: 21764459 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
33. Roque, L., Veríssimo, M., Fernandes, M., Rebelo, A. (2013). Emotion regulation and attachment: Relationships with children’s secure base, during different situational and social contexts in naturalistic settings. Infant Behavior and Development 36, 298-306. DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2013.03.003. Epub 2013 Mar 29
34. Roque, L., Veríssimo, M., Oliveira, T. F., &, Oliveira, R. F. (2012). Attachment security and HPA axis reactivity to positive and challenging emotional situations in child-mother dyads in naturalistic settings. Developmental Psychobiology, 54, 401-411. DOI: 10.1002/dev.20598. Epub 2011 Aug 23. PMID: 22487942 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
35. Santos, T., Correia, A., Biscaia, R., & Pegoraro, A. (2019). Examining fan engagement through social networking sites. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 20(1), 163-183. [doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05-2016-0020].
36. Santos, T., Correia, A., Biscaia, R., Araújo, C., Pedroso, C., Stinghen, F. & Menezes, V. (2016). A qualidade da Copa do Mundo da FIFA Brasil 2014 nas cidades-sede. Movimento, 22(2), 611-624. [doi.org/10.22456/1982-
37. Santos, T., Fatela, P., Vilar, L., & Gonçalves, B. (2022). The Portuguese football league ‘Liga Portugal’. In García-Fernández, J., Grimaldi-Puyana, M., & Bravo, G. A. (Eds.), Sport in the Iberian Peninsula: Management, Economics and Policy (pp. 154-163). Taylor & Francis. [doi.org/10.4324/9781003197003]
38. Santos-Rocha, R., Branco, M. , Aguiar, L. Vieira, F. & Veloso, A. (2018). Biomechanical Adapations in Pregnancy: Implications for Physical Activity and Exercise. In Rita Santos-Rocha (Ed 1). Exercise and Sporting During Pregnancy Evidence-Based Guidelines. Alemanha: Spinger.
39. Sardinha, L. B, Marques, A., Minderico, C., Palmeira, A. L., Martins, S., Santos, D. A., & Ekelund, U. (2016). Longitudinal Relationship between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Academic Achievement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(5): 839-844. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000000830
40. Soares JJ, Macassa G, Grossi G, Viitasara E. Psychosocial correlates of hopelessness among men. Cogn Behav Ther. 2008;37(1):50-61. doi: 10.1080/16506070701628016. PMID: 18365798.
41. Sotoudeh GR, Mohammadi R, Mosallanezhad Z, Viitasara E, Soares JJF. The prevalence, circumstances and consequences of unintentional falls among elderly Iranians: A population study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2018 Nov-Dec;79:123-130.
42. Teixeira, D.S., Monteiro, D., Raposo, F.Z., Markland, D., Silva, M.N., Palmeira, A.L., & Carraça, E.V. (2019). Perceived Environmental Supportiveness Scale: Portuguese Translation, Validation and Adaptation to the Physical Education Domain. Motriz, Rio Claro, v.25, Issue 2, 2019. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1980-6574201900020003
43. Tellez, M. J. A., Silva, A. M., Jonatan, R. R., Martins, S. S., Palmeira, A. L., Branco, T. L., Minderico, C. S., Rocha, P. M., Themudo-Barata, J., Teixeira, P. J. & Sardinha, L. B. (2020). Neck circumference is associated with adipose tissue content in thigh skeletal muscle in overweight and obese premenopausal women. Scientific Reports, 10: 8324. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65204-9
44. Vieira P.N., Mata J, Silva MN, Coutinho SR, Santos TC, Minderico CS, Sardinha LB, Teixeira PJ (2011). Predictors of psychological well-being during behavioral obesity treatment in women. Journal of Obesity. DOI:10.1155/2011/936153.
45. Vieira PN, Silva MN, Mata J, Coutinho SR, Santos TC, Sardinha LB, Teixeira PJ (2014). Sucesso na manutenção do peso perdido em Portugal – o Registo Nacional de Controlo do Peso. Revista Ciência e Saúde Coletiva 19(1): 83-92. DOI:10.1016/j.rpsp.2012.10.002.
46. Vieira PN, Silva MN, Mata J, Coutinho SR, Santos TC, Sardinha LB, Teixeira PJ (2012). Sucesso na manutenção do peso perdido em Portugal e nos Estados Unidos: comparação de dois Registos Nacionais de Controlo do Peso. Revista Portuguesa de Saúde Pública, 30(2):115-124. doi.org/10.1016/j.rpsp.2012.10.002.
47. Vieira PN, Silva MN, Mata J, Coutinho SR, Santos TC, Sardinha LB, Teixeira PJ (2013). Correlates of Health-related Quality of Life, Psychological Well-Being, and Eating Self-Regulation after Successful Weight Loss Maintenance. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 36(6):601-610. doi: 10.1007/s10865-012-9454-9.
48. Vieira, P.N., Palmeira AL, Mata J, Kolotkin RL, Silva MN, Sardinha LB e Teixeira PJ (2012). Usefulness of standard BMI cut-offs for quality of life and psychological well-being in women. Obesity Facts, 5, 795-805. http://doi.org/10.1159/000345778.
J. Soares obtained his BSc (1982), MSc (1986) & PhD (1992) in Psychology (Uppsala University, Sweden). He is a licensed psychotherapist since 1991 (behavioural therapy, , Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, Stockholm, Sweden) and a principal investigator in Uppsala university since 1992. He also held an associated professorship position in Public Health at the Karolinska Institutet (dept. of Public Health Sciences). In 2010 he earned the Full Professor position in Psychology and Public Health at the Mid Sweden University, Östersund/Sundsvall, Sweden, being the head of the Public health Sciences Department in the same University between 2010 and 2014. Since 2020 he is also a Professor and researcher at Universidade Europeia.
He has supervised 8 PhD thesis (1 still ongoing), and has published 139 research articles in indexed journals in the Psychology and Public health Sciences areas.
J. Soares has secured over € 540 000 in research grants
S. Martins obtained her PhD in Human Motricity in the Health and Physical Condition Specialty (2012), having a h-index of 12, with 21 research articles indexed in ISI Web of Science, 6 Books e 10 book-chapters. She participated in 5 funded research projects. She is also the co-supervisor of na ongoing PhD thesis (U. Évora) and superbised 26 MSc thesis.
Top 5 papers
S Martins is the PI of a research project (Lifestyle@UE) resulting from a partnership with Universidad Europea de Madrid, with funding from Banco Santander. In addition, she is the proposing PI for a project application (in preparation) in partnership with Hospital Lusíadas de Lisboa, aiming to devise a combined intervention of physical exercise and nutrition on clinical, physical fitness, functional, nutritional and psychosocial indicators in breast and prostate cancer patients in stages I to III.
A. Q. Martins graduated in Psychology and completed a MSc in Psychiatry and Mental Health, both at the University of Porto. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychophysiology (University of Birmingham, UK) and received further training as a Research Associate at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge (UK), for over two years. I then returned to Portugal to join I3S, University of Porto in the study of the “Neuroinflammatory correlates of depression”. Currently he is an Assistant Professor at Universidade Europeia at Lisbon (Portugal) where teaching Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience, while conducting and supervising research as an UNIDCOM member. He also works as a private practicing Clinical Psychologist.
He has collaborated in several research projects and published in top ranked journals, being also an adhoc reviewer for the Frontiers of Cognitive Neuroscience, Journal of Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Science, Journal of Business Research, Acta Médica Portuguesa and Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria. His top five papers are:
A. Q. Martins research interests include:
(1) Cognitive Neuroscience of Psychopathology.
Under the scope of this topic, he is currently involved in two projects. The first, aims to understand the neurocognitive correlates of autistic-like traits in light of empathy and alexithymia constructs. The second, aims to measure the different dimensions of eco-anxiety, namely the cognitive and emotional components of the individuals’ relationship to the natural environment.
(2) Experimental Design Paradigms for Behavioural Change.
This topic bridges health psychology interventions with design innovations. As an UNIDCOM member, he collaborates with Professor Emília Duarte and supervise the experimental paradigms of her students.
(3) Cognitive Neuroscience of Time Perception and Precognition. In the coming years, he is also keen to devise experimental paradigms to enlighten this growing topic.
P. N. Vieira is the Vice-Rector for the Academic Model at Universidade Europeia, holding a PhD (2012) in Human Motricity with a specialty in Health and Physical Condition (Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa), here he graduated in Sport Sciences (1998) and obtained in MSc in Exercise and health (2004). He has worked has a physical education teacher, basketball coach and coach trainer for over 30 years.
He as also been the leader of several scientific and community programs in exercise and health, including the Portuguese Army Laboratory for Health and Exercise (at FMH), working on obesity treatment (Programs PESO - Promoção de Exercício e Saúde na Obesidade and RNCP - Registo Nacional de Controlo do Peso), as well as in Associação de Basquetebol de Lisboa, Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol (as chairman of the general assembly and coordinator of the disciplinary group).
P. N. Vieira has a vast research career, which has been focused over the last years in higher education teaching methodologies, on the structuring and implementation of innovative pedagogical practices. He as also supervised 5 MSc thesis.
His most relevant research has been published in the following articles:
P. N. Vieira future research is focused in behavioral changes associated with experimental pedagogical practices in higher education, with obesity and weight control, quality of life and well-being, and to organizational leadership.
L. Aguiar is an Assistant Professor at Universidade Europeia (Health Sciences Faculty), and a member of Centro de Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana, no Laboratório de Biomecânica e Morfologia Funcional, na Faculdade de Motricidade Humana. She holds a PhD (2014) in Biomechanics from Faculdade de Motricidade Humana da Universidade de Lisboa.
She graduated in Sports at Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior, Instituto Politécnico de Santarém, also holding a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering from Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra.
Her research is focused in the construction of biomechanical models, tridimensional image analysis and simulation, a thematic that feed her research output, using as model the study of gait changes during pregnancy.
Selected research articles
In the next 5 years L. Aguiar envisions to continue the path that she has been following, namely through a new research project recently funded, “Biomechanical and functional factors that characterize gait in people with Autism spectrum disorder”, thus consolidating the intersection between biomechanics and ageing.
Christian G. Ramos is a Science Manager at Universidade Europeia. He graduated in 2002 in Biotechnological Engineering from Universidade Lusófona, obtained his MSc degree in Biotechnology (Biochemical Engineering) in Instituto Superior Técnico – Universidade de Lisboa (IST/UL) in 2007, and earned the PhD in Biotechnology (Biosciences) in 2011 (Scholarship from Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian), also from IST/UL, with Honours and Distinction, also having several certifications in project management and (Big) data analysis. He has worked as a Microbiologist in Panrico (2000-2002), as a consulter for several companies in the health sector (Consalus, SaudQuest, Genomed), as an informatics instructor (Teclinform), as a teacher for chemistry (NewScience) and as a project manager (UpStearm). Most of his career has been dedicated to scientific research (2000-2022), with 30 international peer-reviewed publications (15 Q1 articles), 2 books, 5 book-chapters, 15 invited lectures, and 35 presentations in international meetings, with a h-index of 12, his scientific outputs span research topics from the molecular determinants of antimicrobial resistance, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of human T-cells response to HIV infection, and to the mis-regulation of gene expression that leads to neurodegeneration. C. G. Ramos was the PI of 9 research projects (4 with national funding, 1 with international funding) and collaborated in over 25 research projects.
C. G. Ramos did his first 3-year post-doc (2012-2014) at IBB/IST, working on Microbial Molecular Genetics, moving to BioISI/FCUL for his 2nd post-doc (2015-2017) working on Molecular Cell Biology (immunology). In 2017 he took a senior researcher position at IMM/FMUL to work on Cellular and Molecular NeuroBiology (Gaucher Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Rett Syndrome). During this period, he also held 2 invited researcher positions (at the CRG in Barcelona, Spain, and at the Weizmann Institute, in Rehovot, Israel).
Selected main scientific contributions (IF – Impact factor):
He has also served as an invited assistant professor at IST (Genetic Engineering) and at FCUL (Molecular Biology). In the last 10 years he has been progressively more involved in project management, now he is focused in leading Universidade Europeia into the forefront and contribute for a stronger academic and research community.
As a triathlete and a scientist, his current and future research are oriented towards the study of the physiological and neuro-muscular adaptations in endurance sports.
M. Nery is a clinical and sports psychologist. His main areas of interest are clinical and development psychology, bullying, child motricity and sports. He holds a PhD in Human Motricity (Psychology and motor behaviour) and is the co-author of the book Bullying in Youth Sports Training: New perspectives and practical strategies (with Carlos Neto, António Rosado and Peter K. Smith. Routledge, 2020).
He is also a member of the Pool of Experts on Safeguarding in the Researcher/Academic category of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sports (European Counsil).
Selected publications
In the forthcoming future M. Nery will explore in greater detail the thematic of “Gaming and Human Development”, specifically through Rough & Tumble, during a post-doc. He also wishes to pursue the study the impacts of the psychotherapist pregnancy in the analytical process.
F. Raposo is a university professor for over 20 years, and holds over 3 decades of experience in the health and physical exercise industry. He is a member of the board and one of the founding members of the Associação Portuguesa de Fisiologistas do Exercício. F. Raposo is an exercise physiologist, with specialization in personalized training, clinical exercise, and strength and conditioning. He holds a PhD in Physical Education and Sports (specialty in Physical activity and health) from ULHT, a MSc in Exercise and health (FMH-UL), a postgraduation in cardiac Rehabilitation (FMH-UL), and a BSc in Sport Sciences (FMH-UL).
His research is focused in Human Motivation, non-linear pedagogies, and effort physiology.
F. Raposo most relevant research outputs are:
1 - Raposo, F. Z., Sánchez-Oliva, D., Veiga Carraça, E., Labisa Palmeira, A., & Nunes Silva, M. (2020). The Dark Side of Motivational Practices in Exercise Professionals: Mediators of Controlling Strategies. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(15), 5377. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17155377
2 - Raposo, F.Z., Caldeira, P., Batalau, R., Araújo, D. & Silva, M.N. (2020). Self-Determination Theory and Nonlinear Pedagogy: An Approach to Exercise Professionals’ Strategies on Autonomous Motivation. Retos, 37, 680-686. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v37i37.74355
3 - Teixeira, D.S., Monteiro, D., Raposo, F.Z., Markland, D., Silva, M.N., Palmeira, A.L., & Carraça, E.V. (2019). Perceived Environmental Supportiveness Scale: Portuguese Translation, Validation and Adaptation to the Physical Education Domain. Motriz, Rio Claro, v.25, Issue 2, 2019. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1980-6574201900020003
4 - Cerca, L., Teixeira, D., Carraça, E., Raposo, F., Silva, M., & Palmeira, A. (2023). Experiencia profesional y formación académica de profesionales del ejercicio: relación entre presiones laborales y necesidades psicológicas básicas en el contexto laboral (Professional experience and academic training of exercise professionals: relationship between job pressures and basic psychological needs in the work context). Retos, 47, 761–774. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v47.95899
5 - Pereira, H.V., Caetano, C., Santos-Rocha, R., Martins, S.S., Raposo, F.Z., Teixeira, P. (2017) O Fisiologista do Exercício: o profissional de referência na área da Atividade Física, Exercício e Saúde. Revista Fatores de Risco, 44(Abr-Jun), 71-76
Over the next 5 years, F. Raposo aims to work on dynamic pedagogical practices, and explore the relationship between chronical health conditions and exercise, in particular in athletes. He also wishes to understand how the new technologies impact human motivation.
P. Ferrajão is a clinical psychologist and university professor. His main research interests are the psychological impacts of adverse/traumatic experiences, physiological processes associated with aversive/pain experiences, eco-anxiety, and autism spectrum disorders.
He is part of several international networks, including the National Center of Psychotraumatology. Southern Denmark University. He i salso a Specialst member in clinical and health psychology in the Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses.
Main scientific contributions
In the next 5-year period, P. Ferrajão wishes to pursue his research on eco-anxiety, and in the physiological processes involved in identification and recognition of emotions in Autism Spectrum Disorder patients. Also, is his interested in the impacts of digital environments in social isolation and social identity.
L. Roque obtained has a degree in clinical psychology (2004, ISPA-Instituto Universitário), postgraduation in Psychotherapy and psychological Support (2006, S.A.P.P.- Serviço de apoio Psicológico e Psicoterapia) and a PhD in development Psychology (2010, ISPA-Instituto Universitário).
She has worked in the socio-emotional behaviour field, having published 10 original articles, and participated in 5 research projects.
L. Roque most relevant scientific production includes:
Her main research interests for the near future include developmental psychobiology, trauma psychology, early traumatic experiences, child-birth trauma, trauma neurobiology, and the quality of bonding in the mother/father-child or couples.
T. C. Santos is a clinical psychologist with a PhD in Health Psychology from (ISPA-Instituto Universitário). She is also a psychtherapist in integrative, cognitive and behavioural therapy. She is a European Federation of Psychologists Associations – EFPA certified psychologist.
T. C. Santos is also the clinical and scientific coordinator of the international project Mind, Body & Boost (MBB), Erasmus+ Sport call. She has published 44 international articles, 9 book.chapters and has 82 communications in international meetings. She has received 7 awards.
The most relevant research produced by T. Santos:
T. C. Santos research interests include clinical and health psychology, in particular in connection with life quality and well-being, and humor states in chronically-ill teenage and adult patients, as well as in the prevention of risk behaviours, education and health promotion, and personal, emotional and social skills promotion.