Listen to the new Arqus Knowledge Pills podcast episode: What do Ironman triathlons and brain regeneration have in common?
Arqus
|
26 May 2026
How does the grit required to finish one of the world’s toughest endurance races translate to the delicate work of repairing the human spinal cord? What happens when we stop looking at cells as the cure and start looking at the “secretome”—the potent signals they leave behind? Find out the answers to these questions and more as António Salgado discusses his work and unique trajectory in this episode of Knowledge Pills.
From the microscopic signals of Central Nervous System (CNS) regeneration to the high-stakes environment of university leadership, this episode explores the multidisciplinary mindset needed to solve modern mysteries. Professor Salgado explains the shift toward “cell-free” therapies and discusses how close we are to seeing these lab discoveries transition into clinical treatments for conditions like Parkinson’s. He outlines why “cross-talk” between biology, engineering, and neuroscience—the core of his ReNEU team—is the only way to tackle complex medical challenges.
In this episode, we discuss Prof. Salgado’s research at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS) and his dual role as the Vice-Rector for Research and Science Policy at the University of Minho. He offers vital career advice for the next generation of European researchers and reveals how the discipline of long-distance triathlons maintains his mental resilience in a high-stakes academic career.
About the speaker:
António Salgado is the Vice-Rector for Research and Science Policy at the University of Minho and a Coordinating Investigator at the ICVS. A leading expert in CNS repair, he focuses on developing innovative therapies for Spinal Cord Injury and Parkinson’s Disease using Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) secretomes and ECM-like hydrogels. He is the President of the Portuguese Society for Stem Cells and Cell Therapies and has been recognized with the Gulbenkian Award and the Prize Melo e Castro. Beyond the lab, he is a multiple-time triathlete and Ironman finisher.
The episodes of the Arqus Knowledge Pills are published on a regular basis and can be subscribed to on Spotify and other platforms:
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