Ana Rita Lopes featured on the program “Imagens de Marca”

MARE researcher Ana Rita Lopes participated in the episode “Comunicação, a quanto obrigas” of SIC's program “Imagens de Marca” (Brand Images). The episode ended with a report dedicated to L'Oréal, which sought to highlight the brand's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, core values of its global strategy “L'Oréal for the Future,” which sets the company's course until 2030.​

In Portugal, this mission translates into four fundamental pillars—climate transition, nature protection, circular economy, and community support—and is also reflected in support for science and research. For more than two decades, L'Oréal Portugal, in partnership with the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), has been honoring scientists with the L'Oréal Portugal Medal of Honor for Women in Science, recognizing the talent and contribution of female researchers who, through their work, seek to change the world.

In 2024, Ana Rita Lopes, a researcher at MARE-ULisboa, was one of four scientists to receive this distinction. The project that earned her the award, entitled “Under Pressure,” studies how rising ocean temperatures and contamination by emerging pollutants affect the delicate symbiotic relationships between marine organisms, such as anemones and their symbionts.

“Receiving the L'Oréal Medal of Honor for Women in Science was, above all, a huge privilege, but also a great responsibility,” said the researcher in an interview with SIC. “My project aims to understand how ocean warming and contamination by drugs, such as antidepressants or even endocrine disruptors present in oral contraceptives, affect the cooperation between anemones and their symbionts.” Ana Rita Lopes' study also aims to identify the true impacts of these stress factors in order to create appropriate conservation measures for these ecosystems.

Through her participation in the “Imagens de Marca” program, Ana Rita Lopes highlighted not only the role of science in promoting a sustainable future, but also the importance of communicating research in a clear and accessible way, bringing science closer to society and inspiring new generations of researchers.

To watch the interview, click HERE