About us

The Champalimaud Foundation, based in Lisbon, Portugal, was created at the bequest of the late Portuguese industrialist and entrepreneur, António de Sommer Champalimaud. At the end of 2004 it was officially incorporated as the Anna de Sommer Champalimaud and Dr. Carlos Montez Champalimaud Foundation, in honour of the benefactor’s parents. As stipulated by António Champalimaud prior to his death, Leonor Beleza, former Portuguese Minister of Health, is the Foundation’s President.

The Champalimaud Foundation supports individual researchers and research teams working at the cutting edge of biomedical science. It aims to stimulate novel theoretical and practical methodologies by utilising the experience of both research scientists and medical practitioners.

The impact of progressive research – basic, applied and clinical - is typically far-reaching, affecting how illnesses and diseases are diagnosed and treated throughout the world. The Champalimaud Foundation aims to maximise the work being done in the fields of cancer research and neuroscience. Another primary objective is to make advances in the field of international vision research. As a result of this, the Foundation intends to make a significant contribution to the fight against vision-related illness and disease.

As it is a private organisation, the scope for the research initiatives and funding programmes of the Champalimaud Foundation is unrestrained by national borders. If a particular country is in a better position – governmentally, clinically and/or institutionally – to accommodate a certain type of biomedical research, the Foundation has the flexibility and freedom to respond quickly and to lend its support.