GENERAL INFORMATION
DATE
November 19th and 20th 2026.
VENUE
The Congress will take place at the:
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Lisbon
Av. da Universidade Técnica
Polo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda
1300-477 Lisboa,
Portugal
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is located at the University of Lisbon’s Alto da Ajuda Campus, near Monsanto Forest Park and the Tagus River.
Coordinates:
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JNrA4zYVFkH7pVMMA
GPS: 38.714109900004146, -9.19450439104012
GPS coordinates: 38°42'50.5"N 9°11'40.2"W
HOW TO ARRIVE
BUS
Bus 723|Desterro – Algés
Bus 729|Algés - Bairro Padre Cruz
Bus 760|Martim Moniz - Cemitério da Ajuda
Bus 742|B.º Madre Deus (Escola) - Casalinho Ajuda
Bus 771|Sete Rios – Boa Hora
+Info http://www.carris.pt
TRAIN
Linha de Sintra - Interface with bus 729 at Benfica station.
Linha de Cascais - Interface with bus 723 and 729 at Algés station.
+Info http://www.cp.pt
METRO
Interface with bus 723 at Marquês de Pombal station (Linha Azul);
Interface with bus 729 at Pontinha station (Linha Azul);
Interface with bus 760 at Martim Moniz station (Linha Verde).
+Info http://www.metrolisboa.pt
BOAT
From Cacilhas, Seixal and Montijo
Interface with bus 60 at Praça do Comércio.
+Info http://www.transtejo.pt
To Portugal
PLANE
The international airport of Lisbon operate and receive regular flights to and from all European destinations and the main world capitals.Lisbon International Airport operates regular flights to and from major European destinations and cities worldwide.
CONGRESS LANGUAGE
The official language of the Congress is English.
INVITATION
Dear colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that we announce the VI Congress of the Portuguese Society for Laboratory Animal Sciences (Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências em Animais de Laboratório - SPCAL), which will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, on 19th and 20th November 2026.
SPCAL's main mission is to promote the ethical principles and good practices that should guide the use of laboratory animals for scientific purposes, to contribute to the implementation of a culture of care, and to provide training in the field of laboratory animal sciences (LAS). By organizing a congress in this broad field, SPCAL contributes to optimizing the use of laboratory animals, promoting their well-being and health, fostering collaborations and interdisciplinary approaches among professionals involved in LAS, ultimately improving the quality of scientific research, along with the improvement of animal and human welfare.
The general theme of the VI SPCAL Congress, “Broadening Horizons: beyond conventional models”, aims to explore new perspectives and emerging approaches in biomedical and translational research, encouraging reflection on innovative experimental models, advanced methodologies and strategies that complement or offer alternatives to conventional models, as well as on the use of less conventional biological systems and species that remain under-represented in traditional laboratory settings. The Congress will bring together researchers, animal facility staff, veterinary surgeons, technicians, regulators, industry representatives and other specialists, promoting interdisciplinary dialogue and the sharing of knowledge.
The program will include speakers of recognized national and international merit, on topics of high collective interest. Among the invited speakers, we have already confirmed the participation of Jordi Tremoleda (QMUL, UK), Delphine Bouard (Vetsalius, FR) and Miguel Castanho (FMULisbon/GIMM).
In addition to the scientific program of the congress, we will have exhibition space for companies wishing to promote their products and services, as well as networking opportunities during the coffee breaks and Congress Dinner.
We are sure that the VI SPCAL Congress will be an extraordinary opportunity to bring together all stakeholders involved in LAS-related research and discuss new ideas and initiatives, present new technologies, establish new collaborations and reinforce existing partnerships and friendships. We invite you all to participate.
In addition, the XI ORBEA Symposium will take place on 18 November 2026 at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV), once again reflecting SPCAL’s support for the initiatives promoted by the ORBEA Network. We are therefore also pleased to extend our invitation to all colleagues to participate in this event, which will precede the VI SPCAL Congress.
Follow the latest updates on the SPCAL website: https://www.spcal.pt/.
We hope to see you in Lisbon next November.
With our best regards,
Ana Isabel Moura Santos (President of SPCAL and Chair of the Scientific Committee)
Berta São Braz (Chair of the Organizing Committee)
CONGRESS CHAIR
Ana Isabel Moura Santos (SPCAL President)
ORGANIZING AND SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Berta São Braz (Chair)
Anabela Moreira
Dolores Bonaparte
Erica Correia
Flávio Reis
Frederico Aires da Silva
Inês Dias
Magda J Castelhano-Carlos
Nuno Coelho
Paula Mota
Sofia Leocádio