Team

Daniela Figueiredo

Founder & Principal Investigator

Daniela Figueiredo is the founder and Principal Investigator of the KiPsy Lab — Kidney Psychosocial Research Laboratory, a research environment dedicated to understanding the psychosocial dimensions of kidney disease across the life course. Her work focuses on how patients, families and healthcare professionals experience and adapt to chronic kidney disease over time. Over the years, she has led and contributed to funded research projects in kidney disease and other chronic conditions, supporting the development of psychosocial research in close connection with clinical practice.

At the KiPsy Lab, she works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams of researchers and clinicians committed to advancing knowledge and developing supportive responses for people living with kidney disease and their families.

Helena Sousa

Clinical Health Psychologist & Postdoctoral Researcher

Helena Sousa is a Clinical and Health Psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro / RISE-Health, Portugal. She has developed her work in the field of Renal Psychology, focusing on the psychosocial challenges experienced by people living with chronic kidney disease and their families.

She is dedicated to the development and study of evidence-based psychosocial interventions, aiming to address the needs of those living with this disease.

She has a particular interest in translating scientific knowledge into clinical practice, contributing to the integration of Renal Psychology within renal care settings.

At the KiPsy Lab, she collaborates with interdisciplinary teams of researchers and healthcare professionals in the development and implementation of psychosocial support programs, both in-person and digital, aimed at people with kidney disease and their families.

Oscar Ribeiro

Associate Professor & Researcher

Oscar Ribeiro, PhD, FGSA. Associate Professor of Psychology at the Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro, Portugal. Researcher (PI of the Healthy Ageing group) at the R&D Unit RISE-Health at the Associate Laboratory RISE located at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto and coordinator of one of its hubs at the University of Aveiro.

At the KiPsy, he contributes to the development of psychological assessment tools and psychosocial programs for individuals with kidney disease and their families, reflecting his interests in assessment and intervention within clinical and health psychology.

Joana Quental

Researcher

Joana Quental is Associate Professor of Design at the University of Aveiro and researcher at the ID+ Research Institute for Design, Media and Culture, where she leads the Design for Health research group. Her work focuses on design-driven health communication, health literacy and knowledge translation. She coordinates the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's programme Response_Able Futures in Design and Health_Care at the University of Aveiro. At KiPsyLab, she contributes to the laboratory's visual identity and scientific communication, supporting the dissemination of research through accessible, evidence-informed and human-centred approaches.

Mário Rodrigues

Advisor ESSUA

Mário Rodrigues holds a degree in Information and Communication Technology in Department of Communication and the Arts from the University of Aveiro, a master's degree in Audiovisual Communication in Polytechnic Institute of Porto (IPP), and he was a PhD student in Doctoral Program in Rehabilitation Sciences of University of Aveiro.

His main research and development activities focus in the audiovisual communication and motion capture technologies. Is a Technical Supervisor of Human Movement Laboratory and advisor in the School of Health Sciences in University of Aveiro.

Beatriz Aleixo

Research Fellow

Beatriz Aleixo completed a Master's degree in Health Psychology and Neuropsychology at the University of Aveiro. Her academic and scientific background has focused on the field of Clinical and Health Psychology, with a particular emphasis on Renal Psychology. Her research activity has been characterized by participation in projects such as Together We Stand and Standing Together, focused on understanding psychological adjustment to chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis, considering the experiences of both patients and family caregivers.

Within this context, she has developed skills in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, as well as in scientific dissemination through the preparation of scientific articles, abstracts, and posters. Throughout her academic and scientific trajectory, she has developed a particular interest in integrating research and clinical practice, aiming to contribute to a greater understanding of chronic kidney disease and to the development of psychological support for individuals living with this condition.

Marta Cunha

Research Fellow

Marta Cunha obtained her Master's degree in Health Psychology and Neuropsychology from the University of Aveiro. She completed her curricular internship in a hospital setting, focusing on adult populations and on the psychological and neuropsychological assessment of older adults. Her research experience includes participation in oncology projects, addressing unmet needs and adjustment to illness.

Currently, her research centers on chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis, aiming to understand the psychosocial adjustment associated with these conditions and their potential impact on family dynamics. This work involves close interaction with patients and family caregivers, enabling her to develop robust skills in quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

Her research interests are strongly focused on Health Psychology, with a special emphasis on the processes of adjustment to chronic illness. She has already developed work in this field by writing abstracts and scientific articles, as well as preparing and presenting scientific posters.

Rita Martins

Research Fellow

Rita Martins is a Master's student in Neuropsychology and Health Psychology at the University of Aveiro. During her degree, she completed a curricular internship in a hospital setting, focusing on clinical and health psychology with patients of all ages, from children to the elderly.

She is currently conducting a study in collaboration with the STARS project to assess caregiver burden in the context of kidney disease in a more brief and effective manner. Thus, her dissertation focuses on validating the 4-item ZARIT scale for the Portuguese population of informal caregivers of people receiving hemodialysis.

Juliana Paul

Master's Student

Juliana Paul is currently enrolled in the Master's program in Health Psychology and Neuropsychology at the University of Aveiro, a path that reflects her interest in both the clinical and neuropsychological dimensions of psychology. During her undergraduate studies, she was part of the Student Ambassador program of the Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses, representing the student community and contributing to the development of communication channels between academia and the professional body.

As part of the STARS project, her dissertation focuses on the adaptation and validation of the Psy-Flex-CI scale for informal caregivers of adults undergoing hemodialysis, a measure of psychological flexibility. This research aims to contribute to the development of a psychometrically sound, culturally adapted instrument for the Portuguese population, supporting future studies and psychosocial interventions in this context.

Tomás Carapino

Master's Student

Tomás Carapino is currently enrolled in the Master's program in Health Psychology and Neuropsychology at the University of Aveiro, a path that reflects his interest in both the clinical and neuropsychological dimensions of psychology.

As part of his Master's dissertation, he is developing a systematic review focused on dyadic psychosocial adjustment to solid organ transplantation, examining the experiences of both transplant recipients and their informal caregivers. This research aims to synthesize the existing scientific evidence on psychosocial adaptation after solid organ transplantation (including kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplants), with particular attention to domains such as quality of life, family functioning, dyadic coping, and caregiver burden. By adopting a dyadic perspective, the study seeks to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the interdependent adjustment processes experienced by patients and caregivers, while identifying key psychosocial factors that may inform future research and clinical interventions in transplantation settings.

Serafim Guimarães

Invited Full Professor & Senior Nephrologist

Serafim Guimarães is an Invited Full Professor at the Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, and a senior nephrologist with a PhD in Health Sciences and Technologies from the University of Aveiro. Throughout his career, he has combined clinical nephrology with extensive experience in clinical research, serving as Principal Investigator and Medical Director in more than 100 Phase I clinical trials and several multicentre Phase III and IV studies. He currently leads the Health Value Promotion Service at ULS Gaia/Espinho, where he promotes Value-Based Care initiatives and develops patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) systems in nephrology. His clinical, scientific and strategic expertise strengthens the translational relevance of research and supports a patient-centred approach to kidney disease.

João Oliveira

Nephrologist

João Oliveira is a nephrologist who completed his Integrated Master's Degree in Medicine at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences and his specialist training in Nephrology at ULS Santo António, Porto. He also holds postgraduate qualifications in Clinical Geriatrics from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto and in Healthcare Management from Universidade Católica Portuguesa. He currently practises at Centrodial, providing haemodialysis care in São João da Madeira and Oliveira de Azeméis. His main interests include the personalisation of dialysis care according to patients' needs, values and preferences, aiming to improve quality of life, comfort, and the overall experience of people undergoing dialysis.