Recently, three young scientists from Lisbon represented Portugal in Asia's largest pre-university science competition, CASTIC - China Adolescents Science and Technology Innovation Contest. The 39th edition of the competition was held in Hohhot, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. 

Portuguese students from Colégio Valsassina, Carolina Matos, Rita Amaral, and Sofia Alvarez, presented the ChroniCare project in China, which won an award at the 2025 Portuguese National Science Fair. The project consists of a dressing for chronic wounds with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles produced from apple peels. They intend to develop ChroniCare into a model supported by the Circular Economy, contributing to the recovery of waste.

Every year, CASTIC receives scientific projects in various fields - from social sciences to astronomy and environmental sciences—bringing together more than 500 students from all over China and international participants representing around 18 countries.

(Source: Youth Foundation - Portugal, on August 19)