Presentation

Graduate Program in Health (PPgS) – Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF)

The Graduate Program in Health (PPgS) at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) was established in 2005 through an initiative by the UFJF School of Medicine. Initially evaluated by CAPES (Brazilian Higher Education Coordination) with a score of 4 (“Good”), the program achieved a score of 5 (“Very Good”) during the 2010-2012 triennial assessment. In the most recent quadrennial evaluation (2017-2020), PPgS earned a score of 6 (“Excellent”), recognizing it as a program of international excellence.

PPgS is dedicated to training Master’s and Doctoral students, focusing on pressing health-related challenges. Our goal is to equip graduates with the skills to excel as educators, researchers, and leaders in both undergraduate and graduate programs. We prepare professionals to develop, secure funding for, execute, and disseminate high-impact research aligned with the program’s diverse research themes.

Currently, PPgS offers three major research concentrations:

• Human Health Research: Involves clinical research, internal medicine, and population epidemiology lines of research, dealing directly with human data, whether primary or secondary.
• Preclinical Research and Technological Innovation: Involves basic research and technological innovation lines of research, including in-vitro and ex-vivo studies, as well as computational simulations.
• Animal Experimentation Research: Involves research with animal experimentation, requiring specific training and accreditation for experimental protocols involving animal subjects.

Within these areas, 16 research groups conduct cutting-edge studies in15 different  fields such as:

• Physical Exercise and Health

This research line aims to evaluate the acute and chronic effects of physical exercise on the physiological and pathophysiological conditions of the human body, with a focus on preventive and therapeutic strategies. It encompasses epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies.

• Diagnostic and Therapeutic Aspects of Dental Conditions

This research line seeks to develop and evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for oral, cranial, and facial conditions through epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies. It also includes projects assessing dental materials as therapeutic resources.

• Nutrients and Physical Exercise Applied to Metabolic Syndrome

NEFASM investigates the biological mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of metabolic diseases, utilizing molecular biology and metabolomics in both experimental and clinical studies. The research group investigates the beneficial effects of nutrients and/or physical exercise on metabolic syndrome, focusing on the impact of anti-inflammatory or antioxidant supplementation on insulin resistance, adiposity, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular risk.

• Urinary and Genital System Health

This line broadly examines conditions and diseases of the urinary and genital systems. It encompasses epidemiological studies, clinical follow-ups, and the development of therapeutic methods, with a focus on the preventive and therapeutic aspects of chronic kidney diseases, including dialysis and kidney transplantation. Genitourinary diseases, from pathogenesis to therapy, are also addressed.

• Digestive System Health

This research line focuses on the pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of digestive system disorders through human and animal studies. Epidemiological studies further support knowledge, particularly in preventive aspects.

• Immunological and Inflammatory Aspects in Health

This line explores immunology as a basis for understanding the etiopathogenesis of human diseases. It encompasses laboratory and clinical studies, as well as potential therapeutic approaches.

• Technological Innovation in Health

This line aims to develop and evaluate health technologies through scientific publications and patents. It spans various healthcare levels, from individual to community applications.

• Healthcare: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Strategic Treatment Aspects

This line develops collective and individual projects on health risk factors and occurrence, supporting preventive strategies. It also evaluates primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare activities.

• Microbiological Aspects Relevant to Health and the Environment

This research examines the ecological aspects of microorganisms and their relationship with health and the environment, including bacterial resistance, succession, environmental impact, and susceptibility profiles of pathogenic microbes.

• Drug Evaluation

This line studies the efficacy, effectiveness, and toxicity of various drugs, employing laboratory, animal, and clinical models to assess pharmaceuticals for human use.

• Reproductive Health

This research examines factors that positively or negatively impact human reproduction, with a focus on preventive and therapeutic approaches. It also explores reproductive physiology to develop strategies.

• Spirituality and Health

Based on robust evidence, this line employs interdisciplinary and methodological diversity to conduct empirical and theoretical studies on spirituality and health, including epidemiological, clinical, physiological, and humanities-based research.

• Geriatrics and Gerontology

This line investigates aging mechanisms, mental and physical health factors in the elderly, potentially inappropriate medications, educational strategies in geriatrics, interprofessional care, and how healthcare students and professionals address aging-related conditions.

• Medical and Health Education

This research examines active educational strategies in health and medicine, including team-based learning, flipped classrooms, and problem-based learning. It also discusses factors that impact learning, quality of life, mental and physical health, empathy, doctor-patient relationships, and learning styles among students, residents, physicians, and graduates.

• Immunopathology of Neurological Diseases

This line investigates the role of systemic immune responses and the central nervous system in the pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of neurological diseases through translational studies, including clinical, ex vivo, and in vitro research on immunobiological phenomena and neuropsychiatric outcomes.

• Rehabilitation Sciences

This research evaluates the physical and functional aspects of the cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal systems, focusing on preserving and restoring functional performance, bodily capacity, quality of life, and social participation. It also investigates exercise-based rehabilitation strategies for various health conditions.

Aligned and collaborating with many international research groups, our laboratories foster an interdisciplinary academic environment. Students from diverse backgrounds contribute high-impact publications across prestigious journals. Additionally, we emphasize critical thinking, ethical scientific production, patent development, and the internationalization of faculty and students. PPgS also actively engages undergraduate students—many of whom hold scientific initiation scholarships—nurturing their passion for research early in their careers.

The PPgS curriculum includes mandatory courses within each concentration area, along with a variety of electives and occasional scientific activities.

 Choose your research focus and join us in the relentless pursuit of knowledge—bridging the gaps that remain in health sciences.