Our Team

Our Story

Inês Zimbarra Cabrita and Francisca Patuleia Figueiras met in 2011 in London, at a time when they were both in the middle of their PhD and attending the Imperial College London campus at Hammersmith Hospital. Professional paths separated them: Francisca moved to São Paulo for a post-doctoral scholarship, while Inês returned to Portugal, to the Lisbon Academic Medicine Centre (CAML), where she set up the Cardiovascular Research Support Office (GAIC).
Years later, in 2013, they met again in Lisbon, where together they followed the path in the area of clinical research management.

Following this reencounter, an incredible challenge arose: to start a pioneering project of a Portuguese Academic Consulting Research Organization (CRO), with the goal of managing industry clinical trials, initially in the cardiovascular area, which could have a significant dimension and impact worldwide. A purpose that they embraced with all their enthusiasm and commitment, and which led to the foundation of CETERA.

The name CETERA, comes from the word “etc”, original from the Latin phrase “et cetera“, which means: et (and) + cetera (the other). And this is precisely CETERA’s vision: to be an entity that supports the various stakeholders of clinical research.
In the first years of activity, and in order to improve and cement knowledge, they had the unique opportunity to visit and get to know the entire operation of an Italian academic CRO, which served as a great example for the implementation of the CETERA structure, as well as the attendance of Ines and Francisca in the Master in Monitoring, Quality and Statistics at the University of Ferrara, Italy.
Currently, both also participate in the teaching and scientific coordination of the Masters in Clinical Research of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (FMUL).

Almost 10 years later, CETERA has succeeded in transforming itself into a medium-sized CRO, whose mission remains focused on providing excellent research management services for industry, academia, and researchers, promoting quality clinical research.