An interview with Sara Reis: Supporting symptom communication between patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals
Insignals_Living with Parkinson’s study_EN
Biography
I am Sara Reis, a technology-driven innovation advocate dedicated to translating scientific research into real-world solutions that improve people’s lives. Throughout my career, I have worked closely with academic and clinical researchers, including João Paulo Cunha, a leading brain engineer at the INESC TEC research institute in Portugal, contributing to the development of technologies focused on Parkinson’s disease. I have been leading the development and growth of Insignals Neurotech, working at intersection of science, healthcare, and entrepreneurship, transforming advanced algorithms into practical, human-centred solutions that help better understand and manage complex neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s.
Please tell me a little about your background.
I began my journey studying Molecular Biology driven by the ambition to help cure diseases, and later moved into building technology startups that translate science into real-world impact. Today, at Insignals, I work on developing intelligent care solutions designed to improve how movement disorders are understood, monitored, and managed.
Can you tell me more about your Advocacy?
We are developing technological solutions, but we strongly believe innovation must be built alongside the Parkinson’s community. By staying close to patients and caregivers, we can truly understand real needs and create solutions that provide meaningful value.
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
I have always been passionate about finding ways to cure or reduce the burden of disease, and Parkinson’s urgently needs better solutions. Seeing its profound impact on patients and caregivers deeply moved me and inspired me to make contributing to solutions part of my personal mission.
What type of goals does individuals with Parkinson’s have when working with you?
We support remote monitoring of patients to better capture daily symptom fluctuations. The goal is to generate meaningful data that helps healthcare professionals adjust therapies more effectively and personalize care.
What type of training and how long are the programs?
At this stage, we are primarily interested in being contacted by members of the Parkinson’s community who would like to become pilot users of our solutions. Their participation is essential for us to develop truly human-centered solutions, shaped by real needs and everyday experiences. Any person living with Parkinson’s is welcome to contact us directly if they are interested in learning more or taking part.
What effect can your Advocacy have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
Our advocacy aims to ensure that people living with Parkinson’s feel heard, represented, and actively involved in shaping solutions that affect their daily lives.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your Advocacy?
We would like to see technology becoming a natural extension of care, helping patients, caregivers, and clinicians stay connected. Ultimately, our goal is to improve quality of life while contributing valuable data for precise, personalized, and predictive care.
What events do you participate in?
We participate in international scientific and community events such as the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) and Parkinson Study Group meetings, as well as local awareness initiatives across Europe.
How does this also assist the caregivers?
This is a very important question. For us, caregivers are central to Parkinson’s care, as they play a fundamental role in supporting patients and improving daily management of the disease. Digital monitoring solutions must be developed with caregivers in mind and in collaboration with them, ensuring that the tools created are truly useful and adopted in real-life settings.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
People can connect with us through our online platforms and community channels.
Our Facebook page, where we regularly share updates and content is: https://www.facebook.com/Insignals
We also host the “IamON Community” Facebook group, as a space for people interested in sharing experiences and connecting around Parkinson’s: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1998718194216071
Our newest website is now live at www.insignals.ai
How can others also become advocates for awareness?
Advocacy can start with simple actions, welcoming and engaging with people living with Parkinson’s with openness and normality, listening to patient experiences, sharing accurate information, and supporting community initiatives.
How can the Parkinson’s community help shape better solutions?
At Insignals, we are actively collecting feedback from patients and caregivers through our “All-Around” study, which aims to understand real communication gaps between patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. We warmly invite patients and caregivers to participate by completing a short, anonymous 5-minute survey and helping us build more meaningful solutions together.
Link for the study: https://parkinsonsstudy.lovable.app/
In your opinion what is the key to effective advocacy?
In my opinion, the key to effective advocacy is empathy and openness. All different, all equal.
How can we better fundraise to support a cure for Parkinson’s?
From a technology developer’s perspective, resources are essential to scale innovative solutions that benefit the entire Parkinson’s ecosystem. At this stage, close collaboration with patient communities as pilot users is equally important to validate solutions and build awareness around Insignals.
Why should people who don’t have Parkinson’s care about this?
Parkinson’s disease is currently the fastest-growing neurological disorder worldwide. Raising awareness today helps build better treatment and care that may benefit society as a whole.
Have you had any family members or relatives affected by Parkinson’s disease?
A very close friend of mine passed away after living with Parkinson’s. Witnessing his decline deeply affected me, and I hope to honour Wilson Pumacayo’s memory, by contributing to solutions that reduce the impact of this disease.
What are your social media tags?
#IamON
#Insignals
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Parkinson’s community, what would it be?
If there is one message I would leave, it is this: we are all different, yet all equal. Together we can make living with Parkinson’s less lonely.
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TogetherForSharon® In memory of my mother, Sharon to voice awareness & hope for a Parkinson’s Disease cure. Sharon’s Son, George
Support https://www.togetherforsharon.com/shop/
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