Straight talk with...Leonor Beleza. Interview by Lucas Laursen

Portuguese businessman António Champalimaud surprised his family when his will, opened after his 2004 death, revealed that he was bequeathing €500 million ($690 million), about a quarter of his estate, to establish a foundation for applied biomedical research. He also surprised law professor and one-time Portuguese Health Minister Leonor Beleza, whom he named to lead the foundation. Beleza, who met Champalimaud just once, agreed in principle to run his proposed foundation during a phone call in 2000 but did not hear any further until his death. She has now returned from a global tour of medical research institutions and foundations lasting over a year to determine how best to spend Champalimaud's millions.On 5 October, the Champalimaud Foundation opened its seaside Center for the Unknown in Lisbon, Portugal. The center will host about 600 researchers and physicians and 300 patients when it reaches full staffing levels. Lucas Laursen recently called Beleza to ask how she laid the groundwork and what lies ahead.