Fapesp

FAPESP and the Sustainable Development Goals

News

Research funded by FAPESP aligned with the SDGs

News

Research funded by FAPESP aligned with the SDGs

Brazil builds its first cold ion trap for quantum computing
SDG 9
Brazil builds its first cold ion trap for quantum computing

The technology developed at the University of São Paulo keeps strontium particles isolated, paving the way for the production, manipulation, and entanglement of qubits.


Scientists use water isotopes to map changes in Amazon rainfall
SDG 13
Scientists use water isotopes to map changes in Amazon rainfall

Research from São Paulo State University indicates that daily precipitation monitoring allows scientists to track moisture sources and can serve as an early warning system for droughts.


Cigarette butts are the most common type of litter on the planet, with 4.5 trillion being discarded each year
SDG 3, SDG 6, SDG 12, SDG 14
Cigarette butts are the most common type of litter on the planet, with 4.5 trillion being discarded each year

A review study compiling scientific data from 55 countries reveals alarming levels of pollution in urban and aquatic environments. Not even protected and remote areas are completely free from the problem.


Book on motherhood and slavery in imperial Rio de Janeiro now available in English
SDG 10
Book on motherhood and slavery in imperial Rio de Janeiro now available in English

Written by historian Lorena Féres da Silva Telles and recently published by the University of Georgia Press, the book reconstructs the life stories of women in the largest slave-holding city of the 19th century.


Supporting children with mental disorders accounts for 50% of a family’s monthly income
SDG 3
Supporting children with mental disorders accounts for 50% of a family’s monthly income

The data are from a project linked to the Center for Research and Innovation in Mental Health, one of the Applied Research Centers funded by FAPESP. The study was conducted with 1,158 caregivers of young people aged 14 to 23.


Increasing daily steps is as effective as aerobic exercise in managing asthma
SDG 3
Increasing daily steps is as effective as aerobic exercise in managing asthma

A clinical trial conducted at the University of São Paulo demonstrated that both non-pharmacological approaches improve quality of life and alleviate respiratory and anxiety symptoms in the medium term.


Researchers turn broken bean grains into a high-value protein ingredient
SDG 3, SDG 9, SDG 12
Researchers turn broken bean grains into a high-value protein ingredient

Developed at the Institute of Food Technology with support from FAPESP, the innovation could serve as an alternative to proteins from soybeans or peas, which are largely imported.


Natural capital could give Latin American startups a competitive advantage
SDG 9
Natural capital could give Latin American startups a competitive advantage

Report indicates that, rather than competing in areas such as artificial intelligence, science-based startups should prioritize regional strategic assets, such as biodiversity, to develop unique solutions that are difficult to replicate globally.


Research identifies ideal regions of the genome for creating drought-resistant corn
SDG 2
Research identifies ideal regions of the genome for creating drought-resistant corn

Identification paves the way to accelerate and reduce the cost of more precise cultivar development.


Although research on animal production and climate is growing, bringing science to the field remains challenging
SDG 2, SDG 13
Although research on animal production and climate is growing, bringing science to the field remains challenging

A research group from the University of São Paulo analyzed over 1,600 articles and found that research increased by 9.5% annually between 1974 and 2025. The authors advocate for regionalized solutions and public policies to bridge the gap between evidence and implementation.


Older men who sleep more than nine hours are at greater risk of losing mobility
SDG 3
Older men who sleep more than nine hours are at greater risk of losing mobility

A study followed more than 3,000 people over the age of 60 for eight years and found that this decline is not observed in women.


Sickle cell anemia: Treatment for the disease that ushered in molecular medicine faces barriers of inequality and racism
SDG 3
Sickle cell anemia: Treatment for the disease that ushered in molecular medicine faces barriers of inequality and racism

Research on sickle cell anemia spurred the development of genetic technologies, but there is an urgent need to democratize access to modern therapies, noted French hematologist Jacques Elion at a conference hosted by FAPESP.


Technology uses quantum properties to accelerate the search for new drugs
SDG 3, SDG 9
Technology uses quantum properties to accelerate the search for new drugs

Startup develops a sensor that measures interactions between molecules with high precision, which can reduce the time and costs of discovering drug candidates.


Large mammals alter soil chemistry and increase fertility in the Atlantic Forest
SDG 15
Large mammals alter soil chemistry and increase fertility in the Atlantic Forest

Study reveals that tapirs, peccaries, agoutis, and deer act as true ecosystem engineers by reducing soil acidity, increasing diversity, and accelerating the decomposition of organic matter in the forest.


Researchers use ceramic material with a crystalline structure to degrade dyes and inactivate bacteria
SDG 6, SDG 9
Researchers use ceramic material with a crystalline structure to degrade dyes and inactivate bacteria

Study involving the Center for the Development of Functional Materials was published in the journal Ceramics International.


Researchers use ceramic material with a crystalline structure to degrade dyes and inactivate bacteria
SDG 6, SDG 9
Researchers use ceramic material with a crystalline structure to degrade dyes and inactivate bacteria

Study involving the Center for the Development of Functional Materials was published in the journal Ceramics International.


Study develops new approach to creating semiconductor and metallic materials using an ultrafast laser
SDG 9
Study develops new approach to creating semiconductor and metallic materials using an ultrafast laser

Work by researchers at a FAPESP-supported research center may open promising avenues for applications in photocatalysis, optoelectronics, and photonics.


Artificial intelligence acts as an ‘ideological chameleon’ and may deepen political polarization, study finds
SDG 16
Artificial intelligence acts as an ‘ideological chameleon’ and may deepen political polarization, study finds

Researchers evaluated 21 language models, such as GPT and Gemini, and found that they all alter their discourse to align with the user’s bias, potentially functioning as echo chambers.


Artificial intelligence acts as an ‘ideological chameleon’ and may deepen political polarization, study finds
SDG 16
Artificial intelligence acts as an ‘ideological chameleon’ and may deepen political polarization, study finds

Researchers evaluated 21 language models, such as GPT and Gemini, and found that they all alter their discourse to align with the user’s bias, potentially functioning as echo chambers.


Study explains how the Chagas disease parasite ‘activates’ its form capable of infecting mammals
SDG 3
Study explains how the Chagas disease parasite ‘activates’ its form capable of infecting mammals

Understanding how Trypanosoma cruzi manipulates its own RNA to alter protein production and invade the host could lead to new therapeutic approaches against the disease.


Study explains how the Chagas disease parasite ‘activates’ its form capable of infecting mammals
SDG 3
Study explains how the Chagas disease parasite ‘activates’ its form capable of infecting mammals

Understanding how Trypanosoma cruzi manipulates its own RNA to alter protein production and invade the host could lead to new therapeutic approaches against the disease.


Soil bacteria protect wheat from pathogenic fungus
SDG 2
Soil bacteria protect wheat from pathogenic fungus

When inoculated into the soil, bacterial species altered the microbiome and protected plants from a fungus that causes root rot, reducing disease symptoms by up to 60%.


Soil bacteria protect wheat from pathogenic fungus
SDG 2
Soil bacteria protect wheat from pathogenic fungus

When inoculated into the soil, bacterial species altered the microbiome and protected plants from a fungus that causes root rot, reducing disease symptoms by up to 60%.


Air pollution induces changes in the oral mucosa and worsens periodontal disease
SDG 3
Air pollution induces changes in the oral mucosa and worsens periodontal disease

Research conducted on mice provides experimental evidence that exposure to PM2.5, a main component of urban air pollution, increases oxidative stress, intensifies inflammatory responses, and worsens the destruction of periodontal tissues.


Air pollution induces changes in the oral mucosa and worsens periodontal disease
SDG 3
Air pollution induces changes in the oral mucosa and worsens periodontal disease

Research conducted on mice provides experimental evidence that exposure to PM2.5, a main component of urban air pollution, increases oxidative stress, intensifies inflammatory responses, and worsens the destruction of periodontal tissues.


News about research projects funded by FAPESP and articulated with the SDGs: