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

Tests on sunglasses show deficiencies in protection against ultraviolet rays
SDG 3
Tests on sunglasses show deficiencies in protection against ultraviolet rays

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo analyzed the effectiveness of 12 models and showed that only one met the safety limits set by an international organization.


Spending more than 3 hours a day sedentary worsens teens’ mental health
SDG 3
Spending more than 3 hours a day sedentary worsens teens’ mental health

The conclusion comes from a study that analyzed data from more than 3,600 adolescents aged 14 to 17. Moderate screen time spent on educational activities was associated with less psychological distress.


COP30, chaired by Brazil, will be a window of opportunity to address the climate crisis
SDG 13
COP30, chaired by Brazil, will be a window of opportunity to address the climate crisis

Experts point to delays in meeting Paris Agreement targets and warn: without urgent action, the world could become up to 4.3 °C warmer.


Overexploitation of groundwater is compromising river flows in Brazil
SDG 12
Overexploitation of groundwater is compromising river flows in Brazil

A study has found that more than half of Brazil’s rivers could suffer a reduction in flow due to the transfer of water to aquifers. Irrigation pumping is one of the main factors. More than 88% of wells operate under illegal conditions.


Artificial intelligence helps salespeople with predictive analytics and automation
SDG 9
Artificial intelligence helps salespeople with predictive analytics and automation

Tool developed by startup supported by FAPESP can be used by companies of different sizes and adapts to the specific needs of each business.


Consumption of fruit, coffee, chocolate and wine reduces risk of metabolic syndrome by up to 23%
SDG 3
Consumption of fruit, coffee, chocolate and wine reduces risk of metabolic syndrome by up to 23%

The world’s largest study of the impact of dietary polyphenol intake on the risk of cardiometabolic problems tracked more than 6,000 Brazilians for eight years.


Pattern of compounds in blood may indicate severity of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia
SDG 3
Pattern of compounds in blood may indicate severity of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia

A study involving 173 pregnant women reached this conclusion. The findings expand scientific knowledge of the preeclampsia and the mechanisms whereby damage to the kidneys, lungs, liver and brain may occur.


Center aims to improve quality of life in the Amazon with digital technologies for the açaí and honey chains
SDG 2, SDG 12
Center aims to improve quality of life in the Amazon with digital technologies for the açaí and honey chains

The Agrotechnological District of Breves, in the Brazilian state of Pará, was created as part of Semear Digital, a Science Center for Development led by EMBRAPA Digital Agriculture and supported by FAPESP.


Simple, quick test can predict fall risk in older adults six months in advance
SDG 3
Simple, quick test can predict fall risk in older adults six months in advance

A study of 153 people between the ages of 60 and 89 suggests modifications to a well-established clinical test for assessing balance in the elderly to make it more efficient, accessible, and predictive.


Non-graminoid herbaceous plants are fundamental for the preservation of the Cerrado
SDG 13, SDG 15
Non-graminoid herbaceous plants are fundamental for the preservation of the Cerrado

Less studied than grasses and trees, these plant species are of enormous importance to the Brazilian savannah biome in terms of biodiversity, carbon storage, regeneration after disturbance, and the provision of ecosystem services such as food and medicine.


Global study identifies markers for the five clinical stages of Parkinson’s disease
SDG 3
Global study identifies markers for the five clinical stages of Parkinson’s disease

By creating a new metric, researchers envision the possibility of diagnostic and treatment advances for the disease, which is estimated to affect about 4 million people worldwide.


Reemergence of dengue serotype 3 may increase severity of outbreaks of the disease in Brazil
SDG 3
Reemergence of dengue serotype 3 may increase severity of outbreaks of the disease in Brazil

The population is not immunized against DENV-3. Meanwhile, DENV-1 and -2 continue to circulate, experts warn.


Drones speed up execution of forest inventories
SDG 9
Drones speed up execution of forest inventories

A technology that uses unmanned aerial vehicles developed by a FAPESP-supported startup has enabled Brazil’s leading cosmetics company to complete in six months a census of six species of key importance to its production process distributed across 40,000 hectares of forest in the Amazon.


Study could boost development of less toxic antibiotics
SDG 3
Study could boost development of less toxic antibiotics

Researchers at a FAPESP-supported research center have identified the key role of the GenB2 enzyme in the formation of gentamicin components. The findings make it possible to develop safer and more selective versions of the drug.


Butantan Institute says its dengue vaccine protects against serotype 3
SDG 3
Butantan Institute says its dengue vaccine protects against serotype 3

The phase 3 clinical trial showed that Butantan-DV is effective against dengue virus types 1 and 2, which were circulating at the time. The results can be extrapolated for types 3 and 4 based on additional in vitro testing, according to the researchers.


Scientists use ash generated by burning of sugarcane bagasse to recover nutrients from vinasse
SDG 2
Scientists use ash generated by burning of sugarcane bagasse to recover nutrients from vinasse

The method converts the vinasse left over from ethanol production into a potassium- and nitrogen-rich fertilizer. The groundbreaking study was conducted at the Federal University of São Carlos and published in the Journal of Environmental Management.


Artificial intelligence improves decision-making in architectural design
SDG 9
Artificial intelligence improves decision-making in architectural design

A startup supported by FAPESP has developed a platform that helps property developers optimize site selection and other strategic choices.


Bioplastics: Lack of standardization and clear rules hinders sustainable consumption, says study
SDG 12
Bioplastics: Lack of standardization and clear rules hinders sustainable consumption, says study

In a review article, researchers highlight the importance of metrology institutions in setting standards to characterize biopolymers and avoid greenwashing – a marketing practice that deceptively promotes products as being environmentally friendly.


Experiment obtains multilayer films by electrodeposition
SDG 7, SDG 9
Experiment obtains multilayer films by electrodeposition

Researchers from the Center for the Development of Functional Materials have found that the material is promising for use in processes to produce hydrogen using solar energy.


Brazilian researchers create cell atlas for brain malformation associated with severe epilepsy
SDG 3
Brazilian researchers create cell atlas for brain malformation associated with severe epilepsy

Using a single-cell sequencing technique, it was possible to characterize the different cell types present in the brain lesion. The result paves the way for specific treatments against focal cortical dysplasia.


Chameleon shrimp can camouflage themselves even in invasive species of algae, study shows
SDG 14
Chameleon shrimp can camouflage themselves even in invasive species of algae, study shows

Brazilian and British researchers have observed that a small crustacean that changes color according to the marine vegetation is able to disguise itself in exotic algae that did not evolve together with the species. However, the long-term effects of this interaction are unknown.


FAPESP Program for South Atlantic and Antarctica is endorsed as contribution to UN Ocean Decade
SDG 14
FAPESP Program for South Atlantic and Antarctica is endorsed as contribution to UN Ocean Decade

UN recognition will enhance the visibility of FAPESP’s initiative to establish a new strategy for funding research on the southern portion of the Atlantic Ocean and the planet’s coldest continent.


Paleoclimate and human activity shaped the Araucaria forest in Brazil
SDG 15
Paleoclimate and human activity shaped the Araucaria forest in Brazil

The study used advanced DNA sequencing techniques, machine learning and analysis of fossil pollen records to investigate the history of this forest formation.


Methodology enables assessment of soil stability in an area degraded by mining
SDG 13
Methodology enables assessment of soil stability in an area degraded by mining

Using a technique from the oil industry, researchers show that chemical bonds with calcium and magnesium increase the soil’s capacity to store carbon, reducing emissions and increasing fertility; the process contributes to sustainable management.


Researchers in Brazil discover a gene that may afford protection against COVID-19
SDG 3
Researchers in Brazil discover a gene that may afford protection against COVID-19

Scientists at the University of São Paulo analyzed blood samples donated by six serodiscordant couples where female partners were resistant to SARS-CoV-2 despite intense contact with their infected male partners. Overexpression of the gene IFIT3 in these asymptomatic women suggests it affords protection and could be a target for novel antiviral therapies.


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