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

Physical exercise boosts beneficial cardiovascular effects of losartan in men with high blood pressure
SDG 3
Physical exercise boosts beneficial cardiovascular effects of losartan in men with high blood pressure

The finding comes from a clinical trial by researchers at the University of São Paulo who recruited 32 male volunteers and have now published the results in Clinical and Experimental Hypertension.


Novel sewage treatment system removes up to 70% of nitrogen that would otherwise be discarded into nature
SDG 6
Novel sewage treatment system removes up to 70% of nitrogen that would otherwise be discarded into nature

Brazilian researchers have designed a new low-cost anaerobic reactor that uses a bacterial biofilm on a sheet of polyurethane foam. The goal is to enable more wastewater treatment plants in Brazil to achieve nitrogen removal and reduce water body contamination.


Pesticide in widespread use in Brazil poses a grave threat to native bee species, study shows
SDG 15
Pesticide in widespread use in Brazil poses a grave threat to native bee species, study shows

Preliminary results of trials conducted by Brazilian scientists show that the existing regulatory framework based on a protocol referenced to the Western honeybee, Apis mellifera, is too Eurocentric and may not be sufficient to guarantee the protection of native bees, which are important pollinators.


Sharks near Miami have more accumulated fat than in better conserved areas, study shows
SDG 14
Sharks near Miami have more accumulated fat than in better conserved areas, study shows

Analysis of blood samples showed that sharks living near urban areas have a lower-quality diet than those living in wilderness areas. Dietary imbalances can impair important physiological processes, such as cardiovascular tone, inflammatory response and reproduction.


Molecule that combines three distinct technologies against most aggressive type of brain cancer is tested
SDG 3
Molecule that combines three distinct technologies against most aggressive type of brain cancer is tested

The approach combined nanotechnology, chemotherapy and monoclonal antibodies. It produced promising in vitro and in vivo results against glioblastoma multiforme.


International meeting discusses proposals for collaborative funding of research in the Amazon
SDG 13, SDG 17
International meeting discusses proposals for collaborative funding of research in the Amazon

The workshop was a side event to the Annual Meeting of the Global Research Council. The need to dialogue with and learn from traditional communities, especially Indigenous peoples, was emphasized in the discussions.


Lack or excess of amino acid methionine in diet can affect liver cells, study shows
SDG 3
Lack or excess of amino acid methionine in diet can affect liver cells, study shows

Research reveals the mechanisms whereby methionine-deficient and methionine-supplemented diets can alter gene expression and damage liver cells.


Low-cost 3D model is expected to accelerate research on neurological effects of COVID-19
SDG 3
Low-cost 3D model is expected to accelerate research on neurological effects of COVID-19

A bioink developed from mouse cells can be used in a 3D printer to create a model that more closely resembles the brain than conventional ones. Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo also obtained an adapted version of SARS-CoV-2 capable of infecting neural cells from mice.


Physical activity should be encouraged during pregnancy, even for socially vulnerable women
SDG 3
Physical activity should be encouraged during pregnancy, even for socially vulnerable women

Researchers at the University of São Paulo analyzed data for a group of pregnant women in western Amazonia. The analysis pointed to a correlation between at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week and lower birth weight, with less risk of childhood obesity and diabetes.


Transcranial stimulation lowers blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension, study shows
SDG 3
Transcranial stimulation lowers blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension, study shows

The results of a clinical trial are reported by Brazilian researchers in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. According to the authors, if corroborated by more robust research, the findings indicate that the method can be used in emergency treatment of hypertensive crisis patients.


New Science for Development Centers will seek solutions to society’s problems
SDG 17
New Science for Development Centers will seek solutions to society’s problems

Universities, research institutions and agencies of the São Paulo State Government will join forces in 15 new centers announced during a ceremony held to celebrate FAPESP’s 60th anniversary. The centers will address problems in areas ranging from human and animal health to the energy transition and climate change.


Belo Monte reservoir has tripled local greenhouse gas emissions
SDG 13
Belo Monte reservoir has tripled local greenhouse gas emissions

Monitoring since 2011 shows that emission levels vary significantly from one part of the complex to another, making the standards used in environmental impact assessments and the carbon credit market unreliable.


Study reinforces importance of high-quality face coverings in schools
SDG 3
Study reinforces importance of high-quality face coverings in schools

Mathematic simulations showed that well-executed non-pharmacological measures reduce the spread of COVID-19 even in places with low vaccination coverage. According to the authors, however, up to 80% of the population could catch the disease if preventive protocols are abandoned.


Academia, civil society and government join forces in new center for nature-based solutions
SDG 11
Academia, civil society and government join forces in new center for nature-based solutions

Officially launched on May 18, BIOTA Synthesis is one of FAPESP’s new Science for Development Centers. In the next five years it will develop solutions to challenges relating to sustainable agriculture, water security and control of zoonotic diseases.


First database of multidrug-resistant bacterial genomes created in Brazil
SDG 3
First database of multidrug-resistant bacterial genomes created in Brazil

The open-access platform developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo offers access to strategic information on microorganisms classified by WHO as a “critical priority”. The aim is to contribute to the monitoring and control of bacteria that pose a great threat to human and animal health.


Waste from cocoa processing converted into raw material for cosmetics
SDG 12
Waste from cocoa processing converted into raw material for cosmetics

A startup supported by FAPESP has developed a face cream and body lotion based on cocoa juice, which is usually thrown away. The entrepreneur has been selected for the 2022 Leaders in Innovation Fellowships training program in the UK.


Study reveals potential target for treatment of diseases associated with mitochondrial DNA mutations
SDG 3
Study reveals potential target for treatment of diseases associated with mitochondrial DNA mutations

With aging, mutant genetic material tends to build up in the organelles responsible for producing energy, and this can lead to disease. Brazilian researchers have discovered that a cell cleansing mechanism known as autophagy can modulate this phenomenon.


Scientists identify beetle that triggers production of red propolis in Brazil
SDG 15
Scientists identify beetle that triggers production of red propolis in Brazil

The new species of beetle in the family Buprestidae was found in the state of Bahia and described by researchers at the University of São Paulo and collaborators. The group discovered how the insect contributes to production of red propolis by honey bees.


The gut microbiota compound that could become a drug for prevention and treatment of bronchiolitis
SDG 3
The gut microbiota compound that could become a drug for prevention and treatment of bronchiolitis

Experiments involving isolated and cultured cells as well as animals and babies suggest that short-chain fatty acid acetate produced in the gut can minimize the effects of infection by respiratory syncytial virus.


Antioxidant derived from unripe acerola can replace synthetic additive banned in several countries
SDG 12
Antioxidant derived from unripe acerola can replace synthetic additive banned in several countries

In tests conducted at the University of São Paulo, microparticles produced from the unripe fruit performed similarly to TBHQ, a synthetic compound present in processed foods and in cosmetics. The findings are reported in Future Foods.


Drought and fire increase Amazon tree deaths and CO2 emissions
SDG 13
Drought and fire increase Amazon tree deaths and CO2 emissions

El Niño-driven extreme drought and forest fires in 2015-16 caused the loss of 3 billion trees and emissions of 495 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in the ensuing three years, destroying more than deforestation throughout the Brazilian Amazon.


Light-based therapies achieve good results in rehabilitation of patients with post-COVID complications
SDG 3
Light-based therapies achieve good results in rehabilitation of patients with post-COVID complications

Devices that combine laser irradiation, ultrasound and suction help regenerate tissue and treat muscle, joint, skin, neurological and lung damage. Protocols created via business-university partnerships are being tested and can be applied by treatment centers across Brazil.


FAPESP presents PIPE opportunities to investors
SDG 9
FAPESP presents PIPE opportunities to investors

An online meeting was held to present recent changes to the FAPESP Innovative Research in Small Business Program (PIPE) and highlight the attractiveness of the startups it supports to players in the innovation ecosystem.


Peptide created by Brazilian group delays melanoma growth in animal trials
SDG 3
Peptide created by Brazilian group delays melanoma growth in animal trials

An article in Scientific Reports shows that experimental treatment with a protein-derived molecule reduced tumor growth and metastasis, increasing the survival of mice by 25%.


Non-lethal component of anthrax kills pain by acting directly on pain-sensing neurons
SDG 3
Non-lethal component of anthrax kills pain by acting directly on pain-sensing neurons

The discovery is reported by researchers at Harvard University and the University of São Paulo in Nature Neuroscience, and could serve as a basis for the development of treatments for different diseases.


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