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

In bats, the ability to gestate twins is associated with a shorter lifespan
SDG 15
In bats, the ability to gestate twins is associated with a shorter lifespan

A Brazilian study that reconstructs the evolutionary history of flying mammals suggests expenditure of resources to gestate two young simultaneously results in a shorter lifespan.


Molecule derived from colorant inactivates SARS-CoV-2 and can be used in oral hygiene products
SDG 3
Molecule derived from colorant inactivates SARS-CoV-2 and can be used in oral hygiene products

Collaboration between business and academia in the state of São Paulo proves the virucidal action of iron phthalocyanine and develops a mouthwash containing the compound. In a clinical trial involving patients in the initial stage of infection, the product reduces symptoms and hospital stay.


Seminar in Mozambique highlights research with practical applications
SDG 17
Seminar in Mozambique highlights research with practical applications

The event was attended by undergraduates and graduate students from Mozambique, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Portugal.


A webinar discussed Latin American strategies and challenges during the pandemic
SDG 3, SDG 17
A webinar discussed Latin American strategies and challenges during the pandemic

The event was the first of a series of three online seminars organized by FAPESP in partnership with sister agencies in Paraguay and Argentina, under the aegis of the Global Research Council (GRC), with the aim of providing opportunities for an exchange of experiences and cross-border collaboration.


Study reveals factors in metabolism that can enhance efficiency of treatment for gynecologic tumors
SDG 3
Study reveals factors in metabolism that can enhance efficiency of treatment for gynecologic tumors

The findings, published in Gynecologic Oncology, pave the way to the development of a blood test that can be performed by a physician at the time of diagnosis to help personalize treatment.


Scientists discuss use of artificial intelligence to combat COVID-19 and future pandemics
SDG 3, SDG 9
Scientists discuss use of artificial intelligence to combat COVID-19 and future pandemics

Models capable of predicting the spread of pathogens, algorithms that monitor health complaints on social media, and the use of big data and machine learning to speed up drug development were some of the issues discussed by experts who took part in a webinar organized by FAPESP and the Global Research Council.


Study helps understand why obesity increases risk of cardiovascular complications in COVID-19
SDG 3
Study helps understand why obesity increases risk of cardiovascular complications in COVID-19

Brazilian researchers conducted a study of 109 hospitalized volunteers in search of the factors that determine endothelial dysfunction, a condition in which the blood vessels become unable to contract and relax adequately, increasing the risk of heart attack, thrombosis and stroke.


Ceramic coating increases hardness and abrasion resistance of injection-molded parts
SDG 9
Ceramic coating increases hardness and abrasion resistance of injection-molded parts

A startup supported by FAPESP has developed a nanotechnological solution for industrial applications that increases the hardness of metal surfaces by 90%.


Asphyxia-associated neonatal mortality found to cluster in poorer parts of São Paulo state (Brazil)
SDG 3
Asphyxia-associated neonatal mortality found to cluster in poorer parts of São Paulo state (Brazil)

The methodology used in the study, which is published in PLOS ONE, can help policymakers plan strategies for preventing deaths of babies under 28 days old.


Photovoltaic panels are home to microorganisms with potential biotech applications
SDG 12
Photovoltaic panels are home to microorganisms with potential biotech applications

Bacteria and yeasts that tolerate solar radiation, water scarcity and temperature fluctuations are found on photovoltaic panels in São Paulo state, Brazil. Researchers say some can be used to develop pigments and biodetergents.


Change in vaccination strategy averted outbreak of urban yellow fever in São Paulo, scientists say
SDG 3
Change in vaccination strategy averted outbreak of urban yellow fever in São Paulo, scientists say

An article in Scientific Reports shows that the virus spread at a speed of 1 km per day in the latest sylvatic outbreaks in the state, between 2016 and 2019, reaching cities never affected before. The authors warn that the situation could recur.


Study extends amphibians’ known reproductive modes from 39 to 74 and creates new classification
SDG 13, SDG 15
Study extends amphibians’ known reproductive modes from 39 to 74 and creates new classification

Carrying eggs on their back, laying them in bromeliads or depositing them on leaves are some of the strategies cataloged by Brazilian researchers in a study that will help scientists understand the evolution of vertebrates and contribute to conservation policy.


Study identifies genes that are altered in Crohn’s disease patients
SDG 3
Study identifies genes that are altered in Crohn’s disease patients

Analysis of tissue samples showed the presence of cells that can trigger the inflammatory process typical of Crohn’s. The study paves the way for the detection of biomarkers that can help predict evolution to the severe form of the disease, and for more precise diagnosis.


Highly abundant virus in humans could be a biomarker for COVID-19
SDG 3
Highly abundant virus in humans could be a biomarker for COVID-19

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo shows that levels of TTV, an apparently inoffensive virus considered an indicator of immunodepression, tend to be higher in people infected by SARS-CoV-2. TTV load declines as the symptoms of COVID-19 disappear, the researchers write in PLOS ONE.


Brazil needs more research that can serve as a basis for educational policies, specialists argue
SDG 4
Brazil needs more research that can serve as a basis for educational policies, specialists argue

Participants in the fifth FAPESP 60 Years Conference discussed the use of evidence and data to improve education.


Winner of Nobel Prize in Chemistry has long collaborated with a laboratory at the University of Campinas
SDG 9, SDG 17
Winner of Nobel Prize in Chemistry has long collaborated with a laboratory at the University of Campinas

Benjamin List, who worked with a Brazilian researcher supported by FAPESP, won the prize for developing a cheap and eco-friendly class of catalysts.


Scientists use artificial intelligence to simulate the effects of warming on the Southern Ocean
SDG 13, SDG 14
Scientists use artificial intelligence to simulate the effects of warming on the Southern Ocean

A study published in Frontiers in Marine Science is the first to predict the impact of long-term changes in sea surface temperature on local microbial diversity. The methodology is also innovative.


Heparin dose capable of preventing COVID-19 deaths is four times higher than the dose recommended by WHO
SDG 3
Heparin dose capable of preventing COVID-19 deaths is four times higher than the dose recommended by WHO

This is one of the main findings of a clinical trial involving 465 patients at 28 hospitals in six countries, including Brazil. The likelihood of dying was 78% lower for the group given a therapeutic dose of the anti-coagulant.


Opportunistic bacterium increases its virulence by ‘poaching’ zinc and iron from hosts
SDG 3
Opportunistic bacterium increases its virulence by ‘poaching’ zinc and iron from hosts

Researchers at the University of São Paulo have unraveled the strategy used by Chromobacterium violaceum, a pathogen found in water and soil in tropical and subtropical regions, to increase its capacity to replicate and infect host organisms. The discovery offers a route for the development of novel therapies.


Scientists discover how forest fires influence rain cloud formation in the Amazon
SDG 13
Scientists discover how forest fires influence rain cloud formation in the Amazon

Particles released into the atmosphere by fire modify the water droplet freezing process and can affect precipitation, according to a paper in Communications Earth & Environment.


Climate change caused the devastating floods of 2020 in Minas Gerais, Brazil, study concludes
SDG 13
Climate change caused the devastating floods of 2020 in Minas Gerais, Brazil, study concludes

Torrential rain resulted in losses estimated at BRL 1.3 billion and made over 90,000 people homeless in the state, where the probability of far higher volumes of rain than expected has increased 70% owing to industrialization and global warming.


Novel rapid test detects SARS-CoV-2 in saliva and indicates viral load
SDG 3
Novel rapid test detects SARS-CoV-2 in saliva and indicates viral load

The portable device developed at the Federal University of São Carlos is as accurate as RT-PCR, the gold standard for diagnosing COVID-19, and can analyze up to 20 samples at the same time.


Citizen scientists help assure quality of coastal biodiversity monitoring
SDG 14
Citizen scientists help assure quality of coastal biodiversity monitoring

A study conducted in the port city of Santos (Brazil) by researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo shows collaboration between civil society and academia achieving progress toward the goals of the UN Ocean Decade.


Exercise training reverses muscular atrophy caused by cancer and can extend patient lifespan
SDG 3
Exercise training reverses muscular atrophy caused by cancer and can extend patient lifespan

A study in rats by researchers at institutions in Brazil, the US and Norway investigated the effects of physical exercise on cancer cachexia. The analysis suggested that exercise training can be an ancillary treatment for cancer patients.


Climate change will alter functioning of marine microbial communities, study shows
SDG 13, SDG 14
Climate change will alter functioning of marine microbial communities, study shows

Plankton are the foundation of life in the oceans and produce half the world’s oxygen. These marine microorganisms will suffer from rising temperatures at the poles, rising salinity in the tropics, and a reduction in the flow of nutrients in the temperate zone, according to simulations based on data collected from all oceans around the globe.


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