Fapesp

FAPESP and the Sustainable Development Goals

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Research funded by FAPESP aligned with the SDGs

News

Research funded by FAPESP aligned with the SDGs

Plasma treatment of semiconductor films can improve hydrogen production
SDG 7, SDG 9
Plasma treatment of semiconductor films can improve hydrogen production

In an experiment resulting from collaboration between two FAPESP-supported research centers, a material was modified for use in solar-driven water splitting to produce hydrogen.


Bruxism is frequently observed in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder
SDG 3
Bruxism is frequently observed in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder

This study was conducted at the University of São Paulo and published in Clinical Oral Investigations; the authors emphasize the importance of collaboration between dentists and psychiatrists to improve diagnosis and treatment.


São Paulo School of Advanced Science presents innovative approach to environmental issues
SDG 11, SDG 13, SDG 17
São Paulo School of Advanced Science presents innovative approach to environmental issues

Focus on transdisciplinarity aims to foster participation by all stakeholders in efforts to address global change. The subject was front and center at an event held in April 2024 at a historic town in São Paulo state.


Researchers conduct first-ever study to characterize microbiota in saliva of weaned piglets on commercial farms in Brazil
SDG 9, SDG 12
Researchers conduct first-ever study to characterize microbiota in saliva of weaned piglets on commercial farms in Brazil

Results show that oral fluid bacteria differ from fecal and environmental bacteria. Identification of these microorganisms can help diagnose infectious diseases and improve pork production.


Aerobic exercise performed in the evening benefits elderly hypertensives more than morning exercise
SDG 3
Aerobic exercise performed in the evening benefits elderly hypertensives more than morning exercise

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo with 23 volunteers found that only evening training regulated baroreflex sensitivity, a mechanism that compensates for abrupt changes in blood pressure.


A startup supported by FAPESP is conducting one of the largest studies on Huntington’s disease
SDG 3, SDG 9
A startup supported by FAPESP is conducting one of the largest studies on Huntington’s disease

BioDecision has developed a methodology that combines RNA sequencing and big data to offer the pharmaceutical industry molecular targets of interest for treatment of the disease.


In a reservoir in Southeast Brazil, introduction of a fish native to the Amazon has reduced native species diversity
SDG 14
In a reservoir in Southeast Brazil, introduction of a fish native to the Amazon has reduced native species diversity

Since 2001, when it was first recorded in the Jaguarai reservoir in São Paulo state, the Silver croaker (Plagioscion squamosissimus) has established and increased its population in the Paraíba do Sul Basin to the detriment of native fish species.


World experts create document on AI capabilities and risks
SDG 9
World experts create document on AI capabilities and risks

Director of the Institute of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at the University of São Paulo collaborates with work developed in the UK to guide governments.


RCGI joins Shell’s energy transition center in the Netherlands
SDG 7, SDG 17
RCGI joins Shell’s energy transition center in the Netherlands

The new office is expected to serve as a research hub for the Research Center for Greenhouse Gas Innovation in Europe, fostering international partnerships.


Third 2024 FAPESP Lecture discusses training of physician-scientists in the United States
SDG 3
Third 2024 FAPESP Lecture discusses training of physician-scientists in the United States

The lecture was delivered by Antonio Bianco, a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago who has won several awards for research in the thyroid field.


Laser printing on fallen tree leaves produces sensors for medical and laboratory use
SDG 12
Laser printing on fallen tree leaves produces sensors for medical and laboratory use

Leaf cellulose is converted by pyrolysis to graphite, which is printed in the right shape for the surface to function as a sensor. Tests to determine concentrations of dopamine and paracetamol confirmed that the sensor performed successfully.


Study focusing on primary care seeks to improve diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
SDG 3, SDG 17
Study focusing on primary care seeks to improve diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The project, conducted by researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo in Brazil and the University of Birmingham in the UK, was one of 15 presented at an event held to celebrate the partnership between the British institution and FAPESP. It also marked the launch of the University of Birmingham Brazil Institute, whose mission is to bolster UK-Brazil research collaboration.


Almost 30% of children and adolescents experience pain in muscles, bones or ligaments, study shows
SDG 3
Almost 30% of children and adolescents experience pain in muscles, bones or ligaments, study shows

A survey conducted in Brazil provides an overview of musculoskeletal pain in the very young. Back pain and leg pain were the most frequent complaints among 2,688 volunteers aged 12 on average.


Brazilian startup designs self-flying aerial vehicle for crop spraying
SDG 9
Brazilian startup designs self-flying aerial vehicle for crop spraying

The firm is supported by FAPESP and is developing an autonomous helicopter capable of spraying crops on steep hillsides.


Loss of large herbivores affects interactions between plants and their natural enemies, study shows
SDG 15
Loss of large herbivores affects interactions between plants and their natural enemies, study shows

Researchers in Brazil compared leaf damage caused by insects and pathogens in areas with and without the presence of mammals such as tapirs, deer and peccaries. Absence of the animals led to loss of microorganisms that cause leaf disease, potentially affecting long-term eco-evolutionary processes and reducing biodiversity in tropical forests.


In Brazil, 76% of deforestation in three Amazonian states occurred in a planned agricultural development zone
SDG 2, SDG 13
In Brazil, 76% of deforestation in three Amazonian states occurred in a planned agricultural development zone

The researchers showed that pressure has intensified since the 2018 announcement of a plan to create a development zone where the states of Amazonas, Acre and Rondônia meet.


Educational game raises awareness among young people about measures to combat dengue fever
SDG 4
Educational game raises awareness among young people about measures to combat dengue fever

Game challenges the player to find and eliminate all Aedes aegypti mosquito hotspots.


Analysis of flour and rice shows high levels of harmful fungal toxins
SDG 3
Analysis of flour and rice shows high levels of harmful fungal toxins

The foods, found in the homes of Brazilian families participating in the research, were stored for future consumption. The study is the first in Brazil to use biomarkers to characterize the risk associated with mycotoxins in the diet.


Wildfires in old-growth Amazon forest areas rose 152% in 2023, study shows
SDG 13, SDG 15
Wildfires in old-growth Amazon forest areas rose 152% in 2023, study shows

The increase was confirmed by an analysis of satellite images, contrasting with a drop in deforestation and the total number of fires detected in the Amazon. The Brazilian government’s center for forest fire prevention says it is partnering with other institutions to combat wildfires in the region.


Study helps understand how energy metabolism is regulated at cellular level
SDG 3
Study helps understand how energy metabolism is regulated at cellular level

An article published by a FAPESP-supported research center highlights the link between mitochondrial calcium transport and autophagy, the process whereby cells break down and reuse some of their own components.


Test will permit relatively non-invasive detection of micrometastasis
SDG 3, SDG 9
Test will permit relatively non-invasive detection of micrometastasis

A Brazilian startup supported by FAPESP is developing a solution to detect a biomolecule linked to the presence of migratory oral cancer cells.


Research shows link between pollution and heart risks in residents of the city of São Paulo, Brazil
SDG 3
Research shows link between pollution and heart risks in residents of the city of São Paulo, Brazil

A study by the University of São Paulo, published in the journal Environmental Research, analyzed the results of the autopsies of 238 people and epidemiological data; the risk is greater for hypertensive patients.


Maps developed with artificial intelligence confirm low levels of phosphorus in Amazonian soil
SDG 13
Maps developed with artificial intelligence confirm low levels of phosphorus in Amazonian soil

Research introduces new methodology to describe the amount of the mineral, which is important in the growth cycle of vegetation and can affect the forest’s response to climate change.


Cocaine is an emerging contaminant of concern in the Bay of Santos (Brazil), says researcher
SDG 3, SDG 6, SDG 16
Cocaine is an emerging contaminant of concern in the Bay of Santos (Brazil), says researcher

The drug accumulates not only in water, but also in sediments and marine organisms, and poses a high ecological risk, said Camilo Seabra, a professor at the Federal University of São Paulo, during FAPESP Week Illinois.


Food insecurity is significant among inhabitants of the region affected by the Belo Monte dam in Brazil
SDG 1, SDG 16
Food insecurity is significant among inhabitants of the region affected by the Belo Monte dam in Brazil

A study of 500 households in Altamira, a city near the dam in Pará state, showed that 61% experienced food insecurity.


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