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

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.


Study confirms effectiveness of bivalent COVID-19 vaccine
SDG 3
Study confirms effectiveness of bivalent COVID-19 vaccine

Brazilian scientists conducted the first research project to evaluate the immunity induced in an actual group of vaccinated subjects. Their findings are reported in the Journal of Medical Virology.


Light-activated materials perform well in treatment of textile effluent
SDG 6, SDG 9
Light-activated materials perform well in treatment of textile effluent

Investigators affiliated with two FAPESP-supported research centers conducted an experiment using actual effluent from the textile industry. The results are detailed in the journal Chemosphere.


Bioelectronic chip detects vitamins C and D in saliva in under 20 minutes
SDG 3, SDG 9
Bioelectronic chip detects vitamins C and D in saliva in under 20 minutes

The device was developed at the University of São Paulo and can be used for self-monitoring of micronutrients, assistance with personalized diets, and prevention of deficiencies and toxicity.


Technology for local production of industrial enzymes in Brazil
SDG 9, SDG 12
Technology for local production of industrial enzymes in Brazil

A startup supported by FAPESP is developing a platform that will enable local production of enzymes to act as catalysts for chemical reactions.


Without proper management, Cerrado becomes disfigured and less resilient to climate change
SDG 13, SDG 15
Without proper management, Cerrado becomes disfigured and less resilient to climate change

A study conducted over a period of 14 years in the Brazilian savanna-like biome shows its typical vegetation rapidly becoming ‘cerradão’ – a biodiversity-poor forest formation – while resistance to drought and wildfires weakens.


Registration of biological pest control products exceeds that of agrochemicals in Brazil
SDG 2, SDG 17
Registration of biological pest control products exceeds that of agrochemicals in Brazil

Around 90% of the sugarcane area in Brazil now uses natural enemies to combat agricultural pests; data were presented during FAPESP Week Illinois.


Consortium including Brazilians sequences the reference genome of Arabica coffee
SDG 9, SDG 13
Consortium including Brazilians sequences the reference genome of Arabica coffee

The work makes it possible to tell the story of the fusion of genomes that gave rise to the world’s most consumed species, as well as identifying genes responsible for resistance to rust and other diseases.


DNA vaccine against zika performs well in tests on mice
SDG 3
DNA vaccine against zika performs well in tests on mice

The vaccine is being developed by researchers in Brazil. The results of preclinical trials are published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.


Arboviruses, mosquitoes and potential hosts tracked in real time in São Paulo city
SDG 3
Arboviruses, mosquitoes and potential hosts tracked in real time in São Paulo city

The technology used to sequence the first infections by SARS-CoV-2 at record speed has been successfully tested as a technique to monitor viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, such as dengue, zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.


International group runs simulations capable of describing South America’s climate with unprecedented accuracy
SDG 13
International group runs simulations capable of describing South America’s climate with unprecedented accuracy

The aim is to create a computer visualization model that more accurately represents the hydroclimatic processes that occur in the region and to support climate change adaptation measures; the initiative was presented during FAPESP Week Illinois.


PROASA program will advance knowledge of South Atlantic and Antarctic
SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 14, SDG 17
PROASA program will advance knowledge of South Atlantic and Antarctic

Launched on April 2 at FAPESP, the program will initially involve researchers from Brazil, Argentina and France.


Startup develops alternative treatment for atopic dermatitis
SDG 3, SDG 9
Startup develops alternative treatment for atopic dermatitis

Researchers supported by FAPESP have created a drug using antibodies for direct application to the skin.


Theories that explain the crisis in democracy are inadequate for Latin America, experts say
SDG 16
Theories that explain the crisis in democracy are inadequate for Latin America, experts say

Countries in the region are experiencing a different phenomenon from that observed in the United States and Europe, where increased social inequality may have been the cause of the advance of political polarization. The assessment was made by participants in FAPESP Week Illinois.


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