We hope, by the solidarity and agglutinating performance, to contribute to the multiplication of professionals capable of developing solutions and benefits for the market and for the improvement of human perspectives in the Northern Brazilian region. It is very clear that UFPA, other public institutions of the State, as well as civil society, realize the need to obtain a more efficient use of biological wealth and to stop the large scale of forest destruction observed in its territory. For this, a congregation of efforts has emerged within these institutions in order to create conditions for the development of effective actions for the strengthening of institutions, development of integrative actions, consolidation of research groups that work in fundamental disciplines for the exercise of biotechnology and initiatives for training and retaining qualified personnel in the Northern Region. Finally, our understanding is that UFPA's PPGBIOTEC, acting interactively in the Amazon Region, capitalizing on its experience in working in research networks, can contribute to the creation of possibilities for institutional cooperation, to promote the development of technologies, obtaining new drugs, other biotechnological products besides the development of relevant processes for sustainable regional development. To highlight one of the actions undertaken by PPGBIOTEC, which falls within the solidarity criteria, an interinstitutional scientific technical exchange was initiated between UFPA, UNIFAP and USP (Campi de Piracicaba and Ribeirão Preto) through which a collaboration in product biotechnology is being organized. Amazonian naturals, through the development of doctoral and post-doctoral theses, basically focused on the two-family farming products that most add value in the Amazon Region: açaí and cocoa. A genomic prospecting in mangroves in Pará and Amapá is also being carried out. In terms of biodiversity and sustainability, this collaboration aims to establish and implement technologies for the economic development of families of small rural producers and the private sector through the sustainable exploitation of açaí (Euterpe oleracea), cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and promising enzymes in biotechnology industry of these two fruits and mangroves. For this, stages of biochemical, microbiological, genomic, proteomic and industrial characteristics will be developed. The genetic and genomic characterization of the açaí tree will allow the creation of biotechnological bases for manipulation and genetic transformation of the plant. Genomic genetics combined with transcriptomics and proteomics will also allow knowledge of metabolic pathways and routes that have potential for biotechnological use. Genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic analyzes involving the structure, know-how and competence installed at UFPA will allow the nucleation of a partner group in the State of Amapá, qualified in cutting-edge technologies, including bioinformatics, which is one of the biggest bottlenecks in implementation of these research platforms. The modus operandi used and implemented at UFPA to overcome and develop genomic genetics consisted of massive investment in the training of human resources at the site. The strategy that will be implemented at the Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP) will be based on this same principle, with the creation of a strictu sensu specialization class in the first twelve months of the project. Students who show superior performance will be invited to complete a master's dissertation in six months. Of these, a subgroup will be directed to the Doctoral Degree within the plans established at UFPA.
Contribution to regional development
The Biotechnology Graduate Program at UFPA acts interactively in the Amazon Region, capitalizing on its experience in working in research networks and contributing to the creation of possibilities for institutional cooperation. The Program seeks to promote sustainable regional development, through the improvement of technologies and biotechnological products. It is expected, through solidarity, to contribute to the multiplication of professionals capable of developing solutions and benefits for the market and for the improvement of human perspectives in the Northern Brazilian region.
Biodiversity and sustainability
Açaí and cocoa, two family farming products that add the most value in the Amazon region, are the subject of study in a project aimed at the biotechnology of natural Amazon products. This collaboration is part of an interinstitutional scientific technical exchange between UFPA, UNIFAP and USP. It aims to establish and implement technologies for the economic development of families of small rural producers and the private sector, through the sustainable exploitation of açaí (Euterpe oleracea), cocoa (Teobroma cacao) and promising enzymes in the biotechnology industry of these two fruits and mangroves. For this purpose, biochemical, microbiological, genomic, proteomic, and industrial steps will be developed. Doctoral and post-doctoral dissertations will basically be focused on these two products. Genomic prospecting in mangroves in Pará and Amapá is also planned.