BIODIVERSITY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR THE BLUE ECONOMY AND ITS MANAGEMENT

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The theme is structured around internationalization, projecting Brazilian science in socio-environmental sustainability and biotechnological innovation onto the global stage. FURG, the Network’s coordinating institution, enjoys a privileged geographical location on the shores of the Patos Lagoon estuary, the largest in South America, which gives it a strategic position for the study of estuarine, coastal, and oceanic ecosystems of major environmental and economic relevance. This unique setting supports excellent graduate programs and research groups (e.g., INCT Blue Amazon Biodiversity), which lead studies on aquatic biodiversity, bioprospecting, and the development of innovative bioprocesses. The partner institutions contribute local and regional knowledge to the theme, incorporating diverse contexts.

The internationalization of the theme makes it possible to expand inventories of species, genes, and metabolites; prospect microorganisms and enzymes through global partnerships; validate biomolecules in collaboration with leading research centers; and strengthen knowledge and technology transfer. It also enables comparative and integrated research and forecasting of the impacts of economic activities on biodiversity and the functioning of aquatic ecosystems, aligning science and socio-environmental management with international standards.

The theme also incorporates emerging frontiers such as Genetic Engineering and Synthetic Biology, expanding the strategic use of biodiversity to generate bioproducts and sustainable solutions on a global scale. The inclusion of emerging and developing graduate programs helps reduce academic and regional disparities, ensuring that internationalization benefits the entire graduate education system.

Alignment with the National Bioeconomy Strategy, the Climate Plan, and SDGs 14, 12, 9, and 13 reinforces the commitment to integrating biodiversity, biotechnology, and internationalization, with graduate education serving as a driving force for sustainable development and social and scientific impact.

Theme Coordinator: Luis Fernando Fernandes Marins (Lattes, ORCID)

Participating Graduate Programs