The European Researchers' Night, an Europe-wide public event, which displays the diversity of science and its impact on citizens' daily lives in fun, inspiring ways, will take place in 26 countries on Friday 29 September 2023.
UCIBIO will be in the European Researchers Night with various activities developed by UCIBIO researchers:
What is an enzyme? Where do we use enzymes? Meet the enzyme that can help in the preservation of the ozone layer
(at the National Museum of Natural History and Science)
Researchers: Sofia Pauleta - Microbial Stress Lab
Enzymes catalyze several reactions, being essential to the Life of all living organisms. In the experiments that you will carry out, you will identify the action of enzymes that are involved in the digestion of food and are used in biological washing powders (lower use of energy and less pollutants). Nitrous oxide is responsible for the destruction of the ozone layer and has a greenhouse gas capacity 300 times greater than CO2. This gas is released into the atmosphere due to anthropogenic activities (industry, transport), as well as intensive agriculture using inorganic fertilizers. In these experiments you will get acquainted with the only enzyme that can reduce nitrous oxide to molecular nitrogen, nitrous oxide reductase. You will get to know its colors, associated with different forms of the enzyme and its three-dimensional structure. You can also do experiments where the marine bacterium that produces it will reduce nitrite to molecular nitrogen.
Proteins for a Sustainable Future
(at the National Museum of Natural History and Science)
Researchers: Ana Cecília Roque, Susana Palma, Carina Esteves, Margarida Dias, Cátia Soares, Inês Padrão, Arménio Barbosa, Catarina Domingos, Henrique Costa, Carolina Natal, Gonçalo Teixeira - Biomolecular Engineering Lab
Did you know that aminoacids are the basic unit of any protein? Proteins are molecules present in all living beings. There are countless proteins in the world with varied functions and there are many more to discover. It is even possible to produce proteins in the laboratory to make new sustainable materials. Come to our booth and meet some proteins!
We are going to show how protein-based materials can have the ability to smell, using the electronic nose that we have developed in our Laboratory, the Biomolecular Engineering Group at FCT-NOVA. Did you know that food freshness can be monitored through odors? And that some diseases have associated odors? Our goal is that this electronic nose will one day help prevent food waste and diagnose diseases more quickly. Another great use of proteins is the production of medicines. Biological medicines, or biopharmaceuticals, often have their origin in proteins. Before reaching you, these medicines have to be produced and purified. We will teach you how the purification of a biopharmaceutical works and how to make it more sustainable.
From wastes to biopolymers
(at the National Museum of Natural History and Science)
Researchers: Joana Fradinho, Cristiana Torres, Mónica Carvalheira - Biochemical Engineering Lab
Bacteria have the capacity to produce biodegradable plastics and many other biopolymers with interesting applications in the pharmaceutical industry, food, cosmetic, biomedicine, packaging, etc.
Bacteria can produce these biopolymers from industrial wastes, which would have to be discarded, treated or incinerated.
In this activity the production of biopolymers will be explained, and different examples of biopolymers and applications will be demonstrated. Hands-on activities will also be provided for the production of biopolymers spheres, emulsions, etc.
Actinobacteria4Health
(at the National Museum of Natural History and Science)
Researchers: Susana P Gaudencio, Rita Gonçalves Sobral, Alejandra Prieto-Davo, Miguel Coelho, Tiago Correia, Maria João Nunes - Blue Biotechnology and Biomedicine Lab & Molmicro of Bacterial Pathogens Lab
In this activity we will demonstrate how actinobacteria of marine origin inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause infections in humans.
Sugars: More than sweet molecules! - online
Researchers: Benedita Andrade Pinheiro, Maria Angelina de Sá Palma, Raquel Lopes Costa, Nuno Filipe Lavos Lopes, Viviana Gomes Correia - Functional Glycobiology Lab
The Functional Glycobiology laboratory (GlycoLab) is a research group from the Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, a research unit from the School of Science and Technology from the NOVA Lisbon University. We are committed in understanding the protein-glycan (sugar) interaction, essential to cell-cell, symbiont-host and parasite-host interactions. The studies of these protein-glycan interactions allow the development of new glycan-based therapies. We use the glycan-microarray technology to identify functional glycans for proteins in a proteomic scale. Through an integrative approach, we use structural biology for understanding, at a molecular level how proteins from different sources – immune system, human microbiome and pathogens – recognize these functional glycans. In this European Researchers’ Night we will show the importance of glycans in Health in a fun and relaxed way. We will have in our website several educational videos for publicizing the importance and basic principles of Glycobiology.
3D proteins for sustainable bioprocesses in a sustainable world - online
Researchers: Cristiano Mota, Guilherme Vilela, João Ferreira, Filipa Engrola, Ana Luisa Carvalho - XTAL Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory
We use various biochemical and biophysical methods to study proteins, either alone or in complex with other molecules, including drugs, metals, and carbohydrates. We have a strong internationally recognized experience in the functional and structural characterization of proteins from different organisms of nutritional, biomedical, pharmaceutical and biotechnological importance.
We use sophisticated methodologies such as X-ray Crystallography, SAXS and CryoEM to study macromolecular complexes that function as nanomachines. The "visualization" we get, with atomic detail, is crucial for understanding how different molecules behave and recognize other molecules in the cellular environment.
In the various activities we propose, we will illustrate, using videos prepared by us, the scientific problems we have at hand and some of the methods we use to solve them. An interactive question and answer game (Quiz) on Structural Biology will be implemented. We will present, also in video format, short interviews with scientists.