Portugal celebrates the Science & Technology Week from 20th to 26th November 2023 and UCIBIO researchers are involved in various actions, giving the opportunity to citizens to get closer to science developed at UCIBIO:
Glicoexhibition: Life and sugars
Activity promoted by the Functional Glycobiology Research Lab, (Bio)molecular Structure and Interactions by NMR Research Lab and Glycoimmunology Research Lab.
The GlycoLab, BioNMR and Glycoimmunology research labs at UCIBIO NOVA FCT are proposing an activity as part of the European GLYCOTwinning project, which aims to publicise and give due recognition to the area of Glycoscience and the important biological role of glycans, molecules also known as carbohydrates or sugars. At Glicoexhibition, we will reveal the role of glycans in the organisation and functioning of our body, in disease mechanisms and in the interaction with organisms and pathogens. We want to explain our research work and the relevance of the field of Glycoscience to the general public!
Our research aims to understand the protein-glycan interactions that are essential in cell-cell, symbiont-host or pathogen-host interactions. We use molecular and cellular glyco-technologies (GLYCOtoolbox) to understand, from the atomic to the cellular level, how proteins with different origins, the immune system, the human microbiome and those of pathogenic organisms, recognise different glycan structures. This fundamental knowledge is crucial for the development of new glycan-based therapies and diagnostic tools.
At Glicoexhibition we will show the importance of glycans in health in an entertaining and didactic way. Our exhibition will include examples of the tools used in our laboratory and educational videos to publicise the importance and basic fundamentals of Glycoscience.
Did you know that the classification of blood groups is related to the presentation of different sugars on the surface of our cells? The discovery of blood groups proved essential for blood transfusions and transplants. https://youtu.be/e6AaNBS8hf8
Registration through previous contact with: b.pinheiro@fct.unl.pt; glycotwinning@campus.fct.unl.pt
Type of Event: Exhibitions
Mode: In person
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) - When molecules sing!
Activity promoted by the (Bio)molecular Structure and Interactions by NMR Research Lab
Science is seen as the rational domain of the human being, while art is the manifestation of emotion. Although they seem to be opposites, without them we wouldn't exist as a society, as they both feed our curiosity and creativity. As Albert Einstein once said: "The most beautiful thing we can have is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science." In this activity, we invite you to unite science with art in a unique experience by visiting our laboratory to learn about Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NMR is one of the most valuable tools available to scientists, used by chemists, physicists and biologists to unravel the structure and activity of molecules and other phenomena. NMR is like a symphony of chemical information, in which atomic nuclei, subjected to a magnetic field and radio waves, reveal their histories. But did you know that as well as giving you chemical information, by decoding this information we can also create music? That's what we propose to explore with this activity, because just as the frequencies of guitar strings are used to make music, the radio frequencies of atomic nuclei can be seen as audio files whose sound is unique to each molecule. By bringing in sound, we're creating a whole new reality in which molecules "sing" their story to scientists - you just have to know how to listen to them.
Registration required: asd.ferreira@fct.unl.pt
More information here
Come to visit us and discover the life sciences
The Department of Life Sciences focuses its activity on teaching and research in the fields of fundamental biology and applications in biotechnology and biomedicine. It is responsible for the Bachelor's Degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology, the Master's Degree in Molecular Genetics and Biomedicine and the PhD Program in Biology. His research through the UCIBIO research unit includes Microbiology, Genetics, Biotechnology, Nanobiotechnology, Cell Biology, Glycobiology and Immunology.
Registration: https://forms.gle/HQumCJv3UNqwHS6B8
More information here
MICROMUNDO@UPORTO - Science Communication workshop
Launch of the 5th edition of the MicroMundo@UPorto project and Science Communication workshop. The main aims of the MicroMundo project are to disseminate scientific knowledge about the relevance of antibiotics in the treatment of infections, as well as the constraints on the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, from the university to the community, and to awaken the vocation of pre-university students for experimental sciences and research in biomedicine. This workshop aims to present the MicroMundo project to the general public as well as to potential participants, namely researchers and teachers from other faculties and/or universities who wish to implement the project at their institutions.
More information here