Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular (PPGGBM)
Laboratories Laboratories
The Biomaterials Modeling Laboratory studies and solves problems ranging from the production of biotechnology inputs to clinical studies. Among our main research interests, the following stand out: (1) the development of vaccine formulations (protein vaccines and gene vaccines) and strategies to enhance the immune response to them (adjuvants and delivery systems); (2) the development and biophysical and immunological characterization of inputs for diagnosis and therapies; and (3) the development and validation of disease monitoring tools. To achieve this, techniques in biomolecule engineering, molecular biology, classical virology assays, immunoassays with human samples (flow cytometry, ELISpot, ELISA, luminescence, and immunofluorescence), and biophysical analyses (X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, circular dichroism, surface plasmon resonance, and microscale thermophoresis) are used. Currently, these approaches are applied to the study of Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, SARS-CoV-2, HIV viruses, among other pathogens.
In a world where climate change is intensifying, and arable land and water availability are limited, ensuring food security for the increasingly growing populations, aiming for a world without hunger, is a grand objective. In this context, the LGMP (dGEN/CB/UFPE) focuses on the study of cultivated plants and their responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In other words, the laboratory aims to understand how plants respond to environmental stresses (drought, salinity, disease), seeking to identify genes that enhance tolerance to these stresses. To achieve this, modern molecular techniques, functional genomics and epigenetics, and bioinformatics are used to identify favorable genes in gene expression patterns, whose candidates may be useful in breeding programs, aiming to develop productive plants even under adverse cultivation conditions.
The research group in Molecular Pathology and Genomic Medicine (PatGen) was created to address the need for new approaches in the medical field. PatGen brings together an integrated knowledge platform from areas such as Human Genetics, Molecular Biology, Pathology, Immunology, and Bioinformatics. The various fields and technologies combined will serve to better understand the pathological phenotype of interest. The multidisciplinary approach, supported by a Bioinformatics team, will be available to integrate all the information. Our laboratories are located in the Molecular Biology Sector of the Keizo Asami Institute (LIKA) and in the Departments of Pathology and Genetics at UFPE, and we have all the necessary infrastructure for research focused on molecular analysis and bioinformatics for complex diseases.
The Plant Genomics and Proteomics Laboratory (LGPP) is located at UFPE, in the building of the Directorate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (DINE). At LGPP, studies are conducted with native and cultivated plant species, which are important for the Northeast Region and other areas of Brazil. Research and training of human resources specialized in Plant Genetics and Molecular Biology, as well as associated organisms, are developed. Additionally, we have been working with Omics, especially Proteomics, to identify key genes and proteins involved in various mechanisms of tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress factors in plants. LGPP began its activities in 2009 and has developed projects in collaboration with other research groups in Pernambuco, as well as national and international partnerships, in the areas of Biotechnology and Plant Molecular Biology through Genomics, Transcriptomics, and Proteomics. LGPP has human resources and equipment for studies on gene expression analysis at the transcriptional and translational levels through electrophoresis (one-dimensional and two-dimensional), mass spectrometry, PCR and RT-qPCR, Bioinformatics, and other methodologies, for biotechnological applications in plant genetic improvement, human health, agroindustry, and the environment.
The Laboratory of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology is dedicated to research focusing on complex diseases, using molecular biology techniques and cell culture to generate knowledge in three lines of investigation. The first line addresses metabolic syndrome, investigating the influences of steroid hormones and the expression of their receptors, as well as evaluating inflammatory genetic markers. The second line focuses on infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis and COVID-19, aiming to establish a cellular and animal model to investigate the gene activation pathways related to the immune response in the coinfection of SARS-CoV-2 and Mtb. The third, more recent line, investigates potential differential diagnostic methods for rare diseases: xeroderma pigmentosum and RASopathies.
The Laboratory of Microorganism Genetics (LGMi) focuses on studying the molecular mechanisms and processes relevant to yeasts and lactic acid bacteria of industrial interest. The work is directed towards analyzing: (1) the composition and ecological interaction of these microorganisms in industrial environments; (2) the regulation of genes and metabolic pathways related to the biosynthesis of biotechnologically relevant products; (3) the cellular response to physical and chemical stressors present in these environments. Technologies are developed for the use of different substrates, such as plant biomass, and genetic engineering to expand the range of substrates that these microorganisms can utilize. As outcomes of these works, in addition to the scientific knowledge generated and published in internationally recognized journals, we can list the identification of new species of bacteria and yeasts, the discovery of new genes, the launch of new industrial yeasts in the market, and the development of microbiological control techniques for industrial processes. All of these activities are carried out in partnership with universities and research centers in Brazil and abroad, as well as with public and private companies in the beverage (beer, wine, and cachaça), food, pharmaceutical, and biofuel production sectors. The mission of LGMi is to contribute to social development in an environmentally responsible manner through the training of qualified professionals, the generation of scientific knowledge, and the creation of products and services.
The Laboratory of Genetics and Plant Biotechnology (LGBV) aims, among other objectives, to provide a better understanding of structural and functional genetic mechanisms. Methodologies include genome sequencing, transcriptomes, and microbiomes analyzed from various aspects using bioinformatics tools to understand responses to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. Structural and evolutionary analyses include approaches in molecular cytogenetics, molecular phylogeny, phylogenomics, and population genetics. The studies focus on plants and microorganisms native to the northeastern region of Brazil, as well as on cultivated plants and their pathogens. We also analyze the cytotoxic and genotoxic activity of plant compounds, as well as genetic transformation and gene editing in plants. The applications of the group's studies involve genes important for biotechnology, applicable to agriculture and health (with an emphasis on antimicrobial compounds), based on the scientific knowledge generated.
The Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Biology (LABBE) conducts research in the following areas: bioinformatics, genomics, forensic genetics, conservation genetics, and molecular population genetics. It houses the UFPE Multi-User Genomics and Transcriptomics Platform (MULTISEQ), which is equipped with tools for generating and analyzing data derived from nucleotide sequencing, including Sanger and next-generation methods. It is the academic unit responsible for providing genetic linkage determination services at UFPE, maintaining a partnership with the Public Prosecutor's Office of the State of Pernambuco to carry out paternity and maternity tests and the reconstruction of genetic profiles. The faculty members assigned to LABBE are involved in the training of human resources at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, teaching courses in the laboratory's areas of expertise, contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the preparation of future qualified professionals.
The Laboratory of Animal and Human Genetics and Cytogenetics (LGCAH) of the Department of Genetics/CB/UFPE has been playing a key role in Human Cytogenetics research since 2006, investigating chromosomal alterations with a focus on Turner Syndrome (TS) and currently on Down Syndrome (DS). In addition to assisting in the diagnosis of patients with TS and DS, research involving cytogenetics and molecular biology has contributed to a better understanding of karyotypes and clinical findings, as well as their evolution and therapeutic treatment. In recent years, it has developed research related to the gene profile linked to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases in Turner Syndrome and Down Syndrome, as well as the investigation of gene sequences on the Y chromosome. This long trajectory has established the laboratory as a reference in human cytogenetics in Pernambuco and has enabled the generation of knowledge and the training of human resources, particularly for the Northeast Region, over the past 17 years.