Biotechnology constitutes a transdisciplinary science, combining areas such as Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology, and Bioinformatics, among others, in the pursuit of applications in human and animal health, agriculture, environmental sciences, and primarily, manufacturing employing biochemistry as a foundation. In this sense, since the 1990s, CBiot has been involved in the development of technologies and their application to society, such as the production and supply of the Taq DNA polymerase enzyme, restriction enzymes, and markers for all regions of Brazil, contributing to the development of numerous applications in scientific research, diagnostics, human and veterinary medicine, agriculture, environment, and industry nationwide. Another example of CBiot's involvement includes the production of antibodies for various research laboratories, as well as the evaluation of reagents and immunological components used in different institutions and companies, initiated in 2003.
Since its inception, CBiot has built a fertile environment for both basic research and its transposition to technological and commercial applications. For example, significant advances have been made in understanding the mechanisms of adventitious rooting in Eucalyptus, resin production in Pinus, and the identification of bioactive specialized metabolites of pharmaceutical interest (alkaloids in Psychotria and saponins in Quillaja). These scientific contributions laid the groundwork for the creation of one of the startups born at CBiot, ARBOREA, which is now part of IECBiot and adds to the history of various startups developed within CBiot.
We coordinate the "Collaborating Center in Agricultural Defense for Biosafety Concerning Genetically Modified (GM) Eucalyptus Plants," where researchers from eight forestry companies and four research centers also participated. This Center was responsible for evaluating the biosafety of genetically modified eucalyptus plants, both in the laboratory and in the field, demonstrating the equivalence of the effects of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM plants on human and animal health and environmental markers. The results of this project were included in a dossier that supported the commercial release of the first genetically modified eucalyptus worldwide in 2015.
A final example involves the various studies conducted over the years by CBiot researchers in understanding the physiopathology associated with tick infestation in cattle, which made CBiot a worldwide reference in the field and allowed various advancements in the development of a vaccine capable of reducing tick populations in both the forms present in parasitized cattle and the infesting forms present in the field. Finally, to support these research efforts and enhance future advancements, CBiot established the MULTI PROT LAB - CBiot Protein Biochemistry Multi-User Laboratory, extensively equipped with infrastructure necessary for studies and technology developments in protein biochemistry, also serving as support for companies incubated at IECBiot.