Master’s and Doctorate Degree in Biotechnology Applied to Agriculture

The Post-Graduation Program in Biotechnology Applied to Agriculture at Universidade Paranaense has two research lines. In addition to the development of master-degree dissertations or doctoral thesis, these lines also integrate advising activities for students in Scientific Initiation, Course Final Papers for undergraduate and Lato Sensu Post-Graduation courses, as well as the supervision of post-doctoral students.

Concentration Area

Biotechnology Applied to Agriculture

Biotechnology Applied to Agricultural Microbiology

Aims at the bioprospection and genetic, morphological and chemical characterization of microorganisms of agricultural, agro-industrial, therapeutic, food and/or environmental interest, focusing on adding value to the biological material, residues and byproducts through the development of products and processes of agricultural biotechnology interest. It also aims at evaluating the biological properties of bioactive composites through in-vitro, ex-situ and in-vivo essays, with the purpose of developing and application in products of agro-industrial, food, cosmetics, agricultural, veterinary and/or environmental interest. It also has the purpose of preserving microorganisms, studying the plant-microorganism relationship (biological fixation of nitrogen, mycorrhizal fungi, growth promoters, symbionts, endophytes, pathogens), microbial ecology and the microbiological quality of the soil.

Research Projects in the Research line

• Bioprospection of bioactive composites in the control of microorganisms;
• Biotechnology of bioactive composites in basidiomycetes;
• Biotechnology of microorganisms;
• Agricultural and environmental microbial biotechnology;
• Microbiology and Biotechnology of soil
• Production of basidiomycete enzymes for bioremediation;
• Prospection of bioactive substances for use in food items.

Biotechnology Applied to Plant Breeding

Aims at the bioprospection and genetic, morphologic, chemical, and biochemical characterization and gene expression of plants of agricultural, agro-industrial, therapeutic, food and/or environmental interest, providing its genetic improvement or allowing its farming and production. It also aims at evaluating the biotic and abiotic stress in plants and design protocols for farming in-vitro plants, extraction, and standardization of secondary metabolites, and the bioprospection of plant composites with biological activity. In addition, it also studies the biosynthetic routes of the plant metabolism, and the production, separation, purification, and identification of bioactive composites. Evaluation of biological properties of bioactive composites through in-vitro, ex-situ and in-vivo essays, with the purpose of developing and applying in food, cosmetics, agricultural, veterinary and/or environmental products.

A few Research Projects in the Research line

• Analysis of the development, biochemistry, anatomy, gene expression, and production of secondary metabolites of medicinal plants by elicitors;
• Molecular and chemical characterization of plants, culture of vegetable tissues applied to agriculture;
• Biotic and abiotic stresses in the metabolism and expression of genes related to stress in plants;
• Isolation, chemical identification and evaluation of biological activities in plants;
• Plants of biotechnological interest: fractioning, chemical identification, biological activities, and development of products and processes, vegetable genetic improvement;
• Genetic variability of cultivated plants based on morphological and molecular markers.