To contribute to the full implementation of the University’s education program in its premise of promoting scientific excellence committed to social inclusion and diversity, strategic research units were created.
The activities developed by these units ensure the innovative nature of their projects, through cooperation and interdisciplinary integration between the different centers and other bodies of the University, promoting knowledge in specific areas.
Nanomedicine Unit – NANOMED
Nanomedicine is a nanotechnology subarea that applies its principles to analyze biological systems at molecular scale in order to prevent and diagnose diseases. This is an interdisciplinary field, as it can ranges from the medical applications of nanomaterials and biological devices, using concepts of Biochemical, Biophysical, Philosophy and Medicine. It allows studies and projects development involving characterization of cells, tissues and living organisms functioning mechanisms using nanotechnology tools.
The Nanotechnology Unit aims to develop this unique area at UFABC. The fields of knowledge integrated to the unit are represented by three pillars: (i) development and characterization of nanostructured systems; (ii) Applications and biological activities of synthesized nanostructured systems (iii) computer and theoretical studies.
Contact: nanomed@ufabc.edu.br
Srategic Unit for Strategic Studies in Democracy, Development and Sustainability – NEEDDS
The Srategic Unit for Strategic Studies in Democracy, Development and Sustainability is a space for integration and applied academic production. The initiative brings together professors and researchers from the CECS and CCNH academic Units at UFABC, representing six undergraduate courses (International Relations, Economic Sciences, Public Policy, Territorial Planning, Environmental and Urban Engineering , Biology), and four postgraduate programs (Humanities and Social Sciences, Territory Planning and Management, Public Policy, Environmental Science and Technology).
The NEEDDS’s strategic objectives are to propose and produce, from an interdisciplinary approach teaching, research and extension on the themes democracy, development and sustainability in its entirety. NEEDDS has a work plan guided by a important question: what public policies and what public or private intervention strategies can favor development paths with greater sustainability and democracy?
Research objectives
- To map the current state of the main issues to be addressed in the three themes – democracy, development and sustainability – and in the three territorial scales – global, national and regional – both from the empirical angle and from the theoretical angle.
- To identify and analyze, in each of the three themes and three scales, representative experiences of confrontation or equation of these questions posed by the literature and the empirical reality.
- Assess the interdependencies, constraints and possible fields of intervention on and between those themes and issues.
Improve and propose guidelines for public and private strategies and policies towards greater social, economic, political and environmental efficiency and equity.
Contact: needds@ufabc.edu.br
Biochemical and Biotechnology Unit – NBB
The Biochemical and Biotechnology Unit uses an interrelated studies network involving researchers of the 3 UFABC centers applying researches and spreading knowledge. Its main goal is to promote biochemistry and biotechnology areas, which have significant impact to several human activity segments, including feeding, pharmacy, medicine, waste management, carbon emission reduction, among others. Biotechnology utilizes biological systems, living organisms and its derivatives to certain proposes allowing its continuing development.
The Unit follows UFABC principles of focusing its activities in Teaching, Research and Extension, with innovative projects developed with interdisciplinary cooperation and integration among the 3 UFABC centers. The extension activities apply its results in incubated companies, cooperation events and scientific divulgation.
Contact: nbb@ufabc.edu.br
Sustainable Technologies Unit – NuTS
The Sustainable Technologies Unit (NUTS) aims to develop researches and implement practices of Industrial Catalysis, allying academic knowledge with the company needs for technology innovation in renewable science.
The NuTS Stratig Unit’s mission is to produce and spread knowledge and innovation by creating value to residues of different origins and characteristics, with the assistance of an interdisciplinary group with scientific knowledge, contributing to make a more sustainable society.
Research Lines
- Use of heterogeneous bifunctional catalysts for conversion of biomass and derivatives
- Conversion of biodiesel industrial products by etherification, esterification, hydrogenolysis, oxidation and acetilization.
- Valorization of catalysis nature products
- Conversion of carbohydrates and glycerol into imidozolines of high added value
- Synthesis of furfural derivatives
- Study of catalysts reactivity used in raw materials transformation by multinuclear magnetic resonance
- Application of heterogeneous mesoporous catalysts for photochemical cracking of asphaltenes and for carbon capture.
Contact: nuts@ufabc.edu.br
Virtual Universes, Entertainment and Mobility – NUVEM
The goals of the Virtual Universes, Entertainment and Mobility Strategic Unit, known as NUVEM, are producing knowledge, developing high-level human resources and generating innovative and interdisciplinary solutions to Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and their interfaces to society’s demands, such as the improvement of the quality of life of citizens and sustainability. NUVEM is currently composed of 18 professors who act in an interdisciplinary manner in Computer Science, Information Engineering and Social & Human Sciences, in addition to graduate and undergraduate students and affiliated researchers.
Research Lines
- Virtual and Augmented Reality;
- Computer Graphics
- Visualization
- Mobile Computing
- Cloud Computing
- Software-Defined Networking
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Optical Networks
- Smart Cities
- Online Social Network
- eParticipation
- eDemocracy
- Big Data
- Data Mining
- Virtualization and Cognition
- Telepresence
Contact: nuvem@ufabc.edu.br
Residues Revalorization Unit – REVALORES
The Residues Revalorization Unit (REVELADORES) has the objective of promoting, in an interdisciplinary shape, the production and divulgation of scientific and technology knowledge of several types of residues, capacitating high level human resources, creating innovative technologic solutions and contributing to a more sustainable society.
The REVALORES Strategic Unit mission is to use scientific and interdisciplinary applications, to produce and divulgate knowledge and innovations that enable revalorization of different residues, making a more sustainable society.
Research Lines
- Advanced Materials: Development and characterization of new environmentally friendly materials
- Mechanisms of chemical, photochemical and enzymatic materials degradation: Research on synthetic and biological materials degradation by redox activity.
- Energy: Agro industrial and urban residues characterization and conversion processes.
- Valorization of environmental residues: methodology development and implementation of more sustainable production methods.
- Solid Residues and contaminates areas: technologic development of solid residues treatment and investigation of impacted areas by inadequate residues disposal.
- Simulation and Modelling of New Materials: seeks the utilization of new theoretical methods for studying structural and electronic properties of nanocomposites made out of several different residues.
- Energy – management and treatment of radioactive residues: aims to create value from nuclear energy residues generated by the Energy sector.
Contact: revalores@ufabc.edu.br
Interdisciplinary Applied Neuroscience Unit – NINA
The Interdisciplinary Applied Neuroscience Unit (NINA), established in 2016, is an UFABC strategic unity directly attached to the rectory. NINA’s goal is to establish a dialogue between neuroscience researchers and others sectors of society, such as, technology, health, education and public policies areas.
Following UFABC’s basic principle – scientific research excelence, extension and interdisciplinary teaching -, NINA adopts the strategy of encoraging academic activities involving undergradute and graduate students, scientific researches and comunity driven initiatives.
Research Lines
- Neural Basis of Memory and Sleep
- Neural Basis of Learning and Emotional Memory
- Alzheimer’s Neural and Molecular Basis
- Motor and psychiatric neuro diseases
- Music cognition
- Computational neuroscience
- Neuroscience and Education
- Consumer Neuroscience and Decison Making
- Neuroscience and Art
- Neurodegeneration and Neuroprotection
- Neuroengineering
- Neuropharmacology of the Sexual and Maternal Behaviour
- Thermal Neurophysics
- Schizophrenia Neuropsychopharmacology
- Medicinal Plants Neuropsychopharmacology
- Neuro Psycholinguistics
- Time Perception
- Visual Perception
- Public Policies
- Voice and Audio signals processing
- Olfactory Sensory System Processing
- Neural Networks
- Neural substrate of Mental Disorders
Contact: nina@ufabc.edu.br