CBQF's 30 year celebration
The Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry is to be congratulated. To mark the three decades of existence and dedication to the universe of science and research, CBQF began, on November 24, World Science Day and National Day of Scientific Culture, a program of commemorations with the aim of highlighting some of the key moments of the Research Center and Associated Laboratory.
The celebrations started with an online conference that recognized the unique role of Commander Arménio Miranda in promoting innovation in the structure and which was marked by a set of tributes, testimonies and sharing.
In the opening session, Isabel Capeloa Gil, rector of the Portuguese Catholic University, praised the remarkable course of the CBQF: "with an ambitious intellectual program, CBQF has advanced science, leaving incision and impact on the production of knowledge, fostering international and cross-sectoral cooperation". CBQF has on its team one of the most cited researchers in the world. In her speech, Isabel Capeloa Gil reiterated CBQF's great connection with companies over 30 years of existence, which is also based on the signing of the service protocol with a company – Frulact, something that is still rare in Portugal.
The rector of UCP praised and thanked the way in which over these years Commander Arménio Miranda inspired a generation of researchers: "a man of the future positioned in the present".
This was followed by the recognition of Comendador Arménio Miranda, and the signing of the protocol with the speeches of: Isabel Braga da Cruz (pro-rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa and president of the Porto Regional Centre); Isabel Vasconcelos (vice-rector of the Portuguese Catholic University and director of the Faculty of Biotechnology); Pilar Morais (Innovation Management & Intelligence Director of Frulact); and João Miranda (Frulact’s chairman).
Manuel Heitor was present at the closing session
Manuela Pintado, director of CBQF, continued with the analysis of the 30-year course of science at CBQF and value creation for society. The major challenges for the future of the food system were examined by Tim Hogg (vice-president of the European Technology Platform "Food for Life") and Jorge Oliveira (director of the School of Engineering at University College Cork, Ireland).
The event promoted a debate that included the contributions of John Melo (CEO of Amyris), Luís Mesquita Dias (general director of Vitacress), José Mendonça (president of the Board of Associated Laboratories), Paula Alves (director of IBET) and Lília Ahrne (researcher at the University of Copenhagen).
Manuel Heitor – Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education – was in charge of the closing of the commemorative session.
CBQF and the bet on national and international science and research
Contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy. This is the main mission of the Center for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry, a structure recognized as an Associate Laboratory in 2004 and which aims to develop and disseminate knowledge and innovation in key-areas. CBFQ currently has more than 200 researchers, 38 of whom have been hired in the last year alone, which reveals the growing importance of the structure and the focus on attracting and retaining talent in the field of science and research.
Portuguese Minister of Economy visits the Biotechnology Building
At the end of the day, the Minister of Economy, Pedro Siza Vieira, visited the Biotechnology Building with the aim of knowing better the path of CBQF, but also the Alchemy project, developed in partnership with Amyris Portugal and one of the largest projects ever of AICEP.