Professor Maurício Dutra Costa, supervisor of the Graduate Program in Agricultural Microbiology, visited the campus of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, at the end of June, where he took part in the II International Conference of the GAT Research Program, a group focused on developing alternative therapies for cancer treatment. Maurício gave the lecture “Plant holobiont: associated microorganisms and their role in the synthesis of useful metabolites” at the event, which brought together microbiologists, botanists, doctors, chemists and biochemists, among other researchers. “The congress lasted three days and we learned a lot. It was extremely fruitful, as has been the partnership we’ve had with this university for years.”

At the head of the Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Professor Maurício has already been to the Universidad Javeriana on two other occasions, where he carries out various projects in partnership with Colombian researchers. “This time, I was asked to talk about the influence of microorganisms associated with plants in the production or induction of metabolites that could be used to fight cancer. I brought research that shows that microorganisms that promote plant growth can increase the productivity of these plants and increase the yield of metabolites of interest.”

During the trip, the professor also made technical visits, reinforced contact with Colombian professors and discussed research projects that are being carried out in collaboration between the two universities. “We made technical visits to the seedling production nursery, we visited the Fermentation Laboratory, where a student supervised by me, who is co-supervising at the Javeriana University, will be working in the coming months, and we discussed holding a course here in Brazil in November.” According to Mauricio, talks are well underway to bring professors Lucía Ana Díaz Ariza and Balkys Esmeralda Quevedo to Viçosa during the International Symposium on Microbiology and Biotechnology.

The professor’s visit to Bogotá lasted ten days. The cooperation between the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and UFV has been going on for almost a decade, promoting exchanges of students and researchers, as well as collaborations on events, research and defense boards.