About Us
A marine bacteria, fungi, and yeast biobank is a powerful tool for both biodiversity conservation and biotechnological innovation. By systematically collecting, characterizing, and preserving microbial strains from diverse marine environments, such a biobank safeguards invaluable genetic and functional diversity that might otherwise be lost due to habitat degradation, climate change, or pollution. These microorganisms play essential roles in ocean health, driving nutrient cycles, supporting primary productivity, and mediating interactions within marine ecosystems.
Beyond their ecological significance, marine microbes represent an untapped reservoir of bioactive compounds, enzymes, and metabolic pathways with immense potential for applications in biotechnology, from developing new pharmaceuticals and biofuels to advancing sustainable aquaculture and bioremediation strategies. Establishing a dedicated biobank ensures long-term accessibility to this microbial wealth, enabling cutting-edge research and fostering collaborations that bridge conservation and innovation.
The initiative is strengthened by the complementary expertise of MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, which brings deep knowledge of marine ecology and conservation, BioISI – Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, contributing advanced tools for molecular biology, systems biology, and bioprospecting, and cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, which provides critical insights into ecological interactions and evolutionary processes. Together, these institutions ensure that the biobank becomes a cornerstone for cutting-edge research, conservation strategies, and biotechnological innovation.
The ocean, a vast and mysterious realm, teems with microbial that plays a crucial role in sustaining the delicate balance of our planet's ecosystems.
The Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon is an institution of creation, transmission and diffusion of scientific and technological knowledge that promotes a culture of permanent learning, valuing critical thinking and intellectual autonomy.
Its mission is research and teaching, and the transfer of knowledge and innovation in the areas of exact and natural sciences and techno-sciences, as well as the dissemination and sharing of cultures, stimulating a permanent opening to civil society.
What we do not know today, we will know tomorrow (Garcia de Orta, 1563).
MARE is a center for scientific research, technological development and innovation, oriented to societal challenges.. With technical and scientific skills to address all aquatic ecosystems, including river basins and adjacent areas, estuaries, coastal and oceanic marine ecosystems, MARE adopts an integrative and holistic approach, in close partnership with national and international institutions.
MARE seeks to be a reference institution in Marine and Environmental Sciences, contributing to understanding how aquatic ecosystems work, promoting the sustainable use of resources and ocean literacy.
MARE pursues excellence in the study of aquatic ecosystems and disseminates this knowledge in support of human progress and sustainable development policies. This is achieved through collaborative networks developed at both national and international levels, focusing on scientific research, education, knowledge and technology transfer, and science dissemination.
BioISI is a multidisciplinary research institute focused on integrative quantitative studies of biological systems at the forefront of life-science research. BioISI gathers researchers from multiple backgrounds (Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Mathematics and Physics) offering a unique nurturing and challenging environment for researchers and students.
To address our vision – “Unravelling Multiscale Mechanisms in Biology” - BioISI research programmes span the different organizational levels of life, from molecules to organisms, and their interactions with the environment.
In addition to conducting innovative research, BioISI fulfills its mission by continuously strengthening and supporting its integrative axes: Teaching & Training, Facilities & Services, and Transfer of Knowledge to society.
The Faculty of Sciences @ULisboa (FCUL) is the main host institution accommodating most of BioISI labs and facilities. Other hosting institutions (poles) include the reference public institute for health in Portugal (INSARJ) and the Univ of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) to address specific societal topics. The national institute for agrarian and vet science (INIAV) is also a relevant partner institution of BioISI.
This unique multidisciplinary environment blending university researchers, state lab researchers and personnel from hospitals and companies, fosters BioISI mission-driven research and creative thinking, and bridges the gap between science and society, innovation and applicability.
CE3C aims to advance integrative biological knowledge of Ecology and Evolution across multiple scales and systems under the impact of Anthropocene’s Environmental Changes. We strive to develop innovative solutions and practical applications, ensuring our discoveries are effectively communicated to and embraced by society.
Our research examines and integrates all levels of biological organisation, from organisms up to ecosystems, both natural and anthropogenic. We will carry on our pursuit of tools to assess and monitor impacts of global change on biodiversity, health and well-being. Our combined expertise and unique databases constitute fundamental repositories of knowledge for Portugal, the Macaronesian Islands, other Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and South America, and the European Union.
CE3C envisions a safe and sustainable future where scientific knowledge fosters ecological resilience, biodiversity, and the health of ecosystems and all living beings, ensuring a thriving planet for future generations.