WORKSHOPS

This workshop intends to provide an overview of silk science and highlight the most attractive features of this very attractive biomacromolecule which has a tremendous technological potential in a wide variety of areas, spanning from electronics and optics to biomedicine. The basics of silk processing and characterization will be presented and explored in practical laboratory experiments. Several techniques will be employed to study the morphology, thermal behaviour, surface properties and transparency of regenerated and raw silk fibers.

Neoplasms, growth de novo, tumors or cancers (also called malignant neoplasms), are neoformations that arise in all pluricellular beings, from the simplest to the most complex, being the result of accumulations of genetic errors and epigenetic changes in cells. Research in oncology in Veterinary Medicine has been following Medicine and is currently considered as a potential model for human oncological research.
With this workshop we intend to show some images and anatomical pieces of cases of animal neoplasms that were received in the Laboratory of Histology and Pathological Anatomy of UTAD, as well as talk about the research related to these adaptive but irreversible lesions.

Climate changes and ongoing globalization are the two major challenges of 21st century food sustainability. It is therefore essential to design innovative market solutions for assessing consumer perception to new products, focusing on by-products and/or green ingredients, with efficient use of natural resources. Sustainable use of natural resources also contributes to food safety, rural development and increasing employment opportunities. According FAO, biodiversity for food are among the earth’s most important resources. Crops, farm animals, aquatic organisms, forest trees, micro-organisms and invertebrates – thousands of species and their genetic variability make up the web of biodiversity that the world’s food production depends on.
This workshop is a hands-on essential Molecular Genetic workshop aiming to provide an overview of concepts, practical procedures, and tools for overall genomics analysis. Following the One Health concept, this workshop is designed to showcase, formulate questions and points of view, and communicate the latest scientific advances in Molecular Biology, as well as its potential application in the sustainable use of natural resource (e.g., aquaculture) with a holistic perspective, namely i) emerging pathogens, ii) multidrug-resistant species, iii) novel ingredients (green) as alternative sustainable source of protein, and iv) food safety. During the course, the participants will be in touch with current DNA-based molecular techniques (experimental design, DNA and RNA nucleic acids extraction, conventional PCR, real-time qPCR, RT-qPCR), microbiology (antibiotic susceptibility testing), data analyses (Next generation sequencing, in silico analysis).

The most recent climate projections point to a decrease in water availability, an increase in air temperature, and the occurrence of extreme phenomena, such as excessive rainfall near the harvest periods. Consequently, significant economic losses occur due to a strong reduction of the commercial value of the fruits. Abiotic stresses such as extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, and UV-B radiation are the foremost limiting factors for crop productivity.
Under the current climate changing scenario and also due to the increase of global trade in fruit to meet consumer demand for regular supply of high-quality fruit, it is important to understand the relationship between preharvest treatments with biostimulants and the physiological behaviour of fruit trees. Although no consistent literature is available about the effect of those substances, such as glycine betaine (GB) and Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), on the physiological performance of fruit trees, these compounds might be a new and innovative solution to increase the crop ability to tolerate stressful environments. The accumulation of osmolytes such as GB (quaternary ammonium compound) in cells can stabilize the structures by maintaining the integrity of membranes against the damaging effects of abiotic stresses via osmoregulation or osmoprotection. Seaweed based biostimulants, like AN, are composed of several components, such as plant hormones, proteins, sugars, vitamins, humic substances, and phenolic compounds. Several published reports suggest that biostimulants improve plant productivity by increasing the minerals assimilation and the photosynthetic activity, reducing the transpiration rate and the fruit-cracking incidence.
This workshop will provide an update on recent studies focusing on the physiological responses to changing environmental conditions at different fruit tree levels. Specifically, we will address how we can determine plant stress responses taking advantage of new technologies to link physiology and omics approaches.

Post mortem examination is an essential tool for determining the cause and circumstances of death. It also plays a key role in identifying new infectious diseases, detecting emerging infections and bio-terrorist attacks.
In a pandemic context, post mortem examination is more than a way to determine the cause of death or to rule out other causes of death. Necropsy may reveal secrets that other tests cannot and may even change clinical approaches.
Data obtained in post mortem examination provide new insights into epidemic diseases that include understanding the pathogenesis of the disease; defining the lesions, the transmission mechanism, the individual's immune response. Also contributes to the prediction of the prognosis, and allows evaluating the response to old and new therapies. In a new infectious disease, necropsy allows monitoring in real-time the evolution of the etiological agent, the disease, and the host immune reaction.
Necropsy also provides an opportunity to collect samples for further examination. However, the value of this examination in the diagnosis depends on the special precautions required for sample collection. An adequate tissue sampling determines the quality of the test results.
To sensitize the participants to the importance of necropsy in the study of epidemic or pandemic diseases, in this workshop, necropsies will be performed in different animal species, with special attention to a basic gross examination and sampling of tissue and fluids for ancillary examinations, such as histopathological, toxicology, chemistry, microbiology and genetic testing.