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São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is one of the country's leading agencies for scientific and technological research. FAPESP supports research through grants and fellowships for projects in all areas of knowledge, submitted by researchers from public and private higher education and research institutions, government agencies, and companies based in the state of São Paulo. You can learn more about FAPESP at www.fapesp.br/en

Parasitic fungus may have emerged 18 million years before the ants with which it lives today

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Analysis of 309 strains collected in eight countries indicates that the genus Escovopsis emerged 56.9 million years ago, but only began interacting with today’s mutualistic ants 38 million years ago, challenging the theory that they all emerged at the same time.

Journal: Communications Biology
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

8-Dec-2025

Hormonal fluctuations affect women’s immunity, but a lack of rigor in studies still prevents a consensus

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at São Paulo State University are investigating how hormonal fluctuations throughout a woman’s life influence the immune system and how physical exercise can mitigate these effects.Inconsistency in the methods used to control sex hormones makes for diverse and inconclusive results, says the researcher.

Journal: Maturitas
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

5-Dec-2025

The presence of a gun in the home increases the risk of suicide by three to five times

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A review of 467 studies also points out that, instead of alleviating feelings of fear and anxiety, weapons increase them, as well as exacerbating controlling behaviors and causing domestic violence.

Journal: Harvard Review of Psychiatry
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

3-Dec-2025

Lemon shark caught preying on invasive freshwater fish in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Unprecedented footage of jaguar cichlid being preyed upon was captured after heavy rains caused the overflow of freshwater into Sueste Bay, the species’ feeding ground.

Journal: Environmental Biology of Fishes
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

2-Dec-2025

Technology boosts hop production in Brazil and paves the way for new bioproducts

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Project developed in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, allows for the highly efficient extraction of aromatic and bioactive compounds, reducing logistics costs and increasing beer quality.

Journal: Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

1-Dec-2025

Non-timber products have the potential to finance reforestation projects

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Study identifies 167 native species of the Atlantic Forest with bioeconomic applications: 58% in the medical field, 12% in cosmetics, and 5% in the food sector; 78 species (46.7%) have patents registered in 61 countries, only 8% of them in Brazil.

Journal: AMBIO
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

28-Nov-2025

Discovery of new species of sugarcane pest may facilitate management and reduce losses

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Analyses show that a sugarcane spittlebug, found in the Southeast and South of Brazil since the 1960s, was mistaken for other species that are similar to the naked eye.

Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

28-Nov-2025

Researchers develop sustainable technology to extract isoflavones from soybean meal

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Work carried out at the State University of Campinas used environmentally friendly solvents and ultrasonic waves to remove the substance and increase its absorption by the body. Some of the researchers who worked on this study dedicated themselves also to finding a new way to add value to an interesting cocoa byproduct: the almond shells of the fruit. The shells resemble cocoa nibs and have a similar smell, but they are very fibrous, so they are usually discarded.

Journal: Food Chemistry
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Latin America News Portal

Latin America News Portal

Latest News Releases from FAPESP

Parasitic fungus may have emerged 18 million years before the ants with which it lives today

Hormonal fluctuations affect women’s immunity, but a lack of rigor in studies still prevents a consensus

The presence of a gun in the home increases the risk of suicide by three to five times

Lemon shark caught preying on invasive freshwater fish in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Technology boosts hop production in Brazil and paves the way for new bioproducts

Non-timber products have the potential to finance reforestation projects

Discovery of new species of sugarcane pest may facilitate management and reduce losses

Researchers develop sustainable technology to extract isoflavones from soybean meal