Organization recognizes institutions and researchers from roughly 90 units in 6 categories for significant performance in developing industrial innovation in Brazil
The researcher Mário Tyago Murakami of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) was recognized as a Notable Researcher in the 1st edition of the EMBRAPII Units Recognition Award. Murakami was the only winner in the category among the researchers at the roughly 90 units linked to the Brazilian Research and Industrial Innovation Company (EMBRAPII).
This prize, which is in its first edition, considered the EMBRAPII units and their researchers who played a fundamental role through their projects, commitment, results, and performance in the organization to promote innovation in Brazil and confront the country’s social and economic challenges. The winners were announced last night (13th) in Brasília, during the Annual Meeting of EMBRAPII units at the SESILab.
There were six categories: EMBRAPII Unit Micro/Small Business Partner, EMBRAPII Unit Revelation, EMBRAPII Unit Notable Researcher, Most Innovative Project, Notable SDG EMBRAPII Unit, and Notable Performance EMBRAPII Unit. Each category was established to recognize
EMBRAPII units and researchers for their work and accomplishments; a technical committee was established at the institution to analyze the successful cases which were submitted.
Mário Murakami began his career at CNPEM while he was still an undergraduate, during the 10th Summer Scholarships Program. From 2008 to 2016 he worked as a coordinator of the large-scale scientific facilities dedicated to Macromolecule Crystallography at LNLS and LNBio, and since 2018 has been the Scientific Director of the Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR). He is responsible for large-scale research and development projects with companies in the biotechnology sector, as well as leading multidisciplinary institutional programs focused on solving problems that are nationally strategic in the areas of bioenergy and biorenewables.
In the area of bioenergy and developing biotechnological routes for fuels, LNBR/CNPEM studies coordinated by Murakami on topics such as enzymes from capybara intestines that could be used to break down biomass and the use of Xanthomonas bacteria in important routes in the chemical and biofuels industry have shattered paradigms and led to various publications in renowned journals such as Nature Chemical Biology and Nature Communications, as well as 11 patents filed.
In fact, one of the EMBRAPII projects linked to CNPEM involves developing an integrated biotechnological pathway to produce sustainable aviation fuels, which in turn could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The group was also responsible for developing the first Brazilian enzymatic cocktail to produce second-generation ethanol. In terms of applications, the biotechnological platforms they developed have undergone large-scale validation, in pilot plants as well as field experiments.
Awards ceremony recognizing EMBRAPII units in Brasília. Source: EMBRAPII Outreach.
EMBRAPII offers non-refundable resources to Brazilian companies who wish to innovate, as well as a system of over 90 units which are centers for research throughout the country. More than 1700 projects have already received support from this social organization, which has a management contract with the Brazilian Ministries of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Education (MEC), the Economy (ME), and Health (MS).
Since 2014, the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) has been officially recognized as one of these EMBRAPII units. In order to expand relations with the manufacturing sector, integrate the skills available in the national laboratories at CNPEM, and promote innovation in the country, the EMBRAPII Biotechnology|CNPEM unit has cutting-edge infrastructure and qualified professionals who develop projects in the areas of industrial biotechnology and biotechnology with health applications. The unit also has solid experience developing biotechnology platforms, bioprocesses, biological and nanomaterials, biofuels, drug discovery processes, and diagnostic testing.
For winning first place in the category, Murakami will receive an international training opportunity in his research area. And winners in all the categories together will be able to contribute to the production of equipment for the SESI Lab museum, which is a major partner of EMBRAPII in democratizing knowledge and bringing technologies developed for industry closer to society through educational and interactive experiences.
“This award is not just a recognition for an individual, but for an entire integrated, collaborative, and inspiring research ecosystem which has been constructed and refined for many years at CNPEM,” notes Murakami about the roots of the prize.
About CNPEM
A sophisticated and effervescent environment for research and development, unique in Brazil and present in few scientific centers in the world, the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is a private non-profit organization, under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). The Center operates four National Laboratories and is the birthplace of the most complex project in Brazilian science – Sirius – one of the most advanced synchrotron light sources in the world. CNPEM brings together highly specialized multi-thematic teams, globally competitive laboratory infrastructures open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects in partnership with the productive sector and training of researchers and students. The Center is an environment driven by the search for solutions with impact in the areas of Health, Energy and Renewable Materials, Agro-environment, and Quantum Technologies. As of 2022, with the support of the Ministry of Education (MEC), CNPEM expanded its activities with the opening of the Ilum School of Science. The interdisciplinary higher course in Science, Technology and Innovation adopts innovative proposals with the aim of offering excellent, free, full-time training with immersion in the CNPEM research environment. Through the CNPEM 360 Platform, it is possible to explore, in a virtual and immersive way, the main environments and activities of the Center, visit: https://pages.cnpem.br/cnpem360/.
