The Faculty of Biotechnology offers secondary schools in the North of the country the opportunity to carry out practical work in the faculty's facilities, subject to prior booking. Participation in this programme is free of charge, and acceptance depends on laboratory and timetable availability.
The experimental offer is organised into the broad areas and specific activities listed below. Each activity lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes, with sessions at 10:00, 11:30, 14:30 and 16:00. We run these activities on three days of the week: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
We can only host one class at a time and the class must have a minimum of 10 secondary school students studying Sciences and Technologies.
If the school arrives more than 10 minutes late, the activity will no longer take place: each session has a set of stages that cannot be compressed, so we ask teachers responsible for the visit to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance.
For 2026/27, bookings can be made from September 1st, 2026. The programme runs between 3 February and 30 April 2027. To book, please use this calendar: https://CatolicaBiotecnologia.as.me/experiencias (as time slots and/or activities become full, they stop appearing on the calendar).
SEE THE AVAILABLE AREAS:
A – Environment
B – Chemistry
C – Genetics
D – Food & Nutrition
E – Biomedical Engineering
F – Data
ENVIRONMENT THEMATIC AREA
Pollution
Accumulation of microplastics in the oceans
Plastics were only invented a century ago, yet they have already become the main pollutant of the oceans. Microplastics (small broken-up fragments less than half a centimetre in size) resemble plankton and are therefore mistakenly consumed by wildlife.
It is estimated that well over a million seabirds and marine animals die each year because of this new form of pollution. In this experiment, students will learn about ocean currents, extract microplastics from cosmetics sold on the market, and discover how they accumulate in sediments.
Wastewater
The importance of microorganisms in wastewater treatment
Biological systems for treating contaminated water are the most widely used and most effective solutions for reducing organic matter, nutrients and other pollutants. This activity will simulate water treatment at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), with particular focus on the microorganisms that play the leading role in biological treatment.
Nutrient removal parameters will be determined to assess compliance with effluent discharge limits into the environment. New treatment systems beyond the conventional WWTP will also be discussed, along with the biotechnological solutions being developed at our research centre to address emerging challenges in water treatment.
Acid rain
Acid rain and its effects on aquatic organisms
One of the gaseous pollutants responsible for acid rain is sulphur dioxide, released by industrial activities and capable of travelling far from its point of emission. Acid rain has harmful effects on health and the environment, particularly on aquatic ecosystems.
his activity aims to observe the change in pH of water after reacting with SO2 produced by burning sulphur, simulating the effects of acid rain on the ecosystem. Additionally, students will experience the effects of acid rain on the world around them, and will be challenged to reflect on their own role in mitigating these phenomena.
CHEMISTRY THEMATIC AREA
Thermodynamics
Study of enthalpy change in chemical reactions
Chemical reactions can be classified as endothermic or exothermic, depending on whether they absorb or release heat. This activity aims to determine the enthalpy changes of various chemical reactions using an isolated system consisting of a calorimeter in which the reactions take place, measuring the change in temperature of the system and the amount of reagents used in each reaction.
Food chemistry
The chemistry of flavour: drinks, sugars and sweeteners
Sugars and sweeteners are mainly responsible for the sweet taste of soft drinks and fruit nectars. Sugars are simple carbohydrates naturally present in fruit, which can also be added to soft drinks and nectars, contributing to the calorie content of these beverages.
Natural or artificial sweeteners, such as stevia, aspartame and sucralose, among many others, are so intense that they are used in small quantities to make diet, light or zero drinks sweet without increasing their calorie content.
However, the sweetness of sugars is not the same as that of sweeteners, and knowing how it's done makes it possible to distinguish the flavour. Sugars and sweeteners also have different chemical and physical properties, which allow us to confirm the composition of drinks in the laboratory. In this activity, we will taste soft drinks made with sugar and with sweeteners and learn how flavour gives us clues to work out their composition.
Next, in the laboratory, we will carry out experiments and use physics and chemistry to confirm the composition of the drinks. Finally, we will explore how, using modern and powerful equipment, we can really find out almost everything about the food and drink we consume.
Anthocyanins
Study of colour and the effect of pH on natural pigments in red cabbage
Red cabbage is rich in natural pigments, some of which change colour depending on the pH of the medium they are in.
Using red cabbage juice and acidic and alkaline solutions of known concentration, a semi-quantitative pH "scale" will be built, allowing comparison of the natural acidity of various foods.
At the same time, simple separation techniques (thin-layer chromatography) will be used to observe the different types of pigments present in red cabbage, as well as to study the absorption of visible-range radiation corresponding to the various colours observed.
GENETICS THEMATIC AREA
Gene expression regulation
Lactose consumption by Escherichia coli and the lac operon
Escherichia coli can use lactose as a carbon source. However, it will only do so if there is no other, more cost-effective, alternative carbon source available. This activity illustrates the concept of the operon and demonstrates the effect of gene expression induction.
Polymerase chain reaction
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a DNA replication process
The PCR process, very popular in most research and routine analysis laboratories in the life sciences, mimics what occurs within cells. This process, made possible only by the existence of thermophilic organisms, also makes use of the fact that genomes contain conserved regions. This activity allows discussion of the PCR process, in vivo DNA replication, and certain aspects of genome evolution.
Molecular biology
Genes that glow!
Genetic engineering is the branch of genetics that allows genes to be pieced together artificially, almost like a puzzle. To detect the presence of certain genetic elements, a reporter gene is sometimes used – exactly that, a gene that signals the presence of others.
A reporter gene is one that makes itself noticed, for example by causing the emission of light or colour. In this activity, the pGlo™ plasmid is used, which contains a gene originating from a bioluminescent jellyfish (Aequorea victoria) that, when introduced into a bacterium of the species Escherichia coli, causes it to become fluorescent.
This is all thanks to the fact that the gene transported into the bacterium encodes the jellyfish's green fluorescent protein (GFP). But genetic manipulation isn't just about putting genes inside cells. In this case, strategies are also needed to select the genetically modified bacteria and make them glow! Genetics is fascinating, and it has its tricks…
FOOD & NUTRITION THEMATIC AREA
Nutrition
Sustainable flavours: sweets with less fat & sugar, and fruit used to the full
A considerable proportion of fruit never ends up being eaten, resulting in waste. However, these leftovers are not really waste at all: they are genuine sources of nutrients, often with functional properties that make them ideal candidates for replacing fat in food formulations.
In this activity, we'll use pineapple husk, normally discarded, but with a high content of sugars, proteins and fibre. This powerful ingredient will be used, in different proportions, to replace fat & sugar in the formulation and baking of traditional muffins. What will the macronutrient profile of these formulations look like?
We will find out using advanced analytical methods (infrared spectroscopy), and will also sensorially assess the quality of the muffins.
NOTE: this activity is only available on Fridays.
Enzymes
Producing milk for the lactose-intolerant
This activity focuses on an example of biotechnological applications in the food industry: enzyme immobilisation, using the example of lactose intolerance and the role of enzymes in digestion. Lactase (beta-galactosidase) is immobilised in calcium alginate capsules and placed in a column through which milk is passed. Lactose hydrolysis is monitored by tracking the glucose released.
Food engineering
The power of plasma in food decontamination
Cold plasma, considered an emerging food technology, can be applied effectively to decontaminate the surfaces of solid foods.
Plasma has a germicidal action and, because it is applied cold, does not compromise the quality and freshness of food, characteristics that are particularly important for fruit and vegetables.
In this activity, we will explore the action of plasma on the surface microflora of a juicy piece of fruit, while also uncovering its impact on sensory characteristics such as colour, aroma and texture.
We will compare the results obtained with this innovative technology against those of a traditional method involving immersion in hot water. Which technology will win this battle?
Fermentation
Production of cheese and other dairy products
Milk, a nutritionally balanced food, is used to produce a variety of food products, making our diet more varied and appealing. In this activity, fresh cheese will be produced using two coagulation processes (chemical and enzymatic).
From the main by-product (whey), curd cheese ("requeijão") will be produced through protein precipitation. The use of different additives or the application of different technological processes will also allow other dairy products to be obtained.
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING THEMATIC AREA
Computing
Building a hospital emergency button
The rising number of patients in hospital settings, combined with a shortage of healthcare professionals, is leading to a deficit in the level of attention patients require. In some situations, this level of attention can be the deciding factor between a patient's life and death.
In this activity, we propose building an electrical circuit and programming an Arduino-type microcontroller to develop a hospital emergency button. Although a programming language (C++) is used, no prior programming knowledge is required.
This device will not only indicate that a patient needs assistance but will also indicate the level of emergency associated with each call. Implementing this emergency button could be crucial in ensuring a fast and effective response in critical situations, safeguarding lives and providing more efficient, targeted patient care.
Biomedicine
Biomaterials for skin regeneration
The increase in average life expectancy has had a major impact on the fields of medical devices and biomaterials, where engineering intersects with the life sciences, and the development of clinical resources for the replacement and regeneration of damaged tissues and organs has become one of the research areas with the greatest potential to improve human quality of life.
In this activity, materials for skin regeneration will be developed in the form of membranes based on natural materials. Their physicochemical properties will be tested, along with their interaction with fluids, and the different results will be analysed.
Graphical interface
Producing a medical device through 3D printing
Every patient is unique. And every condition requires a unique approach. From visualising human anatomy in 3D to producing a 3D-printed model of a heart, we are getting ever closer to achieving specific, personalised care for everyone.
3D printers are already being used to create personalised implants. In regenerative medicine, 3D printing has also been helping to open up new horizons for the creation of increasingly complex structures.
In this project, a 3D printing process is developed using a biocompatible thermoplastic, testing different fill patterns and geometries to understand their influence on the mechanical properties of the final result.
DATA
(Unlike the other activities, these take place in a standard classroom rather than a laboratory.)
What's the secret to interpreting data?
Solving quantitative problems requires routines and strategies that can be trained and do not depend on knowing this or that chapter of the syllabus. That's why questions focused on analysing results are among the easiest to answer... as long as you've grasped the common logic behind this type of approach.
During this session, all the problems worked through are taken from national biology exams, and the focus is on the reasoning process, so as to instil participants with confidence when facing this type of assessment.
What is science, really?
Few secondary school students manage to formulate an attempt at a definition of science, even though they study it for years. What's more, some place blind faith in it, as though expecting miracles, while others shrug it off and file it away as just another obstacle on the road to their diploma.
But there's another option: understanding what it's for, recognising its limits, and learning how to make the most of it (as well as avoiding its abuses).
Science is indeed vast, but it isn't everything. Even so, it's fascinating and well worth diving into the great ideas behind this remarkable lens that helps us better understand the world and life itself.