The Faculty of Biotechnology of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, in Porto, hosted the final of the III Biofase – Research Congress in Bioengineering for Secondary Education, bringing together dozens of young researchers from schools across the country.
The programme combined keynote lectures by specialists in the field (researcher Ana Oliveira spoke about how bioengineering is transforming disease treatment, while researcher Fátima Poças presented developments in packaging materials) with oral presentation sessions, thematic round tables, laboratory tours, and a long and lively afternoon poster discussion session.
In total, eight oral presentations and twenty-six scientific posters were presented, covering topics as diverse as indoor air quality, bioplastics, silver nanomaterials, food freshness sensors, marine-based sun protection, and the fight against tropical parasites.
At the end of the afternoon came the most anticipated moment: the awards ceremony. Three teams were recognised for the scientific quality, communication clarity, and potential impact of their projects. Their supervising teachers were invited on stage alongside the students, in recognition not only of the projects themselves but also of the guidance and inspiration that made them possible.
Best Oral Presentation
The award for Best Oral Presentation, worth €250, went to the team from São Martinho do Porto Basic and Secondary School, who travelled to Porto to present their project, Gelipack.
The project explores the potential of the macroalgae Gelidium corneum, abundant along the Portuguese coast, as a raw material for the production of edible agar-based bioplastic films.
The work followed three rigorous methodological stages, from agar extraction to film formulation with glycerol and food additives, and finally the characterisation of the films’ physical, mechanical, and biodegradability properties.
Potential applications include edible coatings for fresh fruit, biodegradable tea bags, and capsules for food supplements. The award was presented to the group formed by Kaixin Cheng, Caetana Neves, Bianca Christo, and Emiliana Diviza, supervised by teacher Ana Sofia Costa.
Best Poster Award
At a congress held only a few kilometres from their school, students from Maia Secondary School won the Best Poster Award with the project B-Cycle. The idea is to develop biodegradable protective capsules for seeds, whose shell is produced from cellulose acetate extracted from cigarette filters — one of the most abundant and persistent forms of waste on the planet.
Each capsule also contains a nutrient gel made from food waste to stimulate germination. The intended application is the reforestation of areas affected by wildfires, turning two environmental problems into a single circular solution.
The jury highlighted the poster’s visual quality and the strength of its scientific argumentation. Teacher Isabel Allen joined the group’s four members — Afonso Freitas, Francisco Vaguinho, João Dias, and Maria Clara Sousa — on stage to receive the €250 prize.
Honourable Mention
The Honourable Mention, worth €100, was awarded to the team from Luís de Freitas Branco Secondary School, in Oeiras, for their work on Trypanosoma congolense, the parasite responsible for African Animal Trypanosomiasis, also known as Nagana.
The team tested the effect of Aphidicolin in blocking the parasite’s cell cycle, using fluorescence microscopy to evaluate cell viability and cycle stages. Although none of the tested concentrations proved effective, the results open the way for exploring new incubation periods in a line of research with real potential impact in combating a disease that causes enormous economic losses in Africa.
Teacher Cristina Maria Cardoso Dias shared the stage with the group’s five members (Emanuela Araújo, Laura Soares, Frederico Santos, Margarida Dias, and Murilo Pereira) in a moment of well-deserved recognition.
Secondary Education and Research
The closing of Biofase III left no doubt that this congress is increasingly fulfilling its mission of bringing secondary education closer to the world of scientific research.
It also helps students develop confidence in their own ideas and demonstrates that bioengineering can already be a powerful tool in the hands of those who are still learning. In its fourth edition, the level will be even higher — and that is more than enough reason to return.
