The Graduate Program aims to train qualified human resources (masters and doctors) in Plant Biotechnology, a field at the frontier of innovation. The professionals will gain knowledge on the characterization of biodiversity, focusing on the prospection of genes, proteins and secondary metabolites; the investigation of biological processes, including methods and techniques in Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics and Bioinformatics; and the application of several technologies, such as micropropagation, genetic engineering and synthetic biology, which may result in relevant products for the agriculture, industry, medicine and environment.
Our alumni will have a prominent background on Entrepreneuship and Management of Biotechnology Projects which, in addition to the fields of Technological Innovation and Intellectual Property, will be key qualifications for developing biotechnological products and processes and insertion in the job market.

Master’s candidates should have an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences, Agronomy, Forest Engineering or related fields. Doctoral candidates should have a master’s degree in a related field and be compatible with one of our research lines.

The exchange programs is one of the strengths of this Graduate Program which, besides the association between UENF and UVV, maintains collaborations with different researchers from Brazilian and foreign institutions, such as UNICAMP, EMBRAPA, UFRJ, Tokyo University (Japan), The James Hutton Institute (Scotland), and Texas A&M University (USA).

Systematic and integrated study of biological processes, correlating genetic, biochemical, metabolic and physiological parameters related to plants and their associated microorganisms. The generation of large-scale data through genomic, proteomic and metabolomic approaches, with their integration by bioinformatic methods, can help characterize the biodiversity and identify novel genes, peptides and secondary metabolites of biotechnological interest.

Applying biotechnology as a tool to increase the agricultural yield with the least environmental impact possible, as well as to develop valuable products and services for the society and producers. Among the approaches, we outline the methodologies for tissue culture and in vitro micropropagation, development and application of molecular markers to construct genetic maps, and selection of suitable parents for plant breeding programs and marker-assisted selection (MAS).

Study and characterization of plant biodiversity, including analyses of genetic diversity, taxonomy, morphoanatomical and phytochemical characterization of novel molecules, as well as their bioprospection. Altogether, these approaches aim to identify, select, develop and standardize potentially useful plant-derived products for industrial and pharmaceutical purposes.