The School of Life Sciences hosted a talk and interaction titled “Advancing Biodiversity Research through International Collaboration: Experiences from BIOPOLIS-CIBIO, University of Porto”. The invited guest speaker and an Alumnus of the college, Dr. Fraddry D’Souza (Principal Researcher, Universidade do Porto, Portugal) shared an insight on international scientific partnerships, research, and academic collaboration between India and Portugal. During his presentation, Dr. D’Souza emphasized that because biodiversity loss and climate change cross borders, modern conservation requires shared international data and networks. He detailed the CIBIO-InBIO network—connecting major institutions like the University of Porto and the University of Azores—which operates through foundational “TwinLabs” focused on joint research, advanced training, infrastructure, and science outreach. He further highlighted the network’s premier academic programs, such as the BIODIV Doctoral Programme.
Dr. D’Souza also showcased the diverse research frontiers being tackled through CIBIO’s specialized thematic groups. These include critical areas in Ecology and Conservation—such as desert biodiversity (BIODESERTS) and wildlife conservation ecology (WILDEcol)—as well as advanced fields in Evolution and Genomics, ranging from ancient DNA (ADNA) research to plant biology and agrigenomics. This comprehensive talk provided our students and faculty with a profound look into the architecture of global scientific partnerships, inspiring our campus community toward international collaboration and scientific excellence.
The session was attended by 69 students and 16 faculty members. Following the session, Dr. D’Souza also interacted with faculties regarding various research opportunities and collaborations.
