ABOUT US
Research Overview
Natural products, known as small molecules or specialized metabolites, are produced by different living organisms and have an amazing structural diversity and a wide variety of biological properties. The central interest of our laboratory are the natural products biosynthesized by symbiotic microorganisms. All organisms contain a large symbiotic microbial diversity associated with them and small molecules play an important role in mediating interactions between microorganisms and hosts. With a focus on Chemical Ecology, we seek to understand a function of natural microbial products in modulating interactions between microorganisms and between these and their hosts. Once such compounds have a biological function in their natural ecosystem, their biological effects can be applied in the area of Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology for the development of therapeutic and agrochemical agents.
Our research group applies different experimental approaches, including field trips to get biological samples and methods in the areas of microbiology, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and organic chemistry. We also have several collaborations in Brazil and abroad to address multidisciplinary aspects of microbial symbiosis mediated by small molecules and their biological applications.
