Internationalization Actions

Participation in an examination board in France: In June 2024, professor Alexandre Rodrigues Silva carried out a technical mission to the University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, in the city of Dijon, France, to respond to the invitation to participate in a doctoral thesis defense board titled “Reproductive biology and senescence impact on postcopulatory sexual selection in a wild polyandrous bird, the North African Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata)”. The thesis was conducted under the guidance of Profs. Drs. Gabriele Sorci and Janaína Carreira, linked to the Doctorat de Biologie des populations et ecology Program at that institution. According to them, the invitation to Prof. Alexandre was due to his internationally known expertise regarding the reproduction of wild animals, which would certainly qualify him to be part of the jury of the aforementioned thesis committee.

Examining board at the University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, in the city of Dijon, France

Sandwich Doctorate Abroad: student Roosevelt de Araujo Sales Junior will carry out part of the dissertation at the University of Lisbon – Portugal, under the guidance of professor Cristiano Queiroz. And doctoral student Gabriela Colombini was awarded a sandwich doctorate scholarship in Germany – Stiftung Tierarztliche Hochschule Hannover for the period from November 2024 to February 2025.

Projeto de Cooperação Internacional Polônia-Brasil: CARACTERIZAÇÃO MORFOLOGICA, MORFOMÉTRICA E ULTRAESTRUTURAL DO ESPERMA TIGRINA Leopardus tigrinus (Schreber, 1775). Plataforma ERASMUS 2023 Dois docentes, Professor Alexandre Rodrigues e Professora Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira, e dois estudantes realizarão intercâmbio em 2024/2025. Número do processo: 2023-1-PL01-KA171-HED-000116645.

International student mobility platform – The Cooperation Program between the Organization of American States (OAS), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities (GCUB) with the support of the Educational Affairs Division of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DCE/MRE), with the aim of contributing to regional integration and strengthening the Americas, through the granting of full scholarships for stricto sensu postgraduate courses (Masters and PhD). The program joined the La move America program, where it offered 16 master’s and 7 doctorate places for student mobility to carry out experiments and study subjects.

Internships for foreign students: In 2023, student Jenyfer Mairely Rosero Alpala was guided by professor Alexandre Rodrigues Silva. It comes from Colombia. This student carries out an internship in the field of wild animal reproduction.

Post-doctoral internship: Post-doctoral fellow Glauber Vilhena da Costa, under the guidance of professor Valéria Veras, completed a post-doctoral degree with a workload of: 7 months in the Period: 01/01/2023 to 07/31/2023. The study was carried out at the Autonomous University of the São Luis de Potosí Program in the postgraduate course in Pharmacobiological Sciences at the University of San Luis de Potosí. This action was through the Cooperation Project – CNPq Notice nº 14/2023 Support for Scientific, Technological and International Research Innovation Projects. Its objective was to: evaluate in vivo the toxicological, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic effects of nanostructures carrying tramadol and copaiba oil with the aim of providing safe and controlled administration in dogs for pain control. The approach will integrate the expertise in pharmacokinetics, nanotechnology and veterinary medicine of the Brazilian and Mexican teams, with the aim of optimizing bioavailability, prolonged action and reducing the effects of adverse pharmacological therapies, resulting in innovative and high-impact therapies. for animal welfare. Furthermore, it is expected to consolidate and develop alliances with Mexican groups and enable the improvement of doctoral students. Associated with the Autonomous University of São Luis de Potosí Program.

Foreign co-authors on articles and abstracts – The “Pharmacokinetic profiles of the two main active metabolites of metamizole, 4-methylaminoantipyrine (MAA) and 4-aminoantipyrine (AA), after intravenous injection in cats. Authors: De Paula, Valéria Veras; Araújo-Silva, Gabriel; Fernandes, Naftáli Silva; Mouta, Andressa Nunes; Nunes, Talyta Lins; De Paiva, Ariana Lopes Correia; De Macêdo, Luã Barbalho; Arcoverde, Kathryn Nóbrega; Urizar,  This research was published in  association with professor josé trinidad pérez – Mexico.

Professor Gustavo Gonzaga prepared the article – The polyculture of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) and the red alga Gracilaria birdiae (Greville) under different densities. Authors: Henry-Silva, Gustavo Gonzaga; Alves, J.P.; Flickinger, D.; Rebouças, R.B.G.; Bessa Junior, A. P. In the period  Fishes IF: 2.3. The international researchers and institutions involved were: Dallas Flickinger – Lincoln University of Missouri in the USA.

Sandwich Doctorate Abroad: PPGCA received a quota of scholarships from the Sandwich Doctorate Program Abroad (PDSE, CAPES). The student was Maria Valéria de Oliveira Santos. He completed a doctoral internship alternating with a scholarship from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, CNPq (CNPq Notice nº 16/2020 – Scholarships in the country and abroad) under the guidance of Prof. PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Director of the Large Animal Research Unit at McGill University. The workload was 1760 hours. The period was from 03/01/2022 to 01/31/2023. During the period from May 2022 to November 2022, student Érika Almeida Praxedes, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira, with a CNPq scholarship (CNPq Call 16/2020 – Scholarships in the country and abroad), completed a doctoral internship at the University of Montreal, Canada.

International Recognition – During the period 2022-2023, Prof. Dr. Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira served as co-editor of the Special Issue of the journal Animals entitled “Effective Option Regarding Wildlife Resources Protection: Assisted Reproductive Technology. During the period October to November 2022, Prof. Dr. Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira served as a member of the scientific committee of the IX International Symposium on Animal Biology of Reproduction.

Participation in international congresses – During the period from November 22 to 25, 2022, Prof. Dr. Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira participated in the IX International Symposium on Animal Biology of Reproduction, presenting the works entitled ‘Effect of epidermal growth factor concentrations on in vitro maturation of red-rumped agouti’s (Dasyprocta leporina Linnaeus, 1758) oocytes” and “Comparison of the antioxidant role of cysteamine and Citrus sinensis essential oil during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes.

Sandwich Doctorate Abroad: postgraduate student Maria Valéria de Oliveira Santos with the aim of carrying out research on embryonic micromanipulation (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection) in the swine model, a domestic species phylogenetically close to collared peccaries, the focus of her thesis project. Cooperation Project between institutions – The scholarship was linked to the project – Effect of eugenol during the maturation of oocytes and development of porcine embryos produced by in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The completion of the project was covered by the Notice: Call CNPq no. 16/2020 – Scholarships in the country and abroad.  The researchers and international institutions involved: McGill University (Montreal, Canada) under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Vilceu Bordignon. PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Montreal, and Director of the Large Animal Research Unit at McGill University.

Publications with foreign researchers: Professor Alexandre Rodrigue Silva published the article Influence of freezing techniques and glycerol-based cryoprotectant combinations on the survival of testicular tissues from adult collared peccaries. National researchers included members Andreia Maria da Silva, Ana Gloria Pereira, Andreza Vieira Brasil, Lua Barbalho Macedo, Joao Batista Freire Souza-Júniora, Carlos Eduardo Bezerra de Moura, Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira, Moacir Franco de Oliveira. It was published in the journal Theriogenology.  The researchers and institutions involved were  Pierre Comizzoli, Smithsonian Institute, United States.

Online Marathon of the Reproduction of Wild Animals – Online event promoted by the Laboratory of Conservation of Animal Germplasm of PPGCA / UFERSA, from 03 to 14 of August, where 19 lectures were presented, with international participation of the Researchers Dr. Budhan Pukazhenthi of the Smithsonian Institute of The United States, and Dr. Gabriela Mastromonaco of Toronto Zoo, Canada.

Sandwich Doctorate Abroad – From September 2019 to March 2020, the PDSE scholarship quota meets with student Viviane Morlanes, supervised by Professor Cecília Calabuig, from the Production and Conservation research line in the semiarid region. The student completed her doctoral internship at the University of Córdoba, in Córdoba, Spain, developing experiments under the supervision of Professor Carlos Rouco, developing part of her doctoral experiments.

Doctorate Sandwiches Abroad – In 2019, three students from the PPGCA undertook a doctoral sandwich internship abroad, namely:

– Andreia Maria da Silva, supervised by Prof. Dr. Alexandre Rodrigues, with a PDSE scholarship, CAPES, held at the Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA.

– Viviane Morlanes, supervised by Prof. Cecília Calabuig, with a PDSE, CAPES scholarship, held at the University of Córdoba, in Córdoba, Spain.

– Luã Barbalho de Macêdo, supervised by Prof. Valéria Veras de Paula, with PGCI scholarship, CAPES, held at the Universidad Autónoma de San Luís do Potosí, in Mexico.

International Mobility of Graduate Students – Through specific official announcement promoted by UFERSA’s graduate programs, student missions could be carried out by both master’s and doctoral students from PPGCA. These specific student mobility Official announcement have been launched since 2018 and, in 2019, the PPGCA was once again one of the programs with the largest number of students contemplated. Thus, in 2019, the PPGCA received 3 (three) students on an international mission:

– Hélio Norberto de Araújo Júnior, supervised by Prof. Moacir Oliveira, with an internship at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

– Josiel Borges Ferreira, supervised by Prof. Débora Andréia Façanha Evangelista, with an internship at the Universidad Nacional del Cumahue (UNCo) and in association with the Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias (FACA) and the Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo em Ingeniería de Procesos Biotecnologia y Energías Alternativas, in Argentina.

– Viviane Morlanes, supervised by Prof. Cecília Calabuig, with an internship at the Biological Station of Doñana and Universidad Pablo Olavide, in Seville, Spain.

International Professor Mobility – In this item, the PPGCA acted in encouraging the optimization of students to carry out missions to consolidate international collaborations. Thus, the following experiences were achieved in 2019:

– Prof. Cecília Calabuig carried out a work mission in March 2019 for the Doñana Biological Station and Pablo Olavide University, in Seville, Spain.

– Profs. Alexandre Rodrigues and Alexsandra Pereira carried out, in April 2019, a work mission for the Smithsonian Institute, in the United States. PPGCA / UFERSA.

– Prof. Valéria Veras de Paula and Débora Evangelista carried out a work mission in April 2019 to the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, in Mexico.

International cooperation projects. In this item, the PPGCA has international cooperation projects that have allowed the consolidation of international collaborations, through the publication of scientific articles, student and professor exchanges. Thus, the following experiences were achieved in 2019:

– Prof. Alexandre Rodrigues developed the project Cryopreservation and cultivation of testicular tissue of collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, 1758) created in the Caatinga biome, approved by the Universal Call 2016 (Call 01/2016), in cooperation with the Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institution, Washington, United States with Dr. Pierre Comizzoli as international coordinator.

– Prof. Valéria Veras de Paula developed the project Welfare and pharmacokinetics of analgesics in zoogenetic resources of the Brazilian semiarid, approved by the PGCI Official announcement – Notice 02/2015 – 2nd Call of 2016 – Projects (no. 88881.123160 / 2016-01, PGCI 395 2018) in partnership with researchers from UFERSA, UNIFAP, UFBA and the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis do Potosi (UASLP), in Mexico.

– Prof. Cecília Calabuig signed a technological support agreement with the State Agency Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas y Red Eléctrica de España, to carry out the project “Análisis del Efecto de la Nidificación de Cigüeñas en Tendidos Eléctricos de Transporte sobre la Biodiversidad del Entorno”.

– Prof. Sidney Sakamoto developed the project in partnership with The Donkey Sanctuary (https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk) entitled “Research on equine infectious anemia, glanders, equine viral arteritis and equine herpesvirus in northeastern Brazilian donkeys”.

Alliance platforms for international education and training.

1. Alliance for Education and Training Program (Scholarships Brazil – PAEC OEA-GCUB). Cooperation program between the Organization of American States (OAS), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) and the Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities (GCUB). Also with support from the Division of Educational Themes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil (DCE / MRE), with the objective of contributing to the regional integration and strengthening of the Americas, through the granting of full scholarships for stricto sensu graduate courses (Master and Doctorate). The PPGCA was awarded to a student from Honduras.
2. Doctorate and Research Program Brazil – Europe (Edital BE_a_DOC). The program is part of the Coimbra Group (GC), an association of European universities that encompass multidisciplinarities, aiming to promote internationalization, academic collaboration, excellence in learning and research, in addition to service to society. The term of commitment that consists of the formal entry of the PPGCA to this program was signed in October 2019 and, we hope for 2020 the selection of students from this program.

Institutional event on internationalization debate. The PPGCA together with the other graduate programs and the International Relations Advisory (ARI) of PROPPG / UFERSA implemented the event “UFERSA Global”, which had as main objective to discuss the internationalization actions along with all graduate programs -University graduate.

Mechanisms to attract PPGCA students and professors abroad.

1. Official announcement of support for foreign language proficiency of professors of UFERSA’s Stricto Sensu graduate programs. In which professors José Luiz Costa Novais and Cecília Calabuig were approved, who were approved to improve the English language in the United States and Scotland, respectively.
2. The Semiarid Language Center (CELIS) ​​together with PROPPG / UFERSA’s ARI implemented the offer of regular and specific additional language courses (in particular, English, Spanish and Portuguese L2), at different levels, in addition to proficiency exams in these languages ​​in order to prepare our students for their internships and / or international missions.

Publications with international collaborators. Professors Alex Augusto Gonçalves, Michel Hrnicer, Débora Andreia Façanha, Alexandre Rodrigues Silva, Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira and Moacir Franco de Oliveira, produced publications in journals of international impact with collaborators from Canada, Austria, Spain, and the United States.

International recognition. Professors. The professors Alexandre Rodrigues Silva and Moacir Franco de Oliveira had their work recognized, as they provided scientific advice for the BBC series (As can be seen in this Link ). In addition, professors Alexandre Rodrigue Silva and Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira had an international recognition by the Research Under Literal Access “RULA” Awards, having their work nominated for the international “Innovative Research” award for research on Seminal plasma composition of collectors, published in the journal Animal Reproduction Science.

Insertion of internationalization in undergraduate students during the teaching internship. In 2019, professor Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira promoted seminars on scientific articles in English by undergraduate students as a tool for the student’s evaluation process in the discipline.

Conducting a course with international professors: The course “Special Topics in Biotechnological Tools for Biodiversity Conservation” was attended by the following international professors: Pascal Mermillod (French National Institute for Agricultural Research, INRA, France), Yann Locatelli (Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, France), and Daniel Felipe Salamone (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina).

Development of projects with international collaborators:

1. Professor Alexandre Rodrigues Silva developed the project Cryopreservation and cultivation of testicular tissue from collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, 1758) created in the Caatinga biome, approved by the Universal Notice 2016 (Call 01/2016), in cooperation with Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institution, Washington, United States.
2. Professor Valéria Veras de Paula developed the project Welfare and pharmacokinetics of analgesics in zoogenetic resources of the Brazilian semiarid, approved by the Official announcement PGCI – Official announcement nº 02/2015 – 2nd Call of 2016 – Projects (no. 88881.123160 / 2016-01, PGCI 395 2018), in cooperation with the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis do Potosi (UASLP), Mexico.

Study missions carried out by professors:

1. Professor Jean Berg Alves da Silva undertook a 40-hour work mission to Universities Católica de Córdoba (UCC) and University of Buenos Aires (UBA), both in Argentina, aiming to establish academic exchanges between PPGCA and UFERSA with Argentine universities.
2. Professor José Luís Costa Novaes carried out a 40-hour work mission to the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, aiming to participate in the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
3. Professors Raimundo Alves Barrêto Júnior and Valéria Veras de Paula carried out a 40-hour work mission at the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis do Potosi (UASLP), with the objective of expanding the internationalization policy of this program, and consolidating the partnership of the research group in Well-being, anesthesia and analgesia of UFERSA farm animals.

Visit of international researchers to the PPGCA:

1. Professor Michel Hrncir received a visit from professor at Tamagawa University, Tokyo, Japan, Kenichi Harano, for a research internship during his sabbatical period, at the UFERSA Behavioral Ecology Laboratory.
2. UFERSA signed with Ben Gurion University of the Negev, in Israel, a Term of Intent to Formalize an Academic Cooperation Agreement to develop research activities focused on the development of semiarid lands.
3. Professor Michel Hrncir received at the Behavioral Ecology Laboratory, Sebastian Koethe (postdoctoral student at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany), Sarah Banysch (doctoral student at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany), Lara Reinartz (master student at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany) and Vivian Fischbach (graduate student at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany).

Study missions carried out by students:

1. Student Janine Karla França da Silva Braz, under the guidance of professor Moacir Franco de Oliveira, developed a study mission at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology with financial support from UFERSA (Mobility Support Notice) student – Official announcement n°. 17/2018).
2. The student Paulo Mateus Alves Lopes, under the guidance of professor Moacir Franco de Oliveira, developed a study mission with a 320-hour workload at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Argentina, with financial support from UFERSA (Official announcement for Supporting Student Mobility) – Official announcement n°. 17/2018).
3. The student Kalyne Danielly Silva de Oliveira, under the guidance of professor João Marcelo Antunes, developed a study mission with a 320-hour workload at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Argentina, with financial support from UFERSA (Official announcement for Supporting Student Mobility) – OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT no. 17/2018).
4. Student Viviane Morlanes, under the guidance of professor Cecília Calabuig, developed a study mission with a 320-hour workload at Universidad Pablo De Olavide, Spain with financial support from UFERSA (Official announcement for Supporting Student Mobility – Official announcement n° 17/2018).

Sandwich doctorate abroad: student Andreia Maria Silva, under the guidance of Professor Alexandre Rodrigues Silva, with a PDSE / CAPES scholarship, did a doctoral internship at the Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA.

International Pecaris Reproduction Workshop – The PPGCA coordination (Alexandre Rodrigues Silva and Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira) promoted this workshop on the UFERSA campus, in the city of Mossoró, RN, in October 2017, with the participation of researcher Pierre Comizzoli from Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Institute, United States.

Discipline of Principles of Science and Scientific Writing – The coordination of the PPGCA (Alexandre Rodrigues Silva and Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira) organized the arrival of the researcher John Kastelic, a professor linked to the University of Calgary in Canada. He was supposed to teach the discipline of Principles of Science and Scientific Writing for PPGCA students and other graduate programs at UFERSA and nearby institutions, such as UECE.

Professor participation in international events

• – Prof. José Luiz Costa Novaes participated in the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Austin, East, United States.
• – Prof. Alexandre Rodrigues attended the annual meeting of the Society for The Study of Reproduction Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, United States with an oral and poster presentation of scientific papers. In addition, the professor visited the Center for Species Survival of the Smithsonian Institute, United States, in July 2017 to establish a partnership with Dr. Pierre Comizzoli.
• – Prof. Valéria Veras de Paula attended the International Meeting of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetist) in Berlin, Germany.
• – Prof. Michael Hncir lectured on the theme Weder Honigbiene noch Hummel: stachellose Bienen (Meliponini) als wichtigste Bestäuber in den Tropen during the Kerner von Marilaun Symposium Insekten und Blumen event organized by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), in Vienna, Austria.
• – Prof. Michael Hcnier spoke on the topic Small brains resolving complex tasks: On the cognitive capacities of social bees during the IV International Conference, organized by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, in Natal, Brazil.
• – Prof. Jean Berg Alves da Silva spoke at the Brazil-Cuba Workshop: Sustainable development in semi-arid regions, in Natal, Brazil.

Technical Visit of a Foreign Researcher – Professor Alexandre Rodrigues Silva received at the UFERSA Germplasm Conservation Laboratory in October 2017 the researcher Pierre Comizzoli, from the Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Institute, based in Washington DC, United States, having been signed an international cooperation agreement between institutions.