As soon as he was informed about a suspicious storage of materials in his unit, the director of the Faculty of Food Engineering (FEA), Anderson Souza Sant'Ana, ordered the immediate closure of all his laboratories. "There was no exposure of people to risk, as the material was properly contained," he stated.
Sant'Ana emphasizes that the episode highlights the importance of strictly adhering to safety protocols and immediate communication between researchers on campus. "Science works collaboratively, but always within clear rules. What cannot happen is the movement of materials without the knowledge and authorization of those responsible," he points out.
The director points out that collaboration between units is a common, and even encouraged, practice within Unicamp. With the goal of optimizing public funds, the University avoids duplication of structures and equipment, prioritizing the shared use of resources without compromising the capacity and quality of teaching and research. The cost of an NB-3 laboratory, for example, varies between R$ 2 million and R$ 10 million, depending on its complexity. Thus, researchers frequently use laboratories from other institutes or resort to multi-user facilities, subject to scheduling and prior approval.
When biological material irregularly removed from the Institute of Biology (IB) in February appeared in one of the FEA laboratories, measures were put in place. A professor involved in the case had been conducting research at the IB, but had recently been assigned to the FEA. The professor's study involves viruses that require greater containment, a condition met by the IB's NB-3 laboratory, but not available at her new workplace.
The transfer, made without formal notification, foreshadowed problems. However, the director of FEA reiterates that everything was always under control at the site. “The material was stored properly, in ultra-freezers at -80°C, inside appropriate and sealed containers. The temporary closure of the faculty and the sealing of the equipment were measures adopted to preserve possible evidence during the investigation,” Sant'Ana points out.
Following all safety regulations and best practices, the director informs that access to the laboratories is restricted and conditional upon biosafety training. Researchers can only work autonomously after training, and entry into specific spaces depends on authorization, controlled keys, and electronic systems. Camera monitoring and activity logging complement the security mechanisms on site.
Regarding the case under investigation, Sant'Ana explains that removing any biological material without the responsible party's authorization is a practice that can cause risks. “There are formal procedures, which include prior communication and registration, often via email or institutional platforms. This is even more rigorous when dealing with infectious agents,” he warns.
The director emphasizes that the transport of biological materials follows specific regulations – including international ones – involving prior planning, technical criteria, and rigorous biosafety protocols, which may require documentation, specialized companies, and in some cases, is prohibited, even for non-pathogenic substances.
Planning
Regarding the matter itself, Sant'Ana comments that the arrival of a new professor at the faculty involves planning at least a year in advance, including even defining physical space for an office and laboratory activities. "When there is no space available, it is necessary to discuss alternatives with a specific committee, seeking compatibility between the location and the type of research," he says.
The director comments that, in the case of microbiology and virology research, there are technical restrictions that prevent the sharing of certain environments. "Work with viruses, even those considered safe, such as bacteriophages used in industry, may be incompatible with laboratories focused on bacteria, requiring careful evaluation for allocation," he explains.
Regarding the fact that FEA does not have biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories, Sant'Ana explains that this type of structure is not a typical requirement for food engineering, since the viruses relevant there are generally classified as BSL-2.
FEA stands out in innovation and intellectual property.
Recognized as the birthplace of Food Engineering in Latin America in the 1960s, FEA has a history of excellence and contribution to the country, having already graduated 3.882 undergraduates, in addition to 3.557 masters and doctoral students since its foundation in 1967.
The faculty plays a prominent role in innovation, frequently leading the University's intellectual property ranking. With a portfolio of 185 patent applications and 100 granted patents, FEA transforms research into economic assets, generating licensing returns of approximately R$ 4,5 billion to date.
This connection with the productive sector is demonstrated by the unit's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Currently, there are 98 spin-off companies and nine spin-offs that bring FEA's DNA into the consumer's daily life.
