Hosted at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) in Belém, the workshop “Biodiversity Monitoring in the Amazon using eDNA” will bring together researchers, government representatives, Indigenous and Quilombola communities, NGOs, startups, and private sector organizations around a shared goal: strengthening international collaboration for biodiversity monitoring in the Amazon. Organized by BiotechQuilombo, WildInSync (ETH Zurich), and Swissnex in Brazil, the event will focus on the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) as an innovative, scalable, and complementary tool for biodiversity assessment.
The program will highlight the BioTechQuilombo project, led by ETH Zurich, the University of Manchester, the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), and partner universities across the Amazon, with funding from CONFAP, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and CNPq through the Amazonia+10 Initiative. Participants will also discuss the WildInSync initiative and explore opportunities to strengthen collaboration across science, policy, local and traditional knowledge, and innovation. By connecting Swiss and Brazilian institutions and linking Amazon-based researchers to the global WildInSync network, the workshop reinforces Switzerland’s role as a long-term partner in advancing biodiversity research and evidence-based conservation in the Amazon.
Program
Session 1 - Opening Remarks and Strategic Outlook
- 9:00am – Welcome and workshop objectives | Loïc Pellissier, Professor of Landscape Ecology, ETH Zurich
- 9:05am – Political and sustainable development context of the Amazon and the COP30 partnership agenda: financing, international cooperation, and legacy | Mauro de Lima O'de Almeida, Partnership Coordinator, COP30 PResidency
- 9:30am – Financing, international collaboration, and the role of the Amazônia+10 Initiative in strengthening biodiversity research and monitoring in the Amazon | Rafael Andery, Executive Secretary, Amazônia+10 Initiative
- 9:50am – Overview of the Amazônia+10 Biodiversity Monitoring Initiative (BiotechQuilombo) | James Ferreira Moura Junior, Professor, University of International Integration of the Afro-Brazilian Lusophony (UNILAB)
- 10:10am – Overview of the WildInSync Initiative | Carolina Bello, Assistant Professor, ETH Zurich
- 10:30am – Overview of Swissnex and the nexBio Amazonia Initiative | Pedro Capra, Program Manager Academic Relations, Swissnex in Brazil
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Session 2 – Biodiversity Monitoring Experiences in the Amazon
- 11:10am – Introduction to eDNA as a tool for biodiversity monitoring | Izeni Farias, Professor, Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM)
- 11:25am – Biodiversity monitoring needs of Quilombola communities in the Amazon: challenges, opportunities, and priorities | Caio Mota, Coordinator for Quilombola Territorial and Environmental Management, Directorate for Policies for Quilombola and Romani Communities, National Environmental Council (CONAMA)
- 11:40am – Biodiversity monitoring in protected areas of the Amazon: challenges, opportunities, and future needs | Jarine Rodrigues, Environmental Analyst, IMAZON – Institute of People and the Environment of the Amazon
- 11:55am – eDNA Research in Academia: Current Advances and Perspectives | Alexandre Aleixo, Lead Researcher, Vale Institute of Technology (ITV) & Tomas Hrbek, Professor, Federal University of Amazonas
- 12:25pm – Summary of the morning session and introduction to the afternoon discussions | Carolina Bello, Assistant Professor, ETH Zurich
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Session 3 – Group Discussions
- 2:00pm – All participants.
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Session 4 – Presentation of Results and Collective Prioritization
- 3:10pm – Loïc Pellissier & Carolina Bello
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Session 5 – Roadmap for Future Actions and Closing
- 3:55pm – All participants.
iCal / Outlook
Event start time
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Brazil
9:00AM
