On 27 October 2017, MALSCH, partner in NANO2ALL, gave a keynote presentation on “Responsible Research and Innovation” (RRI) during an Info Session organised by INCOBRA at PUCRS in Porto Alegre, Brazil, providing an overview of past and ongoing EU funded projects in RRI, including Brazilian partners. She stressed the need for continuity and building upon results from earlier projects. 

RRI encompasses innovative solutions addressing the following problem. National governments may formally have the responsibility to protect the safety, security and rights of their citizens. However, no government on its own has the capabilities to take this responsibility. A common responsibility should be developed, with the contributions of governments, researchers, industry, civil society organisations and other citizens. Projects including Nano2All are testing new ways to put this common responsibility into practice.

At the info session, participants from both sides of the Atlantic discussed opportunities for new Euro-Brazilian cooperation in RRI. Dr Alejandro Zurita, head of science, technology and innovation at the EU delegation in Brazil, presented the just-released H2020 work programme for 2018-2020. Several calls explicitly require Brazilian or non-EU participation. More information here. 

Dr Luiz Carlos Jr. Alcântara (FIOCRUZ) presented the ZiBRA project, where FIOCRUZ analysed samples of zika virus patients in a mobile laboratory, traveling from lab to lab in the North-East of Brazil. This offers a good basis for future collaborative projects in developing mobile and hand-held diagnostics for Zika and other infectious diseases. 

More information on the INCOBRA Project: www.incobra.eu