Summit Plenary

The Nobel Committee citation read: “They have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel-free society, and are of the greatest benefit to humankind.” Now the world needs to take action. Although lithium batteries celebrated their 50^th anniversary in 2022, they still achieve only 25% of their theoretical energy density. Even at that level, they now dominate portable energy storage. The dominant anode and cathode today are graphitic carbon and the layered NMC oxides, LI[NiMnCoAl]O₂. Both need improving. We must push the chemistry to its limits. This demands that the reaction selectivity 

Alternatives to Li-NMC cells will also be discussed, with also a discussion of what is very technically and/or politically challenging and maybe not viable in an attempt to correct some of the exponential hype in the battery energy storage arena. A key challenge in the Western world is to build a sustainable supply chain and manufacturing capability that leapfrogs the present 30 year old technology.

In this presentation we describe the Basic Science Funding Mechanisms offered by the US Office of Naval Research Global for (i.) scientific projects of up to 3 years in duration, (ii.) the organization of conferences, workshops or symposia, (iii.) prospective trips to the United States to visit / explore / discuss possible collaborations or new ideas with Navy personnel, and (iv.) the yearly issued Global Challenge. Projects may be experimental or purely theoretical. The aforementioned funding mechanisms are opened to all scientists and researchers living and working outside the United States, regardless of their nationality. Formatting, topics of interest, windows of opportunity and practical considerations are included in this presentation. Emphasis is given to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Materials Science and Computer Science (including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, etc.), however there are also opportunities to scientists working in other fields.

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has transformed the way we can study biological molecules as it enables us to determine structure of molecules freely suspended in solution (as “single particles”), and to gauge the way they change their shape as they interact with one another in the cell.  Freezing, by plunging the sample into a cryogen at liquid nitrogen temperature, is necessary to trap the molecules in a fixed position during imaging and to reduce the damage inflicted by the electrons in the process.  Following the introduction of novel cameras for detecting single electrons, near-atomic resolution has been achieved for many molecules and molecular machines of biomedical relevance, including ion channels and receptors.  Most recently cryo-EM has contributed in major ways to the development of vaccines and cures for COVID-19.

The standard protocol of cryo-EM does not allow visualization of reactions since the time for sample deposition on the grid and blotting is in the range of several seconds. To study the process of a reaction, as it goes through one or more short-lived intermediates, we have developed a method of time-resolved cryo-EM.  Here two reactants are mixed in a microfluidic channel, allowed to react for a defined time (between 10 and 1000 milliseconds), and the reaction product sprayed onto the EM grid as the latter is being plunged into the cryogen.  With this approach we have been able to visualize short-lived states of the ribosome in different stages of its work cycle making proteins.  Applications in the study of many other molecular machines are possible.

This work deals with our recent results from experimental, computational modeling, and data analytics of engineered and biological materials in three broad areas: materials science, plant science, and medical science. We show through examples and case studies how the appropriate combinations of experimental observations, two-dimensional and three-dimensional computational modeling, and images, as well as multi-fidelity data can be combined with physics-informed neural networks and biomimetics to improve materials design, and predictions of their properties and performance. A processing route to produce sustainable and nature-derived materials is presented whereby the building blocks can be tailor-made to produce digitally modulated structures, soft robotic components, and biocompatible substrate materials for wearable devices. For biomedical applications, novel approaches that integrate microfluidic platforms with static and dynamic data and images from clinical settings are also discussed to demonstrate how deep learning approaches can offer new possibilities to improve patient outcomes in disease diagnostics, therapeutics, and treatment. Specific cases considered here include: metallization of nanoscale diamond for tunable electronic properties; design of plant-based materials for soft robotics and sustainability; extraction of mechanical properties of materials through instrumented nanoindentation and multi-fidelity machine learning algorithms; and artificial intelligence velocimetry to probe diabetic retinopathy and blood disorders.

This year marks the 40th anniversary since the ground-breaking publication on Helicobacter pylori, prompting a critical reassessment of treatment strategies within the evolving landscape of modern medicine. Historically, the global response to H. pylori infections has relied on triple therapy, involving a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and two antibiotics. However, the escalating challenge of antibiotic resistance has emerged as a primary obstacle to achieving successful treatment outcomes. As we navigate the currents of a new era in modern medicine, characterized by the rise of precision medicine, a paradigm shift in treatment approaches becomes imperative. Precision medicine advocates for an individualized approach, emphasizing the need to precisely identify suitable antibiotics for patients before prescription. The 40th anniversary serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle against H. pylori infections and a catalyst for exploring innovative therapeutic avenues that integrate precision medicine principles. In this context, the emphasis on personalized treatment plans is crucial not only for optimizing outcomes but also for addressing the pervasive challenge of antibiotic resistance. By tailoring antibiotic regimens to the specific needs of each patient, precision medicine offers a nuanced and effective approach to combatting H. pylori. This reflective milestone encourages a forward-thinking perspective to optimize H. pylori treatment outcomes.

Nitric Oxide was once considered only as a compound that polluted the atmosphere. This was until when cyclic GMP signaling pathways were discovered, and this transformed this inorganic component from a harmful to a beneficial one for human health. This presentation shows how this signaling works, and the positive role of Nitric Oxides in numerous human health deficiencies.

SIPS, that stands for Sustainability through Science and Technology, is firmly based on FLOGEN Sustainability Framework which has 3 criteria that must be fulfilled simultaneously to achieve sustainability: Economic Growth, Environmental Protection and Social Development. The framework has three actors that can either help or hinder sustainability: Science and Technology, Governance and Management and Education and Civil Society. These actors can be viewed as 3 pillars of a table. This paper will show that SIPS has science and technology in forefront as an actor to achieve sustainability in each of its criteria but includes also the other 2 pillars since they are equally important as the pillars of a table with three pillars.  All components of Science and Technology (both fundamental and applied) and components of Governance and Management and Education and Civil Society are shown and analyzed as integral part of SIPS content.           

The health of human beings is part of social development criteria, one of the 3 criteria of FLOGEN Sustainability Framework. As per this framework, in order to achieve sustainability three criteria need to be fulfilled simultaneously, that is economic growth, environmental protection and social development and they can be achieved by three equally important actors:  Science and Technology, Governance and Management and Education and Civil society in case cooperation. As such, the improvement of human health through technology or government policy or management and education help fulfill the criteria of human development as one of the criteria of sustainability. In this presentation the author will make the point and an analysis of the active participation of health professionals in the medical symposia at SIPS and their important role.

The Gorceix Foundation was created in 1960 when a group of former students of the Ouro Preto School of Mines felt the need to create a foundation that could support economically challenged students of this school and contribute to the scientific and technological development of the mining sector. That time the Ouro Preto School of Mines was one of the academic units of the University of Brazil and had gained a high degree of emancipation. 

The foundation today has 9 departments and operates in the areas of social support, academic support, science, and technology with goals that coincidentally fits the three criteria of FLOGEN Sustainability Framework (1) Environmental protection, (2) Economic growth and (3) Social Development. Its activity also identifies with its three pillars/actors of the above framework: (1) Science and Technology (2) Education and Civil Society and (3) Government and management.  

As a Science and Technology actor of the Sustainability Framework the Foundation carries out projects that (1) provide solutions to scientific and technological problems in mining, mineral processing and metallurgy (2) develop innovative solutions for the processing of numerous ores in Brazil and other countries such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Mexico, and (3) manage and treat residues to mitigate the environmental impact of the operations. Specifically in metallurgy, it has helped develop and provide efficient solutions in pellet production and energy efficiency in steelmaking and non-ferrous metals processing for prominent Brazilian companies. In oil and gas industry it offers constant technological support to for Petrobras (the national oil and gas industry in Brazil) with a team of high-level researchers in Ouro Preto and are connected 24/7 with the team in Rio de Janeiro, analyzing and processing geophysical data as it is captured in the field with the goal to make oil and gas discovery more efficient and its processing the least polluting possible. These projects are developed by professors and researchers of its own personnel as well as with personnel of the Federal University of Ouro Preto, to which the School of Mines belongs today, and of many other distinguished universities, research centers and production companies in Brazil. It partners also with the biggest companies in the mineral, metallurgical and O&G sectors, including contracts with Vale, Samarco, and Petrobras and other companies in the ore processing area. 

As a Science and Technology Actor the Foundation activity fulfills the 3 criteria of sustainability since it helps protect the environment, assure efficient economic growth and assure social development all through developing efficient technologies. 

As an Education and Civil Society actor of the Sustainability Framework the Foundation offers academic and professional training and is in possession of the most prominent education program in Latin America for in-company technical courses in the mining and metallurgical sector, as well as in O&G, sanitation, and automotive sectors. The courses range from geology to the final product and include subjects like maintenance, mining unit operations, ore processing, metallurgy, geotechnical engineering, asset management, sustainability and even data science. In addition to that, the Foundation offers also tailor-made short-term courses to almost ten thousand industry professionals, on specific topics amongst those mentioned above. The goal of these programs is to educate the young generation as well as to provide continuous educations to achieve simultaneously the (1) Environmental protection, (2) Economic growth and (3) Social Development.

As a government and management actor the foundation management develops and manages various policy programs that can help achieve the three criteria of sustainability. Furthermore, in fulfillment of social development criterium, the foundation provides different types of assistance to students and researchers ranging from basic needs assistance grants to scientific initiation and academic merit scholarships.

Today, the Foundation is creating a new technology park focused on the mineral sector. Several companies have already announced their intention to open laboratories in this park new facility to develop research, in partnership with the Foundation.

The efficiency of solar cells is a major actual issue that will ultimately decide on the reliable and continuous daily use of this alternative CO2-free electricity production. One way to increase this efficiency is the employ of carbon-based chemical compounds and materials that are relatively inexpensive and very effective as selective Electron Transporting Layers (ETLs) in solar cells. Among these carbon-based components we have studied the so-called regular fullerenes, which are pure-carbon cages that are excellent electron acceptors and 3D transporters. We have functionalized fullerenes with Pyridine in order to modulate and probe their specific interfacial interactions in perovskite solar cells to understand the details and to enhance the cell performance efficiencies. Results clearly showed that the pyridine-functionalized compounds act as efficient electron extractors at the interface but are not good electron transporters as a bulk phase. Production of hydrogen gas by splitting water is a vert promising potential way of producing hydrogen that is a clean reductant that will probably replace carbon as such in industrial processes. Here again carbon-based chemical compounds are very good candidates especially help es endohedral fullerenes, which are carbon cages which encapsulate ions and/or atoms and clusters inside, stabilized by electronic interactions with the cages. These nano-sized compounds were recently shown to act as reasonably efficient non-precious metal-containing molecular catalysts to effect the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER), or water splitting, to produce hydrogen gas. We initiated this work and are currently exploring the fundamental aspects of the HER with other endohedral fullerene compounds, both to understand the details and to increase their efficiencies.

An increasing number of news reports of U.S. illicit fentanyl poisonings reveals our growing opioid crisis.  Almost 210,000 people died from illicit fentanyl in the years 2015 – 2021.  Much effort has been expended to reduce illicit fentanyl deaths and incidences of addiction, but fentanyl has displayed anomalous behavior and has been impacted by anomalous data compilation and analysis, which have combined to impede progress.  Thus, illicit fentanyl has become a “perfect storm” in science.

Anomalies have contributed to confusion, research delays, and thereby an increasing number of deaths.  Using CDC reports, we determined death rates for years 1999 through 2022 due to fentanyl.  The surge in death rates starting in 2013 reveals how the fentanyl data caught the US scientists, politicians, and public off guard.  The death numbers increase from less than 3000 in 2013 up to about 73,000 in 2022. 

In recent years, we are witnessing an explosion of technologies that allow DNA editing in various model organisms, even humans. Such technologies include meganucleases, zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator like effector nucleases (TALENs) and more recently the bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, which has been adopted for use in eukaryotes. The advent of genome editing technologies has revolutionized genetics in organisms ranging from invertebrates to mammals and enabled genetic manipulations not previously possible, massively accelerating the pace of research and discovery. The CRISPR/CAS system is the latest addition in the arsenal of such tools and even holds promise for allowing the modification of the human genome in a reliable manner. Initially studied in bacteria, the CRISPR/CAS system is at the core of a sophisticated prokaryotic immune response, protecting bacterial cells against phage infection. After its initial successful implementation in eukaryotic cells, the CRISPR/CAS system has proven remarkably versatile and efficient with diverse applications in numerous organisms, including human cells. The system not only allows the introduction of specific alterations to the genome, such as insertions, deletions, single base pair changes, gene knock-outs and replacements, etc., but also gene activation and silencing, chromosome and locus labeling, chromatin remodeling and others. The already demonstrated potential of CRISPR/CAS brings closer the prospect of directed molecular interventions towards restoring genetic lesions associated with human pathology. The development of precision medicine approaches, involving the generation of personalized animal models of human diseases, as well as ex vivo cell therapies, organoid-based drug screening, and genome engineering are now entering the realm of feasibility. Given the disruptive potential of genome editing technologies relevant to medicine, biotechnology and basic research it is important to carefully consider caveats and limitations. We will discuss emergent developments and applications of genome editing technologies, as well as, considerations arising at the current state of the art.

The new concept of intrapreneurship as opposed to entrepreneurship is presented, and the similarities and differences that exist between those two concepts are described. While entrepreneurship is undertaking risk to create something new at the societal level, intrapreneurship is doing the same thing but within an organization. The advantages of applying the right criteria for intrapreneurship within a specific organization are highlighted.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has been since the discovery of a powerful technique in biology for studying the structure, the dynamics, and the interactions of biological macromolecules.  This paper puts into perspective the history of the discovery passing in several decades from physics to chemistry and then to biology along with the milestones of the discovery and its numerous applications. 

Cellular proteins are in a dynamic state of constant synthesis and degradation. Protein degradation is important for the elimination of abnormal or damaged proteins and for cessation of the action of regulatory proteins when they are no longer needed. Proteins in cells are marked for degradation by linkage to ubiquitin, a small protein present in all cells. The ubiquitin system is involved in basic cellular processes necessary for health, such as the control of cell division, regulation of inflammatory and immune responses and embryonic development. Abnormalities in ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation play roles in many types of cancer and in neurodegenerative diseases. This information is being used fo the development of novel treatments for some of these diseases.

There have now been many experimental studies of a biological machine, such as F1ATPase, at the single molecule level. They provide informatonn on how nature can interconvert chemical and mechanical energy. These experiments include controlled rotation, free rotation, and stalling experiments. We desccibe a theoretical interpretation of these results using a theory that is an extension one introduced for simple electron transfer and other transfer processes.We also use the theory as a basis to develop methods for analyzing the single-molecule imaging and manipulation trajectories. This work was performed in collaboration with Proofessors, Sandor Volkan-Kacso and Ricardo Matute.

Sustainable development is a comprehensive and complex system of systems requiring multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary science and technology inputs with economic, environmental, and social objectives. In broad terms, sustainable development is achieved when the present needs and challenges are met without placing in jeopardy the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and challenges. The trade space is very wide, and the multitude of trade-offs generate considerable challenges and make it often difficult to achieve an effective balance, most beneficial to all concerned. During the last sixty years the planet’s population has grown exponentially, from 2 to almost 8 billion people, and the technological progress achieved has been tremendous, especially in the industrialized countries. These trends are expected to continue, even at faster rates. However, all these associated technological activities in the pursuit of better living standards have created a considerable depletion of resources and pollution of land, water, air, and natural resources, including the food supplies for the global population. Considerable achievements have been obtained in the development of new and advanced materials such as light weight metallic alloys, metal matrix composites, intermetallic and carbon fiber composites, and hybrid materials. Nano, nano-structured and nano-hybrid carbon-based materials systems and nanotechnologies have also been deployed with considerable impact on energy, environment, and health. This presentation focuses on global perspectives of the impact of transformative materials with examples from the perspective of FLOGEN Sustainability Framework.

Referring to FLOGEN Sustainability Framework, in order to achieve sustainability three criteria need to be fulfilled simultaneously: economic growth, environmental protection and social development. As per this framework the three actors that can help or hinder sustainability are Science and Technology, Governance and Management and Education and Civil society that are equally important as 3 pillars of one table with three pillars. As one of the main pillars, technology can help or hinder sustainability because a new technology development can easily push borders of existing habit and understanding of the world this can adversely affect human rights. Human rights in themselves are part of social development criteria of sustainability. As such, if a new technology helps economic growth (one criteria) and environmental protection (the other criteria) but goes against human rights as part of social development criteria, sustainability is not achieved since the criteria a social development is not fulfilled. In this presentation the author’s vast experience in human rights protections is used through different examples to make the point that science and technology in their new inventions and discoveries should not and do not go against human rights. 

Samarco is a Mining Brazilian company that produce pellets in an integrated from the mine to the port since 1977.
Samarco journey has faced challenges, notably the Fundão dam collapse on November 5th, 2015, causing several damages, includding the environment and impacting the lives of the community and five-year operational interruption. During this period, Samarco remained committed to remediation and compensation, implementing significant improvements based on lessons learned. The company invested in an Integrated Safety System, risk management, prevention culture, and new technologies for tailings disposal [1].
Central to Samarco's commitment is the reparation and compensation for the affected communities and areas. [2] By June 2023, R$30.7 billion were allocated to such actions, with R$14.38 billion already disbursed in indemnities and emergency financial aid to more than 423.7 thousand individuals, managed by the Fundação Renova—an autonomous, non-profit entity tasked with repairing the impacts caused by the Fundão dam broke.
In its recovery journey, Samarco resumed operations in 2020, eliminating dams for tailings storage, and reinforcing its Integrated Safety System through robust engineering and state-of-the-art technology, including the Monitoring and Inspection Center (CMI). [1] The CMI closely monitors geotechnical structures 24/7 using over 1,700 state-of-the-art equipment pieces, providing real-time data to a specialized team for enhanced safety.
In the pursuit of global decarbonization goals, the steel production chain plays a significant role, accounting for 7% of global CO2 emissions [3]. The Paris Agreement has spurred developments aimed at mitigating emissions and achieving a positive balance between anthropogenic sources. The urgent need to achieve zero net emissions by 2050 necessitates collective efforts.
Samarco stands as a pioneer in the mining of low-grade iron ore in Brazil, boasting an integrated logistics operation from mine to port, with a unique pipeline solution established in the 1970s. This innovation not only ensures greater safety but also mitigates socioenvironmental impact. Operating since 1977, Samarco has transformed low-grade material (itabiritic ore) into a high-value product, with around 67% iron content and high reducibility index, enhancing productivity for steel industries and direct reduction furnaces [1].
Seeking a sustainable 2050, Samarco has actively invested in incremental and transformational innovations, mobilizing over R$10 million in 2022 alone [2]. This dedication has yielded crucial projects such as dry stacking of tailings and optimization of Concentrator 3 desliming, resulting in a 9% reduction in slime generation. Moreover, the Advanced Process Control System (SCAP) has significantly reduced consumption of inputs and energy in various stages of production [2].
Samarco's pellets play a pivotal role in decarbonizing the steel industry. By adopting energy matrix changes and employing charcoal to replace pet coke, Samarco has achieved substantial reductions in CO2 consumption and emissions, reflecting positively on iron and steelmaking industries [4].
Aligned with its sustainability roadmap, Samarco has set a CO2 emission timeline for its 2050 agenda. Key milestones have already been achieved, transitioning from oil to natural gas in the pelletizing furnace in 2010, and adopting 100% renewable electricity for operations from 2021, alongside comprehensive carbon footprint inventory restatement. The company also contributes to environmental matters by utilizing marble and granite residues, removing significant waste from the environment and promoting circular economy practices [2].
In recognition of its transparent management of greenhouse gases (GHG), Samarco was awarded the gold seal by the GHG Protocol Brazilian Program in early 2022. The company has mapped GHG inventory up to its clients' gates in 2023, underscoring its commitment to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint by 2050.
In conclusion, Samarco's journey towards sustainability is marked by its dedication to reparation, compensation, and technological advancements, all aimed at achieving a greener and sustainable future. As it overcomes challenges and embraces opportunities, Samarco sets an example for the global steel industry in its pursuit of a sustainable 2050 agenda.

Management of oxidative stress has recently turned into a great potential method for successful prevention of various diseases and as a means for their cure. As such it can be said that we live in a new era of oxidative stress management as an effective tool in disease prevention and treatment. This paper presents the successes of recent years in this field as well as various examples of applying powerful antioxidants such as Twendee X and MT control as great alternative potential in preventing and curing various diseases.

In this talk, we outline the recent achievement of unstable bonds between electrons and Deuterons -2, called pseudo-nuclei, with a mean life sufficient for their fusion with Carbon-12 nuclei into Nitrogen-14, called hyperfusion [1], without the Coulomb barrier and without any possibility of releasing harmful radiations. We point out that pseudo-nuclei are strictly prohibited by quantum mechanics despite their extremely big Coulomb attraction by natural nuclei; we show that said prohibition is due to the point-like abstraction
of nucleons, nuclei and pseudo-nuclei, and that pseudo-nuclei became fully admittetd by the Einstein-Pdolskjy-Rosen argument that quantum mechanics is not a complete theory. We show certifications by independent colleagues and analytic laboratory of the clean
nuclear energy produced by the prototype hyperfusion reactor [2], and present the drawings of the second generation reactor under construction [3]. Colleagues should be aware that hyperfusions are the results of about half a century of mathematical, theoretical and experimental research by various scholars that cannot be even minimally outlined in this talk but they are outlined in the first sections of Ref.[1].

Many important drugs such as penicillin and aspirin were discovered by serendipity. Other major drugs like the cholesterol-reducing statins were discovered using more advanced technologies, such as screening of large libraries of synthetic or natural compounds. In all these cases, the mechanism of action of the drug were largely unknown at the time of their discovery and was unraveled only later. With the realization that patients with apparently similar diseases – breast or prostate cancer, for example - respond differently to similar treatments and their disease course is vastly different, we have begun to understand that the molecular mechanistic base of what we assumed to be the same disease entity, are different. Thus, breast or prostate cancers appear to be sub-divided to smaller distinct classes according to their molecular characteristics and the causing underlying mechanisms/mutations. As a result, we are exiting now the era where the treatment of many diseases is “one size fits all” and enter a new era of “personalized medicine” where the treatment is tailored according to the patient’s molecular/mutational profile. Here, the understanding of the mechanism will drive the development of new drugs. This era will be characterized initially by the development of technologies to sequence individual genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes and metabolomes, followed by identification and characterization of new disease-specific molecular markers and drug targets, and by design of novel, mechanism-based drugs to these targets. The era will be also accompanied by complex bioethical problems, from high pricing and limited accessibility of large fractions of needy population to the achievements of biomedical research, but also to an era where genetic information of large populations will become available, and protection of privacy will become an important, yet a fragile issue. The introduction of gene editing technology to the armamentarium of novel therapeutic modalities, will add yet another layer of bioethical complexity to the one imposed by access to generic information and the ability to predict the future of health (or disease) course of patients.