No próximo dia 08 de outubro, vai realizar-se a palesta com o tema When the Forest Glows: Visual Perception of Bioluminescence in Madeira’s Laurisilva and continental Old-Growth Beech Forests, organizada pela Faculdade de Ciências da Vida da Universidade da Madeira.

A sessão terá como orador Marc Folcher, Bioengenheiro e investigador especializado em biologia sintética, genética ocular, optogenética e dispositivos bioeletrónicos, e irá realizar-se no Anfiteatro 1, no Campus Universitário da Penteada, pelas 16h00.

Abstract

The Lumiwald Project explores bioluminescence in primary forests and its perception by arthropods. Fieldwork in Madeira’s UNESCO protected Laurisilva and France’s Grand Ventron old-growth beech forests revealed a widespread bioluminescent horizon formed by fungal mycelia glowing within the forest litter. These subtle illuminations shape microhabitats rich in arthropods. By integrating ecological surveys, imaging, electrophysiology, and molecular analyses, we are identifying arthropod photoreceptors adapted to detect such faint light. Beyond ecological insights, these discoveries hold translational promise: novel photoreceptor proteins could inspire new optogenetic tools for ophthalmic therapies. The project illustrates how conservation research can advance both biodiversity protection and biomedical innovation.