MerIA: Artificial Intelligence and Bioinformatics to Accelerate the Identification of Mercury-Resistance Genes in Latin America

María José López Pourailly

MerIA: Artificial Intelligence and Bioinformatics to Accelerate the Identification of Mercury-Resistance Genes in Latin America

Mercury pollution is one of the most persistent environmental and health problems in Latin America, with significant impacts on ecosystems and communities exposed to this highly toxic metal, particularly those involved in artisanal mining. Kidney problems, neurological disorders and foetal malformations are among its most severe manifestations. Faced with this challenge, the Ecuadorian MerIA (Mercury Identification through Artificial Intelligence) project, which benefited from the capabilities of BELLA II’s Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence testbed through the Early Adopters BIO+IA programme launched in March 2026, utilised this testbed to investigate how certain microorganisms manage to resist and detoxify mercury. Indeed, the solution lies in nature itself, but the research data supporting this is so scattered that analysing it is almost a feat in itself.

eduLACSeg: The defense force of Latin America’s largest academic cybersecurity ecosystem

María José López Pourailly

eduLACSeg: The defense force of Latin America’s largest academic cybersecurity ecosystem

Now approaching its fifth anniversary and built on the foundations of a collaboration that has lasted more than 20 years – which, amongst other things, led to the creation of RedCLARA – the Regional Cybersecurity Group of the National Research and Education Networks (NREN) of Latin America and the Caribbean, eduLACSeg, is already proving its immense value. Find out more and discover how your institution can benefit from it.

Smart Agro RAF LATAM: Blockchain for traceability in family farming in Latin America

María José López Pourailly

Smart Agro RAF LATAM: Blockchain para la trazabilidad de la agricultura familiar en América Latina

Family farming forms the basis of food security in Latin America, but faces persistent challenges in terms of transparency, traceability and access to higher-value markets. Smart Agro RAF LATAM is a regional collaborative initiative which, supported by the BELLA II Early Adopters Blockchain programme – run between September and December 2025 – demonstrates how the advanced digital infrastructure of RedCLARA and the national research and education networks (NRENs) that comprise it enables innovative solutions with a direct impact on rural communities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

BELLA II receives funding from the European Union through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), under agreement number 438-964 with DG-INTPA, signed in December 2022. The implementation period of BELLA II is 48 months.

Contact

For more information about BELLA II please contact:

redclara_comunica@redclara.net

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