THE GENESIS

The Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC) is a holding company of laboratories belonging to the Chemistry Institute of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IQ-UFRJ). Its structure was set up in 1984 after the country realized that there was a huge shortage of quality analyses in High Resolution Gas Chromatography (HRGC) and its coupling with computerized Mass Spectrometry. Structured to support chromatography, mass spectrometry and geochemistry laboratories, its emergence was strategic at a time when this technology was in its growth phase.

The report by the Mass Spectrometry Commission (RENEM) in 1982 showed that there were 54 mass spectrometers in Brazil, most of which were out of service due to a lack of maintenance that was almost impossible for Brazilian universities. Other findings from this report were the training of operators of this technology and the encouragement of research in this area. That same year, the Capillary Column Preparation Laboratory was created, later transformed into the Column Preparation and Chromatography Laboratory with the aim of developing and disseminating the practice of CGAR throughout the country. It began as a craft factory for glass capillary columns that provided technical support to other Associated Laboratories and other research groups and companies. Today, a restructuring has transformed it into the Chromatography and Column Research Laboratory (LPCC). The name change is intended to emphasize its performance in different chromatographic processes, as well as the various forms of use in Analytical Chemistry. 

In a short time, LADETEC became a support mechanism for more than 80 scientific and industrial research groups, including public and private entities. It began to generate resources for the maintenance of a large part of its research activities, as well as supporting academic groups that do not have the resources to perform analyses or maintain an adequate analytical structure.

Our work at the university-business-quality-society interface is a practical example of entrepreneurship, quality assurance and use of equipment in an indiscriminate multi-user system.

This initiative gained support in 1986 with FINEP's support for the project approved in the call for proposals for the testing phase of the Scientific and Technological Development Support Program (PADCT), aimed at Service Provider Units, which, according to the call for proposals, should seek self-sustainability after the end of the project. The project was evaluated by FINEP, the PADCT manager, as one of the successful projects in the testing phase, which served to justify the new stages of the program. 

The first R&D services and projects were with the Geochemistry Sector of CENPES – PETROBRAS, as well as with companies in the petrochemical hubs of Camaçari (Ba), Triunfo (RS) and Mauá (SP) and the industrial hub of Resende (RJ). 

In 1988, LADETEC began operating in 3 shifts, 7 days a week, ensuring 24-hour operation. This was an extremely complex logistics process for the time. Fundão Island was isolated and practically deserted at night, with very limited access. Night-shift technicians were transported by the service that served the Electronic Computing Center (NCE), which was already operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A special security patrol was established in block A of the Technology Center, where the laboratories were located. Also, due to these difficulties, an accelerated computerization process was planned to increase productivity and reduce the need for technicians working at night and on weekends.

In the 1990s, the three formal shifts were replaced by an extended working day (from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm), with the early morning period dedicated to the automatic operation of analytical instruments, exemplifying how university facilities can be used to their fullest, reducing the cost/benefit ratio of investment in education, science, technology and innovation in Brazil.

GROWING TOGETHER WITH SCIENCE

The effort to establish itself in new areas led to a redirection of activities, reducing LADETEC's availability to meet industrial demand, while meeting other demands from society.

The increase in the number of requests for analyses of biological fluids, drugs and environmental samples (human ecology and occupational health) led to the creation of LABDOP in 1989 to specifically handle this analytical segment. The relevance of mass spectrometry in solving problems in chemistry and related areas at the molecular level led to the establishment of the Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (LABEM), disseminating and training professionals in this technology. 

The environmental awareness that accompanied the globalization process led to the creation of the Laboratory of Molecular and Environmental Organic Geochemistry (LAGOA), also in 1989, which absorbed the activities of LADETEC focused on geochemical prospecting for oil, analysis of geological organic materials in general and oil and its derivatives in particular, as well as synthetic and renewable liquid fuels, to which LADETEC's own constitution referred and were associated.

The expansion of the initial demand from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA), in 1989, for analysis of residues in food to serve slaughterhouses, led to the creation of the Residue Analysis Laboratory (LAB RES) in 1994. It expanded the number of detectable substances and also worked on doping analysis in horses. In 2023, it was replaced by LaConQ – Food Quality Control Laboratory. 

The Calibration Laboratory (LABCAL) ushers in the 21st century by bringing autonomy in relation to volumetric calibration. Shortly thereafter, it obtains accreditation to meet external demands. 

The Inborn Errors of Metabolism Laboratory (LABEIM), which provided support for the creation of the LABDOP, became a partner of LADETEC, becoming part of its Associated Laboratories in 2005. It serves the entire hospital network in the State of Rio de Janeiro for the early diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), and in the near future the service will be extended to the entire country. 

In 2011, the Geological and Chemical Analysis Laboratory (LAGEQUIM) was created with the objective of characterizing oils, rocks, sediments and oil-rock correlations through Gas Chromatography and Spectroscopy techniques. 

This solid foundation allowed the LADETEC & Associate Laboratories participate in major national challenges which in turn led to the creation of new areas of activity with a consequent increase in the number of Associate Laboratories.

TRANSFORMERS EVENTS

LADETEC, given its pioneering expertise in high-resolution gas chromatography and its coupling with mass spectrometry, found itself called upon to engage in solving urgent needs of Brazilian society. 

Thus, LADETEC was created due to the need for the fuel sector to assess the environmental impact of the use of alcohol as a fuel and, at the same time, to improve geochemical oil prospecting with the introduction of the concept of biomarkers in the Petrobras exploration area in 1984.

In 1989, two important challenges arose: the analysis of veterinary drug residues from the national cattle and horse herds, which became an immediate necessity due to the interruption of exports due to technical barriers imposed by the European Community. Thus, MAPA encouraged the structuring of this expertise at LADETEC. At the same time, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), in order to hold the 1989 Copa América in Brazil, requested support for carrying out doping control in the competition. Both efforts led to the creation of LABDOP, which later shared this responsibility with LABRES. 

The need for accreditation of tests according to ISO 17025 by INMETRO led to the creation of LABCAL, to ensure quality and agility in the calibration of volumetric instruments. 

The advent of doping control at the 2007 Pan American Games led to the beginning of concern with protein and blood analysis, with the creation of the Protein and Blood Analysis Laboratory (LAPS) and the attempt to start non-targeted analyses by acquiring the first comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatograph coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GCxGC-ToFMS) in Latin America. 

Finally, the enormous effort to carry out doping control for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games led to the transformation of LABDOP, at the suggestion of the Ministry of Sports, into the Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory (LBCD). And the breadth and depth of this action resulted in new horizons for LADETEC and its Associated Laboratories. 

NEW HORIZONS

Once the challenges were met, the organization to participate in major events led to the creation of new laboratories, making LADETEC one of the most complete laboratories in Brazil in terms of Organic Molecular Analysis (AMO). 

The Blood Molecular Biology and Proteomics Laboratory (LABMOPS), established in 2015, expands its activities to genomics, hematology, gene doping and research with applications in neglected diseases. It has one of the most modern molecular biology parks in the country. 

In 2017, four new laboratories were established and associated with the LADETEC structure. In the field of omics, the Proteomics Laboratory (LABPROT) and the Metabolomics Laboratory (LABMETA) use the most modern equipment to expand these two giant areas of knowledge with research and provision of services. 

The Research, Development and Innovation Laboratories (LPDI) uses metabolomics in its investigations of the Danio Rerio fish (zebrafish or paulistinha) as an alternative model for human metabolism and for the diagnosis of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. The Anabolic Agents Research Laboratory (LAPAA) works on endocrinological studies, mainly in syndromes and disorders involving steroids, for example Cushing's disease.