The National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) announced the results of the Fondef IDeA R&D 2026 competition, which received a total of 871 applications and awarded funding to 102 projects, representing 11.71% of the initiatives submitted.
The Chilean aquaculture industry faces ongoing productivity challenges, including emerging viral diseases that severely impact fish health and cause significant production losses.
To provide innovative solutions, the University of Santiago de Chile (Usach) executed the Fondef IT project: “Validation of a Prototype Vaccine Against Piscine Reovirus 1 (PRV-1)", demonstrating a pilot recombinant vaccine's protective potential in Atlantic salmon. The study was led by researchers Dr. Marcelo Cortez (Faculty of Chemistry and Biology) and Dr. Yesseny Vásquez (Faculty of Medical Sciences).
The presentation of the scope and expected results marked the launch event for the Fondef project “Scaling Up the Dynamic Vibration Absorber System Applied to the Mitigation of Noise Induced by Railroad Tracks,” which is being developed by the University of Santiago de Chile (Usach).
Automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced sensor integration are driving the transition toward a safer, more efficient, and sustainable mining industry.
Among the most critical stages in mineral processing is comminution—the energy-intensive process of reducing rock size. This stage is highly complex; oversized rocks frequently block crushers and screens, causing costly operational downtime and disrupting production continuity.
The Center for Food Science and Technology Studies (CECTA) at the University of Santiago (USACH), a recognized leader in yeast production for the wine industry, is expanding its focus to the baking sector through a novel applied research initiative.
The Fondef IDeA R&D project, “Obtaining a strain of yeast that overproduces ergosterol for use in the production of bread supplemented with vitamin D,” is led by Dr. Eduardo Kessi-Pérez, a researcher at Cecta.
As the world's top copper producer, Chile's output is significant, reaching 5.3 million metric tons in 2024 and accounting for over 20% of global production in 2023, per Statista.
To sustain its leadership, the national mining industry faces the imperative of increasing copper sulfide and oxide concentrate production. This demands optimizing current mineral extraction and processing systems.
A new production matrix for copper concentrates would incur a significant increase in water consumption during flotation, the key mineral separation process.
The University of Santiago has a solid portfolio of legally protected technologies, including patents, microorganism registrations, industrial designs, and other intellectual property (IP) mechanisms.
These innovations have a direct impact on areas such as health, food, mining, clean energy, nanotechnology, and education, among others. But why is it crucial to protect research results? As part of Intellectual Property Day, celebrated on April 26, academics from Usach share their experiences and views on the importance of IP as a way to protect knowledge.
A closing event marked the conclusion of the Fondef project, “Development of a new bactericide based on lytic bacteriophages for the biological control of bacterial canker in cherry trees and bacterial spot in tomatoes, diseases caused by Pseudomonas syringae.” Progress and results were presented at the gathering.
This initiative was led by Dr. Antonio Castillo Nara, a professor in the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology. Dr. Andrea Mahn Osses, professor and acting dean of the Faculty of Engineering, served as the project’s alternate director.
In recent decades, human activity has severely threatened natural marine habitats, including reefs, estuaries, and mangroves.
The increasing expansion of underwater and coastal infrastructure poses a major threat, with the construction of ports, breakwaters, and platforms leading to significant ecosystem alterations.
While Chile is recognized worldwide for its high production of wine, pisco, and bread, the industry remains heavily reliant on imported yeasts. Thus, it is essential to strengthen scientific and technological capabilities to develop local solutions and reduce dependence on external suppliers.