Paola Armijo

Climate change is significantly altering the quality and fertility of agricultural land, hindering its capacity to retain nutrients, capture moisture, and support vegetation. To combat this phenomenon, the use of microorganisms such as cyanobacteria offers an effective solution.

In response, Usach’s Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, specifically its Plant Biochemistry and Phytoremediation Laboratory, is developing a multifunctional biotechnological tool based on these living organisms to enhance soil adaptability and mitigate the climate crisis.

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 Aquaculture Biotechnology Center (CBA) held an event to officially present the remodeled facilities of the Experimental Fish Unit (UEP) and celebrate the first anniversary of the Aqua Biotechnology Consortium.

The event was attended by the Center’s research and professional team, led by its director, Dr. Claudio Acuña. Also in attendance were Dr. Alberto Monsalve, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Creation at Usach; Dr. Bernardo Morales, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology; and Geraldine Mlynarz, Director of the Aqua Biotechnology Consortium.

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.

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.

The Aquaculture Biotechnology Center (CBA) held an event to officially present the remodeled facilities of the Experimental Fish Unit (UEP) and celebrate the first anniversary of the Aqua Biotechnology Consortium.

The event was attended by the Center’s research and professional team, led by its director, Dr. Claudio Acuña. Also in attendance were Dr. Alberto Monsalve, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Creation at Usach; Dr. Bernardo Morales, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology; and Geraldine Mlynarz, Director of the Aqua Biotechnology Consortium.

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.

The technology known as Iodine Autogenous Fusion (IAF), developed at the University of Santiago in Chile, has been granted a patent in Japan, adding to the patent already obtained in Chile and the patent application filed in the United States.

This innovation is led by Dr. Ricardo Vega Viveros, an academic and researcher at the Faculty of Engineering (FING), and emerged as a solution to the problems of the iodine refining process in our country, which is notorious for being discontinuous, complex, costly, and environmentally hazardous.

Las preferencias alimentarias han evolucionado en los últimos años, reflejándose en una creciente demanda por opciones de platos más saludables, sostenibles y con menor desperdicio de productos. 

En respuesta a esta tendencia, restaurantes, casinos y otros servicios alimentarios han comenzado a diversificar sus preparaciones, pero considerando otras variables como la planificación de las minutas, los costos operacionales y la logística, entre otros. En este contexto, la tecnología se ha convertido en una gran aliada clave para abordar estos desafíos.