Driven by its rich biological and genetic diversity, Chile is positioned to become a standout global producer of distinct, high-quality whiskies. To advance this emerging industry, the University of Santiago de Chile (Usach) is driving sustainable, biodiversity-led innovation through the R&D project “Development of Hybrid Yeasts of National Origin for Whisky Production.”
Early in the morning, silence still fills the hallways of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology at the University of Santiago de Chile (Usach). At the far end stands Dr. Francisco Cubillos’s lab—a vibrant, bright space filled with flasks, test tubes, and cutting-edge biotechnology equipment where groundbreaking yeast genetics research takes place.
Every year, millions of metric tons of plastic end up as waste, making plastic pollution one of the world’s major environmental challenges. According to global plastic waste statistics from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), more than 408 million metric tons of plastic waste are currently generated each year, but only about 9% is effectively recycled; the rest ends up incinerated, in landfills, or improperly disposed of in natural ecosystems.
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.
Under the Open Access Policy for Scientific Information and Research Data, Chile’s National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) is strengthening open science capacities across national universities. This initiative improves the visibility, availability, and reuse of scientific knowledge and research data generated through public funding.
Despite public policies like the REP and Single-Use Plastics laws, plastic waste management remains a significant national challenge. According to Fundación Chile, our country consumes nearly one million tons of plastic annually, with only a meager 8.5% being recycled.
To address this challenge, the University of Santiago (Usach) has partnered with the Juan Fernández Circular R&D project. Led by CircularTec and funded by ANID, the project’s goal is to treat plastic waste from a circular economy perspective and develop useful products for the archipelago’s community.
The Second International Congress of Scientific Journals (November 25–27) gathered global experts to discuss the future of academic publishing ecosystems, Open Science, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Hosted by the Catholic University of Maule, the event served as a critical forum for analyzing the evolving challenges in scientific metrics and publishing policies.
Representing the University of Santiago, Chile (Usach), the Dicyt (Office for Scientific and Technological Research) editorial team played a leading role in shaping the conversation around editorial equity.
The Vice-Rectorate for Research, Innovation and Creation (Vriic) successfully completed the series of workshops entitled “Open Access and Data: Complying with ANID and Dicyt Mandates,” developed during the first semester of 2025 by the Data, Statistics and Systems team.
A total of eleven applied research projects from the faculties of Engineering, Technology, Science, Medical Sciences, and Chemistry and Biology at the University of Santiago de Chile were awarded the Fondef IDeA I+D 2025 competition, organized by ANID. Nationwide, 129 initiatives will receive this funding.
For our institution, this result represents an 8.5% increase in awards compared to 2024, when eight proposals received funding. Institutional participation also expanded, with three to five faculties involved, while the number of applications grew from 44 to 51.
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.