Paola Armijo

Chile is one of the world’s largest producers of rainbow trout. However, the emergence and spread of diseases caused by pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses can can result in significant losses for the aquaculture industry. 

Among these viral infections, infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) has become the leading cause of disease-related mortality in the species. According to Sernapesca’s health report for the 2021–2023 period, the virus shows an average incidence rate of 19.9% in seawater farms and 20.18% in freshwater facilities.

Computed tomography (CT) scans have become an essential tool in modern medicine due to their speed and ability to produce detailed images of bones, organs, and soft tissues, facilitating the timely diagnosis of diseases.

Depending on their radiation dose, CT scans are classified as standard or low-dose. Low-dose CT scans expose the patient to a lower radiation dose during the exam, although they have a significant limitation: they produce images with lower resolution and higher visual noise.

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.”

After two years of work, the closing event for the Fondef project “CuBacti, a feed additive to combat infections caused by marine pathogens affecting the salmon industry” was held. The initiative was led by Dr. Brenda Modak and researcher Dr. Mick Parra, along with a research team from the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology.

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.