Proyectos

A critical global public health problem is the rise of multidrug-resistant pathogens. In Chile, this crisis increases patient mortality rates by 42% due to a critical shortage of effective medical treatments.

This crisis, which incurs a significant public health system cost, is being tackled by the Biomaterials Chemistry Laboratory at the Usach Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, where researchers have spent four years designing a clinical dressing to treat chronic infected wounds.

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).

Thanks to his project “MWD-DEM-BIM Geotechnical Digital Twin: Rock Mass Characterization and Efficient Construction,” Dr. Alberto Fernández Osorio, a faculty member in the Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Santiago (Dimin Usach), recently won Codelco’s “Piensa Minería” competition in the Master’s degree category.

Development economics increasingly focuses on how household health conditions and caregiving responsibilities shape economic participation, particularly for heads of household. In this regard, disability is understood as a phenomenon that transcends the individual, reshaping family structures, income, and employment opportunities for those who take on caregiving roles.

As energy transitions and technology advance, lithium-ion batteries have become the gold standard for modern energy storage. From everyday electronics to electric vehicles (EVs), their efficiency, high capacity, and long-term durability drive the future of clean power.

On the second floor of the Usach Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, a laboratory with long benches and wide hallways stretches out in silence, without much decoration, except for a few research posters hanging on the walls that break up the monotony of the white walls.

Traditionally limited to recreational use or audiovisual recording, drones have now seen widespread adoption across diverse industrial sectors. According to the UAV Drones Market Size 2025 report, this integration is driven by a 49% increase in agricultural applications and a 41% rise in demand for industrial inspections. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now critical assets, providing access to hazardous environments, reducing personnel risk, and executing high-speed monitoring and exploration tasks.

For over a century, physics studies have sought to decode the fundamental laws governing the universe, from subatomic particles to the vast structures of space-time. Central to this effort is quantum mechanics, which reveals that matter follows non-intuitive rules determining physical phenomena.

With the project “Enhancing biohydrogen production from winery wastewater through dark fermentation using iron-based residues,” Dr. Yeney Lauzurique, from the USACH Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses, was awarded a prestigious Fondecyt Iniciación 2026 grant. This achievement reinforces the Faculty of Engineering’s leadership in sustainable research and innovative chemical engineering solutions.

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.