The University of Concepción was the location chosen to launch the Science, Technology and Innovation Performance Agreement on Bioeconomy, which is funded by the Ministry of Education and aims to strengthen the scientific, technological, management and transfer capabilities of this university.
The project, which will be implemented by the Technological Development Unit (UDT) and the Biotechnology Center, “is an ambitious initiative that seeks to establish a paradigm change in research and development,” said Bernabé Rivas, Vice-rector for Research and Development of UdeC.
Meanwhile, Alex Berg, Executive Director of UDT and who will lead the project, said that the oil age in which we are would come to an end and make the way for bioeconomy, characterized by the sustainable use of biomass such as raw material to obtain biomaterials, chemical products and energy”.
Berg also said that changing production paradigm offers great opportunities for Chile, because the country has no fossil resources, but has abundant biomass, mainly from the forest and at the lowest cost. In addition, there are companies with global leadership, a good level in science and technology and skilled personnel.
In this line, the director of UDT said that the lines of work of the project aim to obtain high added value products from biomass such as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and food additives, but without neglecting traditional ones such as boards and cellulose.
This initiative has the support of the University of North Carolina in the U.S. and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.
Performance Agreement
Jorge Yutronic, person in charge of Innovation Performance Agreements in Higher Education of the Ministry of Education said the aim is that innovations being developed within the university can be transformed into results that are directly useful to society in terms of health, industries and in different types of applications.