Experience

Universidad Andres Bello

• Chile
• Education Management
• 700 & Above Employee

• Assistant Professor

  • May 2022 - Present



Centro de Biotecnología de Sistemas Universidad Andrés Bello

• Chile
• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• R&D Area Director - Center for Systems Biotechnology (CSB-UNAB)

  • Jan 2022 - Present

  In charge of the Bioeconomy Area of the Center for Systems Biotechnology (CSB-UNAB). In charge of the Bioeconomy Area of the Center for Systems Biotechnology (CSB-UNAB).



Fraunhofer Chile

• Chile
• Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Interim Executive Director

  • Oct 2021 - Dec 2021

  In charge of the negotiation for the transfer of the Center for Systems Biotechnology to Universidad Andrés Bello and the closing of the Center in Fraunhofer Chile Research.

• Head of Bioeconomy Area

  • Nov 2017 - Dec 2021

  Area Business Manager of the Bioeconomy Area (formerly known as Agro, Foods and Ingredients Business Area) at Fraunhofer Chile. Coordination of a team (> 10 scientists) with a annual budget > 1MM USD. More than 50 industry and public-related projects in the last 4 years.Research Topics: sustainable agriculture and policies, sustainable pollination, biorefinery and circular economy from agro-industrial waste, applied molecular biology, environmental DNA implementation, development of functional and nutraceutical foods and ingredients, production of microencapsulated extracts with specific activity, among others. . Show less



Fundación Copec-UC

• Chile

• Co director at COPEC-UC "14° Concurso Nacional de Proyectos de Desarrollo de Recursos Naturales. "

  • Jan 2017 - Nov 2017

  Co-director of the Project 2016.R.658 “Microalgae with phytase activity for animal nutrition” to be realized at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Phytic acid (myo-inositol hexaphosphate) is a nutritionally inactive compound found in grains used in animal feeding, and accounts for two-thirds of the phosphorus on them. It is poorly digested by monogastric animals, such as poultry and pigs, as they lack the hydrolytic enzyme phytase, causing low phosphorous bioavailability. Additionally, it is considered an important anti-nutrient as it has the ability to chelate other important dietary minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Moreover, it is responsible of an important environmental issue as it might contribute to water and soil eutrophication through animal feces due to high phosphorous content. To overcome these dietary and environmental problems, livestock industry adds exogenous phytases in monogastric animal diets in order to induce phosphorous release in their digestive tract, greatly increasing production costs. We have developed transgenic microalgae lines expressing a fungal phytase, to be used as food supplement for monogastric animals. Algae have a high nutritional value and are easy to grow on a large scale. Our product will avoid phytase purification, reducing final costs. We have designed two constructions containing a mutated - high activity at low pH - A.niger phyA gene, under the control of the constitutively active PsaD promoter and an enhanced HSP70/RbcS2 promoter, respectively. We used the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to express the enzyme. This work has been already been published, and through this Copec-UC grant we are going to test it in vivo in swine, in order to obtain a working commercial prototype. Show less



Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Postdoctoral Researcher

  • Nov 2014 - Oct 2017

  FONDECYT Grant #3150259 "FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID IN NANNOCHLOROPSIS".Main investigator of the FONDECYT Postdoctoral Grant N° 3150259 “Functional characterization of eicosapentaenoic acid biosynthesis in Nannochloropsis oceanica” at the Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory in the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. The main aim of this project is to unveil the biosynthetic pathway of the omega-3 eicosapentaenoic fatty acid (EPA) in Nannochloropsis oceanica. This microalga is one of the principal EPA producers in the world, and through these results I want to develop new transgenic strains with increased omega-3 fatty acids to use as livestock feedstuffs. Show less

• Postdoctoral Associate

  • Aug 2012 - Oct 2014

  Technological consortium for biodiesel production from microalgae.Associate investigator associated to the CORFO INNOVA 09CTEI6861-02 project “Genetic, Physiological and Molecular Characterization of Microalgae From the North of Chile for Biofuel Production”. Team leader in charge of the laboratory work related to the molecular and phenotypic identification of microalgae strains isolated in the north of Chile. Additionally, responsible for the production of transgenic lines with enhanced neutral lipid production and the subsequent biochemical analysis. Experience in lipidomics and transcriptomics approaches and complementary technologies (qPCR, RT-PCR, Western blots, microscopy, immunotechniques, among others). Show less

• PhD in Cell & Molecular Biology

  • 2008 - Apr 2013

  Characterization of the transcriptional regulation and function of a primary metabolism seed-specific gene in Arabidopsis thaliana.

• Master in Biological Sciences

  • 2006 - 2008



Pinto Piga Seeds S.A.

• Scientific Advisor

  • Jul 2013 - Dec 2014

  R&D department management. External scientific consultant in charge of the laboratory accreditation for the National Agriculture and Animal Service (SAG) for the detection of the PPV virus strain D in apricots, plums and peaches; fungi and oomycetes in seeds of Solanaceae for exportation; and another virus in Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae. Additionally, involved in parallel projects, among which are the development of biological sterilization controls and the production of natural extracts for phytomedicine-related products. Show less



Fundación Ciencia Para la Vida

• Fundación Ciencia Para La Vida

• Undergrad Thesis

  • 2004 - 2006

  Development of molecular markers for different types of cancer. Development of molecular markers for different types of cancer.