News and Events  
 
Course on Patents and Industrial Property  
Under the direction of Dr. Bernardita Méndez, President of the Fundación Ciencia para la Vidathe Ph.D. program in Biotechnology of the Universidad Andrés Bello and Fundación Ciencia para la Vida launched an Advanced Course on Patents, Regulatory and Quality Affairs in Biotechnology. This course will give students the basic concepts on patenting, its advantages and disadvantages and local and international requirements for patenting. Actual patents in Biotechnology will be studied. The processes for the registration of health related products and GMOs in Chile, Europe and the USA will be analyzed, as well as the quality requirements for the biotechnology industry (concept of total quality). Invited speakers from state agencies as well as from the legal and business fields will discuss special subjects.

 
 
Chile Invita a Chile: Molecular genetics of plants at the MIFAB  
Continuing with our Program “Chile Invita a Chile” Dr. Juan Pablo Sánchez, from the Department of Plant Molecular Biology at Rockefeller University (New York) will visit the MIFAB during the latter part of May 2003 and will participate in discussions with senior members and students of our Institute. On May 29 he will give a Seminar on “RESPUESTA AL ACIDO ABSICICO EN ADAPTACION AL STRESS EN PLANTAS: ANALISIS GENOMICO”. This presentation will be held at 10:00 AM at the Auditorio Abate Molina of the Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontificia Universidad Católica. Dr. Sánchez will present data regarding the signal transduction pathways that links ABA to the regulation of gene expression regulation and seed maturation using microarray analysis (Affymetrix ATH1 chip, 24000 genes) to determine new components of the ABA signal response pathway and its relation to the stress response. He will also present new data using transgenic lines that emulate ABA responses.

 
New Ph.D. Program in Biotechnology.  
In order to contribute to the training of young scientists interested in the application of biological sciences to the productive Chileansector, the Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello (UNAB) in collaboration with Fundación Ciencia Para la Vida has started a new Ph.D. Program in Biotechnology. This Program integrates the concepts of science and business. Both Fundación Ciencia para la Vida, and la UNAB (together with the Pontificia Universidad Católica) are hosting institutions of the MIFAB, whose Director, Dr. Pablo Valenzuela is also Director of this new Ph.D. Program. During ††?d? three school terms the students take advanced courses and carry on research activities. Of paramount importance to this Program is research and development activities carried out by the students in the productive enterprises associated to the program..