Director of the Center for Agro-aquaculture Nutritional Genomics: “It is urgent and vital to communicate the science that is being done”

For the second year, the Regional Government of La Araucanía, together with the Center for Agro-aquatic Nutritional Genomics (CGNA), in Temuco, has organized Science Week, whose slogan for 2022 is Living-with Science, precisely what its director, Haroldo Salvo-Garrido , transmits to the entire team and seeks to communicate to those who connect to the dissemination space organized from July 25 to 29, 2022.By Lorenzo Palma, Science in Chile.- Haroldo Salvo-Garrido is a native of Cunco, or in Mapudungun from the clear water sector, which is a commune in the region of La Araucanía, which is surrounded by fields and nature. It was here that he studied at the Juan Bosco de Cunco school, an establishment that his own father helped build and where he had multigrade classes —he remembers fondly—. source the needs of the rural world, especially in the region where today he focuses his leadership and research together with his work team, since the CGNA has been recognized as one of the main research centers in the country, but not just any, one that is concerned with contributing to a better quality of life and possibility for the inhabitants of the territory —says the director of the CGNA—. Without a doubt, it is its hallmark. In 2014, the Center for Agro-aquatic Nutritional Genomics won the award of the national award for Innovation, AVONNI, for the development of AluProt-CGNA and the creation of a joint venture with peasant family farmers from La Araucanía .

Studies

Haroldo Salvo-Garrido is a doctor in Genomic Analysis and Agricultural Engineer. He was the first graduate of the generation in the agronomy degree at the Universidad de la Frontera. Recalling the undergraduate degree, Dr. Salvo says that “the biochemistry and biology courses were the ones I loved the most. I liked calculus a lot, but biology was my passion, I was also fascinated with biochemistry and genetics, super”.

He was also the manager of the dream of the CGNA Center 11 years ago for La Araucanía, together with a team from INIA, UFRO and the Catholic University of Temuco, they were awarded funds to give life to the first years of the CGNA.

“This space is for young people and researchers who want to fly in the subject of science, who want to contribute. Our mystique fits very well with the motto of our second Science Week, which is Live- with science, I have always lived with science. I also highlight that the Regional Government of La Araucanía is an example at the national level, since it has been committed to financing science and development from the beginning and today it is our main strategic partner”, he expresses.

Haroldo is passionate about scientific research, “I was born for this, this is my great passion,” he says and remembers when he was just a child, getting into trouble as a result of his curiosity. For him the competition is with oneself and the most advantaged must collaborate and help others. Science is the same, according to his vision, science that does not communicate does not make sense, nor does science that only seeks the paper and moves away from the context in which it is developed.

“CGNA scientists must be highly motivated to generate a result that changes someone’s life. This region is the poorest in Chile; it is suffering great losses due to climate change and today it is something much more urgent”, maintains the director of the CGNA. Currently the region has a 7.8% unemployment rate.

The constant changes in science

Part of his objectives as director is to contribute as much as he can from the CGNA, that’s why since the creation of the center he remembers that it has been a constant mutation.

“Just as it happens in nature, we have been mutating, the richest thing of all is that we have been locating scientists, a complete communication, administration-management team, with the look that these research centers should have. Our science advances in science with territorial relevance, with contribution to the community where it is inserted”, explains the director of the center.

“Science of great impact that transforms and improves the quality of life of the territory. It exasperates me that it is the poorest region of the country. We are one of the regions that has serious water problems. How can we help through science? That is why our focus is to do science with meaning and belonging”, she added.

From July 25 to 29, five chapters of the “Science Week – Living with Science” program will be broadcast on social networks of the CGNA and Science in Chile, to disseminate and bring scientific research closer to different audiences. Among the topics, they will talk about why some plants do not get sick?; The science behind food, specifically bioactive compounds, will also be delved into; another of the questions that give life to a program is about: proteins of vegetable or animal origin?; and, the value chain of vegetable protein and the entire process from the laboratory to the field will also be addressed as a topic; Finally, in the last episode, the experience of entrepreneurs in the region with Science will be addressed.

The Center has key technological units for the execution of science and technology of impact, incubation and transfer of knowledge in the agri-food sector that involve: Genomics, Food, Chemistry, In vitro cultivation and greenhouses, Experimental field site and a Pilot Plant semi-industrial with five processing lines, with sanitary resolution and under HACCP standard.

One of the achievements to highlight is that the Center’s scientists generated the genetic map of Lupinus luteus and identified the first gene reported for resistance to Anthracnose in the species, comments the director. Due to the severity of this fungal disease, especially in small-scale agriculture, where it can compromise the entire production, a great impact is projected on agriculture and the food industry.

Why is Science Week important to CGNA?

“There is no point in doing science, if nobody knows that one lives With-Science. Our goal for CGNA Science Week is for the community to become more immersed in living with science. If you watch the news, you will realize that problems are reported, but solutions are never reported. One begins to get frustrated, because it seems that nobody does anything to overcome the great challenges. This week is a contribution, a small grain of sand, so that it is understood that doing science and living with science can overcome problems. There are many institutions that do fantastic things for the good of the country, but nobody knows. We can show small examples of everything we do”, he says.

CGNA has active collaboration with national and international universities, the food industry, companies, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, etc.

“If scientific research catches your attention, applied research attracts you or you see any possibility of learning more about the center’s work, the invitation is to participate in Science Week 2022, through our social networks”, concludes Dr. Haroldo Salvo, director of the CGNA.