Javier Vidal (Construction Engineering graduate) Héctor Herrera (Ph.D. in Natural Resource Sciences) and Daniela León (Ph.D. student in Sciences with specialization in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology) are the three winners of these initiatives.

Natural fiber for construction, the production of value-added orchids and a cream formula for the treatment of melanomas are the three initiatives the Universidad de La Frontera is going to develop within the framework of the Second Stage of Valorization of Research at Universities projects of FONDEF (Chilean Fund for the Support of Scientific and Technological Development). The investment is over 72 million Chilean pesos worth.

Javier Vidal, Héctor Herrera y Daniela León are the three winners of these initiatives. Javier is a graduate in Construction Engineering; Héctor has a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Sciences and Daniela is a Ph.D. student in Sciences with specialization in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology.

Javier will be working on a wet alkaline method to manufacture prefabricated boards of insulating, fire-resistant, sustainable and bio-based material, made of residual natural fiber from the agricultural sector and with a thermal conductivity that is similar to the traditional materials on the Chilean market. “Nowadays, the market of thermal insulating materials is dominated by derivatives of petrochemicals and minerals which are non-renewable and have a great impact on the environment. This way, the manufacturing of insulation materials from residual natural fiber seems like a great opportunity,” he commented.

At the same time, Dr. Herrera wants to produce orchids with ornamental value by incorporating endemic mycorrhizal fungi. “The fungi promote the germination of different orchid species through co-cultivation techniques, so I could improve the germination rates and achieve the production of seedlings that are destined for ornamental purposes.”

The third project is about the creation of a cream for topical use during photodynamic therapy in skin cancer treatment. Daniela León is in charge of this project and the idea is to produce a cream for topical use based on the methyl aminolevulinate photosensitizer precursor. “My proposal is an improved formula that assures a greater long-term effectiveness in photodynamic therapy for dermatologic preneoplastic or neoplastic lesions of non-melanoma skin cancer in order to decrease the recurrence rate."

APPROVED PROJECTS

Second stage of the 7th VALORIZATION OF RESEARCH AT UNIVERSITIES CONTEST 2017 of the FONDEF-Program of CONICYT (Chilean Commission for Scientific and Technological Research).

VIU17P0192 Development of insulating boards based on residual natural fiber for their use in sustainable construction.
Amount: 24.000.000 Chilean pesos
VIU17P0185 Design of an orchid production system with added ornamental value by using endemic mycorrhizal fungi.
Amount: 24.000.000 Chilean pesos
VIU17P0139 Development of a cream for topic use with an improved formula that assures a greater effectiveness of photodynamic therapy in non-melanoma skin cancer treatment.
Amount: 24.000.000 Chilean pesos

Written by: Lorena Espinoza
vice-rectorate of Research and Postgraduate Affairs