The Director-General, Lawrence Banks and Chief, External Relations Marianna Maculan visited partner institutes in Member State Chile in April 2022.
From 26 to 29 April this year, Dr. Banks and Ms. Maculan visited Chile, an ICGEB Member State since 1994. The mission was coordinated by Dr. Alexis Kalergis, member of the ICGEB Council of Scientific Advisers from Chile and Director of the Instituto Milenio de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, IMII.
The mission is one of a series of science diplomacy visits to ICGEB Member countries and included meetings in Santiago, with Dr. Flavio Salazar Onfray, the Chilean Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, newly-appointed ICGEB Governor for Chile, and with the Director of the Department of Science and Technology, Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The delegation met with Prof. Ignacio Sánchez Díaz, President, and Prof. Pedro Bouchon Aguirre, Vice President for Research, of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, where Dr. Banks presented a seminar and held a meeting with Dr. María Inés Barría, ICGEB Liaison Officer for Chile.
The three-day mission concluded with a meeting with Dr. Álvaro Fischer Abeliuk, President of the newly-formed Presidential Scientific Advisory Council in Chile; a great tour de force strengthening the collaboration between ICGEB and Chile.
Seminars
The delegation traveled to Concepción, the location of the IMMI Museum of Immunology and Vaccination exhibition, where Dr. Kalergis and Dr. Banks delivered scientific presentations at the University of Concepción.
Dr. Pablo González, Researcher at IMII, who had earlier moderated Dr. Banks’ seminar at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, referred to ICGEB as “an international agency dedicated to the development of biotechnology, which gives privilege to training human capital. It provides special economic support to young researchers, allowing them to commence their independent scientific careers. ICGEB also promotes science communication and training by financing meetings, courses, and conferences”.
Further reading:
30 April 2022: Chile necesita aumentar vacunación contra virus papiloma humano Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile