The IBR is home to a large number of researchers and fellows who contribute to the growth of scientific knowledge.

The Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Rosario (IBR), dependent on the Universidad Nacional de Rosario and CONICET, is a space that houses a large number of researchers and fellows who contribute significantly to the growth of scientific knowledge, both locally and nationally.

“The growth of the IBR is the result of a combination of key factors. On the one hand, we have a critical mass of international researchers who make high-impact scientific contributions. On the other hand, the institute is supported by a committed team of technicians, professionals and administrative staff who provide essential support for the development of projects,” explained the Director of this research center, Javier Palatnik.

Since its creation in 1999, the IBR has been dedicated to generating and disseminating knowledge in biological sciences and promoting biotechnological development. Through research and teaching, it always seeks to meet the needs of society. 

The institute stands out for its commitment to quality science and technology transfer, providing solutions to different problems. Many of its discoveries have resulted in patents, products on the market and agreements with companies, as well as the creation of technology-based companies.

Palatnik indicated that it is essential that science and technology be developed with the highest possible quality, since this process continuously generates talent. “Many of the highly qualified people who are trained and educated at the IBR acquire skills in problem solving, and join the private sector of the region, promoting innovation. Others act as entrepreneurs, creating new technology-based companies (startups) in our province,” he commented and added: “Attracting talented students and scholarship holders, mainly from the UNR, has been fundamental in this growth. Their doctoral theses, dissertations and postdoctoral projects have promoted innovative research, consolidating the growth of the IBR.”

With more than 200 people working on different lines of research and more than 5000 square meters of laboratories, workshops and state-of-the-art equipment, the IBR is a reference center. Currently, it has 26 work groups distributed in three main areas: Biomedicine, where infectious diseases and antibiotics are investigated, among other topics; Microbiology, which covers metabolic engineering and the study of interactions between bacteria and plants; and Molecular Biology of Plants, focused on improving plant characteristics to obtain specific benefits.

Since its creation, the IBR has trained more than 300 doctors and completed more than 300 undergraduate theses, which are developed in coordination with UNR programs. “The thematic axes we work on are aimed at discovering new processes and constantly innovating. As a result of this process, tools with practical applications are developed, some of them even immediate. A concrete example is a group from the institute that, by studying how viruses work, during the pandemic developed a kit that allowed the detection of COVID, and created a company called DetxMol,” he explained. 

Thanks to its technological infrastructure, the IBR also offers services to more than 30 local and regional companies, carrying out studies and analyses that they could not develop on their own.

A bridge between science and society

The IBR is recognized for having different proposals that seek to connect science with citizens. Some of them are linked to activities exclusively for primary and secondary school students, students in the first years of university, open days where laboratories are open to the community so that they can learn about the different research carried out there. 

But if there is one activity par excellence that is committed to dialogue, it is the Bioleaders workshop that has been organized every year since 2013 and whose objective is to convene relevant figures (such as government authorities, journalists, businessmen, etc.) to scientific work, and thus, provide them with tools that can be useful when making decisions in certain situations that involve aspects of biotechnology.

“For years, biotechnology has been established as a key tool for the economic development of countries. However, understanding its scope and complexity is not intuitive, and the people responsible for making political decisions or communicating them generally do not have a disciplinary background in biotechnology. The workshop agenda has evolved over time, also incorporating advances in science and technology. For example, gene editing using CRISPR, which was not in the original program, is now one of the central topics,” said the Director of the IBR. 

She also stressed that this constant updating requires prior work in the preparation of each workshop, always seeking to adapt to the context and needs of the moment. “Over the years, many relevant political figures have participated in Biolíderes, including three former governors, the current vice-governor, as well as provincial and national deputies and senators. Today, Santa Fe has its own Law on Science and Technology and a Provincial Agency to promote financing. Although each administration in our province has given it its own particular imprint, this structure has remained firm throughout the political changes, which highlights Santa Fe as an exception compared to the national situation. We like to think that Biolíderes has contributed to this continuity, and a sustained commitment to science and technology.”

Putting knowledge into value

In recent years, ten technology-based companies have emerged from the IBR's research and professional development, demonstrating a strong commitment to adding value to the knowledge generated in order to have a direct impact on the productive innovation sector.

In the quest to expand and consolidate the scientific and technological ecosystem in the region, in 2015 the IBR promoted the creation of Bio.R, a space for the acceleration of technology-based companies where IBR scientists and fellows have chosen to become entrepreneurs and create technological start-ups. “When we started, the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region was incipient, which made our accelerator the first of its kind within the scope of CONICET. Today, the panorama has changed and there are more accessible financing options, facilitating the creation and development of start-ups as part of a more consolidated entrepreneurial ecosystem,” recalled Javier Palatnik. 

Companies created by researchers who are currently still working at this institute include Inmet, a pioneer in Argentina in the development of genetically optimized organisms for the production of compounds with high added value and minimal environmental impact; Keclon, which offers innovative enzyme-based solutions to improve industrial performance and preserve the environment; Detxmol, which provides solutions for molecular diagnosis in clinical analysis laboratories; Fecundis, which improves success rates in assisted reproduction; and Exo+, specialized in the creation of modified exosomes for applications in medical clinics.

In addition, there are companies founded by researchers and fellows after their stay and training at the IBR, such as BioHeuris, which specializes in agrobiotechnology and develops sustainable systems for weed management; Syocin, which creates high-precision biobacteriacides to eliminate bacteria that affect crop production and distribution; Mosquita Feed, which transforms organic waste into sustainable, high-value products for animal feed, such as flour, oils and fertilizers; and Kresko, which supplements with small natural molecules to reprogram the cells of the human body, promoting the growth, development and regeneration of tissues in various circumstances.

Palatnik appreciated that this process is still underway, with new companies in development, some already created and incubated within the institute, and others that have grown enough to operate independently. “Just as there is a virtuous wheel in the formation of talent and human resources that are incorporated into the productive sector, there is also a similar process in the generation of technology-based companies. For this reason, it is essential that this wheel that is beginning to turn continues to be maintained over time so that we can see that its results have an increasing impact on our society.”

Journalist: Gonzalo J. García