Inicio Research Lines RP2 – Animal Health in Early Life Stages of Salmonids and Native Resources RP2 Team
Dr. Ruben Avendaño-Herrera is an Aquaculture Engineer with a bachelor’s in marine sciences from Universidad de Antofagasta (1997). He holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the Microbiology and Parasitology program at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain (2005), and a Post-Doctorate from the Universidad Andrés Bello (2010-2013). From 2006 to 2009, Dr. Rubén Avendaño-Herrera worked as a researcher at the pharmaceutical company Veterquímica Ltda., and in 2010, he joined to Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB). Currently, he is a Full Professor and director of the Laboratory of Pathology of Aquatic Organisms and Aquaculture Biotechnology at UNAB. He is also the Principal Investigator at INCAR.
Dr. Ruben Avendaño-Herrera main research topics include aquaculture pathology, aquatic organisms’ diseases, biotechnological tools applied to aquaculture, standardization of procedures to control and validate the appropriate use of antibiotics, and the development of vaccines against aquatic pathologies. He has authored over 120 articles (mainly indexed by WoS) and 7 book chapters, including one book on infectious diseases in salmon farming in Chile and worldwide. He is also referee for more than 30 international journals and member of the editorial board of Journal of Fish Disease.
Dr. Ruben Avendaño-Herrera has participated in 29 projects (national and international), 17 of them as principal investigator. He has supervised 11 doctoral theses, sponsored postdoctoral researchers, has participated as a committee member for 25 undergraduate theses. He has been part of the Animal Health and Production Committee of FONDECYT and served as its president and is currently a member of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Committee of FONDEF. He is also a member of various evaluation committees for different funds/grants from ANID and a member of the Aquaculture Working Group of CLSI.
Read MoreDr. Alfredo Molina Sirguiado is a prominent researcher at the INCAR center in Chile, focusing on fish biology and aquaculture. His work centers on studying the effects of cortisol on the physiology, metabolism, and immunology of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
During the LXI Annual Meeting of the Chilean Society of Biology in 2018, he presented several studies that demonstrate the impact of cortisol on the transcriptional response of skeletal muscle and the expression of receptors in the liver. He has also focused on the immune activity of muscle cells exposed to Piscirickettsia salmonis and on the non-genomic effects of cortisol on signaling pathways, thereby contributing to the understanding of how environmental stressors affect fish growth.
Read MoreDr. Juan Antonio Valdes is a Full Professor and the director of the Biotechnology Engineering program at Andrés Bello University (UNAB), as well as an associated researcher at the INCAR center. His research focuses on issues of growth and stress in aquaculture-important organisms. He is leading his fourth Fondecyt project and has over 80 publications in WOS, with an h-index of 23. As an educator, he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses related to aquaculture biotechnology. To date, he has supervised 4 doctoral theses, 14 Master’s theses, more than 30 undergraduate theses, and a significant number of research internships and practica.
Read MoreDr. Pamela Thomson Morales graduated as a Veterinarian in 2002 and began her specialization in Microbiology and Mycology by pursuing a Master's degree at the University of Chile. She then moved to Spain to continue with a PhD in Biomedicine at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
In 2020, she joined Andrés Bello University (UNAB), where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and is a member of the faculty and academic body of the Doctorate in Conservation Medicine.
She is the founder and current director of the Clinical Microbiology and Microbiome laboratory (UNAB), located at "Avda. Lo Pinto, Chicureo Colina," where teaching, research, and microbiological diagnostics activities are carried out in direct collaboration with the veterinary clinical hospital.
Read MoreI studied biochemistry, I have a Master's degree in Higher Education and a PhD in Science with a specialization in Chemistry. I have a postdoc in Animal Health from ANID.
Read MoreDegree in Biotechnology Engineering in 2019. Research Assistant for RP2 at the UNAB Molecular Biotechnology Lab until 2021. PhD in Biotechnology from 2022 to present, ANID fellow. Application approved in 2023. UNAB professor since 2020 to present, courses in Cell Physiology and Aquaculture Biotechnology. Participates in writing scientific articles and in national and international conferences.
Read MoreIngeniero en Biotecnología con experiencia en patología de organismos acuáticos. Desde 2021 me desempeño como Asistente de Investigación en el Laboratorio de Patología de Organismos Acuáticos y Biotecnología Acuícola (UNAB), participando en estudios de patógenos bacterianos, técnicas de biología molecular, análisis bioinformático y desarrollo de métodos diagnósticos en acuicultura. Comprometido con una acuicultura sostenible y el trabajo en equipos multidisciplinarios.
Read MoreMy interest in science was born during my undergraduate studies, where, thanks to the motivation of my professors and my desire to learn, I was able to successfully engage in scientific work as a research assistant. This work concluded with a scientific publication in an indexed journal. I also gained experience in wildlife management, capturing, handling, and sampling different wildlife species. I hold a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Universidad Mayor and worked as a research assistant at the Center for Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES UC). I currently serve as Deputy Director of the Center for School Scientific Research (CICE) and as a doctoral candidate in Conservation Medicine at Universidad Andrés Bello. My greatest inspiration is to be an agent of change, motivated by ecological and conservationist thinking. Through my innovative ideas, I seek to contribute to the fight against global change and impact human development.
Read MoreEduardo holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine and a Master's degree in Aquaculture and Marine Biotechnology from CICESE, Mexico. He has participated in research projects including the genetic characterization of Seriola lalandi from various geographic locations in Mexico, Australia, and Chile (CICESE, Mexico); the identification of drug-resistant bacterial isolates (UABC, Mexico); and the detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shrimp (IPN, Mexico). He was also part of the Pacifico Aquaculture company, dedicated to the production of striped bass (Morone saxatilis). Since 2023, he has been part of the Laboratory of Pathology of Aquatic Organisms and Aquaculture Biotechnology (UNAB) and the Marine Actinobacteria Laboratory (UTFSM). He is currently pursuing a PhD in Biotechnology (PUCV-UTFSM-UNAB), focusing on the study of emerging pathogens in fish and the search for antibacterial compounds for their control.
Read MoreRodrigo Zuloaga holds a degree in Biotechnology Engineering (2013) and is currently a PhD candidate in Biotechnology at Andrés Bello University. For eight years, he worked as a research assistant and administrator in the Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory at the same university, specializing in the genomic, metabolic, endocrine, and physiological mechanisms of stress response in different aquaculture species. He also has experience teaching undergraduate courses on cellular physiology and biotechnology applied to aquaculture. To date, he has published more than 30 scientific articles in indexed journals (WOS/ISI) and has given more than 50 presentations at national and international scientific conferences.
Read MoreCamila Godoy Diaz holds a degree in Biotechnology from Andrés Bello University (2019-2021).
She is currently a Research Assistant and Lab Manager at the Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory. She teaches General Physiology and Aquaculture Biotechnology at Andrés Bello University (2023-present) and participates in various FONDECYT and FONDAP INCAR projects. She has published scientific papers and participated in national and international conferences.
Katalina Llanos-Azócar is a Marine Biologist and holds a degree in Marine Sciences from the Andrés Bello University (2019 - 2023). Since 2024, she has worked as a research assistant in the Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory for the FONDECYT 1230794 and FONDAP 1523A0007 INCAR projects within the RP2 line (Animal Health in Early Life Stages of Salmonids and Native Resources). She is also a professor of the "Aquaculture Biotechnology" subject in the Biotechnology Engineering program at the Andrés Bello University. Since 2022, she has collaborated on various FONDECYT and FONDAP INCAR research projects, in addition to participating in six national and international conferences and contributing to various scientific articles.
Read MoreI am a Biochemist graduated from PUCV with a solid background in chemistry and both cellular and molecular biology. In May 2023, I completed my master's degree in clinical analysis at UV, which allowed me to deepen my knowledge of immunology, microbiology, genetics, and quality management, among others. I am a person of integrity, committed, with critical thinking and analytical skills for problem-solving. Since I was little, I was always drawn to the sciences, which offer many fields to explore. I am very interested in continuing to expand my knowledge and develop new skills, as I believe that ongoing training is essential for professional development.
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