The mission of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is to cultivate the disciplines of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Chile. Our duty is to carry out research that broadens the horizon of these disciplines, disseminate and promote the creation of this scientific knowledge and its technological achievements.

It is also part of our mission to maintain the tradition of excellence in the training of students in these areas, enhancing undergraduate and graduate teaching. Implement initiatives leading to the continuous improvement of teaching, and participate in the search for new knowledge in related disciplines, enhancing the work of our faculty.

The vision is to be the best Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the country. Integrated by professors with recognized academic competencies, where the most varied tendencies of the work of these disciplines are represented and to be recognized as a fundamental part in the integral development of professionals of excellence in the area of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the country.

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is the unit in charge of coordinating and developing the teaching of the area of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the faculty, as well as cultivating the disciplines of the biological area, aimed at the creation and promotion of scientific knowledge, technological advances and the training of researchers. This department is in charge of teaching all the careers of the Faculty in the areas of biology, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, physiopathology, biotechnology, immunology and clinical biochemistry.

The academics of the department are in charge of the Doctorate in Biochemistry, the Doctorate in Pharmacology and the Master’s program in Biochemistry, participating in the coordination of most of the required courses of these programs, as well as in the direction of graduate thesis. In addition, they actively participate in the Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Doctorate in Nutrition and Food programs.

Our academics develop research with high levels of impact and scientific productivity, and maintain interaction with foreign researchers, which allows the mobility of graduate students to centers of excellence. Most of the research in this department is basic and basic-clinical, in key areas of biomedicine, highlighting the collaborations with clinicians from our and other universities.

Also, R&D is developed in our department. In addition, the academics of this department participate in the directory of scientific societies, carry out consultancies and participate in FONDECYT study groups, which is a reflection that our academics are recognized by their peers at national and international level.

Director 
Dante Miranda Wilson
E-mail: dmiranda@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone:: +56 2 29782901

Subdirector 
Alfonso Paredes Vargas
E-mail: aparedes@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone +56 2 29782922

Board Members
Carlos Santiviago Cid
E-mail: csantiviago@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 29781681

Mauricio Báez Larach
E-mail: mauricio.baez@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 29781649

Secretary
Myriam Hormazábal Figueroa
E-mail: departamento.bioquimica@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 29782893

BOARD

Director 
Dante Miranda Wilson
E-mail: dmiranda@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone:: +56 2 29782901

Subdirector 
Alfonso Paredes Vargas
E-mail: aparedes@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone +56 2 29782922

Board members
Carlos Santiviago Cid
E-mail: csantiviago@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 29781681

Mauricio Báez Larach
E-mail: mauricio.baez@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 29781649

Secretary
Myriam Hormazábal Figueroa
E-mail: departamento.bioquimica@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 29782893

ACADEMIC STAFF

Areas of Research

• Neurobiochemistry
  Prof. Hernán Lara (In charge) and Prof. Alfonso Paredes.
• Reproductive Aging
  Prof. Alfonso Paredes (In charge) and Prof. Hernán Lara.
• Environmental Biotechnology Applied to Water Decontamination
  Prof. Davor Cotoras (In charge), Prof. Fernando Valenzuela, and Prof. Jorge Mendoza.
• Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics
  Prof. Jenny Fiedler.
• Transduction of Molecular Signals
  Prof. Sergio Lavandero (In charge).
• Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Associated with the Study of Chronic Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases
  Prof. Lorena García (In charge), Prof. Guillermo Díaz.
• Study of the Molecular Mechanisms Involved in the Interaction of Salmonella with Eukaryotic Hosts.
  Prof. Carlos Santiviago (In charge), and Prof. Sergio Álvarez.
• Metabolic Signaling in Vascular Remodeling
  Prof. Mario Chiong (In charge).
• Envelopes of Enterobacteria: Modulation of their Structure in Response to Environmental Signals and Impact on Pathogenicity.
  Prof. Sergio Álvarez (In charge) and Prof. Carlos Santiviago.
• Biochemistry of Individual Molecules
  Prof. Christian A.M. Wilson (In charge) and Prof. Mauricio Báez.
• Study of the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms that Regulate the Function of Natural Killer (NK) Cells in the Immune Response.
  Prof. Dante Miranda Wilson.
• Cell Differentiation and Metabolism.
  Prof. Valentina Parra (In charge).

• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. 
  Prof. Vinicius Maracaja Coutinho (In charge).

• Mechanisms of Protein Folding and Function.
  Prof. Mauricio Baéz (In charge), Prof. Christian A.M. Wilson.

Biotechnology Laboratory

Professor
Davor Cotoras
Email: dcotoras@ciq.uchile.cl

Brief description

The research of this laboratory is carried out mainly in the area of ​​Environmental Biotechnology focused on the application of fundamental knowledge of natural microbiological systems to develop bioremediation processes for water, soil and tailings dams in the mining industry.

The laboratory uses methods based on culturing complex microbial communities, field work, bioreactor testing, and mass sequencing.

It is developed from the processes at laboratory level, to later scale them to semi-industrial prototypes and finally carry out the technological transfer.

Our long-term purpose is to contribute to society and environmental sustainability through national biotechnological development.

Biochemistry Laboratory

Professors
María Antonieta Valenzuela
Email: mavalenz@uchile.cl
Mauricio Baez
Email: mabaez@ciq.uchile.cl
Christian A.M. Wilson
Email: yitowilson@ciq.uchile.cl

Brief description
Founded in 1956 by Dr. Osvaldo Cori, the Biochemistry Laboratory has been an important place for the training of many generations of biochemists.

Prof. Mauricio Baez
His research focuses on the study of the dynamics of protein formation and degradation processes. At the molecular level, he explores how chaperones affect the dynamics of conformational changes that occur during protein folding and prevent protein misfolding. Also, it is analyzed how the dynamics of protein structure affects its degradation mediated by molecular motors such as the bacterial proteasome. Biochemical techniques and new methodologies that allow the manipulation of individual molecules and simultaneously their observation by fluorescence are used.

Prof. Christian A.M. Wilson
Prof. Wilson’s group focuses on the study of protein translocation at the single molecule level. In particular the work focuses on determining the importance of the force associated with BiP protein domain movements during protein translocation in the Endoplasmic Reticulum. For this purpose, we mainly focus on the study of single molecules, with optical tweezers, and fluorescence.

Immunobiochemistry and Cancer Laboratory

Professors
Dante Miranda W. (In charge)
Email: dmirada@ciq.uchile.cl
María Antonieta Valenzuela P.
Email: mavalenz@uchile.cl
Javier Puente P.
Email: jpuente@ciq.uchile.cl

Brief description

In this laboratory we are dedicated to the study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the immune response and their implications in immunosenescence and cancer.

The areas of research are: 1) Study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the function of natural killer (NK) cells in the immune response. In particular, our research is oriented to the study of: i) Metabolic adaptability mechanisms that regulate NK cell activity. Implications in senescence, cancer; ii) Study of the regulation of cytotoxic function and secretory profile by cytokines, especially IL-2 and IL-15; iii) Regulation of purinergic signaling pathways in the control of NK cell functionality, in particular the study of the role of the P2X7 receptor and PGC1 alpha. 2) A second research strategy is aimed at the study and search for chemical compounds of biological interest that have antitumor action.

Neurobiochemistry Laboratory

Professors
Hernán Lara
Email: hlara@ciq.uchile.cl
Alfonso Paredes
Email: aparedes@ciq.uchile.cl

Brief description

Two areas of research are developed in this laboratory: 1) Neurobiochemistry directed by Dr. Hernán Lara and Reproductive Aging directed by Prof. Alfonso Paredes.

In the Neurobiochemistry Laboratory it has been described that the autonomic nervous system regulates the ovarian function, first as the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) controls reproductive function and its alteration is related to pathologies such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and stress; secondly, and more recently, how the intrinsic cholinergic system of the ovary also contributes to the regulation of reproductive function (Prof. H Lara). We have also been able to evaluate the changes that occur during reproductive aging, mainly in the period of subfertility, where we seek to determine the mechanisms that lead to the cessation of ovarian function, mainly the participation of the sympathetic nervous system, peptides such as kisspeptins and more recently the participation of interleukins (Prof. A. Paredes).

Metabolism and Vascular Remodeling Laboratory

Professor
Mario Chiong
Email: mchiong@uchile.cl

Brief description

In this laboratory we study the molecular mechanisms involved in vascular remodeling associated with the control of cellular metabolism. In particular, we studied the regulation of dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells from a contractile phenotype to a dedifferentiated, proliferative, and migrating one. This phenomenon is associated with the genesis and development of arterial hypertension, arterial stenosis, atherosclerosis, among other vascular diseases.

Cell Differentiation and Metabolism Laboratory

Professor
Valentina Parra
Email: vparra@ciq.uchile.cl

Brief description

In our laboratory we study how cell energy and specifically, mitochondrial function and morphology; determine the final fate of cells undergoing differentiation processes. The latter, both in physiological and pathological conditions; with special emphasis on the development of different chronic diseases, in whose progression bioenergetic and metabolic changes play a fundamental role.

From this perspective, recent advances in the study of stem cells make it possible to generate highly differentiated human cells in vitro, difficult to obtain and manipulate; such as cardiomyocytes and other cells of the cardiovascular lineage.

This offers the unique and unprecedented opportunity for the controlled study of different diseases with a strong bioenergetic component. To date, there are very few research groups evaluating the role of mitochondrial function and morphology in cell differentiation processes, making our laboratory a pioneer group in the context of human induced stem cells (iPSCs) and the progression of chronic diseases.

Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics Laboratory

Professor
Jenny Fiedler
Email: jfiedler@ciq.uchile.cl
Website: https://labneurouchile.com

Several diseases show gender biases in their prevalence and/or severity, and these differences are particularly important in mood disorders. The main objective of our area of research is to understand how sex differences in rats determine different effects of chronic stress on synaptic regulatory networks in the hippocampus; a stress-sensitive area involved in memory and emotions. Comparisons between males and females at the transcriptomic level can reveal pathways regulating hippocampal functioning and susceptibility/resilience responses according to sex, under the same stress condition. In addition, identification of the molecular basis of these gender differences may help identify molecular targets for the development of more effective therapies for mood disorders.

RNA Biology Laboratory

Assitant Professor
Roberto Munita Robert
Email: roberto.munita@ciq.uchile.cl

The RNA Biology Laboratory investigates the pivotal role of RNA in cellular differentiation and disease processes. Our research focuses on three key areas:

1. We explore the molecular mechanisms and regulatory functions of various non-coding RNAs, including snRNAs, snoRNAs, scaRNAs, and lncRNAs, unraveling their impact on gene
   expression control.
2. Our team studies the intricate regulation of alternative splicing, a crucial process in
   expanding the diversity of the proteome and fine-tuning gene expression.
3. We examine the dynamics of RNA modifications and their significant effects on cellular function, providing insights into how these chemical changes influence RNA metabolism and cellular physiology.

We aim to deepen our understanding of RNA biology and its implications for both normal cellular processes and pathological conditions using experimental work and bioinformatic approaches. By elucidating these fundamental mechanisms, our long-term goal is to connect basic scientific discoveries with potential clinical applications.

All classes are in taught Spanish.