EULAFF is supported by the European Commission Directorate-General
for Research

EULAFF Consortium

Twelve European and Latin American institutions have agreed to participate in the EULAFF Consortium to execute and implement the project:

  1. European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB)
    Funded in 1978, EFB is Europe’s independent, professional association of scientific and technological societies in ... (click for more)
    closeFunded in 1978, EFB is Europe’s independent, professional association of scientific and technological societies in biotechnology, including universities, scientific institutes, public and private companies, biotechnology associations and individual members in all EU and CEEC countries. EFB has a large membership network of life scientists, national biotechnology associations, learned societies, technology transfer centres, and public and private biotech and pharma companies, with over 225 institutional members and 4500 personal members worldwide, including most of the top biotechnologists in Europe. It has a network of 13 Regional Branch Offices throughout EU Member States and Central/Eastern European Associated Countries.  EFB works to expand collaborations between academic and industrial researchers throughout Europe and to foster collaboration between academia and industry, to increase competencies, strengthen education, to promote innovation and increase the benefits of biotechnological research to society at large. EFB acquired full legal status as an Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif in Belgium on the 25th April 2005, and is managed by the EFB Central Office in Barcelona, Spain. EFB’s president is Emeritus Professor Marc Van Montagu, at the University of Ghent, Belgium. For further information, please visit: http://www.efb-central.org.

    EFB’s representative and Coordinator of EULAFF Project is Mr. Christian Suojanen, Secretary General of EFB:      www.efb-central.org
  2. Association for the promotion of biotechnology in Latin America in cooperation with Europe (BIOEUROLATINA)
    Created in 2005, BIOEUROLATINA is a non for profit association with a scientific purpose, aimed at promoting technological ... (click for more)
    closeCreated in 2005, BIOEUROLATINA is a non for profit association with a scientific purpose, aimed at promoting technological and economic bi-regional development of biotechnology in Europe and Latin America. Its main objectives are to:

    a) Coordinate networking activities between the scientific community and the biotechnology enterprises of Europe and Latin America.
    b) Promote the scientific and technological development of the biotechnology sector in European and Latin American countries through technology transfer.
    c) Promote the creation of new alliances and partnerships between European and Latin American institutions, based on associative projects.

    The association’s members are private persons, national associations, technical institutions, SMEs, biotech and financial firms.  It has a head office located in Madrid (Spain) and nodal points in Europe (France and Belgium) and Latin America (Mexico, Peru and Argentina).  BIOEUROLATINA is chaired by Dr. Albert Sasson, former Special Advisor to the UNESCO Director General, and a world renowned international consultant in biotechnology.

    Dr. Javier Verástegui, its Secretary General, represents BIOEUROLATINA and behaves as Executive Director of EULAFF Project:      www.bioeurolatina.com
  3. Latin American Federation of Biotechnology Entreprise Associations (FELAEB)
    FELAEB represents the national associations of biotechnology companies of Latin America. It was formally ... (click for more)
    closeFELAEB represents the national associations of biotechnology companies of Latin America. It was formally established in August 1990 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and it is based at the Argentinean Biotechnology Forum (the Argentinean Association of Biotechnology Companies) in Buenos Aires.  FELAEB’s objectives include to represent the regional bioindustry upon governments, public and private institutions at the international level, to foster alliances among Latin American and international biofirms, to promote research-industry collaboration, and to foster the development of powerful Latin American market for biotechnology products and services.
    Today, FELAEB represents the associations that join the biotech companies and main organisations from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay.

    Daniel Pagliano Freire, president of Scutia Biobusiness, is the current Chairman of FELAEB, and he represent it at EULAFF Project: 
    www.verbar.cl/felaeb/index.htm
  4. The Plant Biotechnology Institute for Developing Countries, University of Ghent (IPBO-UG)
    IPBO is an innovative institute of the University of Ghent, Belgium, founded by the internationally renowned, Prof. Em. Dr. Marc Van Montagu. Its mission ... (click for more)
    closeIPBO is an innovative institute of the University of Ghent, Belgium, founded by the internationally renowned, Prof. Em. Dr. Marc Van Montagu. Its mission is knowledge sharing and training in all aspects of plant biotechnology, including biosafety, technology transfers and innovative research to meet the specific needs of developing countries. IPBO-UG makes use of its know-how and its network of international contacts in order to facilitate knowledge growth and access to plant biotechnology in developing countries. UG’s aim is not only technology transfer, but also to share knowledge on plant biotechnology and assist developing countries in establishing their own innovative biotechnology research. IPBO also has its own research that focuses on crops and problems of developing countries.

    IPBO-UG will be represented in EULAFF by Prof. Em. Marc Van Montagu, Director of the Laboratory of Genetics at the Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, and Chairman of the European Federation of Biotechnology-EFB.    www.ipbo.ugent.be
  5. Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (ESB-UCP)
    Formally established in 1984, ESB-UCP is a public, non-profit academic organisation that offers undergraduate programmes ... (click for more)
    closeFormally established in 1984, ESB-UCP is a public, non-profit academic organisation that offers undergraduate programmes for five B.Sc. degrees including Food Engineering (since 1984), Environmental Engineering (since 1991), Microbiology (since 1991), and Bioinformatics (since 2003), with over 800 students.  It also offers various postgraduate programmes, leading to MSc and PhD degrees. Its research unit – CBQF/INTERFACE A4, hosts over 200 researchers. In 2005, CBQF was granted the status of State Associate Laboratory in the Food and Environmental sectors. Thus, ESB possesses a strong background and a long track record in R&D in the Food and Environmental area, focused on the process level and on obtaining added-value compounds, based on biological/chemical approaches. A highlighting strength at ESB is R&D development focused on functional foods; its pioneering work worldwide on probiotic cheese making with Bifidobacterium sp. and Lactobacillus acidophilus as the sole (mixed) starter culture, a number of contracts with companies are currently operative, encompassing various food matrices besides the classical dairy ones.

    ESB-UCP will be represented in EULAFF by its Director, Prof. Xavier Malcata:     www.esb.ucp.pt
  6. Sociedad Española de Biotecnología (SEBIOT)
    The Spanish Society of Biotechnology-SEBIOT was created in 1989, with the aim to promote every aspect of Biotechnology ... (click for more)
    closeThe Spanish Society of Biotechnology-SEBIOT was created in 1989, with the aim to promote every aspect of Biotechnology in Spain. The main objectives of SEBIOT were established as follows:

    • to promote and organize scientific meetings
    • to increase the interaction of biotechnologists and other scientists
    • to boost research and promote knowledge and technology transfer
    • to encourage the growth of the relationship among public and private domains
    • to increase the exchange with other countries, especially within the EU and Latin America & Caribbean (LAC)
    • to support scientific publications

    SEBIOT has some 350 regular members, mainly from universities and research institutions throughout Spain, as well as about 10 industrial sponsors. Every two years, SEBIOT organizes its main event, the Spanish Biotechnology Congress, known as BIOTEC series.

    SEBIOT will be represented in EULAFF by Prof. Francesc Gòdia Casablancas, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona:     www.sebiot.org/
  7. Fundación Chile (FCHILE)
    Fundación Chile is a privately owned, non-profit institution, created in 1976 with the mission ... (click for more)
    closeFundación Chile is a privately owned, non-profit institution, created in 1976 with the mission to add economic value to Chile’s products and services by promoting innovation and technology transfer activities, with a focus on natural resources and productive capacity. Major fields of activity include agribusiness, marine resources forestry and forest products, the environment, chemical metrology, education and human resource development. Its products include technology services, diffusion and training, product and process innovations, and new technology-based businesses. Successes include salmon farming, standardized meat processing and distribution, fruit quality control, a forestry logistics technology consortium, high quality goat cheese production, abalone and turbot farming.  The objectives of Fundación Chile’s biotechnology program are to add value to Chilean natural resource-based industry, promote development of biotechnology-based industry in Chile, and strengthen R&D and human resources in Chile. The program to date includes projects in recombinant vaccines for salmon, somatic embryogenesis and clonal forestry, and genetic engineering of pines, grapes and stone fruit. Fundación Chile is also participating in two of the three projects of the Chilean plant genomics program.

    FUNDACIÓN CHILE will be represented in EULAFF by Dr. Mike Moynihan, its Director of Biotechnology Development:      www.fundacionchile.cl/
  8. Corporación Colombia Internacional (CCI-Colombia) (click for more)
    Corporación Colombia Internacional was created in 1992 as an autonomous and non-profit, technical and ... (click for more)
    closeCorporación Colombia Internacional was created in 1992 as an autonomous and non-profit, technical and scientific organisation. Its objective is to carry out technical and entrepreneurial processes for the development of a modern, competitive and sustainable agro-industrial sector.  CCI recently received approval for a USD 820.000 project financed by BID-FOMIN based on good agricultural practices and traceability regarding the export of fruit trees. This initiative will result in collaboration between production and trade SMEs of exotic fruits. CCI believes this project will help foster some cooperative activities between itself and EULAFF.

    CCI-Colombia will be represented in EULAFF by Mr. David Huertas, its Director of Innovation and Quality:      www.cci.org.co/
  9. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA)
    Embrapa (Brazilian Corporation for Agriculture Research), an institution linked to the Ministry of ... (click for more)
    closeEmbrapa (Brazilian Corporation for Agriculture Research), an institution linked to the Ministry of Agriculture, was created 1973. Its mission is to provide feasible solutions for the sustainable development of Brazilian agribusiness through knowledge and technology generation and transfer. Embrapa has generated and recommended more than nine thousand technologies for Brazilian agriculture, reduced production costs and helped Brazil to increase the offer of food. Moreover, Embrapa has helped to preserve natural resources and the environment and diminish external dependence on technologies, basic products and genetic materials. Established in 1986, the Embrapa’s Center of Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (CENARGEN) now has one of the strongest team of scientists in the fields of genetic resources, biotechnology, plant protection and biological control. CENARGEN’s mission is to `bring solutions to the sustainable development of agribusiness, generating, adapting and transferring knowledge and technologies in genetic resources, biotechnology, biological control and biological safety, for the benefit of society”.

    EMBRAPA will be represented in EULAFF by Dr. Monte Damares de Castro, Director of the Nutrigenomics Laboratory, Biotechnology Unit, at CENARGEN-EMBRAPA:      www.cenargen.embrapa.br/
  10. Fundación PROINPA (PROINPA)
    The Foundation for the Promotion and Research of Andean Products (PROINPA) has three organisational objectives ... (click for more)
    closeThe Foundation for the Promotion and Research of Andean Products (PROINPA) has three organisational objectives: a) promote the conservation and use of genetic resources, b) develop technologies for competitiveness and food security, and c) promote and disseminate technologies.  PROINPA works specially with tubers, roots and grains of the high Andes. It performs an important work in the conservation of the National Germoplasm Bank of Roots and Andean Tubers, protecting the great biospanersity of roots and Andean tubers existing in Bolivia. Since 1990, the National Germplasm Bank of Roots and Andean Tubers of Toralapa Center has been strengthened through the ordering of existed collections and complementary recollections, summing up the entry of 1290 potato (727 varieties), 480 of oca, 130 of papalisa and 55 of isaño. In response to demands from farm-food chains, PROINPA develops technologies and methodologies in the area of integrated crop management (ICM) for sustainable Andean agriculture, based on improving crop productivity, integrated pest management and integrated soil management

    PROINPA will be represented in EULAFF by Dr. Jimena Irigoyen Cossio, Director of Analysis and Food Processing at PROINPA:     www.proinpa.org/
  11. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM)
    Founded in 1551, the University of San Marcos has been encompassing the life of Peruvians for more than 400 years ... (click for more)
    closeFounded in 1551, the University of San Marcos has been encompassing the life of Peruvians for more than 400 years by supporting its projects of development.  UNMSM’s Vicepresidency of Research and School of Graduate Studies are involved in the academic training of young researchers at the mastery and doctoral levels, working on food-related research projects in the fields of biology, botany, agro-biospanersity, native biospanersity, biochemistry, nutraceutical and novel food products, physiology, human medicine, clinical testing, and biotechnology.  Professors and students of the Units of Graduate Studies of the Faculties of Medicine, Biological Sciences, Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Industrial Engineering are currently involved in research projects related to under-utilised crops with high nutritional and heath promoting potential, based on the agro-biospanersity as well as on native plant, animal and microbial biospanersity. 

    Among the products being investigated by San Marcos researchers are Andean crops, medicinal plants from the Amazon jungle, native edible animals and marine species.  Peru is one of the few mega-biospanerse countries in the world and there is a huge potential to discover species, add value to local crops and plants, and put in place food innovations based on this rich biospanersity.

    UNMSM will be represented in EULAFF by Dr. Luisa Negrón, Director of the Council of Research, Vicepresidency of Research:      www.unmsm.edu.pe/
  12. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
    UNAM is the largest university in Latin America with about 270,000 students. It is the most important research ... (click for more)
    closeUNAM is the largest university in Latin America with about 270,000 students. It is the most important research institution in Mexico, spending 20% of its total budget in R&D. The area of food science and technology has been a priority of research and UNAM has a special programme. The following units conduct quality research in food science and technology: Faculty of Chemistry’s Department of Foods; Faculty of Sciences; Biotechnology Institute; Biology Institute; Institute of Chemistry; Centre of Genomic Science; and Faculty of Medicine.  The area of functional foods has been considered a priority in Mexico as a result of the long tradition of using plants and other food stuffs as healing methods, and the emergence of biotechnology and recent applications in developing more nutritious crops has attracted Mexican researchers’ attention. In the case of UNAM, several researchers are now working in improving quality and availability of nutrients.  Moreover, UNAM has been the host of CamBioTec, an initiative to promote the transfer of agri-food biotechnologies in Latin America. CamBioTec’s ten-year experience in this matter would be an asset for the promotion of cooperation between Europe and Latin America.

    UNAM will be represented in EULAFF by Dr. José Luis Solleiro, Head of the Technology Transfer Office of the UNAM:      www.unam.mx/