CIBE has 14 researchers with a PhD degree, 17 technicians and research analysts with third and fourth level training.
The Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral del Ecuador (Espol), together with the Council of Flemish Universities (VLIR) and the support of the universities of Leuven, Brussels and Ghent in Belgium, developed the VLIR-ESPOL program between 1999 and 2009, whose The main objectives were to protect the environment, train scientists and develop the capacity for scientific research at Espol.
The Espol Polytechnic Council, meeting on January 23, 2003, assessing the results obtained and the favorable perspectives of the biotechnology component of the VLIR-ESPOL program, officially creates the Biotechnological Research Center of Ecuador, CIBE, officially attached to the Rectorate of the Espol.
Dr. Rodolfo Maribona Hernández (+) was its founding director and in its beginnings it had the support of Belgian professors Rony Swennen (University of Leuven) and Dominique Van Der Straeten (University of Ghent). Currently, its director, Juan Manuel Cevallos, together with the general staff and their students, conduct demand-based research that seeks to strengthen food security and good living in our society.
CIBE currently has 14 researchers with a PhD degree, 17 research technicians and analysts with third or fourth level training, in addition to research assistants and administrative staff, who in the last year have contributed to the training of more than 60 national and international students of all levels of training in the areas of agriculture, biology, chemistry, food, among others.
Notable investigations
- More than 110 scientific articles indexed in the last five years that have directly benefited more than 20 national and international companies.
- Collaboration with more than 50 internationally recognized research institutions.
- Participation in more than 180 international scientific events in the last five years.
Research at the service of industry and society
Throughout its institutional life, CIBE has stood out as a great promoter of academic development in the field of agricultural biotechnology, especially in the development of multiplication protocols for plant species, adaptation studies of plant varieties, as well as the characterization and control of diseases of different crops such as banana, plantain, cocoa, coffee, rice, papaya, palm, potato, among others, with special emphasis on diseases such as black sigatoka, banana fusariosis, moniliasis, witch’s broom, vaneamiento of rice, bud rot and virus disease in general.
With the commitment to provide improvements in production systems that are friendly to the environment and compatible with international markets that seek to reduce agrochemicals and preserve the environment, CIBE also carries out projects for the identification and application of microorganisms for the control of diseases and improvement of crop nutrition.
Within CIBE, research has been strengthened at the institutional level, through a visionary projection to provide solutions to the challenges faced by agricultural producers, investing in state-of-the-art technology and human talent in the areas of:
● Phytopathology
● Tissue culture
● Bioproducts and bioprocesses
● Molecular biology
Innovation, biodiscovery and generation of added value
In addition to characterizing diseases and productive problems in the agricultural sector, CIBE is committed to innovation through biodiscovery to generate added value from local crops.
Current CIBE research has made it possible to discover bacteria and yeasts capable of increasing and customizing the desirable aromas that are produced during cocoa fermentation, thus generating added value for producers.
Likewise, projects for the use of surpluses or agricultural waste, such as cocoa husks, in combination with guayusa and other native species, led to the creation of a functional drink called alliyay teawhose studies demonstrated hepatoprotective properties along with a high amount of polyphenols and antioxidants.
Other products developed by CIBE include:
- Fusarium EC Sensor App: free mobile app designed for the early detection of suspected cases of Fusarium in bananas.
- Fusarium Guide: Field guide for the recognition of tropical Fusarium race 4 symptoms.
- nutraluffa: They are beneficial fungi contained in crushed luffa and covered in substrate for fertilization.
- Nemacot: Biological product used to control nematodes that parasitize plants.
- Mycofertil: Agricultural biological fertilizer based on mycorrhizae.
- TrichoFast: Increases the ability to capture nutrients and retain moisture, eliminates the need for fungicides, protects roots from diseases caused by pathogenic fungi.
Among its products, the CIBE also has the CIBB, which is a Congress on Biotechnology and Biodiversity that takes place in Guayaquil, is recognized as the largest biotechnology event in Ecuador, gathering hundreds of attendees biannually. This event is organized by researchers from the Center for Biotechnological Research of Ecuador-CIBE and aimed at students, teachers, researchers, businessmen or anyone interested in learning or updating knowledge associated with the areas that comprise biotechnology and biodiversity and, therefore, , to bioknowledge and biobusiness.
CIBE, looking to the future of Ecuador
One of the biggest concerns that the agricultural sector currently has is the possible arrival in the country of race 4 of the fungus that causes Panama disease or banana fusariosis. This disease wiped out commercial production of the Gros Michel banana around 60 years ago, being replaced by the Cavendish banana we eat and export today. However, race 4 of this fungus is capable of ending current banana production and has affected many countries, including our neighbors Colombia and Peru. To face this threat, CIBE-ESPOL has just launched its institutional program against Fusarium R4T.
The program has 6 projects financed by Espol and external funds in order to develop resistance in the banana varieties produced in Ecuador and generate friendly alternatives that allow to effectively combat the disease, which would allow farmers to be prepared for the imminent arrival of this disease to the country.
The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and climate change have had consequences for the country’s agricultural sector, so it is necessary to strengthen national food sovereignty and prepare for future challenges. For this reason, CIBE is preparing its CASA program (climate change, reduction of agrochemicals and food sovereignty). This program will begin with at least six projects dedicated to strengthening the national agricultural sector with a view to climate change, reducing dependence on agrochemicals and food sovereignty.
The conservation of research heritage is of the utmost importance at CIBE. The resources used in research are conserved using biotechnological tools that allow preserving plants and microorganisms for future use. The CIBE has a germplasm bank and a collection of microbial cultures (CCM-CIBE) with more than 2,200 accessions.
At present, the need to generate new proposals for the agricultural sector has been increasing, for which reason the CIBE maintains the same commitment as 20 years ago, to offer the best of the center and expand opportunities to the new generations that will take the lead. in the commitment to act as a common thread between society and the university for a successful development of sustainable projects within nature.
Social media
Facebook: @cibe.espol
Instagram: @cibe_espol
Twitter: @cibe_espol
Linkedin: @CIBE-Espol
Website: http://www.cibe.espol.edu.ec/
Source: Eluniverso
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