Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, professor of chemistry at the San Francisco de Quito University USFQ.
2016 marks his second CEPRA competition. His first participation was in the eighth call for proposals, where the first phase of his current project was developed.
The project is called Drug Study and Design Using Computational Methods. During the first phase, we conducted a series of workshops to train people in the fundamental theoretical and practical principles of computing, enabling them to carry out drug design studies. The second phase studies the biological activity and structure-activity relationships of the molecules being investigated in the laboratory. Through this study, the results can be extrapolated to molecules that we didn't use in the experiment but that could be proposed for future research. This leads to much more accurate results.
If we have biological activity in a group of molecules, and we can identify that biological activity and find it interesting (it turns out to be antibacterial or antiparasitic), anyone with access to the results can carry out future experiments in animals or human cells. If the molecules in question do not produce the expected results, extrapolating from the studies will help design molecules that do have significant biological activity and are not toxic in animals.
Access to instruments, supplies, and reagents is extremely complicated because special permits are required when regulatory bodies are unfamiliar with the compound or request documents for tax exemptions, forcing us to fill out numerous forms. Furthermore, since there is no direct method for importing supplies when we order them from the parent company, they require 100% payment upfront (which guarantees the reagent will arrive in the country after ninety days). Ultimately, due to these issues, the wait can reach one hundred and eighty days. Planning six months in advance is extremely difficult.
We have been very fortunate to receive funding from CEDIA. We have been able to attract significant attention from the academic community in Ecuador. We are in contact with several researchers conducting similar studies who use CEDIA 's services for training and networking, specifically the CECIRA competition, which helps them improve their work. We were awarded competitive funding that allowed us to purchase important equipment and necessary supplies. Additionally, and this is part of what I call the CEDIAcommitment, we have CEDIA email accounts that we use to communicate with other project members. Last year, we were working on the HTML files to create a website on CEDIA's server, but unfortunately, we had a staff change, and that project was left unfinished.
First, I want to congratulate CEDIA —especially Dr. Carvallo—because I believe they provide a very valuable service to the Ecuadorian scientific community. Currently, the CEDIA Network is the only avenue for obtaining funding for scientific research without state intervention and without restrictions on private universities. From this perspective, CEDIA provides a service that is greatly appreciated by its users, and I believe it has been invaluable over the last ten years.
Due to funding limitations, I see researchers forming collaborative groups. Often, there are no formal agreements in place, which are essential to justify expenditures and engage researchers who are more concerned with the country's scientific output. (...) The researcher seeks to work toward the generation of joint knowledge, not to justify the existence of an agreement. I'm not saying that agreements aren't important, but internationally, many institutions seek to establish peer relationships and collaborations, which, once established, lead to the signing of formal agreements.
What should be done is to allow researchers freedom, not restrict access to public funds for private universities. Free access to funds should be permitted in the same way CEDIA distributes its funds, that is, after submitting projects where the money is divided among researchers from various universities working on the same project. I believe this works wonderfully and would be very beneficial for Ecuador.
The Organic Law of Higher Education mandates that institutions allocate funds for research, which I consider a positive step. However, this funding is often assumed to be directly proportional to the results. Therefore, the distribution of state funds for research is not well-structured, and I believe it could be improved with proper guidance.
I foresee an improvement in the number of publications per institution, but a shift in the ideological perspective on research is needed. Ecuador requires a national laboratory where all institutions have 24/7 access and can perform analyses, such as DNA testing, obtaining timely results and making optimal use of all available equipment. Despite the improvement in research, current mechanisms harm the community by forcing institutions to maintain private laboratories, which wastes resources and undermines the concept of collaborative work.
Specifically speaking, I'll give you the example of electron microscopes. In Quito, there are four that aren't operating at full capacity. I would argue that there should only be one, used to its maximum capacity, and the money saved should be invested in other instruments. We need to improve this kind of ratio; otherwise, we'll remain a developing country.
They need to have a passion, a passion for discovering the unknown. They need to have a lot of imagination and they must want to make a long-term contribution to society.
I have a word of warning for scientists: You're not going to become millionaires. If you think this will get you the latest car, you'd be better off pursuing another career.
Science brings recognition from the academic community, even travel and awards. It's best to start as soon as possible, when a suitable opportunity arises. I've had sixth-semester students already exploring postgraduate studies, and they'll likely continue their research.
A very sincere thank you to the CEO and the entire team at Red CEDIA; they do an extraordinary job. I hope we can continue working together for many more years.
