The Impact of the UNESCO CHAIR in Research Collaborations

M. CELESTE ROBERT; LEONARDO JUAN DE PAZ; EDGARDO ELVIO GUIBERT

Dublin

Congreso; CRYO2022; 2022

Society for Cryobiology - Society for Low Temperature Biology

The Centro Binacional (Argentina – Italia)de Investigaciones en Criobiología Clínicay Aplicada (CAIC) (Binational Center(Argentina – Italy) for Clinical and AppliedCryobiology Research) was established in2009 as a scientific cooperation betweenthe Rosario National University (Rosario -Argentina) and the Italian Liver Foundation(Trieste - Italy) for research related to liverpreservation. As one of its main objectives,spreading of scientific knowledge related toCryobiology, both within academia andgeneral society, has also provided the basisfor broadening international collaborations.In year 2004, professors Rodriguez, JV andGuibert, EE, former directors of CAIC,were invited to participate in the activitiesof UNESCO Chair in Cryobiologyestablished at the Institute for Problems ofCryobiology & Cryomedicine of theNational Academy of Sciences of theUkraine (Kharkov, Ukraine). Since then,collaboration between CAIC and UNESCOChair members has been focused inproduction of scientific reviews related tofundamental aspects of low temperaturecells and organ preservation. Recently, thispartnership also addressed the, essentialalthough usually overlooked problem oftranslational cryobiology in economicaldeprived countries.Within the activities of training andprofessional development, CAIC hascreated an official post-graduate career onbiopreservation. Participates in variousshort-courses and scientific meetings andprovides regular positions for grade andPhD students.Nowadays, under direction of Dr. MariaCeleste Robert, CAIC has expanded itsresearch focus to other areas of cryobiologyand low temperature science, such astherapeutic hypothermia, stem cells andlaboratory animal embryo cryopreservationbut remains actively engaged in sciencecommunication and stimulation ofscientific vocations among high schoolstudents. This presentation aims for sharingthe experience of CAIC in the frameworkof the UNESCO Chair in Cryobiology,looking forward to find new opportunitiesfor scientific and academic collaborations