About Our Research Group
🌱 We engineer crops through advanced genomics, gene editing and multi‑species cellular platforms.
For more than two decades, our group has been building national capabilities in plant biotechnology. From the Biotechnology Laboratory at INIA La Platina, we lead strategic research programs developed in collaboration with the Biofrutales Consortium and the Translational Biotechnology Center of SOFOFA Hub, forming a unique public–private ecosystem in Chile.
This collaborative framework has enabled the development of advanced cellular platforms, next‑generation gene‑editing systems, and specialized bioinformatic tools, positioning Chile as a regional leader in CRISPR‑based agricultural innovation.
We have established a robust suite of multi-species cellular systems essential for the transformation and editing of strategic crops.
Our platforms include:
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🍇 Somatic embryogenesis in grapevine, rice, and wheat
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🍑 Organogenesis in peach, cherry, plum, tomato, and blueberry
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🥔 Protoplast systems in grapevine, rice, and potato
These capabilities allow us to move beyond classical genetic transformation toward new-generation editing technologies, including T‑DNA vectors with geminivirral modules, high‑efficiency CRISPR constructs, and a national gene‑editing toolkit with multiple vectors deposited in international repositories.
Our research has generated concrete results, such as:
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🍇 Edited grapevines resistant to powdery mildew (DEL1, MLO3, OCP3)
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🥔 Edited potato lines without enzymatic browning (PPO editing)
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🌾 Rice prototypes with enhanced stress tolerance
These developments are supported by an integrative conceptual framework combining genetics, transcriptomics, and small RNA biology to identify susceptibility nodes and key defense pathways in fruit crops. The synergy between cellular platforms, gene editing, and molecular analysis has enabled the generation of edited plants currently under field evaluation and productive validation.
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🍒 Biofrutales plays a central role, bringing together fruit companies, nurseries, universities, and research centers to support long‑term breeding programs and advance INIA’s prototypes toward commercial validation.
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🏠SOFOFA Hub, through its Translational Biotechnology Center, connects industry with national scientific capabilities, facilitating scaling, validation, and technological adoption. This collaboration has enabled complex technologies—such as geminiviral vectors and multi‑gRNA CRISPR systems—to become practical tools for the Chilean fruit industry.
Finally, recent regulatory milestones from SAG have recognized gene‑edited materials as non‑transgenic, enabling their commercial deployment and opening a clear pathway for the adoption of edited crops in Chile. This regulatory progress, combined with the technological maturity achieved by INIA, Biofrutales, and SOFOFA Hub, positions the country as a regional leader in agricultural gene editing.
Grape protoplasts under transfection for gene editing
đź’° Funding and Partners
Our Trajectory in Advanced Fruit Crop Biotechnology For more than two decades, our research program has led the development of cutting‑edge technologies for genetic improvement in fruit crops. Beginning in 2001 with pioneering work on genetic transformation in grapes, our team established one of the first platforms in Chile capable of applying molecular biotechnology to perennial species. By 2010, through strategic collaborations with Biofrutales, INIA, and national funding agencies, we expanded our scope to create the Breeding Program in Grapes and Sweet Cherry, integrating classical breeding with emerging genomic tools. In parallel, we initiated the first genome projects for grape and sweet cherry, laying the foundation for modern genomics in Prunus and Vitis. From 2014 onward, our focus shifted toward New Breeding Techniques, incorporating RNA‑based approaches, functional genomics, and early gene‑editing strategies. This evolution culminated in 2019 with the development of new grape prototypes using CRISPR, demonstrating the feasibility of precise genome modification in woody crops. In 2020, our gene‑editing expertise expanded to potato and rice, strengthening INIA’s national leadership in applied genome engineering. That same year, a research agreement with Concha y Toro accelerated innovation in grapevine improvement, linking scientific discovery with industry‑driven challenges. By 2022, our participation in the SOFOFA Hub further connected our work to national innovation networks and private‑sector partners. Today, our trajectory reflects a continuous commitment to scientific excellence, technological innovation, and collaborative development. From early transformation systems to CRISPR‑based breeding, we have built a robust platform that integrates genomics, gene editing, and biotechnology to address the future of fruit production in Chile and beyond.