LA TRAVESÍA ES LA RECOMPENSA: DE LAS UNIVERSIDADES TRADICIONALES A LAS PRIVADAS, AL EMPRENDIMIENTO BIOTECNOLÓGICO-ACADÉMICO

In the early 90s, Universidad de los Andes inaugurated its Faculty of Medicine. This writing addresses some aspects of the controversy that arose regarding private universities and this new faculty. The subsequent unfolding of the landscape for higher education in Chile has highlight- ed both some then-unfounded assumptions as well as the accuracy of other predictions. On the occasion of my transfer from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile to the Univer­sidad de los Andes (UA), I address the initial scientific research in my area and its subsequent development. I emphasize how the institutional maturation of UA led to the emergence of a biotechnological spin-off as an academic development strategy. This university venture, called “Cells for Cells,” expanded the scope and depth of the scientific work of many UA researchers and their national and international collaborators. Although several of the original objectives of this proposal have been achieved; reaching self-sustainability and fulfilling its highest goals still remains a pending challenge. Meanwhile, the journey has been the reward.