UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE

Their core work

Universidad de Chile is the leading public research university in Chile, serving as a primary bridge between European and Latin American science. Their H2020 participation spans an unusually wide range of disciplines — from molecular biology and cancer research to air quality forecasting, viticulture, and advanced materials — reflecting their role as a comprehensive national university. They contribute domain expertise, regional data, and access to Latin American research networks, particularly in health equity, environmental monitoring, and agricultural systems relevant to Southern Hemisphere conditions.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), Universidad de Chile's H2020 work was dominated by fundamental science — molecular biology (IRE1/ER stress pathways), geophysics, nanotechnology, and social inequality research. From 2019 onward, a clear shift emerged toward applied regional challenges: cancer equity and early diagnosis in Latin American populations, air quality monitoring, nature-based solutions, wine science, and data science infrastructure. The portfolio has moved from discipline-specific basic research toward problem-oriented work with direct societal impact in Latin America.

Moving toward applied research addressing Latin American health disparities, environmental challenges, and agricultural resilience — making them an increasingly valuable partner for projects requiring Southern Hemisphere implementation sites.

How they like to work

Universidad de Chile has never coordinated an H2020 project — they consistently join as a third-party partner (20 of 29 projects) or participant (9), overwhelmingly through MSCA-RISE staff exchange schemes. This reflects their role as a sought-after non-European partner that brings regional expertise and access rather than leading consortia. With 329 unique partners across 54 countries, they are a high-connectivity hub with an exceptionally broad network, but their engagement model is wide rather than deep — many different consortia rather than repeated partnerships.

Remarkably broad network spanning 329 unique partners across 54 countries, reflecting their status as a top-choice Latin American partner for European consortia. Geographic reach extends well beyond the EU, with strong connections to other Latin American institutions and a presence across nearly all H2020 thematic areas.

What sets them apart

Universidad de Chile is one of the most active Latin American universities in Horizon 2020, offering European consortia something few partners can: deep scientific capability combined with direct access to Latin American populations, ecosystems, and policy environments. Their strength is not in leading projects but in being the essential non-European node — providing Southern Hemisphere field sites, patient cohorts, environmental data, and regional institutional networks. For any project requiring EU-Latin America comparative research or implementation in Chile, they are a natural first choice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EquityCancer-LA
  Largest single grant (EUR 512K) focused on improving equity in early cancer diagnosis across Latin American health systems — their most funded and most impactful project.
• EULAT Eradicate GBC
  Second-largest grant (EUR 386K) targeting gallbladder cancer eradication through a European-Latin American consortium, addressing a cancer type disproportionately affecting Andean populations.
• vWISE
  Combines genetics, microbiology, and climate adaptation for viticulture — reflects Chile's world-class wine industry and connects it to European wine research networks.