The XII International Phycological Congress is organized in this version by the Universidad de Los Lagos and will take place throughout this week with various themes.

There are 350 presentations from different parts of the world grouped into 16 symposia that will be developed during this week around the knowledge, analysis and projection of algae, in what is the XII International Congress of Phycology or 12th International Phycological Congress that leads in this version the Universidad de Los Lagos through the researchers of the i-mar center and adds researchers from other Chilean universities in the organizing committee.

The event, which will run until Friday, began with the opening day headed by the words of Dr. Alejandro Buschmannof the ULagos, coordinator of the congress, the president of the scientific committee of the congress Dr. Olivier De Clerck of the University of Gent in Belgium, Dr. Morgan Vis-Chiasson of the University of Ohio, United States, president of the Society of International Phycology and the rector of the Universidad de Los Lagos, Óscar Garrido, who highlighted the relevance of this international academic event.

“For Chile, phycology is very relevant, it has a community of experts installed in universities and public and private research centers for its study, in a country with a coastline of more than 6 kilometers long and an important diversity of marine species and algae essential for marine ecosystems. This event is also relevant in that Chile has an algae processing industry along with an extractive activity of over 300 thousand tons per year and has led the export of algae for industrial use worldwide, representing an important source of income for artisanal fishing, fishing, fishing, fishing and fishing. shore collectors and small and medium enterprises. Phycology is at the center of public discussion, consequently the research and greater knowledge associated with the study of algae will allow us to develop and engage in issues in boom and innumerable benefits such as the development of bioplastic, biofuel, or provide answers to environmental pollution, environmental pollution, and the development of algae. improving the nutrition of the population, at the same time the development and sustainable use of algae in fair trade and responsible consumption”, said the rector of the Universidad de Los Lagos, Óscar Garrido.

Basic studies of identification of new algae that have not been described by science, evolution, genetics, ecology and physiology of algae, in addition to topics related to climate change and harmful algae, applications and uses of algae for human beings, research and innovation, these are some of the topics that will be addressed in this congress during the week.

Academics, scientists and students around the world participate in this event that is organized every 4 years and in this version the International Society of Psychology assigned it to the Universidad de Los Lagos. Despite the pandemic that did not allow its development in person in the city of Puerto Varas, it was organized in such a way that online each of the presentations had visibility for all attendees.

This was explained by the coordinator of the event, Dr. Alejandro Buschmann, ho also highlights the trajectory and development that the region has in this area.

“We in the region have been working in seaweed for 30 years, there are seaweed industries installed in the region, there are several process plants, this is one of the regions with the highest production of some algae, Thus, Chile is recognized in the world for being one of the few Western countries, in addition to Eastern countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia, where seaweed is an important part of the economy in the country, an economic activity that maintains a significant number of families, then there is a social role that is allowed through this activity. We have been working on aspects of applications, how to produce algae, in cultivation issues, in algae diseases, we are doing work in algae genetics to try to improve production, A lot of application work so that in Chile the algae industry continues to exist and continues to grow,” said the researcher.

The first plenary lecture of the event on the opening day was given by Dr. Daniel Reed from the University of California, United States.