What does a scientist do? Why is your work so important and so little evident for many people your contribution to the common good and the economy?
Perhaps because they work in silence, far from the media and networks, in closed laboratories that are sometimes in subsoils and in gloom to prevent the light from impacting negatively on the organisms they study.
Perhaps because the substances they analyze have complicated and difficult names to remember for the majority and not anyone can think lightly on these issues.
Perhaps because it takes years or decades to discover something as transcendent as monoclonal antibodies, or a drought resistant seed, and we live in an increasingly accelerated world.
Perhaps because in a country like Argentina, so affection for manichaean approaches and to face complex issues from changing ideologies or with the superficiality of those who talk in a coffee, it is difficult to install what countries with good quality of life understood decades ago: the impact of scientific research and technology on economic development.
Let’s argue the previous statement. If the production of the countries were explained only by the four traditional factors (land, labor, capital and business), The growth would be very slow and countries like South Korea, Israel or Ireland would have a very low GDP, due to the limitation of their natural resources, the little territory, the difficulty of attracting capital. In an interesting book called “In Asia dies under the stars”, its author, José María Gironelladescribes in detail the unfathomable levels of indigence of nations such as India, Korea or Taiwan, in the 1960s. These countries, thanks to a high investment in education, science and technology, managed to improve the quality of life of their population. Today they do not export rice, dry fish or rudimentary fabrics; But integrated circuits, sera, semiconductors, smartphones, containers or biotechnology. According to the World Bank, in 1960 the GDP per capita of South Korea was US $ 158 in current currency; In 2023 it was US $ 33,121.
Scientific knowledge and innovation displace and expand what economists call the “border of production possibilities” which is the maximum generation of goods and services attainable from given factors such as geography (or not exit to the sea), the endowment of natural resources, the amount of population, or the existing physical capital. Thanks to scientific advances, Malthus’s gloomy predictions were not fulfilled.
According to the most recent figures in Theglobaleconomy.com and the World Bank, Israel allocates 6.02% of its GDP in research and development, Korea 5.21% and Brazil 1.21%. For the average world, the percentage is 1.25. Argentina invests just 0, 52 %
In many of the aforementioned countries, the public sector finances most of the basic research, that which precisely expands the knowledge and understanding of the phenomena, without a established predetermined objective. It is the one that is indispensable to expand knowledge. For its part, the private sector has a preponderant role in applied research, that which solves defined or concrete problems, using existing knowledge (generated by basic research).
At home. In Argentina, More than 70 % of all investment in scientific research is carried out by the public sector, and financed in large part by credits of international organizations such as the IDB, the World Bank or the BCIE.
Why didn’t the private sector have a more active role? Multiple reasons. Let’s mention the simplest: if investing in capital goods or extensions resulted in extremely risky decades in a country with such changing rules and currency so unstable, how much more do it in R & D+I (acronym for research, development and innovation). The intangible nature of most of these projects, and the deadline that demand increases the perception of risk in this type of investment.
But despite all of the above, and all known difficulties, it is important to recognize that many Argentine research and researchers are internationally competitive. We highlight that many Argentine researchers not only doctorate, but obtained post doctorates in universities from the United States, Germany, France, etc. and the institutions that make up (many of which have long trajectories) have international recognition.
For example, according to the SCIMAGO Institts Ranking 2024he CONICET It is the best government scientific institution in Latin America and occupies the 20th position globally, among more than 2,000 similar entities. He IBYME (Institute of Biology and Experimental Medicine), founded in 1944 by Bernardo HoussayNobel Prize in Medicine of 1947 for its discovery about the role of the pituitary in sugar metabolism, is today recognized for its advanced research in glybiology, immunology of reproduction and molecular oncology. For its part, the International Atomic Energy Agency (Oiea) recognized al Balseiro Institute as one of the institutes with better technical and training levels in the world. He IBR (Rosario’s Molecular and Cellular Biology Institute) It stands out for his research in the field of microbiology, cell biology and life sciences. And the list continues. Many investigations are co -financed by abroad institutes
And from a lot of work in basic research, companies or competitive developments arise that generate work, exports and wealth. Let’s see just some examples, which illustrate this virtuous cycle that starts from the laboratory and reaches the market.
INVAP (Applied research), with the imprint of Conrado Varottoit was a detachment of the applied physics group of the National Atomic Energy Commissionit turned to the nuclear first, producing enriched uranium and obtaining a key material for the reactors, the sponge of Zirconio. He also manufactured the reactor of the Bariloche atomic center and exported similar developments to Peru and Algeria. Some time later he won a tender to develop and build a reactor for the production of radioisotopes for cancer treatment and other diseases. Subsequently, the company re directed its resources to space and manufactured, in collaboration with the POTthe first observation satellite, the SAC-B. Also communication satellites such as Arsat 1 and 2. Today it continues to develop strategic projects in the areas of nuclear energy, space and satellite technology, radioisotopes for medical use, etc.
GALTEC It is a company founded by Gabriel Rabinovichof the aforementioned IBYME, which develops innovative therapies based on the modulation of galectins for cancer treatment, autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. Transform scientific discoveries into clinical applications that improve people’s quality of life.
Bioceresa company founded in 2001 to strengthen the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, was associated with CONICET to create Indear (National Institute of Agrobiotechnology of Rosario), to develop research in agricultural biotechnology. One of the most important developments is HB4 technology, which gives soy and wheat seeds greater drought tolerance. It was the doctor Raquel Chan who, from a (basic) investigation on sunflower genes and the regulation of gene expression, carried out in CONICET from 2005, He achieved an advance that resulted in exports and royalties. As of 2019, Bioceres is quoted at Nasdaq.
The numbers. When it is stated that the conversion rate between investigations and business creation is low, we have to take into account that it is a country in which for years the investment rate in relation to GDP was only 15 % (level required only to replenish capital), with permanent changes in the rules of the game (exchange, foreign trade, regulatory, etc.) and very scarce access to capital.
As in almost all areas, in the Argentine technological scientific system there is much to change, improve and optimize. It must be understood that the 21st century imposes dynamics and designs very different from what is established. Surely we must discuss and agree on the areas and issues that are financed, since the resources are scarce. But as a country we cannot make the mistake of not protecting the wealth created in research and laboratory institutes throughout Argentina, in very diverse disciplines. If there are failures, let’s look for improvement. If there are inefficiencies and duplications, let’s optimize. But assuming that we can do without the dimension of scientific research is not to understand what economic development is and what makes a nation competitive.
Fiscal balance is necessary, essential, but not sufficient. Politics has to be a medium, not an end. Fans do not serve to consider the enormous amount of nuances that reality has. Let us face seriously, technical knowledge and constructive spirit the enormous challenges facing Argentina. The future of the technological scientific system is one of them.
*Alicia Caballero is a doctor in Economics, former Dean of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the UCA.
By Alicia Caballero
