CENTRO PARA EL DESARROLLO DE LA INVESTIGACION CIENTIFICA

What is CEDIC?

CEDIC is a non-profit center that promotes scientific investigation and stewardship of knowledge in the biological sciences.  Our mission is to carry out research that allows the determination and measurement of the effects of human activities on biological systems, and how theses changes impact human populations.

In August of 2006, two institutions with extensive experience in the national sphere, the Moisés Bertoni Foundation (Fundación Moisés Bertoni “FMB”), and the Díaz Gill Medical Laboratory (Díaz Gill Medicina Laboratorial SA), and a group of independent researchers in the biological sciences signed an agreement to support the development of scientific research in Paraguay. 

The Diaz Gill Medical Laboratory is a private sector company that offers services in clinical and technological areas, and as part of the agreement, has installed first class infrastructure in the building that houses the CEDIC laboratory, where CEDIC develops research projects and innovates new technologies.

Objectives

  1. Bullet  To generate information on the diversity of species and ecosystems in Paraguay and their relationship with human populations, cultural factors mediating this relationship, and the level of dependence communities have on their environment.

  2. BulletIndentifying sustainable uses and commercial applications of biodiversity resources, either to improve the quality of life of communities, or to address the imbalance created by disease in these natural systems.

  3. BulletTo study the variability of diseases in humans and other species affected by environmental changes, and to put biodiversity resources to use for human populations living there?.

  4. BulletTo strengthen local capacity to manage and generate knowledge of biodiversity and its interrelationship with human activities, with the goal of becoming more environmentally friendly.

  5. BulletTo establish links with national and international institutions that strengthen the management and generation of knowledge about the health-environment dyad, foster the innovation and generation of technologies, and allow the development of a better quality of life for communities and their environment.

What is Our Purpose?

Our purpose is to build knowledge of the dynamics of biodiversity with an emphasis on the health of all populations, including humans, through the generation of information about the makeup of systems and the factors that alter them, and propose solutions for the reestablishment of equilibrium.

Where did this Initiative Come From?

Paraguay has little history of research that uses an integrated approach to studying ecosystems and health, boosts the use of natural resources for economic development, or promotes the development of sustainable ecosystems.

In Paraguay, there are strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the launch of this initiative:

  1. Bullet  Strengths

The country has rich biodiversity

Rural populations use the biodiversity of their environment to survive

Paraguay has a predominantly young population, in the process of training and growing

  1. Bullet  Weaknesses

In the last 50 years, biodiversity has lost 95% of its wealth

There is little management and generation of knowledge in the rational use of biodiversity resources

There is little post-graduate training in the life sciences to allow young people to advance academically in the study of the environment and health

  1. Bullet  Opportunities

There is ample scope for research on health and the environment

There are protected areas of biodiversity open to ideas and the generation of knowledge

  1. Bullet  Threats

There is no critical mass of researchers to propel the generation of integrated knowledge of health and the environment

There is little access to jobs and infrastructure for researchers trained abroad to contribute their knowledge to the country