The challenges facing society are becoming increasingly complex and require complex solutions to suit them. In their research, development and application, the advancement and contribution of scientific knowledge is indispensable, in which the contributions of different disciplines and disciplines on a subject become relevant and, above all, their company. something known as multidisciplinary workwhich leads to a broader and more comprehensive viewpoints and understanding of a topic, problem or phenomenon.
This conviction guided the work of the doctor Francisco Bozinovic, One of the most important environmental scientists in the country and National Natural Sciences Prize 2020 (the latter distinguished by the biennial award) who sought to pass it on to inspire new generations of scholars as a presented speaker Master’s talk to start the academic year for a postgraduate course at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Oceanography (Fcno) at the University of Concepcion (UdeC)a few days ago.
The title was “Integrative Biology and the Invisible Threads of Nature”, and the scientist was specifically distinguished for his great contributions to the development of integrative biology in Chile, where this necessary synergy of experiences is reflected.
integrative biology
A simple way to understand integrative biology is to view it as a An interdisciplinary model when approaching biology, because it seeks to look at it as a whole rather than in partsBozinovic, an academic from the Department of Environment at the Faculty of Biological Sciences at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and deputy director of the Center for Applied Ecology and Sustainability (Capes) explains. This is because Under the traditional process, biology is usually divided into different fields and disciplines, from the closest being of cellular and molecular biology, physiology and biochemistry to the ultimate aspects that have to do with the ecological and evolutionary levels. “The idea is to have the perception that living things are a whole organism that interacts with the environment, which is inseparable.“It states. For this reason, it guarantees that.”A biological phenomenon must be viewed from its direct causes and its ultimate consequencesThis means integrating different areas of specialization, knowledge and skills. Discipline. Integrative Biology.
As a whole
From there, what the ecologist makes clear is that the existence of different fields of specialization and research in biology, as happens with different scientific disciplines, lies in the fact that each specific field is a world in itself, and for this reason needs a special dedication. …and no specialist in biology – or in other sciences – can fully study all dimensions and complexities. Therefore, integrative biology does not mean that one person makes all the contributions: it brings together different people with different experiences and tools for the same purpose.
Indeed, when considering the impact on current undergraduate and graduate training, Francisco Bozinovic asserts that “In the age of the Anthropocene, global change and its impact on biodiversity, the new generation must realize that biological phenomena in this case, must be approached from different points of view, from different levels of biological organization, to have a more comprehensive “.
This, he highlights, has to do with the concept of “invisible threads of nature” he addressed in his presentation, because although it is not obvious to the naked eye We are all connected, nature is one, and the planet is oneBecause of the threatened, vulnerable and damaged condition of the Earth, understanding this invisible and vitally interdependent relationship is urgent; insofar as it is able to comprehensively observe and understand all phenomena, just as the need for overlap and integration.
This makes Dr. Bozinovic stop at an aspect that he considers to be more fundamental: “Scientists from other generations have been trained to compete, but it is necessary to change the competition model towards cooperation“. According to him, cooperation is the basis of integrative biology, but it must be fundamentally the way to do all the science of the present for the future, to reach better results that lead to more effective solutions and decisions in the face of urgent challenges. Such as the major climate and environmental crises that await humanity and the planet. .
