The group is led by Prof. Pedro Saa who is a Faculty member of the Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering and the Institute for Mathematical and Computational Engineering of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC). Our research interests include genome-scale network reconstruction and analysis, metabolic modelling and engineering, and bioprocess and biosystems optimization. Our main goal is to develop useful computational tools rooted on advanced optimization and machine learning techniques to (re)design and comprehend different biological systems. Our Lab has a number of research opportunities for domestic and international students. Please refer to the contact details on the footpage for more information.

Research interests

• Metabolic Modeling

• Systems Biotechnology

• Bioprocess and Biosystems Optimization

• Computational Statistics and Machine Learning 

Current projects

• Basal Center for Artificial Intelligence Research (2021-ongoing). Principal Investigator

• Center for Research and Innovation VitiScience (2025-ongoing). Adjunct Investigator

• Avanza UC AV25292 (2026-2027) From mining waste to wealth: Optimization of extracellular polysaccharides production by metabolic engineering using Sulfobacillus acidophilus. Principal Investigator

• FONDECYT Regular No. 1262500 (2026-2029). Scalable prediction of metabolic fluxes using modelling frameworks informed by enzyme kinetics and omics data. Principal Investigator

• FONDECYT Exploración No. 13250023 (2025-2029). Impact of GABA-producing bacterial consortia in neuroprotection: Unraveling mechanisms and predictive modeling of the gut-brain axis and neurodegenerative diseases. Co-Investigator 

• FONDECYT Regular No. 1230764 (2023-2027). Model-guided analysis of microbial interactions leading to colonization resistance and dysbiosis in the gut microbiota. Co-Investigator

Past projects

• Applied Seed Fund UC-Concha y Toro (2025). Development of a digital model of white wine fermentation on a laboratory scale. Principal Investigator

• Open Seed Fund UC-Imperial College London (2024-2025). Rational engineering of yeast cell factories for the production of high-value products: Optimization-based identification of metabolic limitations and flux control using protein allocation models. Principal Investigator

• Open Seed Fund UC-The University of Edinburgh (2023-2025). Computational framework for probing relevant interaction networks in microbial communities integrating genome-scale metabolic models, optimization and machine learning techniques. Principal Investigator

• Applied Seed Fund UC-TEC (2023-2024). Improvement of PHB production in H. campaniensis. Co-Investigator

• Open Seed Fund UC-NU (2022-2024). Model-guided experimental design for the optimization of cell-free enzymatic systems. Principal Investigator

• FONDECYT Regular No. 1210346 (2021-2024). Sustainable production of mealybug pheromones using engineered biological systems. Co-Investigator

• Open Seed Fund UC-UQ (2021-2023). A novel sampling framework for exploring the feasible joint space of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and metabolic fluxes. Principal Investigator

• FONDECYT Regular No. 1190074 (2019-2023). Identification and modeling of cross-feeding interactions in the gut microbiome for designing microbial communities. Co-Investigator

• Open Seed Fund UC-TEC (2020-2022). Exploring Halomonas species as a microbial platform for bioplastic production. Co-Investigator

• FONDECYT Iniciación No. 11190871 (2019-2022). A general Bayesian framework for leveraging existing kinetic data and thermodynamic constraints for constructing accurate models of cellular metabolism. Principal Investigator