The National Council for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina (www.conicet.gov.ar) was founded in 1958 by means of a Decree as a response to a socially generalized need for an academic organism that could promote scientific and technological research in the country. The first President of CONICET was Dr. Bernardo A. Houssay, who had been awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1947.

In 1971, CONICET started the construction of Regional Centers. This project had undoubted significance for the scientific and technical development of the country. These centers had to be equipped with the necessary infrastructure for creating state-of-the-art institutes and labs and it was necessary to count on the mechanisms that would enable knowledge transfer and postgraduate education and training for human resources.

In line with this, the Regional Research and Development Center (CERIDE) of Santa Fe was founded in 1976. One of the main objectives of its creation in the city of Santa Fe was to become an actual model of a ‘scientific and technological pole’. Also, it was defined as an integrated and interdisciplinary complex. It was to be integrated because the various institutes that made it up would count on a series of centralized services for common use, which would ensure a maximized economy of resources; and it was to be interdisciplinary since a concentration of institutes was necessary to meet the need for common research programs.

From then on, other institutes joined CERIDE: the Institute for Technological Development in the Chemical Industry (INTEC) —founded in June 1975—, the National Institute of Limnology (INALI) —created in 1962—, the Institute for Research in Catalysis and Petrochemistry (INCAPE) and the Institute for Research in Natural Products and Organic Synthesis (IPNAYS) in 1978 —the latter being shut down in 1996—, the Institute for Development and Design (INGAR) in 1980, and the Institute of Applied Mathematics of the Litoral Region (IMAL) in 1999.

In 2004, CERIDE had to face the challenge of accompanying the growing research staff, the increasing number of research projects, and the need for services that could meet new arising demands. In compliance with this, most services and institutes were moved to a new location in Paraje El Pozo (to the north of National Route 168) called PREDIO CONICET Santa Fe. In December 2006, the Board of Directors of CONICET passed Resolution No. 3111 to start up a new structure: Science and Technology Centers that would constitute headquarters in this renewed institutional conformation. Santa Fe was one of the first places in which this structure was applied, which led to the creation of the Science and Technology Center (CCT) CONICET Santa Fe. In this new framework, CERIDE came to be renamed Territory Administration Unit (UAT) of CONICET Santa Fe.

With the aim of taking advantage of the potentialities in our region, CONICET created five new institutes that became members of CCT Santa Fe: the National Institute of Industrial Milk Production (INLAIN) in 2007, the Institute of Agrobiotechnology of the Litoral Region (IAL) in 2008, the Computational Mechanics Research Center (CIMEC) and the Institute of Veterinary Sciences of the Litoral Region (ICiVet-Litoral) in 2012, the Institute of Physics of the Litoral Region (IFIS-Litoral) in 2015, the Institute of Health and Environment of the Litoral Region (ISAL) in 2013, the Institute for Research in Computational Intelligence, Signals, and Systems (sinc(i)) in 2014, the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Litoral Region (IHUCSO), and finally the Institute of Applied Chemistry of the Litoral Region (IQAL) in 2016.

On October 13th 2016, the Center for Scientific Research and Technology Transfer to Production (CICYTTP), which is located in Diamante (Province of Entre Ríos), joined CCT Santa Fe under Resolution No. 3579 passed by the Board of Directors of CONICET.
In June 2017, Resolution No. 1399 approved the creation of the Institute for Research and Development in Bioengineering and Bioinformatics (IBB), which reports to CONICET and the National University of Entre Ríos, Argentina (UNER). In December of the same year, under Resolution No. 4437, the Institute of Social Studies (INES) was founded as a new Executing Unit reporting to both CONICET and the National University of Entre Ríos. Even though the latter two Units are located in another province, they became part of the Science and Technology Center CONICET Santa Fe.

In April 2019, and under Resolution No. 1079, the Institute of Agricultural and Livestock Sciences of the Litoral Region (ICIAGRO Litoral) was created and became another Executing Unit dually reporting to CONICET and the National University of the Litoral Region (UNL).

In May 2020, Resolution No. 903 approved the creation of the Institute of Food Science and Technology of Entre Ríos (ICTAER). It became another Executing Unit reporting to CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos (UNER) that joined the Science and Technology Center CONICET Santa Fe.

In June 2020, under Resolution No. 1009, CONICET created the Institute for Research in the Milk Chain (IDICAL). It has a dual reporting relationship with CONICET and the National Institute of Agricultural and Livestock Technology (INTA) of Argentina and is located in the Agriculture and Livestock Experimental Station of Rafaela. It also became part of the Science and Technology Center CONICET Santa Fe.

On July 22nd 2020, Regulation No. 362 enabled the incorporation of the Research and Transfer Center of Rafaela (CIT Rafaela) as a Unit dually managed by the Science and Technology Center CONICET Santa Fe and the National University of Rafaela (UNRAF).

Currently, CONICET Santa Fe has more than 1.330 members working at 20 research institutes, one research and transfer center, the administration unit, and the influence zone. The CCT constitutes a structure that produces high-level scientific knowledge and technological development and whose essential objectives are the growth of our country and the welfare of our people.

For further information, visit: https://santafe.conicet.gov.ar/recorrido-historico/