New Recognition for the Quality of IQS Research Groups
The provisional resolution of the SGR 2021 call was published this January, through which the Government of Catalonia recognizes the network of research groups in Catalonia for upcoming years.
As to Ramon Llull University, the 44 groups that were presented for recognition have been acknowledged, 14 of which are IQS groups both from the School of Engineering and the School of Management.
The Materials Engineering Group, led by Dr Salvador Borrós, has once again been recognized as a consolidated group. It boasts a 29-member research team and focuses its research and transfer activity on developing new functional polymers, surface engineering, biomaterials, and bioengineering.
The Applied Photobiological Chemistry Group, under the leadership of Dr Santi Nonell, has been recognized as a consolidated group. The group is home to a 7-member research team and has a solid track record in the field of cancer photochemotherapy, photo-antimicrobial therapies, sun protection, as well as chemical analysis and the diagnosis of diseases through fluorescence.
The Biological Chemistry and Biotechnology Group, coordinated by Dr Antoni Planas, has been recognized once again as a consolidated group. It includes a total of 15 members and focuses on the field of molecular biology, enzymology, glycobiology, protein engineering, metabolic engineering, bioinformatics, molecular modelling, bioprocesses, microalgae, and optogenetics.
The Pharmaceutical Chemistry Group, now led by Dr Roger Estrada, has maintained recognition as a consolidated group. It includes a total of 22 people whose work converges in research and technology transfer in the field of molecular engineering and pharmaceutical product development.
The Industrial Products Engineering Group, now coordinated by Dr Andrés García, has also renewed its recognition as a consolidated group. Its team is home to a total of 10 researchers from the field of industrial engineering and they focus their work in the area of manufacturing process engineering, additive manufacturing, 3D printing, product engineering, computer-aided design, and computational fluid dynamics.
The Environmental Process Engineering and Simulation Group, under the leadership of Dr Rafael González, has renewed its recognition as a consolidated group. It is made up of a team of 13 members with multidisciplinary profiles that combine chemical engineering, biotechnology, and analysis to advance process sustainability. It focuses its activity on capturing and converting CO₂, greenhouse gases, water treatment, life cycle analysis, sustainability, bioplastics, emerging pollutants, and the circular economy.
The Vascular Engineering and Applied Biomedicine Group, led by Dr Jordi Martorell, has gone from being recognized as an emerging group to joining the consolidated group category. Its activity focuses on the application of cell biology in the vascular field and its research team is home to 5 people.
The Research Group on Corporate Governance, coordinated by Dr Josep García, has gone from being recognized as a pre-consolidated group to joining the consolidated group category. It includes a total of 7 professors and researchers and focuses its research on designing policies and regulations on the best governance for companies.
The Consumer Behavior Perspectives Group, led by Dr Ramón Palau, has gone from an emerging group and is now joining the consolidated group category. Its research team is made up of 6 members who focus their work on analysing consumer behaviour in specific contexts and the influence of economic policies.
The new Applied Data Analytics and Modelling Group, under the leadership of Dr Meritxell Sáez, has gained recognition as an emerging research group. It boasts a team of 10 members, and focuses its research on the application of data analysis and modelling techniques in different areas such as biosciences, engineering, and social sciences.
The new Chemical Reactions for Innovative Solutions Group, coordinated by Dr Ana Belén Cuenca, has been recognized as a consolidated group and relies on a team of 10 people. The group’s research focuses on the use of innovative chemical tools that provide solutions to the challenges of molecular science, a discipline that is at the heart of key activities for society such as medical and process chemistry and materials science.
The new Electrochemistry and Bioanalysis Group, under the leadership of Dr Jordi Abellà, has gained recognition as a consolidated group. Its research team includes 7 people with a solid track record in the development of electrochemical sensors for energy-related applications, the analytical study of compounds of interest such as proteins, metabolites, or bioactive substances from metabolomics, the characterization of nanoparticle suspensions with an implication in the field of biomedicine, and the development of biosensors.
The new Applied Mechanics and Advanced Manufacturing Group, led by Dr Marco Antonio Pérez, has been recognized as an emerging group and is home to a group of 10 professors and researchers. Its activity is focused on solving problems related to social challenges through advanced manufacturing, the efficient use of raw materials, and structural efficiency.
The new Sustainability, Economics and Ethics Group, under the coordination of Dr Octasiano Valerio, has been recognized as an emerging group. Composed of 9 members, its work focuses on issues related to ethics, socioeconomic sustainability, poverty, equality, education, aporophobia, social exclusion, and the environment.
This great diversity of groups enables us to affirm that IQS research is extensive and increasingly consolidated. We are especially pleased with the milestones achieved by the professors who have joined IQS more recently and have been able to find the team that will facilitate their growth over the coming years.
All of them are available to carry out collaborative R&D&i projects and provide technology and knowledge transfer services.
Dr Núria Vallmitjana
Director of IQS Tech Transfer
