Our group aims to unveil the structure of cellular machines to gain mechanistic insight into macromolecular function and assist the development of biomedical applications. For this, we use electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) and X-ray crystallography, both providing information to atomic resolution, combined with other biophysical and biochemical techniques. This integrative methodology is applied to study essential cell processes such as genome transcription, DNA repair and bacterial cell division.

The Oxide Nanoelectronics Group studies functional properties and phase transitions of oxides at the nanoscale. The interest in oxides stems from the vast array of functional properties they display; the principal properties that we study are ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, electronic transport (including metal-insulator transitions and magnetorresistance), magnetoelectricity, elasticity and flexoelectricity. Our group has expertise in and facilities for the fabrication of epitaxial thin films and heterostructures, and for their characterization.

The P2N group investigates the interactions between phonons, photons and electrons in nano-scale condensed matter with a long-term view to develop new information technology concepts where information processing is achieved with novel or multiple state variables. Experimental research is carried out on nanophononics including nano-scale thermal transport and opto-mechanical crystals at the cross roads between nanotechnology and dispersion relation engineering.

NOT UPDATED

Machine learning and Data Science are disciplines that are at the core of many current significant societal developments.

The group studies the genetic mechanisms that control maize resistance to stresses, kernel quality and production in order to optimize the improvement of maize for food (animal and human) and industrial uses. Maize biodiversity will be used to make agriculture more sustainable. The team is made up of three officials (1 Research Professor and 2 Scientific Researchers), an Ad Honorem Research Professor and a staff member (Research Assistant), one Research Assistant hired indefinitely by court ruling, three Technicians and one Graduated hired with research funds and an FPI.

The CONSOWAT group works on the design of strategies to minimise soil and water pollution, contributing to the development of new environmentally friendly technologies that lead to a more sustainable management of the soil-water system. In relation to soils, we apply chemical, biological and omic techniques both for the prevention of soil pollution and for the recovery of contaminated soils. In water remediation processes, we develop methods for the elimination of organic pollutants and pathogenic microorganisms through the development and use of low-cost materials.

Integrated studies of the soil‒water‒plant relationships and the use of organic wastes as fertilizers or amendments

Plant-plant interactions, plant-soil interactions, animal-animal interactions, animal, plant and microbial communities dynamics, organisms responses to global change, adaptation, nutrient cycles.

Experimental study of particles and astroparticles