Analysis, from a fundamental perspective, of the molecular basis for glycoside recognition by nucleic acids and proteins. Development of new strategies for the design and synthesis of bioactive glycoside ligands.

The scientific interests of our research group have evolved from the development of reductive coupling methods with low valence metals for the stereoselective synthesis of natural cyclitols and carbocyclic glycommetics, and their study as specific enzyme inhibitors, to the design, synthesis and characterization of new "tailor-made" photosensitized nanostructured materials with improved biophotonic behavior for advanced biomedical applications.

The scientific activity of the research group is mainly devoted to the synthesis and selective transformations of carbohydrates, with the aim of obtaining molecules with utility in biological studies and with medical applications. We study selective transformations using chemical methods and biocatalysis with commercially available enzymes or obtained by the research team. The multidisciplinary character of the group is reinforced by collaborations with other groups from complementary disciplines and backgrounds.

The research group's activity deals with fundamental aspects of carbohydrate chemistry with potential applications in biology and biomedicine.

Our group deals with the synthesis of new organometallic frameworks having natural products in their structures. The aim of this research is both, to develop new synthetic methodology, as well as obtain, in an efficient manner, organic and organometallic compounds with well defined physiochemical properties. Very recently (september 2021) we have started a new research project directed to the development of new compounds having antibacterial activities.

The group works on the development and study of materials with chemical functionality (photo-catalysts) in powder form, or in the form of coatings or films on different substrates, with the aim of their use in environmental photocatalysis applications.

New energy sources, renewable energies development and intensification of all involved energy production processes will optimize the energetic efficiency and minimize GHG emissions, paving the road to mitigate global warming. Research lines for accomplishing this objective are developed by our group. The synthesis, characterization, shaping and testing of catalytic devices for energetic and environmental processes are considered. Hydrocarbon reforming, mainly the so-called non-conventional gas, hydrogen cleanup processes, as well as valorization of the reforming streams through GTL processes.

Design, processing and characterization of ceramic and polymeric materials with improved properties for the generation and efficient use of energy, preparation of bioplastics and non-toxic lacquers and management of hazardous industrial waste.

This group was created in 1986 with the purpose of carrying out kinetic studies of solid state reactions, provided the interest of the knowledge of the mechanism of these reactions for the synthesis of materials with controlled structure and texture. The group has developed instrumentation for intelligent control of temperature for the sample itself which allow greater discrimination in the reaction mechanism that has been later included into most of the thethermogravimetric equipment currently available in the market.

The research activity of the Colloidal Materials Group is focused on the synthesis and surface modification of new colloidal functional materials with controlled characteristics (particle size and shape, crystallinity, composition, specific surface area), their characterization and the evaluation of their properties for application in biomedicine, ceramics and optoelectronics.