The ICREAs

ICREA Research Professors form a vibrant community of scientists and researchers in all areas of knowledge that contribute to the advancement of humankind by exploring, interpreting and questioning. Have a look and learn about their amazing discoveries and findings here:

Galán-Mascarós, José Ramón

Institut Català d'Investigació Química (ICIQ)

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Galán-Mascarós, José Ramón
Research Professor at
Institut Català d'Investigació Química (ICIQ)
Experimental Sciences & Mathematics
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Research interests

Our research team is devoted to the development of alternative inorganic materials with the desired chemical and physical properties for applications in the fields of Renewable energy and circular economy. In Renewable Energies, we are working in the development of stable, efficient and low-cost new catalysts and platforms for the production of solar fuels. In Materials Sciences, we are designing new materials and processess for viable carbon capture and utilization.

Key words
Coordination chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry, Molecular materials, Renewable Energies

ORCID
: 0000-0001-7983-9762

RESEARCHER ID
: O-7196-2014
Gámez Enamorado, Patrick

Universitat de Barcelona (UB)

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Gámez Enamorado, Patrick
Research Professor at
Universitat de Barcelona (UB)
Experimental Sciences & Mathematics
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Research interests

Cancer and Alzheimer's disease (AD) represent two major chronic diseases that are in the top ten leading causes of mortality worldwide and their incidence will increase exponentially in the coming decades, as the result of population ageing. His current research interests are aimed at applying novel photochemical and nanotechnological strategies for the development of efficient diagnostic and therapeutic tools (for theranostic, drug delivery, photochemotherapeutic applications) against these two important public health issues (www.nanobic.eu).

Key words
medicinal inorganic chemistry - bio-inorganic chemistry - amyloid-beta - photochemistry - ruthenium - Reactive oxygen species (ROS) - structure-targeted biomolecular recognition - Photodynamic therapy - theragnostics - nanoparticles

ORCID
: 0000-0003-2602-9525

RESEARCHER ID
: B-3610-2012
García Parajo, Maria F.

Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)

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García Parajo, Maria F.
Research Professor at
Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)
Engineering Sciences
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Research interests

Our research focuses on the development of advanced optical techniques to the study of biological processes at the single molecular level on living cells. We focus on the development and application of different forms of super-resolution microscopy as well as nanophotonic-based approaches to reach spatial resolutions around 10nm on intact cells. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy in ultraconfined volumes, and multi-color single particle tracking are exploited to gain access to dynamic processes down to the microsecond time resolution. Using these combined approaches, we aim at understanding how spatiotemporal compartmentalization of biomolecules inside cells regulates and control cell function. This fundamental question has important implications for health and disease, touching the fields of cell biology and immunology. Most recent research focuses on the fields of nano-mechanobiology at the level of the cell membrane and liquid-liquid phase separation in living nuclei.

Key words
BioNanoPhotonics; Cell membrane biology and biophysics; single molecule fluorescence detection; super-resolution nanoscopy; single molecule dynamics

ORCID
: orcid.org/0000-0001-6618-3944
García de Abajo, Francisco Javier

Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)

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García de Abajo, Francisco Javier
Research Professor at
Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)
Engineering Sciences
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Research interests

Javier García de Abajo's research program on the theory of nanoscale photonics ranges from optical characterization free-electron microscope spectroscopies and ultrafast microscopy to studies of ultrasensitive single-molecule detection, quantum aspects of light-matter interaction, excitation and characterization of plasmons by electron beams, plasmonic metamaterials, quantum friction, radiative transfer and coherent control, two-dimensional materials, and ultrafast free-electron processes. These topics cover a broad spectrum of research in nanophotonics. This theoretical effort encompasses classical and quantum methods, both analytical and numerical, which are the basis to understand and propose new phenomena with application to biosensing as well as quantum optics and metrology.

Key words
nanophotonics, plasmonics, condensed matter physics, electron microscopy, light-matter interaction, nanomaterials

ORCID
: 0000-0002-4970-4565

RESEARCHER ID
: A-6095-2009
García Suero, Marcos

Institut Català d'Investigació Química (ICIQ)

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García Suero, Marcos
Research Professor at
Institut Català d'Investigació Química (ICIQ)
Experimental Sciences & Mathematics
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Research interests

I uncovered the innovative nature of monovalent carbynes by using the following approach: the conceptual decoration of free carbynes with different masking (leaving) groups that provides stable sources. Selective activations (metal catalysts, light or/and electrons) remove one mask and form reactive equivalents that unveils dual reactivities of the free carbyne species and control the sequence of the different bond-forming processes. The combined radical, carbene and carbocation reactivity is a privileged platform that has allowed me to discover and develop new concepts for molecular editing, using peripheral carbon-hydrogen bonds and skeletal carbon-carbon bonds in chemical feedstocks, drug molecules or materials. The synthetic advantages of the new methods have been exploited in the synthesis or modification of complex molecules.

Key words
catalytic C-H/C-C bond functionalization, molecular editing, hypervalent iodine reagents, late-stage functionalization, carbynes, (photo)catalysis

ORCID
: 0000-0001-9796-7768

RESEARCHER ID
: F-2544-2015
Garrido Ariza, Jose A.

Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2)

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Garrido Ariza, Jose A.
Research Professor at
Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2)
Engineering Sciences
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Research interests

Jose A. Garrido leads the Advanced Electronic Materials and Devices group at ICN2. The activities of the team focus on technology and material science of novel electronic materials, with a strong emphasis on graphene and other 2D materials. In addition, the team works towards the development of technological applications of these materials in electronics, neural interfaces and bioelectronics. The activities cut across different scientific aspects, from fundamentals (physics of devices and semiconductors) to materials (growth of graphene and 2D materials, surface functionalization, advanced characterization), through devices (fabrication technology, nanofabrication), and to applications (neural implants and biomedical technologies, biosensors, energy storage, etc).

Key words
2d materials, electronic devices, nanotechnology, bioelectronics, neural interfaces