The main objective of the QCEXVAL group is to determine, with high precision, chemical mechanisms derived from the interaction between visible-UV radiation and relevant molecular systems in biology, medicine, nanotechnology and the environment, thus establishing the basis for predicting innovative electronic properties and proposing new molecules for their applied use in these fields. To this end, the tools of theoretical and computational chemistry and computationally powerful computer farms are used. Furthermore, we contribute to the development of new methodologies and computational procedures to solve highly complex problems.

The activity is based on the study of the application of current territorial legal systems and the problematic of procedures, both from the revenue and expenditure side.

• Law 34/2015 substantially modified all the titles of the General Tax Law, applicable to the Local Treasury. Currently pending approval are the Royal Decrees amending all the Regulations implementing the LGT. Likewise, the new Laws 39/2015 and 40/2015 on Common Administrative Procedure and the Legal Regime of Public Administrations require significant changes to be made to the framework of action of Local Bodies in their relations with citizens, which also affect the tax sphere.
• In recent years, the volume of conflict in relation to local taxes has increased notably, in different dimensions:​
  • correspondence of the Tax Ordinances to the Constitution, LGT and the LHL. 
  • procedures for the drafting and approval of said Ordinances.
  • acts of local tax management
• The tax control and debt recovery strategies of the regional and local tax authorities are far removed from those designed and successfully implemented by the Tax Agency at the national level.
• On the other hand, at this time of climate change, it is necessary to develop research applied to various simultaneous objectives: combining tourism promotion with sustainable development that preserves the environment as an intrinsic value, the search for new municipal financing formulas that pursue the aforementioned aims and an increase in the financial sufficiency of Local Corporations in covering the cost of services. In Spain there are still few pioneering experiences in this direction, but in the comparative sphere it is possible to look at the solutions applied in environments with similar geographical and tourist singularities. The aim is to project the potential of taxes as fundamental mechanisms to advance in two directions: ​
  • on the one hand, overcoming the endemic scenarios of financial insufficiency of Local Corporations;
  • on the other, the suitability of local public action, as the level of government closest to the citizen and on which the objective of safeguarding and improving the idiosyncrasy and values of the municipality operates at the forefront.
• Finally, equality between men and women as well as transparency and good governance must be taken into account when complying with the requirement of fairness in public spending. It is therefore necessary to analyse and propose the general regulatory framework for participatory budgeting and gender budgeting. Indeed, the linking of public spending to objective principles of material justice is an unavoidable requirement. The principle of justice in public spending becomes the material substratum of the obligation of all Public Administrations to draw up their budgets with a gender perspective, since it must be clear that in order to achieve equality, the material justice proclaimed in the Constitution, budgets must be drawn up with a gender perspective, which in no way implies allocating more resources to programmes or actions aimed at women, but only a different way of analysing and drawing up traditional budgets, an action which underlies the achievement of objectives of economic effectiveness and efficiency. But it is not only the public expenditure side, both public income and expenditure, which must be analysed from a gender perspective in order to achieve the financial justice to which they must be directed by constitutional mandate.

Laboratory authorised to work with quarantine plant pathogenic bacteria (biosafety level 2 conditions). 

Lines of research: 

1. Characterisation and diagnosis of plant pathogenic bacteria.

• Description: Conventional and molecular diagnosis, characterisation and identification of plant pathogenic bacteria (phytopathogens). Molecular typing and epidemiology. 
• Activities: Use of rapid and specific molecular methods for the detection and diagnosis of plant pathogenic bacteria (quarantine bacteria such as Erwinia amylovora and Ralstonia solanacearum and other plant pathogens in general such as Lonsdalea quercina, Brenneria spp. etc.).Molecular epidemiology studies to determine intraspecific variability and pathways of introduction/dissemination of bacterial pathogens. Virulence and/or pathogenicity tests with different phytopathogenic bacteria. 

2. Survival strategies of plant pathogenic bacteria.

• Description: Bacterial survival strategies in different environments [survival in oligotrophic conditions, viable non-culturable state (VNC) and inducing factors], reservoirs and transmission pathways. Recovery of bacteria in VNC state. Gene expression and obtaining mutants in bacterial genes of interest. 
  Activities: Studies of survival of phytopathogenic bacteria in natural water microcosms and/or other environmental reservoirs.Studies of reservoirs of phytopathogenic bacteria and transmission pathways. Studies of factors inducing entry into the VNC state. Studies of recovery and/or resuscitation of VNC cells. Studies on the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on the survival and pathogenicity of phytopathogenic bacteria. Studies of the effect of different stress factors on the expression of genes related to the survival and/or virulence of phytopathogenic bacteria. Obtaining mutants in genes related to the survival and/or virulence of phytopathogenic bacteria. Studies of the survival and virulence of bacterial mutants of plant pathogens Characterisation of bacterial mutants of plant pathogens by microbiological, microscopic, molecular and/or omic techniques. 

3. Biotechnological applications of environmental micro-organisms.

• Description: Isolation and characterisation of environmental micro-organisms of biotechnological interest: bacteriophages, micro-organisms producing antimicrobial compounds, siderophores, degrading micro-organisms. Biological control of bacteriosis in plants. 
• Activities: Isolation and characterisation of specific bacteriophages of phytopathogenic bacteria. Survival studies of specific bacteriophages of phytopathogenic bacteria. Isolation and characterisation of microorganisms producing antimicrobials and other metabolites of interest. Biological control of bacterial plant diseases. Isolation and characterisation of hydrocarbon-degrading environmental microorganisms. Study of possible applications in bioremediation. 

4. Bacteriology of lichens. Biotechnological applications.

• Description: Isolation and characterisation of lichen-associated bacteria: diversity, contribution to lichen symbiosis, and biotechnological applications. 
• Activities: Isolation of bacteria associated with lichens. Obtaining lichen extracts. Optimisation of the recovery of lichen bacteria. Diversity of lichen bacteria. Role of lichen-associated bacteria in lichen symbiosis. Biotechnological characterisation of lichen bacteria and their applications: plant growth promoting microorganisms, waste degraders, producers of new polymers, pigments, etc.

The research of the Biotechnological Pest Control group of the Universitat of València aims to optimise Integrated Management strategies designed for the control of pests of agronomic interest. The group's funding is supported by research projects and contracts financed by public and private entities. We are working specifically on three research lines, the objectives of which are summarised below:

1. Study of the genetic and biochemical bases of pesticide resistance in order to delay pest emergence and avoid the phenomenon of cross-resistance.
2. Development of new bioinsecticides: Extending the known spectrum of action of B. thuringiensis and the search for new entomopathogenic viruses.
3. Insect-pathogen interaction: Identifying the mechanisms involved in the response to pathogens.

The research activity of the GI-PVC (Research Group on Cenozoic Vertebrate Palaeontology) focuses on the study of seven main lines of research: 

• Cenozoic Macrovertebrates (Baetic Basins and Iberian Cordillera). 
• Study of the Mio-Pliocene transit in continental facies in the Valencian Community. 
• Study of the Lower Miocene and Middle Miocene faunas of the Eastern Iberian Peninsula.
• Study of the Tertiary and Quaternary faunas of Ecuador. 
• Isotopic analysis of fossil remains of micromammals. 
• Application of GIS tools (Geographic Information Systems - spatial analysis) in palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction based on fossil remains of microvertebrates. 
• Combined application of GIS (Geographic Information Systems - spatial analysis) and Image Analysis tools in the study of shape in Palaeontology.​

The object of study of the seven aforementioned lines of research are the remains of fossil vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, amphibians) from the Cenozoic of Europe, and especially from the Iberian Peninsula, as well as from the same period in the central and western regions of Ecuador. In both geographical contexts, the aim is to approach the detailed palaeontological study of this type of remains from the different sub-disciplines of palaeontology (taphonomy, systematics, biostratigraphy, biogeography, palaeoecology, study of shape, etc.). 

The main areas of study are the Tertiary and Quaternary basins of the Iberian and Baetic Domains in the Iberian Peninsula, and the areas with Eocene-Quaternary deposits in central and western Ecuador. The Iberian Peninsula is a region where a large number of palaeontological studies on Cenozoic vertebrate faunas have been carried out. Thus, since the middle of the last century, a large number of researchers from Europe and other latitudes have selected the Iberian basins as the preferred place to study this type of fossils. The magnificent exposition of the outcrops and the large palaeontological record found contributed to consider this area as the main source of palaeontological information on Cenozoic vertebrates in Europe. As a result of this work, the Spanish School of Vertebrate Palaeontologists was created, which over the years has become the largest and most powerful in our continent.

Our efforts are aimed at completing the large number of works in Vertebrate Palaeontology already existing in these basins, and especially at complementing the scarce works that have been carried out in the East of the Peninsula and which, as our latest works show, contain very relevant information that contrasts with the results from other areas of the Peninsula and the rest of Europe. Our results allow us to verify significant differences in the palaeontological record of Cenozoic vertebrates, as well as the discovery of new events of palaeoenvironmental changes hitherto unrecorded in other study areas.

In addition to deepening studies that complement existing information from other areas, our team is developing its research work on other fronts in order to create new approaches to the knowledge of the palaeoenvironmental conditions of the most recent past (Pleistocene-Holocene) and their relationship with the processes of climate change that have occurred in this time span. On the other hand, although closely related to this last point, we are developing new spatial analysis applications to handle environmental-climatic and biogeographical information that will allow us to tackle the process of paleoclimatic reconstruction of the recent past. From these new applications we analyse, for example, the extinction context of the last Neanderthal groups based on the Pleistocene microvertebrate record.

The COMINBRAND research group is an intercultural and interdisciplinary group that develops lines of research focused on communication, innovation and the latest marketing trends. Faced with the arrival of the 5.0 marketing stage, the research group contextualises itself in a highly interconnected and digitalised world, where communication plays a key role, and studies consumer behaviour and its connection with the brand, passing through different stages of brand creation. This process of developing a brand through its various assets is called branding. From there, communication, innovation, branding and consumer behaviour are COMINBRAND's main lines of research. To these are added two transversal lines of research, one focused on the study of the impact of culture, and more specifically national culture, which will allow us to obtain a cross-cultural vision of the problems addressed and another that includes the analysis of gender in current scientific research, with the aim of responding to a greater awareness of the importance of including the gender perspective in consumer behaviour studies. 

The priority sectors of the analysis are tourism and education, both of which are subject to major processes of change and digital transformation. The analysis of the tourism sector encompasses both various tourist destinations and the hotel and hospitality companies that operate in them. The study of the education sector focuses on higher education institutions and focuses its analysis on teaching innovation and new teaching-learning methodologies. 

The quality of the group's research is endorsed by the strong international collaboration of its members, their participation in multiple R&D projects financed by public calls, in educational innovation projects and in relevant R&D contracts with companies and/or administrations. In addition to this, there are numerous publications in journals of high international prestige indexed in the SSCI and SJR databases, participation in international conferences, including those oriented towards teaching innovation, participation in editorial boards of prestigious journals, acting as editors and a high degree of involvement in the field of tourism and education in general.

The determination of mycotoxins present in food and knowledge of their intake and toxicity are the basis for assessing the risk associated with the consumption of contaminated food and providing data for the protection of the consumer’s health.

The COAL research group focuses its research on the analysis of mycotoxins in food, study of in vitro and in vivo toxicity, factors that influence intestinal bio-accessibility and decontamination procedures in order to assess risk. The COAL group also develops bioactive ingredients/products of natural origin to reduce the growth of mycotoxin-producing fungi in food for possible application both in the field and during the preservation of different agri-food products.

The COAL research group participates in several competitive research projects, the common points being the development of methodologies based on natural ingredients for the reduction of the growth of fungi in food and feed:

• "Integrated and innovative key actions for mycotoxin management in the food and feed chain (Mycokey) (GA 678781)". European project funded by the H2020 program based on the development of growth reduction methodologies of mycotoxin-producing fungi in maize, barley and wheat stored in silos.
• "Smart and innovative packaging, postharvest rot management and shipping of organic citrus fruit (BiOrangePack)". Project funded by the European program PRIMA-H2020 with the aim of developing an innovative packaging based on cellulose recovered from the waste of the citrus juice production industry (mainly from the albedo) containing a bioactive ingredient fermented by BALs, capable of reducing the growth of the contaminating fungal microflora of fruits throughout transport and storage.
• "Enhancing Research and Innovation Capacity of Tubitak MAM Food Institute on Managment of Mycotoxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxins (MycoTWIN)". Project funded by the H2020 where our research group will organize different activities related to the dissemination of knowledge of the most effective techniques for the control of mycotoxins present in food, including workshops, round-table conferences, info days, training school, etc.
• "Bio-preservation of tin loaf with fermented whey against mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi. Safety of use in the presence of carotenoids. (SAFEBIOBREAD) (PID2019-108070RB-100)'. Project funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness is based on the isolation of new strains of lactic acid bacteria (BALs) from the sweet whey of goat's milk liquid, its characterization of the potential antifungal, identification and quantification of the molecules that give rise to the activity object of the study, and its potential application as a bioactive ingredient in the preservation of tin bread. Another aspect of the project will be to study the beneficial effects of bioactive compounds produced by lactic acid bacteria throughout fermentation, both through in vitro tests with cell cultures and animal models.

The COAL group collaborates with different national and international companies on the development of ingredients / products to reduce the growth of mycotoxin-producing fungi both in the field and in storage.

The results of the research activity of the group have attracted a wide interest for the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) and the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and has resulted in the publication in international journals of high impact index as Food Chemistry, Food Chemical & Toxicology, Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry, Food Control, Food Additives & Contaminants, Journal of Chromatography, Toxicon, Toxicology Letters, etc. It also collaborates with prestigious national and European groups in the scientific and technical field.

DATS is a Research Group attached to the University Research Institute on Traffic and Road Safety (INTRAS). The research group was created in 1995 and is formed by professors and researchers of renowned prestige.

The aim of the DATS Group is focused on Consulting, Research, Development, Innovation, Training and Dissemination Projects in the fields of Transport, Traffic, Mobility and Road Safety.

It develops its projects both for administrations and institutions as well as for companies, whether public or private, national or international, in order to respond to the needs of its clients, as well as in general to solve the social problems represented by traffic accidents, poverty and environmental degradation across the world, with special attention to developing countries.

Therefore, one of the main activities is the accompaniment in the diagnosis of problems and detection of opportunities, as well as the definition of solutions and strategies to guide decision-making.

The work of the DATS Group has contributed to increase knowledge in the field. In this sense, the group has made an effort to disseminate findings through books, articles in scientific journals and/or scientific and outreaching conferences. Likewise, the group has actively participated in and with mass media with the aim of communicating and raising public awareness.

Consequently, the following services are included in its Service Charter:

• Preparation/Drafting of Strategic Plans for Transport, Logistics, Sustainable Mobility, Local and Urban Planning, Road and Workplace Safety (in-itinere and in-mission accidents).
• Definition, development and implementation of interventions, measures and counter-measures in the fields of Transport, Mobility and Road Safety.
• Legislative, Regulatory and Normative development.
• Deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).
• Assessment and recruitment, especially of drivers, both positive and negative, including the development of instruments to achieve these goals.
• Design and teaching of training and education programmes, as well as the necessary teaching tools and resources (including those based on technologies such as Virtual Reality, especially simulators, and Augmented Reality). It is aimed at scholars, professionals, technicians and users/citizens in general.
• Creation of communication and advertising campaigns, including Corporate Social Marketing campaigns.
• Evaluation of Plans, Programmes and interventions, including those related to legislative, regulatory and normative development (Legislative Assessment).

The group of “Ecology, Ethology and Evolution” gathers researchers from the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and is dedicated to fundamental and applied research at the interphase between ecology, animal behaviour and evolutionary biology. The aim is to contribute to the scientific knowledge of complex biological phenomena in which the relationship between individuals and their biotic and abiotic environment plays a fundamental role.

Examples include animal communication, sensory ecology, characteristics and behaviours associated with sexual and asexual reproduction, complex life cycles, non-linear population dynamics, response to environmental fluctuation and uncertainty, response to spatial heterogeneity, processes of co-evolution between symbionts, and the effects of anthropogenic factors on organisms.

From the methodological point of view, an integrative approach is used, combining theoretical analysis, laboratory experiments and field experiments and observations, as well as a wide range of conceptual and instrumental techniques: modelling, computational simulation, molecular, microscopic and audiovisual techniques, spectrophotometry, bioacoustics, demography, phylogenetic analysis, determination of parameters, classical and molecular taxonomy, etc.

The emphasis of the group is on basic or fundamental research, but attention is paid to all those branches of applied relevance: toxicity bioassays, aquaculture, population viability analysis, climate change effects, etc. In its researches, the group seeks to solve general, theoretically motivated biological problems using model systems and organisms in which its members are experts.

The Research Group on Economic Integration, INTECO, was officially created after the grant of an aid for research groups awarded by the Science and Technology Office of the Valencian government (GR01-167) in 2001; two years later, INTECO received the consideration of Group of Excellence in the 2003 call. This consideration was renewed in the 2009 call (PROMETEO 2009/098). However, the research group was already registered in the Technology Transfer Offices of the Universities to which most of its members belong. Thus, the Castellón research group has the code 115ECON in the OCIT of the Universitat Jaume I under the title "Economic Integration" and the Valencia group has the code UV-0736 in the OTRI of the Universitat de València in the research line "Economic Integration".

• Research line 1: Trade implications of globalisation and regional integration processes.

The objective of this research line is to determine the effect of continental and intercontinental integration agreements on trade. The analysis is carried out both globally and for each continent in particular, with the aim of detecting specific features for economic and geographical reasons that may condition the effects of the agreements on trade. Specifically, one objective of this line is to identify the impact that institutional, cultural and political aspects may have on international trade. Aspects such as armed conflicts, ethnic differences, the degree of democracy, religion, civil liberties, political rights and development aid, among others, are the subject of detailed treatment.

• Research line 2: Implications of globalisation and regional integration processes for economic policy.

The recent wave of financial globalisation has led to an increase in countries' holdings of foreign assets and liabilities, and their asset portfolios can therefore be seriously affected by changes in asset prices, opening the possibility of large cross-country wealth transfers that alter the dynamics of foreign asset balances. However, these valuation effects have not been considered either in theory or in official statistics until very recently. In this line of research we propose to examine the long-term sustainability of current account deficits for a set of OECD countries using two channels: one representative of classical intertemporal models (trade adjustment channel) and another, central to the unified approach of Gourinchas and Rey (2007) "International financial adjustment", Journal of Political Economy 115, which adds a complementary channel to the previous one, through changes in asset valuation (financial adjustment channel). From an econometric point of view, it is proposed to combine several novel methodologies that solve problems of regime shifts and cross-section dependence that appeared in previous works, as well as adding improvements in the database and in the conceivable or bounded nature of the variables themselves.

• Research line 3: Relations between economic integration and Environment

This research line, which joined the INTECO group in 2008, aims to analyse the interrelationship between environment and economic integration by answering several questions. Firstly, whether the spatial relocation of economic activity resulting from greater integration, trade liberalisation and foreign direct investment poses a threat to environmental quality. Secondly, whether economic growth resulting from economic integration leads to a more sustainable path in the use of environmental resources.

Since the 80s of the last century, environmental quality has been gaining interest in the scientific field, being a challenge to develop tools to understand and evaluate the implications of the negative effects of anthropic action on the biosphere, while ensuring sustainable development.

Since then, the group's research activity has focused on the study of the mechanisms and responses triggered by physical and chemical agents in animals, with the aim of their application in various contexts: in the development of new pesticides, in the evaluation of animal responses to global warming, in the evaluation of the toxicity of environmental pollutants, in the ecophysiological characterisation of pest and invasive species, and in the development and optimisation of biomarkers indicative of animal health and welfare.

The group uses specialised methodologies to carry out bioassays with substances of agrochemical (pesticides) and environmental interest in different insect species as well as in freshwater and marine animals (fish, crustaceans and molluscs). The environmental agents and problems investigated by the group include pesticides, metals, pharmaceuticals, nanoparticles, nano- and microplastics, temperature increase in relation to global warming, as well as invasive animal species. Studies are carried out using a variety of methodologies including exposure of animals to toxicants via ectopic, alimentary, aerial or aquatic routes, all under controlled conditions.

Studies are also carried out in the natural environment. Toxicokinetic studies are carried out, as well as the evaluation of physiological parameters (reproduction, level of energy reserves, osmolality, plasma metabolites), biochemical parameters (oxidative damage, antioxidant defences, metallothionein level, biotransformation enzyme activities) or through the use of omics technologies. The group collaborates with Spanish and foreign research groups in carrying out joint work, and also actively participates in international congresses by attending and organising them.

Diffraction of electromagnetic wave beams

Abstract: The diffraction of electromagnetic wave beams is studied theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical analysis consists of applying the angular spectrum method and the FDTD numerical simulation method. The frequency response and the angular distribution of the diffracted field are studied. Flat near-field measurements in anechoic chamber are used.

Field of application:

1. Minimisation of radar response.
2. Non-destructive analysis using electromagnetic fields.
3. Propagation-scattering properties and radio-communications.

Measurements of passive devices and microwave antennas

Abstract: Microwave antennas and devices must be designed for each specific application: frequency response and polarisation, gain and radiation pattern in case of antennas. For instance, size restrictions, features regardless of the environment, user-friendly appearance and low cost. A very important part of the prototype design process is the measurements. Measurements are performed in an anechoic chamber with a 45MHz-110GHz vector network analyser. Measurements can be carried out in far-field, or in near-field for large antennas or reflectors, making the near to far-field transformation.

Field of application:

1. Antenna development.
2. Radio-communications.
3. Calibration of radio-frequency equipment.

Computational electromagnetics

Abstract: Maxwell equations are solved numerically to take into account boundary conditions and complex materials. The Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique, spectral methods and the Transmission-line matrix (TLM) technique are used. The use of several techniques in the analysis of an electromagnetic structure allows the veracity of the results to be guaranteed, especially for the development of prototypes. Processing, optimisation and classification techniques such as neural networks are used.

Field of application:

1. Design of Radio Frequency devices: Antennas and other passive radio frequency elements.
2. Simulation of problems of propagation, penetration, diffusion and dispersion of electromagnetic waves.
3. Study of the electromagnetic behaviour of complex structures: Electromagnetism of planetary atmospheres.

Environmental electromagnetic field measurements

Abstract: Environmental electromagnetic field measurements are carried out. Radiofrequency measurements associated with wireless communication systems. Measurements of electromagnetic fields of natural origin. Terrestrial geomagnetic field measurements. Low-frequency field measurements associated with network wiring, high-voltage wiring and transformers. Electromagnetic field shielding. Carrying out of electromagnetic field maps of natural and artificial origin.

Field of application:

1. Electromagnetic pollution assessment.
2. Environmental health.
3. Minimisation of electromagnetic pollution.

Biomass processing and logistics

Abstract: In the surroundings of the Albufera, about 280,000 tonnes of biomass are generated. Its use not only involves an environmental challenge, but also an economic one. The study of its use, logistics, and the use of electromagnetic treatments would not only reduce emissions to the atmosphere, but also generate economic activity at a local level and reduce imports of raw materials.Campo de aplicación:

1. Agro-economics.
2. Energy.
3. Recycling.

The research group was founded by Prof. Estanislao Silla in the Department of Physical Chemistry of the University of Valencia at the beginning of the 90's. The scientific work of the group has been always focused on the theoretical description of chemical processes in condensed phases: solutions and biological environments. The group is currently leaded by Iñaki Tuñón.

The work of the group includes both methodological development and applications. Among the most prominent methodological contributions of our group we find the GEPOL program (a program to calculate molecular surfaces and volumes and that is currently used in many implementations of continuum models) and contributions to the improvement of QM/MM hybrid descriptions of enzymatic processes. Applications range from solubility to chemical reactivity and also computer-aided rational design of new biological catalysts and inhibitors.

The Environmental Remote Sensing Group of the University of Valencia (UV-ERS) (formerly, Remote Sensing Research Unit, UIT) started its activities in 1979 with the award of a NASA project to study Mediterranean agricultural areas using measurements from satellite HCMM. Since then, and uninterruptedly, we have developed physical models and operational methodologies for the study of vegetation cover through satellite imagery, using data mostly plot the solar spectrum. The possibility of deriving operationally a large number of essential climate variables allows characterization of the state of vegetation cover at local, regional and global levels, and to study processes of mass and energy exchanges in the vegetation-atmosphere system. These essential variables are particularly relevant in the current context of assessment of the climate system. The analysis of image-derived time series covering decades provides further quantitative information on the temporal evolution of the system. The expertise of the UV-ERS has a wide national and international recognition, with more than 20 research projects funded in the last 20 years and a large number of publications in peer-reviewed high impact factor journals in the Remote Sensing category.

Our research activities (identified by the acronym of the project funded by The European Commission or Spanish funding agencies) have covered the study of desertification in the Mediterranean basin (EFEDA, MEDALUS), the recovery of burned areas cover (CEAM, LUCIFER), the study of desertification and degradation processes (Study Desertification in Spain. Stage I, HISPASED, IDEAS, TEDECVA, DeSurvey), and the estimation of carbon flux exchange between atmosphere and vegetation (ÁRTEMIS, RESET CLIMATE). Internationally, the UV-ERS has renowned expertise in processing and analysis of remote sensing data, as evidenced by its current partnership in research clusters of excellence (LSA SAF) and EU-FP projects (DeSurvey, ERMES).This research group is in charge of developing operational algorithms for estimating the vegetation parameters, including the operational implementation of prototypes, product analysis and scientific validation of the same-in the context network of centers of excellence called SAF (Satellite Application Facilities) of EUMETSAT. Specifically, the goal of LSA SAF (Satellite Application Facilities on Land Surface Analysis) is to design algorithms and process data and provide vegetation products for, primarily, to the community of climatologists and meteorologists, through the synergistic use of EUMETSAT systems of new generation: the MSG (Meteosat Second Generation, Meteosat 8 -10) and the EPS (European Polar System), first European weather satellite orbiting Polar (MetOp series).

Legal analysis of the techniques of environmental, energy and planning regulation and of the evolution trends derived from the main problem that globalisation and administrative intervention in economic activity of the "multilevel" type supposes, encompassed in the concept of Governance.

The research activity will focus on the following lines of research:

1. Development and implementation of Food Quality and Safety.
2. Elucidation, research and study of extracts and/or bioactive compounds of food origin.
3. Development of new food products.
4. Basic and applied research through the development and study of clinical trials in the field of pathologies associated with nutrition.
5. Development of new tools based on information and communication technologies (ICT) for use in food education at teaching and care level.
6. Anthropometric and nutritional assessment and ergogenic aids in sport.

We are a research group in the interface between inorganic and materials chemistry. We are part of the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) at the Universidad de Valencia. 

Our research encompasses different targets ranging from the synthesis, characterization and nanostructuration of inorganic, porous materials. Built upon a thorough understanding of these basic principles we aim to enable environmentally relevant application based on these materials like catalysis, chiral separation, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis or energy storage. We collaborate nationally and internationally with renowned research groups, including scientists at ICIQ (Tarragona), Polymat (San Sebastián), ETH (Zurich), ICN2 (Barcelona), University of Liverpool, University of Warwick and IMDEA Nanoscience (Madrid). Our labs are located at the state-of-the-art facilities of ICMol.

The objective of this research group is the study and evaluation of organisational geostrategy (the way in which organisations adapt to their environment), from an interdisciplinary, longitudinal and international perspective. Our interest lies in understanding the geographical-competitive context in which companies operate, their main agents, internal characteristics, knowledge and interactions, as well as their economic and social impact. We analyse the territorial organisation of business activity and investigate the resulting collaborative ecosystems and spatial patterns (clusters). We compare the ability to compete of firms in one geographical space or agglomeration with those in others and highlight the determinants of the differences in order to contribute to cluster "fertilisation" and exploitation of synergies. We evaluate the strategy-localisation dynamic and the causes of success or failure of companies locally and globally. We try to answer questions related to the heterogeneous behaviour of organisations and their territories through their network of interactions. We develop cluster initiatives. We measure the results of companies through different indicators such as growth, performance, competitive vigilance, spin-off creation, internationalisation, innovation and survival. We help companies, whether domestic or multinational, to integrate more effectively into the territory and to better generate and implement their strategies. In short, we carry out research that aims to be applied and that pivots on a University-Business relational framework.

Our group has carried out various projects that add value to organisations in different sectors and countries in the textile and metal-mechanical industries, the hotel or health sector, which have been financed publicly or privately. It disseminates and makes public its activity and results continuously and through different media such as the International Congress that it organises every year (CLUSTERING). The GESTOR research group (Organisational Geostrategy: Clustering and Competitiveness) is formed by people with different profiles and interests as well as different backgrounds. Thus, together with professors from the Universitat de València itself and professionals from other fields, there are professors from the University of Vigo, Alicante and Mondragon. In addition, as well as having national collaborators in our group, we also have collaborators from China, Colombia and the United Kingdom. The interdisciplinary approach of our research is achieved thanks to our experts in Economics, Geography, Business, Mathematics and Marketing. Networking is very present in the genes of our group, so we have an important collaborative activity with other national research clusters of the UJI, UPV, UA or UCLM and international clusters such as the Iberoamerican Network MOTIVA. The internationalisation of our activity is visible in different areas such as the topics we analyse, scientific production, attendance at events, research stays, collaborations. For this reason, our roadmap always includes research that has a significant socio-economic impact. Some examples are "survival strategies for traditional manufacturing industries (textile, footwear, toys, etc.)", "challenges in the multi-localisation of Spanish companies in China", "improving international competitiveness through clustering", "business turnaround in insolvency environments", "internationalisation from clusters", "social networks and market orientation".

The team works in four main related and simultaneously complementary research lines: 
- Pattern Recognition Techniques, Computer Vision and its applications for different problems, mainly content-based image search, distance learning and emotion detection from video sequences.
- Processing of different types of signals, particularly audio and video ones. Group works in this research line include capture, analysis and synthesis of acoustic signals, as well as analysis of video signals, all acting in coordination with the Computer Vision line.
- Design of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) with affective capacities. Part of the results obtained from the first and second line of work are used to detect emotions from videos filmed with low-cost hardware by applying techniques specific to the fields of Signal Processing and Computer Vision.
- High-performance and high-availability computer systems offering a fundamental tool for all the previously mentioned fields (pattern recognition, intelligent systems and signal processing) by providing the necessary power in real time whenever required from application areas or in case of high system availability requirements. In this regard, the latest trends focus on distributed systems, the handling of Big Data and the so-called “cloud computing”:  three fundamental aspects in the context of group investigation.

The research activity of the Innovation and Local Development R&D Group (INNODES) belonging to the Inter-University Institute of Local Development (IIDL) of the Universitat de València and Universitat Jaume I, focuses on aspects related to economic geography, spatial planning and regional development, in particular on the analysis of urban and metropolitan systems, innovation processes, planning of public services, geography of well-being, social innovation, tourism and its territorial impact, sustainability and processes of resilience and local development; as well as in the analysis of social dynamics, population movements and development cooperation in diverse territories.

The Laboratory for Earth Observation (LEO, http://ipl.uv.es/leo/) is part of the interdisciplinary research unit Image Processing Laboratory (IPL) from the University of Valencia. Led by Prof. J. Moreno, deals with most of the technical and scientific aspects of Earth observation, including design of new instrument missions, processing of new data types, in particular optical multi-angular and hyperspectral data. 

Research lines of LEO involve: Theoretical modeling of radiative transfer processes of natural surfaces, with emphasis on hyperspectral sampling of the electromagnetic radiation Development of algorithms and implementation of physical model inputs in Earth observation products: model inversion and data assimilation. Development of new instruments and techniques related to detection of fluorescence. Development of data processing methods (atmospheric correction, geometric corrections related to multi-angular systems, processing chains) Monitoring of natural vegetation, hydrological cycles, desertification, CO2 fluxes, and energy balances using Earth observation data. Definition of requirements, development of processing algorithms and data simulation for future sensors and missions (FLEX, CHIME, SPECTRA), calibration and validation of optical satellite data (Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3, PROBA) and airborne data (CFL, AHS, CASI, HYPER).

The LEO group started its work in the field of imaging spectroscopy in 1998 with the participation of Prof. José Moreno as coordinator of the field activities for ESA's DAISEX98 experiment. This experiment was set up to test the new hyperspectral airborne DAIS sensor developed by the German Aerospace Agency (DLR). Since then, LEO has been involved in more than 50 national and international research projects. In those projects, the group has dealt with most of the technical and scientific aspects of Earth observation, including design of new instrument missions, processing of new data types, in particular optical multi-angular and hyperspectral data.

The group has developed a processing chain for automatic image preprocessing; starting from raw data, identifying and correcting for all types of noise, until delivery of atmospherically and geometrically corrected reflectance data and derived products (e.g. cloud maps, aerosol optical depth) at the highest possible quality. This processing chain is currently implemented in the ESA Basic ERS & Envisat (A)ATSR and MERIS Toolbox (BEAM) and has recently been applied to new generation optical sensors. 

LEO has taken the lead in the ESA FLuorescence EXplorer (FLEX) project running since 2007, which will be the first mission designed to globally map chlorophyll fluorescence emission originated from the terrestrial vegetation (http://ipl.uv.es/flex-parcs). FLEX was been accepted to become ESA's 8th Earth Explorer, which is planned to be launched in 2022. FLEX is proposed to fly in tandem with Copernicus' Sentinel-3 satellite to detect interrelated features of fluorescence, hyperspectral reflectance, and canopy temperature.
 

Lines of work:

• Ecology and diversity. Taxonomy. Molecular methods of detection and identification. Studies on the ecology of yeast and bacteria species in wine. Taxonomic analysis and description of new species. Development of different methodologies for the detection, identification and quantification of organisms present in wine. Quality control. Control of the implementation of starter cultures.
• Metabolisms of sugars, acids and aminoacids in lactic acid bacteria. This line of work is aimed at understanding the ability of microorganisms to use substrates present in must or wine, to determine how these substrates affect bacterial growth, and to determine the effect of their use on wine characteristics.
• Genetics, genomics and proteomics of Oenococcus oeni. O. oeni is the species responsible for malolactic fermentation in wines, a process that enhances the qualities of aged red wines. Most malolactic starter cultures are strains of this species. The aim of this line of work is to develop tools for the genetic manipulation of this species: plasmids for cloning, malolactic mutants and DNA introduction systems, etc. Comparative genomics studies to establish relationships between genome and resistance to wine stress factors.
• Malolactic fermentation. Selection of O. oeni and Lactobacillus plantarum strains as malolactic cultures. Development of advanced strategies to carry out malolactic fermentation: immobilised cells, continuous deacidification, non-proliferating cells. Adaptation of strains to SO2 and pH.
• Selection and adaptation of bacteria and yeasts to mitigate the effects of climate change. Correction of imbalances in the composition of musts and wines. Biological acidification of wines. Biological reduction of alcohol content.
• Microbial or enzymatic systems to remove toxic biogenic amines in food. Search for strains of lactic acid bacteria capable of degrading biogenic amines in wines. Search for enzymes responsible for the degradation of biogenic amines. Development of cellular and enzymatic systems that allow their use in wines and other food.

The group focuses on the study of territorial government and management at the local or regional level, including new practices of governance and territorial development planning at the local level, the analysis of public policies and territorial cooperation, regional and European development policies and regional political geography. The Local Government and Sustainable Territorial Development Research Group was born from the conjunction of two research groups, both within the IIDL (Sustainable Local Development and Local Government), which share the common objective of improving local development. 

The new research group brings together the dynamics, equipment and past results to continue working with the aim of promoting innovation in management processes and local government, the structure of local public administrations, local government management and citizen participation, and the study of territorial management at local and regional level. The researchers of the group participate jointly in different national and international research projects (EU -HORIZON, ESPON, INTERREG-, and Latin American); in editorial projects and publications on the subject, as well as in training and teaching activities in official degrees of Spanish and Latin American universities. 

The Research Group is a team that integrates leading researchers from different fields of knowledge in different areas, with the aim of promoting knowledge transfer and innovation in the processes of management and local government. Its participants have extensive experience in the field of local administration and are leaders in the field of human resources management in this area. The Group actively collaborates with various entities and institutions (city councils, regional administrations) in the exchange of best practices in working models related to local government. The group also participates in the implementation of an Observatory on Local Government, as an instrument for the collection of information on this level of government, and in the CAMPUSHABITAT5U project. 

Its coordinator actively participates in the new Master in Planning and Management of Local Development of this UVEG, aimed at graduates who can make a significant contribution to local development, economic and employment promotion and, in general, the sustainable development of the different territories, and coordinates on behalf of the University of Valencia), and the Inter-University Master in Development Cooperation, which offers high-level training in development cooperation. 

He is also coordinator of the Area of Territorial Governance, Spatial Planning and Environment of the IIDL, whose objective is to contribute to a better understanding of territorial dynamics and new forms of planning and governance of territorial and sectoral policies at different scales, in order to promote sustainable development.

The Research Group on marketing, internationalisation and management of the distribution channel (MARKINADIS) originated in 2005 as a result of a grant for research groups awarded by the General Directorate for Research and Technology Transfer of the Valencian Government, through which the Marketing Research Group (GIMK) (GRUPOS05/057) was established and consisted of researchers from the universities of València, Castellon and Castile-La Mancha. 

The researchers who comprise the team have extensive research experience in marketing, internationalisation and management of distribution channels, as evidenced by their participation in various projects evaluated by ANEP, either as principal investigators or as project members:

• New perspectives in the internationalisation process of Spanish retail companies: a comparative analysis (ECO200908708).
• Management of promotions and private labels for an efficient development of the retailer's marketing strategy (SEJ2005-06105).
• Opportunities and challenges of information and communication technologies for the development of marketing strategies and their impact on consumer behaviour (SEC2002-04326-C03-03).
• Development of Information Technology (IT) for the management of commercial distribution companies (1FD97-1939).
• Strategic marketing plan for the mushroom industry in Castile-La Mancha (1FD97-2029).
• Evaluation of the Internationalisation Plan 2000-2002 for the General Directorate of Trade Policy. Spanish Ministry of Economics.

Thus, the group's research activity is characterised by an interest in explaining the internationalisation processes of companies along the marketing channel. This includes aspects such as:

• The internationalisation strategy of retail companies, investigating the dynamic capabilities of those companies that internationalise. The company’s marketing strategy must be adapted to different countries, while the dynamic capabilities allow the continuous reconfiguration of the company resources and offerings in markets.
• Internationalisation processes in the agri-food sector.
• The multi-channel strategy of international companies, how marketing channels should be integrated in such a way that the combination of traditional and online channels produces beneficial effects in the form of synergies, and expansion of the customer base. 
• Consumer behaviour in the face of the internationalisation of companies, how consumers from different countries perceive the offer of retail companies. 
• Consumer behaviour in the virtual environment, analysing the acceptance of online sales and how the integration of the online channel with traditional ones influences consumer satisfaction and loyalty. This is done by adopting a cross-cultural approach, i.e. comparing the Spanish consumer with that of other countries. 
• The impact of public aid for internationalisation, investigating what influence it has on the design of the international strategy and to what extent it effectively allows the company's international expansion to be expanded and accelerated effectively. 

These objectives and the research activity performed by the applicant team comprise a consolidated research career as a group through the dissemination of publications in prestigious journals, participation in research projects and participation in transfer activities. All the members collaborate in other national and international research groups.

Finally, all the researchers of the group have been part of the Organising Committee of the 17th. Conference of the European Association for Education and Research in Commercial Distribution, held in July 2013 in Valencia and two of them were Co-Chairs.

The morphophysiological effects of various abiotic stresses on plants are studied, in particular on photosynthetic and respiratory metabolism, as well as water balance and alterations in the functionality of cell membranes and nutrient distribution in the plant. The project focuses mainly on stresses caused by salinity and heavy metals, in this case both by excess (toxicities) and deficiencies (nutritional deficiencies), and the mechanisms regulating plant responses to these adverse environmental conditions.

Since its creation in 1988, our research group has introduced new concepts of calibration, exactitude and quality of analytic results, multiresidue analysis, solid phase extraction, conventional, multidimensional and capillary liquid chromatography, nanochromatography and on-site analytic devices. In the developed analytic systems, the sample, separation and detection manipulation are integrated in a single tool.

The research expects to meet the current demand for fast, cost-effective and clean analytic procedures. Strategies implementing new nanomaterials are currently being developed. Both instrumental and analytic objectives are being pursued (type of necessary information, sample characteristics, present type of analytes and concentration, detection-originating species, chirality). The resolution of several analytic problems was addressed in different research areas, mainly for environment, health, diet, drug addiction and industry. This work was developed in the framework of various research projects financed by public bodies and it could count on the contribution of researchers from other universities and research centres.

The carried out work was reflected on publications included in magazines of international renown, in congresses, theses and both undergraduate and master’s degree final projects. It also enabled the establishment of activities centred in the transmission of knowledge with companies, public bodies and research centres.

Quality and methodology applied to laboratories of routine (ISO 17205 Standard) and research: Development of ad hoc metrological tools, technical protocols, acceptance criteria, validation, quality assurance, control charts, uncertainty, including supporting software. Design of experiments, optimisation, simulation of future results. Research and development of high-throughput (bio)analysis methods (Liquid chromatography, Capillary electrophoresis, Mass spectrometry) for the separation and determination of molecules (including chiral) with analytical and bioanalytical applications. (Bio)sensors. Chemical assays of relevant compounds in environmental samples (water, sludge, soil, etc.).

Added value: In vitro estimation of ecotoxicological parameters. Chemical assays of bioactive molecules (in urine, plasma, saliva, etc.). Added value In vitro estimation of ADME/TOX indicators. Development of molecular biointeraction models. Computational simulation methods (“in silico” via “Molecular Docking”). Pharmacophores. QSAR.

The aim of this research group is to develop catalysts for the transformation of low-functional substrates into products of industrial interest by means of homogeneous catalysis. The preferred substrates are hydrocarbons and other compounds with high chemical inertness such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. For catalysts, metal complexes of elements of the first transition series will be used.

The development of new complex chemical systems for industrial application, such as chemical sensors or new materials for controlled release, requires a multidisciplinary approach; including knowledge of fields such as analytical, organic and inorganic chemistry, electronics and engineering. The Research Group on Organic Materials for Detecting and Controlled Release, MODeLiC, of the Universitat de València, mainly works on two research lines:

1. Synthesis, characterisation and assessment of chemical sensors for the detection of all kinds of small species with environmental and biomedical applications. In this field, the group has been working in recent years on the design and assessment of sensors, mainly colorimetric and fluorometric, for the detection of chemical warfare agents (nerve gases). Over the last few years, work on sensors for this type of agents has aroused great interest in the international community as the existing methods are expensive and require specialised personnel, which makes their use complicated in situations of attack with this type of agents on civilians. The group’s second area of interest is the detection of pollutant gases. The area of application in this case is both industrial and in public environments. Within this section, the group is working on sensor preparation for nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulphide and other pollutant gases. It is noteworthy that some of these gases (nitric oxide, hydrogen sulphide) are species found in cells and are responsible for certain biological responses. For this reason, work is also being done on the assessment of the sensory response of prepared compounds in cells. More recently, work has been carried out on the preparation of colorimetric sensors for the detection of chemical submission drugs (particularly, GHB) in beverages. The prepared sensors are able to recognise the presence of the drug in all types of drinks. These sensors can be used “in situ” by anyone as they are easy to use, safe and selective.

2. Design and characterisation of materials for the controlled release of drugs, highlighting applications in the treatment of osteoporosis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s syndrome and the detection and treatment of solid tumours (hypoxic environments). One of the current challenges raised in drug development is to find new methods or delivery systems that represent more effective and safer alternatives than the pharmaceutical forms already available. Therefore, in many cases, it is advisable to look for alternative dosage forms that allow better access of the drug to its place of action. In order to improve the control of drug release, our group employs a new approach consisting of the preparation of “smart materials” that are regulated by external stimuli. The design of nano- or micromaterials functionalised with molecular gates is a very fertile and promising area of work that is taking traditional coordination chemistry and supramolecular chemistry to the boundaries of nanoscience, molecular biology and biochemistry. These systems are inspired by bio-channels and bio-gates and generally by biological processes that originate transformations triggered by specific chemical species. The study of this release model can be applied to a large number of pathologies, but our group is studying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This disease includes two related pathologies, ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). Furthermore, the preparation of theranostic materials is a research field that is arousing more interest every day. These materials allow simultaneous detection of a pathology and its treatment. In this field, organic-inorganic hybrid materials have proven to be a very useful alternative for obtaining this type of compounds.

Plant conservation biology deals with the study of the causes of such biodiversity loss and how to minimise it through conversation techniques, both in situ and ex situ. It is also concerned with boosting sustainable development through the rational use of plant and landscape resources. It focuses its research on various aspects related to the preservation and rational use of natural resources.

Our group works on different aspects of protein trafficking in plant cells, with special emphasis on functional studies. On the one hand, we try to elucidate the function of a group of proteins (of the p24 family) probably essential in the quality control of protein trafficking in the secretory pathway and in the organisation of the compartments of the early secretory pathway, including the Golgi complex biogenesis. On the other hand, we are interested in investigating the molecular basis of the polar localisation of the auxin transporter PIN1, which determines the polar transport of auxins and is essential for plant growth and development, defining its global polarity.

Investigate with a methodological approach of routines and capabilities the relationships between the implementation of quality management, innovation and learning in organisations, with special attention to the capacity for organisational ambidexterity, which is fundamental for the organisation to achieve good results in the long term. The mediating and/or moderating effect of certain variables on these relationships is analysed in depth. This is mainly formalisation, which is inherent to quality management programmes, especially with regard to the establishment of procedures, and the values of the organisational culture, which are an essential pillar for the successful implementation of these programmes.

Two sectors are currently being analysed, one industrial, the organic agro-food industry, and one service, the health services sector. The organic agri-food industry sector has been chosen for several reasons: Firstly, these companies are forced to implement quality management systems to meet the standards demanded by consumers of these products, which are at a high price range; and they are also subject to strong regulations to ensure adequate levels of quality and food safety. Moreover, the growth potential of this sector is very high, as it has already experienced strong growth in Spain in recent years, and strong growth in domestic demand and foreign markets is expected in the coming years. The second sector analysed is public hospitals.

Among the priority objectives of public healthcare institutions are the efficient use of resources and the optimisation of service quality, both in terms of improving the satisfaction of stakeholders (users, staff, environmental groups) and the effectiveness of the healthcare process itself. Precisely, process management, within the framework of quality management, with the application of its multiple methodologies, has proven to be effective in generating very substantial increases in efficiency in the use of resources and in the quality of service in these organisations. The practical application to the hospital sector derived from this research is to improve the processes of these organisations, optimally adjusting human, organisational, technological and infrastructural factors, and substantially reducing the costs arising from inefficiency.

Knowledge generation on the basis that service innovation creates value and well-being for clients, workers, entrepreneurs and the community in general through new and/or improved service offerings, processes and models. All this is configured at the level of strategy, development and execution of the service, under a sustainable, multidisciplinary, international and technological perspective, at the level of business-to-customer (B2C), business-to-business (B2B) and customer-to-customer (C2C) relations, both in public and private, on-line and off-line organisations.

The SIV group is continuously monitoring the existing research gaps in the service field and also in specific service sectors with special relevance in Leisure -Tourism, Culture and Sport-, Health and Education, with a philosophy of continuous transfer to companies and institutions at national and international level.

The research work of the SIV group has been published in numerous academic journals, many of them international (more than 90) and indexed in the JCR, for example: Journal of Business Research, Tourism Management, Higher Education, Online Information Review, Current Issues in Tourism, Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, Service Industries Journal, International Journal of Service Industry Management, European Journal of Marketing, Service Business. In terms of dissemination in academic forums, it is worth mentioning the presentation of more than 150 papers in international conferences such as: European Marketing Academy, Global Innovation & Knowledge Academy, International Technology, Education and Development Conference, International Association of Public and Non-profit Marketing, International Marketing Trends Conference, Advances in Tourism Marketing Conference.

The research group has also led and participated in several major national and international projects. In this sense, it is worth mentioning the ENPI Newcimed: New Cities Of The Mediterranean Sea Basin project, funded by the European Commission; the project Configuration of universities as centres of education throughout the citizen life through the management of relations between its stakeholders granted by the Ministry of Education and Science and the project Sustainability Indicators for developed and developing destinations with vulnerable populations funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation. Members of the research group have also carried out projects aimed at knowledge transfer. These projects include those sponsored by the Diputación de Valencia, Evaluation of the impact of the Valencia Terra i Mar brand in the field of sport; the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Valencia Report on the situation of innovation in the retail commercial sector: management and generation of services to the buyer and the Valencian Government Technical advice on foundations and sponsorship, among others.

With regard to the doctoral training capacity of the research group, it is worth highlighting the supervision of more than 10 doctoral theses, several of them with international mention, and all of them with the qualification Excellent cum laude. The group also has one FPU grant recipient.

The academic achievements of the members of the group throughout their career have been distinguished with several awards, among which the following are worth mentioning:

1. GIKA 2016 Award for the best paper in the Young Researchers category;
2. Highly Commended Paper in the 2016 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence;
3. Emerald Literari Network 2010 Awards for Excellence, among others. The above accredits the research and transfer work of the SIV team and its updating on topics of academic and business relevance. AICO group grant 2017, Conselleria d'Educació, Investigació, Cultura i Esport

The Social Welfare Policy Research Group, belonging to the Universitat de València (Spain), is an international reference group specialised in social research, innovation and technology, technical advice and training in the field of social policies. We develop basic and applied research with an interdisciplinary and holistic approach on economic, social, political and technical sustainability of welfare systems, advising the Administration and companies in the design, planning and implementation of resources and policies of social welfare and sustainability.

The group is made up of an interdisciplinary team led by Jorge Garcés Ferrer, Prince of Asturias Professor at Georgetown University in Washington DC (USA) and 20 researchers from different disciplines at the Universitat de València. In turn, the group collaborates with entities and universities in the European Union, the United States, South America and Africa.

Vision: to improve the well-being, sustainability and quality of life of society.

Mission: to achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency in public policies, private entities and the third sector, by means of innovative, integral and inter-institutional proposals through a team with an interdisciplinary and multi-centre approach.

Challenge for 2030: to innovate public policies through information and communication technologies, ICTs.

The Research Group offers the best service in the area of public policy and to do so uses an interdisciplinary team, connected internationally and with a great knowledge of each area of work. Not only its source of knowledge and capacity, but also its cohesion, dynamism and way of working, allow the Group to continue growing towards excellence. The team teaches on degree courses of the Universitat de València, official Universitat de València master's degrees, own master's degrees and postgraduate courses, as well as other training courses.

SOLINQUIANA is a research group of the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the University of Valencia that develops, validates and applies new methods of analysis by atomic, chromatographic and molecular techniques, and aims to develop a sustainable analytical chemistry. The group, led by professors Miguel de la Guardia, Agustín Pastor, Salvador Garrigues, María Luisa Cervera, Ángel Morales and Sergio Armenta, is made up of a large number of doctors and students from Valencia and from Germany, Brazil, Morocco and other countries, who work in the Jeroni Muñoz building on the Burjassot Campus.

The research activity carried out by this group consists of the development of analytical methods for the resolution of problems ranging from the control of environmental pollution in water, air, sediments and biota, to the assurance of food quality and the clinical diagnosis of diseases by means of chemical analysis, as well as industrial analysis.

The different lines of work of the SOLINQUIANA group are aimed at:

1. enhance sample preparation alternatives based on microwave systems and ultrasonic and pressurised fluid extraction, in closed and miniaturised systems;
2. evaluate the capacity for trace element speciation from direct measurements and appropriate signal processing;
3. reduce the sample preparation, clean-up and determination steps in chromatographic analysis by enhancing the use of membranes as passive sampling devices, applying thermal desorption and the headspace technique (HS);
4. use of automation to minimise the consumption of reagents and waste generated and develop portable equipment for in-situ acquisition of measurements;
5. direct analysis of samples for the determination of major, minor and trace components by vibrational spectrometry and development of screening methods based on direct measurements and chemometric signal processing;
6. applying analytical techniques to archaeometric studies and studies of samples of historical interest.

The research carried out by the SOLINQUIANA Group is encompassed in the following general lines of action:

• Sampling and sample preparation
• Elemental analysis and speciation
• Chromatographic analysis
• Automation
• Vibrational spectrometry
• Chemometrics
• Green Analytical Chemistry
• Archaeochemistry

SOLINQUIANA maintains a spirit of scientific development and service to Valencian society and, through a consultancy service, provides support to the Regional Ministry of Health and Valencian companies.

The BIONUTEST group specialises in the study of components of food ingredients and food, including nutrients, as well as other bioactive components (carotenoids, sterols, sialic acids, gangliosides and polyphenols).

1. Quantification and stability studies of: components of the lipid fraction of food and ingredients; Maillard reaction compounds; nitrogen fraction: (proteins, casein phosphopeptides and amino-acids); minerals of nutritional interest; antioxidants and assessment of antioxidant capacity.
2. Bioavailability assessment: a) in vitro by application of gastrointestinal simulation and uptake and transport models in combined systems incorporating cell cultures (Caco-2, HepG2); b) in vivo by determination of food components and metabolites in biological fluids and faeces, from clinical trials and animal experimentation.
3. Assessment of biological effects by in vitro techniques: cytoprotection and/or cytotoxicity, markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, using cell cultures.
4. Advice and assessment of: a) Nutritional and functional quality of formulations, food, ingredients, diets and/or menus and b) Food information: mandatory and nutritional labelling, nutrition and health claims.

Studies on the relationship between society and environment (in general) and on sustainability issues (in particular) are characteristically interdisciplinary or, more precisely, transdisciplinary. The reasons for the above assessment can be summarised as follows. The research on the relationship between environment and society involves the analysis of the social effects of changes on the natural environment, and the impact of social transformations and changes on it. It is therefore a matter that lies on the threshold between the two great fields of modern science, the natural sciences and the social or human sciences, two fields whose separation has been increasing for a long time. This border condition immediately raises the question of the opportunities for a new approach between these two worlds that have turned their backs on each other, as well as the conditions and limits of such approach. The biologist E.O. Wilson has made the following statement: “The connection between the latter field [sustainability studies] with social theory may seem weak at first, but it is not weak at all. The natural environment is the theatre in which the human species evolved and to which its physiology and behaviour are subtly adapted. Neither human biology nor the social sciences can make complete sense until their worldviews take account of this tenacious frame of reference”.

The relationship between society and environment is mainly summed up in the discussion regarding the concept of sustainability. This relationship is mediated in various ways. If we start with the questions more proper to human ecology, the question of the carrying capacity for human beings (sustainable population) can be raised. Even if there must be natural limits in this area, it is clear that they can change according to the characteristics of the available techniques: in the human species, biology is not independent of technology. One consequence of technology – the proliferation of devices irrevocably associated with human bodies – has a notable implication: some people may have much larger exosomatic extensions than others. Inequality and social conflict thus take part in the analysis: biology is not separable from technology, sociology or politics. On the other hand, the belief that social action can stem the ecological crisis depends on the supposition that the human species - unlike any other - is capable of finding sources of resources in its environment without exploiting them to exhaustion, i.e. that the structure of needs can be regulated for reasons other than the existence or lack of means to satisfy them (or, in other words, that responses to environmental stimuli are not rigidly programmed into the genetic endowment of humans). We are thus in the realm of culture (of lifestyles and consumption, of values and also of myths).

Within the framework of a general examination of the relationships between society and nature, all these levels of analysis have relevant dimensions and cannot be ignored. It is quite clear, then, that no particular science, with its current instruments and categories, is in a position to deal with all facets of such an object of knowledge. The most adequate alternative is an attempt at mutual compatibility without reductionisms (without any privileged disciplinary perspective). This is more than just a mere interdisciplinary assault, but also much less than the reappearance of a unified science.

The group Symbiosis, Diversity and Evolution in Lichens and Plants: Biotechnology and Innovation has been developing its research activity since 1986. The 4 central axes of our research are the following:

1. Lichens and microalgae: Biodiversity and biogeography. We study the different biotechnological applications, the molecular biology of fungi and symbiont algae. HTS techniques are applied in DNA sequencing of chloroplasts, mitochondria and nuclei. Transcriptomics and Proteomics. Research on Lichen Microalgae studies especially ultrastructural, genetic and functional diversity as well as molecular response to adverse conditions and evolutionary patterns. New molecular markers are developed for the identification of microalgae and for applications to their phylogeny and evolution as well as the development of techniques for mass bioproduction of lichenic microalgae. Techniques of ultrastructural analysis of algae, lichens and plants are used, such as: MO, TEM, SEM and Confocal. Study of the ecophysiology of lichens, microalgae, plants and agricultural crops with applications in Bioclimatology (bioindication analysis of environmental conditions and atmospheric pollution), in the conservation of natural spaces and for the detection of areas at environmental risk. Study of the phenomenon of biodeterioration caused by micro-organisms and study of possible palliative remedies. Cork research focuses on the ultra-structural characterisation of the radial growth and density of cork, with a patent to certify its "quality". Development of lichen bio-indicators to predict cork quality and tree characteristics.
2. Massive sequencing of vascular plant chloroplasts: Chloroplast genome of a wild Mediterranean plant in the Iberian Peninsula of the species Arbutus unedo, the strawberry tree of the family Ericaceae. Study of biotechnological applications to dehydration, radiation and temperature stress in crops.
3. Evolutionary biology of plants: Research on various species and with a variety of objectives, both basic and applied research. Basic research integrates different types of characters (morphological, anatomical, karyological, palynological, reproductive and molecular) to establish the evolutionary patterns of various groups of plants. The specific objectives of this research are the biosystematic and phylogenetic study of various plant groups. The analysis of the genetic variability of endangered plants and its application to their conservation and the management of their populations is also addressed. Study of the reproductive system of various species with the aim of understanding the patterns of genetic variability in Mediterranean scrublands and their spatial distribution. Conservation of endemic and/or threatened plant species. Study of populations and their genetic variability. Study of threatened flora. Development of molecular markers applied to population biology and plant biosystematics. Study of genetic variability, biosystematics and phylogeny. Finally, in this area, research is carried out on the phylogeography of Mediterranean plants, their genetic variability and migratory routes.
4. Microbiomes (bacteria and yeasts) in lichen thalli: Study of their possible biotechnological applications. Isolation and taxonomic characterisation and functional activities of bacteria and yeasts associated with lichens: Contribution to the functioning of lichen symbioses. The group carries out this research and maintains close scientific collaboration with entities such as the Jardí Botànic; the Plant Physiology group "Plant responses to stress conditions" of the UAH; the "Agroforestry Ecosystems" group of the UPV; the "Conservation and Biodiversity" group of the URJC; the Plant Genetics Research Unit of the Missouri University; and the Institute of Biology of the UNAM (Mexico). He also maintains close scientific collaboration with other European and American researchers.

Research activity focuses on acquiring new knowledge about fungi, seaweeds and plants, which is applied:

1. In studies on the biodiversity of: fungi, lichens, seaweeds, bryophytes and vascular plants, in the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean Sea and other areas.
2. For the solution of problems related to their Identification, Systematics, Phylogeny, Biogeography and Conservation status.

The research activity is carried out with a multidisciplinary approach from different perspectives developing four lines of research: "Mycology and Lichenology", "Marine Botany", "Bryology" and "Plant ecology".

The Thermal Remote Sensing Group has contributed to basic and applied research in remote sensing over the last 35 years, developing its own methodology for the treatment and digital processing of images (calibration, geometric correction, cloud detection), the necessary corrections to obtain primary physical magnitudes from satellite images (atmospheric and emissivity correction; obtaining surface temperature and emissivity), the development of multispectral methods, the subsequent application for the estimation of secondary parameters related to the environment (evapotranspiration, water stress and desertification indices, water quality, etc.), and the development of new sensors to measure the temperature and emissivity of the surface. ), and the development of new sensors. There is coincidence with the activities of other groups as well as with public and private entities in Spain, and in international, preferably European, environments. Suffice it to point out, for example, the following:

•  The group is involved in an international team calibrating and validating the land surface temperature provided by the AATSR sensor on board the ENVISAT satellite. Additionally, it is working on the calibration of ASTER and MODIS sensors on board NASA's EOS-Terra and EOS-Aqua platforms, as well as Landsat5-TM, Landsat7-ETM+ and the recently launched Landsat8-TIRS, whose thermal infrared spectral bands were established on the basis of previous results of our group (Caselles et al., 1998).
• Currently, our research group is a supporting member of the validation and calibration team of the future ESA Sentinel-3 satellite (Sentinel-3 CalVal Team) through a collaboration with the University of Leicester (UK).
• The applicant research group belongs to the Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity (LSTE) Focus Group, within the Land Product Validation (LPV) group of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). The LSTE Focus Group is responsible for fostering international collaboration to define protocols and develop databases for the validation of satellite temperature and emissivity products.
• Collaboration has also been established with the Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory, USDA-ARS (USA) for the estimation of latent and sensible heat fluxes by remote sensing, and with the Instituto de Hidrología de Llanuras (IHLLA, Argentina) for studies of evapotranspiration and water availability in crops.
• The group participates in the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) mission to validate the soil moisture product and establish relationships with thermal infrared emissivity through ESA's CAT-1 AO-4748 project.
• Recently, another collaboration has been established with the US Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the validation of Earth's surface temperature products.
• A collaboration with the Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center (ALARC) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA-ARS) has allowed the group to participate in a NASA-funded project as part of the activities within the study phase of the HyspIRI mission, in addition to carrying out some studies on the dependence of emissivity on humidity.
• The group actively collaborates with some companies (Cartographic Institute of Catalonia, LandStudios, Dorna Agri, Norma Agrícola, Deimos Imaging, Repsol YPF, etc.), which allows interconnecting academic research and the productive sector.

The Valencian group of study on European private law. It is currently recognised as such in the OTRI (within the document “R&D knowledge transfer capabilities of the Universitat de València”). 
WITH ITS 33 OTRI PROJECTS, it is one of the most active groups in this subject. 

Right now, it keeps the following OTRI Agreements and Contracts active: 

• Collaboration agreement with the CGPJ, for the modernisation of Justice. 
• Agreement with the Association of Property, Mercantile and Personal Property Registrars of Spain, for the reform of registry law and new technologies. 
• Agreement with Chair of Innovation of the University of Cantabria, for the development of electronic mediation. 
• Agreement with the Freie Univesität Berlin, for the study on Private Law. 

At that time, the Director was Fco. Javier Orduña Moreno, but his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court has led to Javier Plaza Penadés, Chair Professor of Civil Law, with three six-year terms, and Vice-Dean, taking over as the Group Director. 

Its current research projects are: 

• Research group of excellence of the Prometeo Programme 2011, PROMETEO 2011/23, on the implementation of the technological model of the Valencian Community, led by Javier Plaza Penadés. 
• National R&D project “Bases for the uniformity and convergence of the rules for the transfer of real estate property in the European Union”. Reference DER2010-21913-C02-01 (JURI subprogramme), of which Javier Plaza Penadés is the Principal Researcher. 
• Microcluster “Law and business studies on ICT” within the VLC/CAMPUS, International Campus of Excellence, 2011, coordinated by Javier Plaza Penadés. 
• Microcluster “Health Law, Genetics and Social Protection”, within the VLC/CAMPUS, International Campus of Excellence, 2011, coordinated by Luz M. Martínez Velencoso. 

The Group, nationwide, is integrated in: 

• Actualiza Group, for the reform and updating of Private Law in Spain, created by the CRUE. (https://www.uv.es/uvweb/college/en/news-release/universitat-de-valencia-s-lecturers-participate-reform-derecho-patrimonial-espanol-promoted-crue-1285846070123/Noticia.html?id=1285851133088) 
• Common Core of European Private Law. The group participates in this international project, which is characterised by its membership of the "CoPECL Network of Excellence", a network composed of several European universities, institutions and organisations. Among its objectives is the drafting of a proposal for a Common Frame of Reference for European contract law along the guidelines of the Commission's Action Plan (COM [2003] 68). This group is led by researchers from the University of Turin and Berkeley (California). It involves around a hundred European researchers in three research areas (Tort, Property, Contract). 

The Group right now manages:

• The Revista Aranzadi de Derecho y Nuevas Tecnologías (Aranzadi Journal of Law and New Technologies). 
• The Revista Electrónica de Derecho Civil Valenciano (Online Journal of Valencian Civil Law) (http://www.derechocivilvalenciano.com) It is in charge of the Secretary’s Office of: Anuario de Derecho Concursal (The Annual of Bankruptcy Laws) and collaborates in the Editorial Board of: The Revista de Derecho Patrimonial (Property Rights Magazine). It has been commissioned by Springer to produce the book "European Sale Law". 

Research lines:

• Health law: 
  • Law and new technologies: 
  • Health law 
  • Valencian local civil law 
  • European Private Law.