Our doctor Rebecca Serna-García is doing an international stay at the Biology Department of the Università degli studi di Padova (Italy) under the supervision of the professor and director of the biotechnological centre (CRIBI) Stefano Campanaro

The doctor, who belongs to the CALAGUA group, has obtained a Margarita Salas postdoctoral grant and, last January. She has joined the Genomics and bioinformatics research group led by Professor Stefano Campanaro from the Department of Biology (DiBio) of the Università degli studi di Padova (Padua, Italy). The research group actively participates in numerous national and international projects aimed above all at the production of renewable energy from organic waste. The Genomics and bioinformatics laboratory has complete equipment for biomolecular, genomic/transcriptomic, cellular/microbiological and biochemical/biotechnological analysis.

During the stay, which has a total duration of one year, Rebecca will participate in the main lines of research of the group, including:

• Participation in the international project: Harnessing potential of biological CO₂ capture for Circular Economy (ACT-CooCE)

• Participation in the international project: Demonstration of a mobile unit for hybryd energy storaged based on CO₂ capture and renewable energy sources (LIFE CO2toCH4).

The objective of both projects is to develop CO₂ capture, storage and utilization (CCUS) techniques for its conversion into high value-added products such as bioplastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates) or its direct conversion to biomethane through a biological biogas upgrading process in a circular economy context.