Fitxa persona

Dr. in Chemical Engineering and current Associate Professor at the University of Valencia (UV), I’ve developed my strong scientific career within GI2AM group become an expert on Environmental Biotechnology and Process Simulation. I’ve focused my research on the development of sustainable bioprocess to treat industrial air emissions and to valorise by fermentation these emissions and waste into bioenergy, biofuels, and bulk chemicals.

Continuously participating in R&D Projects, since 2017, I led the research tasks regarding the development of novel Clostridia fermentation configurations for biobutanol production from lignocellulosic waste. I demonstrated the feasibility to extend the SSFiR configuration from bioethanol refineries to biobutanol ones, being this outcome the first literature reference on ABE fermentation (Bioresource Technol 2021). Today, I co-lead as principal investigator the GI2AM research by winning the national call Generación Conocimiento with the BioRiceFinery project (PID2021-122454OB-I00) to develop a biorefinery platform from rice straw for sustainable decarbonisation, the regional call for competitive groups with the on-going project AICO/2021/121 to extend the ABE fermentation of lignocellulosic wastes to third generation Biorefinery and the regional call Proyectos Estratégicos en Cooperación with the RECIMAP project (INNEST/2022/205) to study the recycling of textile waste by fermentation. I would like to highlight my international collaboration with Prof. Langenhove’s Group (U. Ghent) where I stayed for 1-year postdoc position applying membrane bioreactors to control air emissions. I regularly collaborate with industry but one of the most outstanding achievements on transfer to industry is the invention together Prof. Gabaldón (UV), JM Peñarrocha (UV) and A Waalkens (Pure Infinity) of Anaerobic Bioscrubber technology. This EU & USA patented technology is a change on solvent emission control since they are converted to bioenergy. It’s the unique active USA licence of ETSE-UV and last July it has been installed the first commercial unit.

Regarding training, I’m one of the main supervisors of PhD students of the team supervising 8 PhD Thesis (2015, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 4 ongoing).

Since 2020, I’m the Secretary of the Chemical Engineering Department of UV.