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CancerScan

Smart pathology slide scanner for diagnosis and patient-specific treatment recommendations in oncology

Drug discovery

Cancer

Our vision is to create a smart digital pathology scanner that builds patient-specific tumour digital twins and simulates drug treatments. Using pancreatic cancer models, the project will integrate multi-omics, clinical data, AI and hardware design to help doctors personalize therapy.

SelecStem

Harnessing ALDH enzyme activity to develop highly selective drugs against cancer stem cells

Drug discovery, Medicinal chemistry, Química mèdica

Cancer

SeleCStem aims to target the cancer stem cells responsible for therapy resistance and relapse. It will harness ALDH activity to deliver drugs selectively and inhibit tumours using light.

+pinyoCAT

Stone pine management for pine nut production: an alternative for many drylands in Catalonia

Chemical ecology, One Health

This project aims to transfer new guidelines for appropriate stone pine management, including the use of semiochemicals for the management of Leptoglossus occidentalis.

2G_PROVEIL

New Generation of PROVEIL Sensing Nanofibre-Based Masks for Improved Protection and Service Life

Nanobiotechnology, Proteins

2G_PROVEIL aims to develop, scale up and commercialise a new generation of PROVEIL masks, based on a virucidal nanofibre technology, reaching the PPF3 level and incorporating a sensor to inform the user about the correct fit.

BubblyBots4BC

Laser-Induced Nanobubbles from Enzyme-Powered Nanobots for Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy

Drug discovery, Nanobiotechnology

Cancer

BubblyBots4BC develops a novel bladder cancer immunotherapy based on enzyme-powered iron oxide nanobots capable of accumulating in tumor tissue and generating laser-induced vapor nanobubbles. These nanobubbles seek to induce immunogenic cell death and promote in situ vaccination that stimulates antitumor immune responses.

CardioLight

Deciphering the role of intracellular GPCRs in cardiac cells through photopharmacological strategies

Drug discovery, Medicinal chemistry

Cardiovascular

We propose an innovative strategy based on photopharmacology to address various therapeutic needs, including cardiovascular diseases. This approach would enable precise and reversible regulation of cardiac activity, with potential to temporarily improve its function and help stabilize rhythm disturbances in critical situations.

CERTACs

Assessing CERT’s role in breast cancer using innovative proteasome-targeting chemical silencers

Drug discovery, Proteins

Cancer

This project investigates how the CERT protein contributes to chemotherapy resistance in aggressive breast cancer, including interactions with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and explores whether reducing CERT can improve the response to treatment. To achieve this, the researchers have developed new PROTAC-based molecules that directly degrade CERT via the proteasome, with the aim of enhancing cancer cell death and validating CERT as a therapeutic target.

ChemBioLipids

Chemical biology approaches to the synthesis and study of lipid-modified proteins

Medicinal chemistry, Organic synthesis, Proteins

Proteins are modified through the covalent attachment of a wide variety of lipids, and these modifications regulate their localisation, interactions and function. This project aims to identify and quantify protein-bound lipids and generate modified proteins using chemical synthesis or semisynthesis methods.

COOPB24028

Non-thermal plasma as a sustainable solution to improve agricultural productivity in Mediterranean regions.

One Health, Plasma Chemistry

This project studies the use of atmospheric non-thermal plasmas as a sustainable seed treatment to improve germination and initial growth under drought conditions. The work focuses on Mediterranean crops of agronomic and social interest, such as cereals, tomatoes, and alfalfa, in collaboration with partners from Spain, Tunisia, and Mauritania.

DDMC-AECC_IDEAS_SEMILLA

Photoactivatable autophagy inhibitors to eliminate cancer stem cells with high precision

Drug discovery, Medicinal chemistry

Cancer

We are developing autophagy inhibitors that are activated by external light to selectively eliminate cancer stem cells. We follow two approaches based on photoswitches and photocages.

DEEPPEST

Deep learning as a novel tool for the identification of active odorant compounds for pest control: the Moroccan locust as a case study

Chemical ecology, Theoretical and computational chemistry

The DEEPPEST project develops a faster and more economical way to find naturally occurring chemical compounds to control insect pests, without having to resort to conventional pesticides, by combining artificial intelligence and computational chemistry with insect biology. The approach is tested on the Moroccan locust as a proof of concept that could subsequently be applied to other invasive species.

Druglight4Pain

Light-activated non-opioid drugs for pain treatment without side effects

Drug discovery, Medicinal chemistry

Neurodegenerative

Current treatments for chronic and acute pain, such as opioids, act systemically and often cause severe side effects. Within the framework of this project, we are exploring the use of light-activatable drugs to achieve more precise, localized, and safer pain control.

ECOAMPOL

Environmental assessment of innovative antimicrobial polymeric materials based on biodegradable cationic amphiphiles

Lipids, One Health

The project seeks to generate robust environmental evidence for antimicrobial polymeric materials based on biodegradable cationic amphiphiles as a sustainable alternative to QACs. Functionalized PLA polymers and zein nanoparticles will be evaluated through standardized biodegradability and ecotoxicity assays.

ENTRY-DM

Interdisciplinary doctoral training in oligonucleotide-based therapies for Myotonic Dystrophy

Medicinal chemistry, Nucleic acids

Neurodegenerative, Rare diseases

Rare diseases present major therapeutic challenges and Myotonic Dystrophy remains without effective treatment due to its genetic complexity and the low efficacy of antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) tested. ENTRY DM trains 14 doctoral candidates in ASO, advanced models, and clinical preparation, strengthening European leadership and accelerating future trials.

EVO-ATI-DESIGN

Alternative Translation as a Driver of Molecular Innovation: From Evolution to Synthetic Biology

Proteins, Theoretical and computational chemistry

The project studies how alternative translation initiation (ATI) can generate protein diversity without genetic changes, challenging the classical view of the Central Dogma of Biology. It proposes that ATI acts as a driver of molecular innovation and seeks to understand its mechanisms, its role in evolution, and its applications in synthetic biology.