Opportunities
This space presents the fields in which we work to strengthen inter-institutional collaboration and research of high scientific rigour. Our commitment is to facilitate access to essential resources and tools that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in a framework of excellence and transparency.
Capabilities
Synthetic Biology
The Synthetic Biology addresses the engineering of biological systems, creating new functions that are not found in nature. Applied to plants, Synthetic Biology aims to design crops with enhanced capabilities, such as the production of new healthy or value-added biomolecules, or the programming of physiological responses that facilitate adaptation to climate change.
Lines of knowledge:
- Molecular farming: Plants as biofactories for the production of high-value compounds such as antibodies, vaccines, insect pheromones, etc.
- Metabolic engineering: enrichment in healthy and value-added metabolites such as insect pheromones, adjuvants, and other small molecules for pharmaceutical use.
- Cellular factories for the production of high-value compounds (antibodies, enzymes).
Biological Chemistry
Use of chemistry to understand biology. Biological chemistry addresses, in a multidisciplinary way, the rational design and synthesis of new chemical molecules or new applications, such as new agrochemicals, as well as the study of their interaction and effect on the molecular recognition processes of biological mechanisms. All of this is applied from IBMCP to plant systems.
Lines of knowledge:
- Development of new “drugs” for plants against abiotic and biotic stresses (salinity, drought, diseases).
- Development of new treatments, “chemofortification,” for the accumulation of high-value compounds in plants.
- Gene therapy in plants for the control of diseases and/or traits of agronomic interest.
- Characterization of peptides with applications in the industry of agrochemicals.
- Production of biologically interesting nanoparticles from the use of virions
Molecular Sensing
Molecular sensing addresses the study and design of molecules that not only recognize but also signal, in real time, the presence of a stimulus or compound. In the case of plants, such sensors are useful when we want to know the plant’s response to different treatments or to certain types of stress.
Lines of knowledge:
- Development of molecular probes for field detection of target pathogens.
- Molecular sensors to measure the plant’s response to agrochemical treatments.
- Characterization of extracts: identification and quantification of active molecules.
- Biological systems for the large-scale evaluation of new active ingredients.
Crop Improvement
At IBMCP we manage a wide variety of state-of-the-art genetic improvement techniques based on advances in biotechnology, molecular biology, and genome sequencing. Among its various applications is the selection and introduction of desirable traits in crops of interest with the aim of generating more efficient plants adapted to their production and development environment, as well as higher quality foods.
Lines of knowledge:
- Genome editing and genetic engineering: introduction of traits of interest using advanced techniques.
- Improvement of quality and productivity.
- Fine-tuning of traits of agronomic interest (flowering, productivity, etc.).
- Increase in resistance to water and salt stress.
- Increase in disease resistance.
- Improvement of senescence and somaclonal selection in ornamental plants.
- Micropropagation of carnivorous and ornamental plants.
- Improvement of seed longevity and viability.
- Adaptation to climate change.
Circular Economy
The idea comes from imitating nature, where everything has value and everything is used, where waste becomes a new resource.
We develop technologies focused on the optimization of resources, the reduction in the consumption of raw materials, and the utilization of waste by recycling it or giving it a new life to convert it into new products.
Lines of knowledge:
- Valorization of agricultural waste for its use as pesticides, biostimulants, fertilizers, etc.
- Production of biofuels and/or polymers from plant material (renewable sources).
Computational Biology
The computational biology encompasses the use of algorithms and computers to facilitate the understanding of biological problems. It deals with the study of biological systems through the design, study, and application of computational algorithms. It focuses on data analysis, mathematical modeling, and computational simulation.
Lines of knowledge:
- Development of bioinformatics tools to process, manage, and analyze genomic information.
- Study of genome evolution during the processes of adaptation, domestication, and speciation.
- Varietal authentication.
- Identification / tracking of the evolution of pathogens by genetic profile.
- Bioinformatics tools for the search and characterization of viruses and infectious RNAs.
Consulting: Match Sessions with companies
We want to create a focused workspace, where we confront business needs with our scientific–technological capabilities and solutions.
If you are a company, we want to know your challenges firsthand so that, in an in-person format, we can give you access to the technologies and capabilities of IBMCP that can bring you value.
We design tailor-made sessions based on the company’s challenges and needs.
For more information, contact: transfiere@ibmcp.upv.es
