This research group has been working with peptides for over 25 years. The group’s main objective is the chemical synthesis of peptides with biomedical applications.

The group mainly works in molecular recognition, programmed folding and self-assembling processes, using a wide variety of experimental and theoretical approaches. Our main activities are the design/discovery, preparation and study of new synthetic receptors for molecules and ions of biological interest. We also use supramolecular approaches to synthetic procedures, such as the template-assisted synthesis, the dynamic combinatorial chemistry, theconstitutional dynamic chemistry or the asymmetric catalysis.

The research activities of the group are focussed to develop and implement cleaner technologies in order to attain a more environmentally friendly leather industry and to study and develop end-of-pipe approaches to eliminate the main pollutants present in tannery waste waters in an attempt to reduce the contamination produced and improve processes towards environmental sustainability. The influence of novel more sustainable industrial processing on the structure and properties of leather and other fibrous materials are also taken into account.

Group created in January 2017, following the merger of three groups of the Soil Biochemistry department (Soil Enzymology, Soil Microbiology and Nutrient cycling in the soil-plant system). The team's research focuses on the study of the soil-plant-microorganism system and its contribution to ecosystem services. More specifically, the group is currently focusing its research on: 1. Development and testing of the effects on soil of environmentally friendly flame retardants to be used in forest fires.

The Group of Genetics, Breeding and Biochemistry of Brassicas (https://brassicas.mbg.csic.es/) investigates in strategic lines of high social impact such as agricultural sustainability, healthy and safe food, climate change or exploitation of plant waste.

Botanic, histological, agronomic and molecular description of grapevine, olive and old rose (perfume) autochthonous varieties. Quantification of innate resistance to grapevine fungal diseases.Plant defence mechanisms (biochemical/physiological) against fungi (Biotic stresses). Intra/Intervarietal variability-terroir-new technologic crop managements(TICs, IoT, robotics, drones) and other sustainable managements (sheep with induced aversion).

Genetics and ecology of pine resistence to insect herbivores and pathogens. Factors influencing phenotypic variation in resistance and tolerance traits. Implications for the sustainable management of forest health.

The Agrosystems Biology Group (BAS) proposes transdisciplinary objectives and strategies, to face global problems of cultivated species that can be the object of horizontal transfer of knowledge and technology, incorporating plant genetic resources as a source of studies of diversity and genetics, and carrying out improvement programs for the development of new genetically improved varieties.

The CONSOWAT group works on the design of strategies to minimise soil and water pollution, contributing to the development of new environmentally friendly technologies that lead to a more sustainable management of the soil-water system. In relation to soils, we apply chemical, biological and omic techniques both for the prevention of soil pollution and for the recovery of contaminated soils. In water remediation processes, we develop methods for the elimination of organic pollutants and pathogenic microorganisms through the development and use of low-cost materials.

Study of the environmental behavior of agrochemicals (pesticides, plant growth regulators, allelopathic compounds, plant signaling products or plants hormones, etc.) and other compounds that can reach the soil as a consequence of human activities (pharmaceutical or veterinary drugs, industrial contaminants, urban contaminants, etc.). Also, this group develops strategies based on the use of sorbents (organic residues, biochar, and modified clays) to increase the efficacy of those agrochemicals and to minimize the environmental impact on the agroecosystem.