The PNRG Research Group (SEPCO-IQOG; VMS intersection) for the next four years (PE CSIC 2022-2025) will focus its scientific-technical work on achieving the following scientific-technical objectives: 1.

Design and synthesis of carbohydrate based DNA ligands to study the molecular bases of carbohydrate-DNA interaction. The study will be carried out with biological relevan carbohydrates due to their interest in DNA and RNA binding in human cells.

The Structural Bioinformatics Group is developing innovative techniques for the analysis and modeling of molecular structures. http://chaconlab.org/

The group is focused on the study of the molecular, structural and cellular basis of protein conformational multiplicity and of its physiopathological impacts. The models used are 1) PrP and its related neurodegenerations, 2) food proteins and their linked type-I food allergies, and 3) the biotechnological use of peptide assemblies.

The group seeks to understand the structure, function and interactions of biologically relevant macromolecules at the atomic, molecular and supramolecular level. This provides information on specific molecular recognition events occurring in particular biological environments. The experimental approaches employed include X-ray crystallography, computational studies together with biochemical and molecular biology techniques.

We study the gas phase reactivity, energetic, interactions and structure of neutral and ionic species with fundamental, biological and technological relevance.

The Environmental Biotechnology group was created to investigate the metabolizing abilities of bacteria for environmental applications. We study the genes, enzymes and regulation of the metabolic pathways both to degrade the environmental contaminants and to synthesize chemical compounds by biotransformation / biorefinery processes (e.g., pharmaceuticals, biofuels, biomaterials, enzymes), thus helping to reduce the environmental impact generated by human activity. It is a group integrated within the areas of LIFE and MATERIA..

The agriculture of the 21st century faces, among other challenges, the demand for global food security, the increase of world population and the climate change. Therefore, it is required more efficient and faster methods to develop new crop varieties, with higher yields and more resilient/adapted to environmental changes. The technologies of cell reprogramming, regeneration and in vitro propagation of selected plants are crucial in improvement and innovation programs of agrobiotechnological and nursery companies.

Our aim is to provide knowledge-based insights and novel tools for managing arthropods of agricultural and medical relevance. The multidisciplinary composition of the group (physiology, molecular biology, environmental biology and theoretical biology) allows a holistic approach for the implementation of Integrated Pest Management strategies that enable the establishment of more profitable and sustainable production systems, a key issue to increase food security, environmental quality and public health.