The PROCESSES unit brings together a multidisciplinary team of physicists, mathematicians, electronic engineers, chemical engineers, and environmental science experts. It focuses on the design, optimization, and evaluation of biological and technological processes and systems. With an emphasis on automation and control of complex systems in the process industry, and through advanced modeling and simulation tools, it enhances industrial system performance, improves operational efficiency, and promotes sustainability. In bioprocesses, the unit applies modeling techniques to design new or improved metabolic capabilities of microorganisms, aiming at environmental protection and sustainability. It also evaluates techno-economic feasibility, eco-efficiency, risk management, and the resilience of industrial processes, particularly in the urban water cycle.
Design, optimization, and control of biological and technological systems.
Modeling and simulation techniques for industrial processes.
Automation of complex systems in the process industry.
Genomic-scale metabolic modeling for innovation and sustainability in bioprocesses.
Industrial computing and bioinformatics.
Techno-economic evaluation techniques for industrial processes.
Eco-efficiency analysis and risk management in industrial processes.
This project aims to develop a bacterial strain (Paracoccus denitrificans) capable of utilizing waste from a wide variety of polyesters to produce high-value chemical compounds. Using a CRISPR-based system, the strain will be engineered to redirect its metabolic fluxes toward the desired product through the introduction of a specifically designed plasmid for the target compound.
Bucci, P., Cantero, D., Casas, A., Marcos, E., Menalla, E., Muñoz, R. (2026) Hydrothermal pretreatment of brewer\'s spent grain: A pathway to sustainable biogas production and waste valorization. Biomass and Bioenergy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2025.108399
Montaluisa-Mantilla, M.S., Lebrero, R., García-Encina, P.A., Muñoz, R. (2026) Elucidation of the mechanisms of VOC removal in botanical filters during indoor air treatment in a test chamber. Building and Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113775
Moldes, D., Requejo, P.F., Vega, M., Bolado, S. (2026) Deep eutectic solvent-based protein recovery from microalgal biomass grown in piggery wastewater. Bioresource Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2025.133446
Vargas-Estrada, L., Bordel, S., Lebrero, R., Muñoz, R. (2026) Evaluating the experimental CO2 stripping performance of a new generation multicapillary Taylor flow reactor. Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cep.2025.110601
Martínez-Hernando, M.-P., García Álvaro, A., Ruiz Palomar, C., Suárez Rodríguez, M. del C., Bolonio, D., de Godos Crespo, I., García-Martínez, M.-J., Ortega, M.F. (2026) Sustainability assessment of a novel vehicular biomethane production from swine manure compared to conventional techniques. Waste Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2025.115218
