Bioengineering

Introduction

The Bioengineering Department was founded in 2007 by merging several IQS laboratories in the Life Science area and by joining new research groups. The Department is composed of 5 laboratories: Biochemistry, Biomaterials, Microbiology, Bioprocesses, and Tissue Engineering. Research areas combine basic and applied projects in biomedicine, industrial biotechnology, and food and environmental biotechnology.

Teaching

The Department coordinates the undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Degree in Biotechnology, Marters in Bioengineering, and PhD program in Bioengineering. It also offers biology and biochemistry courses to the Degrees of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Pharmacy. Additionally, the Department organizes other activities such as Department conferences, specific courses, and exchange activities for students and professors.

Research

Research projects are in the areas of Life Sciences, Biotechnology, and Bioengineering.

Laboratory of Biochemistry

Enzyme engineering in Glycobiology and Biocatalysis. Biomedical targets. Protein structure-function.

• Protein engineering and enzymology of glycosidases, glycosyltranferases, and carbohydrate esterases
• Therapeutic targets in infectious diseases
• Biocatalysis: enzyme redesign, directed evolution of enzymes
• Genetic and Metabolic Engineering of bacteria, yeast, and microalgae for the production of high-value products
• Bioinformatics and molecular modeling of biological systems

Members (staff): Dr. Antoni Planas (Head), Dra. Magda Faijes, Dr. Xevi Biarnés, Dr. Pau Leivar

Laboratory of Biomaterials

Production and characterization of materials for biomedical applications. Surfaces and nanoparticles.

• Stimuli sensitive polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery. Decoration of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery.
• Design of biomimetic surfaces with both chemical and mechanical signaling. Engineering of smart surfaces for biomedical applications.
• Design and rapid manufacturing fabrication of scaffolds for bone and cartilage regeneration.
• Engineering of delivery systems for the administration of nucleic acids for gene and cell therapy applications.

Members (staff): Dr. Salvador Borrós (Head), Dr. Victor Ramos

Laboratory of Microbiology

Photodynamic therapy against microbial infections. Environmental microbiology and water treatment.

• Microbiological aspects of the photodynamic therapy
• Mycotoxins and fungal producers
• Food and environmental safety

Members (staff): Dra. Montserrat Agut, Dra. Maria Auset

Laboratory of Bioprocess

Bioprocess development for the production of high-value products.

• Recombinant protein and metabolite expression, bioprocess and bioreactors optimization
• Industrial byproducts as a source for highly valuable biotechnological products
• Downstream processing for isolation of products

Members (staff): Dr. Marc Carnicer, Dr. Martí Lecina

Laboratory of Tissue Engineering

Regenerative medicine: stem cell differentiation, patterning and tissue function.

• Design and synthesis of nanometric biomaterials analog to extracellular matrices
• Development of instructive tri-dimensional environments for functional differentiation of stem cells and cancer stem cells
• Environmental design of adult cells to develop regenerative medicine platforms
• Impact of the haemodynamic environment in vascular cells functionality

Members (staff): Dr. Carlos Semino

Studies in Bioengineering

You might be interested in the following studies at IQS:

• Degree in Biotechnology
• Masters in Bioengineering
• PhD in Bioengineering