Author Archive
Tendiendo puentes en Psicología y Neurociencia a través de la colaboración multidisciplinar
El fortalecimiento de la colaboración para fomentar conexiones de investigación novedosas entre áreas científicas es un eje central de la estrategia del CIMCYC – Unidad de Excelencia María de Maeztu. Para impulsarlo, el CIMCYC ha lanzado seis nuevos y estimulantes proyectos de colaboración multidisciplinar en Psicología y Neurociencia, que abordan preguntas de frontera en diversas áreas.
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Bridging Fields in Psychology and Neuroscience with Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Strengthening collaboration to encourage novel research connections between scientific areas is central to the CIMCYC – María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence strategy . To encourage this, the CIMCYC has launched six novel and exciting multidisciplinary collaborative projects in Psychology and Neuroscience, which tackle frontier questions across areas.
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Oferta de empleo: 6 contratos de personal investigador postdoctoral para proyectos colaborativos
Como parte del plan estratégico asociado al Sello de Excelencia María de Maeztu, el CIMCYC va a contratar a seis investigadoras/es postdoctorales para la ejecución de seis nuevos proyectos colaborativos entre diferentes grupos de investigación del CIMCYC.
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Apeiron Intelligence Showcases its Technological Vision at Mobile World Congress Doha 2025
The ICN2 spin-off presented its solutions for automating and accelerating materials design, and took part in a pitch session highlighting the market potential of AI-driven tools.
Congratulations Dr. Liu!
Dr. Liu, doctoral candidate under the supervision of Profs. Julio Lloret-Fillol and Núria López, has successfully defended his PhD thesis. The dissertation, entitled Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) to Value-Added Carbon Products was publicly defended on Thursday, 4 December 2025.
Abstract
This dissertation develops electrocatalytic strategies for the selective transformation of CO2 into value-added chemicals and fuels. The first part focuses on controlling local environments in aqueous electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECO2R) using manganese-based covalent organic frameworks (COFbpyMn). Proton management is established as a central design principle. Hydrophobic polymers such as Teflon were incorporated into catalyst films to suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction, while amines with tailored pKa values were introduced as proton shuttles in the electrolyte. These additives promoted formation of the key [Mn–H] intermediate, thereby directing product selectivity towards HCO2⁻ or HCO2H at pH 2.4, while high-pKa-based additives favored CO formation.
The second part investigates the structural dynamics of COFbpyMn under electrochemical potential. Operando spectroscopies (EPR, SEIRA, ATR-IR, UV–Vis) revealed electric-field-induced restructuring at the electrode interface, including framework reorganization and the emergence of Mn–Mn dimer species. These results underscore the adaptive nature of reticular frameworks under working conditions.
The final part explores deeper CO2 reduction pathways using CoPc supported on engineered Toray carbon paper. Pyrolysis-generated porosity concentrated CO intermediates and enhanced CoPc dispersion, thereby boosting methanol selectivity.
Overall, this dissertation establishes design principles linking local environment control, intermediate management, and electrode architecture in molecular-based ECO2R systems.
The evaluation committee was composed of Dr. Marta Liras (IMDEA Energia, Spain), Dr. Sergio Fernández Martín (Universitat de Girona, Spain) and Dr. Federico Franco (Università degli Studi di Trieste, Italy).
La entrada Congratulations Dr. Liu! se publicó primero en ICIQ.
Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), 25 years promoting science
DIPC celebrates its quarter century with an event presided over by the Lehendakari
SUPERVAL consortium meets in Eindhoven marking two years of project progress
The SUPERVAL consortium gathered on 25 November 2025 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Hosted at one of the project’s partners, the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), project members gathered to review the project’s advances, sharing updates from each work package (WP) and coordinating upcoming activities as SUPERVAL enters its last third year.
The consortium meeting opened with a welcome from JR Galán-Mascarós (ICIQ), project coordinator, who outlined the agenda for the day and highlighted the project’s achievements since the launch two years ago.
Partners then presented the latest results from WPs allowing discussions for ongoing challenges and cross-WP collaboration. WP1 – Gas Separation was updated by Santiago Capelo (Orchestra Scientific), WP2 – CO₂/Water Photo-Electrolysis, led by Claudio Ampelli (INSTM/UniME), Felipe A. Garcés (ICIQ) and Yuzhe Liu (Forschungzentrum Jülich), WP3 – Photocatalytic Hydrogenation of N₂ and NOx to NH₃, presented by Lourdes Romero (ITQ-UPV-CSIC) and WP4 – Device Integration, Technology Performance Validation and Feasibility Assessment, jointly explained by Laura González (Vareser) and Martí Rufí (2-0 LCA).
In the afternoon, the consortium turned into non-technical WPs. Arnau Jordà (ICIQ-CERCA) presented WP5 – Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation, WP6 – Project Management was updated by Laura López and Eva M. Alcázar (ICIQ-CERCA) and WP7 – Portfolio Activities, with contributions from JR Galán-Mascarós (ICIQ-CERCA), Stefano Giancola (Orchestra Scientific) and Arnau Jordà (ICIQ-CERCA).
This regular consortium events help with aligning partners on upcoming deliverables, outreach efforts and synergies with related European initiatives. The gathering concluded with planning for the next project meeting and a wrap-up of agreed actions.
The SUstainable Photo-ElectRochemical VALorization of flue gases – SUPERVAL project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe, Grant Agreement No. 101115456.
La entrada SUPERVAL consortium meets in Eindhoven marking two years of project progress se publicó primero en ICIQ.
A new ICN2 Review Highlights the Expanding Biomedical Potential of Polyphenols
The publication demonstrates the value of these natural compounds in multiple areas of health and biomedical research, including cancer therapy, infection treatment and tissue regeneration.