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Biochemistry and Biotechnology 

Biochemistry refers to the discipline that aims at achieving the finest understanding of life at the molecular level and the integration of this knowledge up to the macroscopic scale of the living. It is the natural doorway to the development of novel biological applications, defined as biotechnologies. 

Thus, the integration of Biochemistry and Biotechnology in UNIgreen is key to develop novel sustainable strategies in agriculture.  

The approach in JRC 1 will be to foster the link between Biochemistry and Biotechnology to leverage some of the most urgent hurdles that have been identified in the green transition of Agriculture.   

Research Topics

  • Nitric oxide and seeds biology 
  • Resilience of vegetable crops to climate change 
  • Genetic resources for crop improvement 
  • Seed quality improvement 
  • Phytohormones in development and yields improvement 
  • Response of microbial communities to anthropogenic and environmental factors 
  • Plant/pathogen interactions 
  • Plant interactions with symbiotic microbes under abiotic stress 
  • Plant/nematode interactions 
  • Plants vesicular traffic 
  • RNA biology in chloroplasts 
  • Antibiotic resistance 
  • Biotechnological properties of environmental bacteria and antibiotic resistance spread 
  • Interaction of nanoparticles with tumour and non tumour cells 
  • Interaction of nanoparticles with detoxification machinery 
  • Carbon allotropic forms and cancer 
  • Nutritional impact of bioactive compounds 
  • Rhizobial bacteria/ fabaceae plants interactions 
  • Microfluidics 
  • Small bioreactors for screening culture parameters 
  • Biopolymers 
  • Valorisation of agriculture by-products into biocontrol substances 
  • Impact of biocontrol substances on soil microbiome 
  • Natural alternatives to synthetic compounds of food and textile industries 
  • Sustainable solution for waste and by-products of agriculture 
  • Truffle cultivation and production of natural truffle flavours 
  • Impact of food bioactive compounds on human health 
  • Water management and reuse in food production 
  • Ecosystem functions and services 
  • Abiotic stress in crops & biostimulants mechanisms 
  • Abiotic & biotic stress in plants 
  • Molecular genetics in plants 
  • Beneficial microorganisms in agriculture 
  • Valorisation of biodegradable wastes 
  • Application of beneficial microorganisms in agriculture 
  • Plant & soil ecology 
  • Plant growth promoting bacteria: interactions in the soil 
  • Soil and plants analysis 

JRC 1 Coordinator : Patrick Gonzalez (SupBiotech Engineering School of Biotechnology).