Fifteen innovative UAB projects recognised by the Indústries del Coneixement Programme

The Indústria del Coneixement grant is an initiative of the Departament de Recerca I Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya that wants to drive an economic model based on knowledge, encouraging the transfer of research results from the different centers of knowledge generation in the Catalan system of science and innovation. The grant has three modalities: Llavor (seed), Producte (product), and Innovadors (innovators).

The UAB has gotten funding for 15 projects, resulting in 1.193.280 euros. The Llavor modality, which supports innovative projects with potential incorporation into the productive sector, has selected five projects coming from the university, resulting in 100.000€ in funding. The projects are the following:

• Development of healthy cheeses low in Na and rich in Se with improved sensorial traits led by Mercè Llugany Olle, from the Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia.
• Development of a proprietary combination drug for the treatment of Primary Mitochondrial Diseases, led by Emma Puighermanal Puigvert, from the Institut de Neurociències (INc).
• AI-Powered Design of Novel Antimicrobial Peptides, led by Marc Torrent Burgas from the Departament de Bioquímica i de Biologia Molecular.
• HeliCure: Towards a new therapy for Parkinson’s Disease, led by Irantzu Pallares Goitiz, from the Departament de Bioquímica i de Biologia Molecular and Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB).
• Optical prediction of milk coagulability: a novel tool for in situ classification to improve milk production and processing, led by Manuel Castillo Zambudio, director of the Centre d'Innovació, Recerca i Transferència en Tecnologia dels Aliments.

The second modality of the program, Producte, funds projects destined to obtain prototypes and look for the validation of the research results generated by research teams in Catalonia. Five projects have been chosen to receive funding, which ascends to 703.280€.

• Making gold from waste; new vaccinal platform from in-feed fish vaccines, led by Nerea Roher Armentia, from the Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, de Fisiologia i d'Immunologia and the IBB.
• Hepacortin: A new antibiotic for treating multidrug-resistant bacteria, led by Marc Torrent Burgas, from the Departament de Bioquímica i de Biologia Molecular.
• Novel methanol free, pH inducible alternatives to produce industrially relevant recombinant proteins in the yeast Pichia pastoris, led by Joaquín Ariño Carmona, from the Departament de Bioquímica i de Biologia Molecular and the IBB.
• Escaping ESKAPE: Magic Plugs vs. Efflux Pumps, led by Jesús Aranda Rodríguez, from the Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia.
• SUGAR: Software integrat per a la Gestió Arqueològica, led by Rafael Mora Torcal, director of the CEPARQ al Departament de Prehistòria.

On the other hand, two more projects that have the UAB as a collaborator have also gotten a funding of €138,000:

• Mycobacterium brumae benefits Immune Health and Infection Control as an immunomodulator agent, led by Esther Julian Gomez, from the Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, and the Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya.
• Protein-Based Nanoparticles for Nose-to-Brain Delivery to Treat Obesity, led by Ester Vazquez Gomez, from the Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, and the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya.

The third modality, Innovadors, is focused on helping with the funding of projects centered around valorizing and transferring knowledge. These must be developed by innovators during stays in entities of the research and innovation system of Catalonia. The three projects receiving a total of 252.000€ are the following:

• Next-Gen Molecular Binders for Viral Neutralization, led by Salvador Ventura, researcher at the IBB and professor of the Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular.
• Hybrid Molecular Materials for the Electrocatalytic Determination of Alcoholic Species in Beverages (MolCATol), led by Xavier Sala Roman, Departament de Química.
• OPTICmizing. A smart photonic TBE for the agro-food industry of the future, led by Manuel Castillo Zambudio, director of the Centre d'Innovació, Recerca i Transferència en Tecnologia dels Aliments.