Biotechnology
Biotechnology is experiencing a rapid acceleration thanks to the advances in omic techniques and computing capacities, which allow us to better understand how we can put nature’s machinery to use for the good of humanity. Biotechnology is a broad discipline in which biological processes, cells or organisms are exploited to develop new technologies, with applications in agri- and aquaculture, food production, industrial processes and medicine.
Because of this wide range of applications, biotechnology is usually color-coded to refer to its four main fields of application. Industrial biotechnology is usually referred to as white biotechnology, while red is reserved for medical applications, green for agriculture-related developments, and blue for processes that encompass the aquatic environment.
The interdisciplinary nature of the IIM-CSIC allows us to collaborate with different industries for the application of biotechnological innovations across the whole color range of biotechnology.
You can read about all our capabilities and associated services below.
Capabilities
- Capabilities | Development of new food products from fisheries and aquaculture by-products
Development of processes for the transformation of discards and seafood by-products into new raw materials (fish mince, fish oil, etc.) with added value for the generation of innovative processed food products (hamburgers, nuggets, etc.), ensuring traceability, nutritional value and safety in new value chains.
- Capabilities | Development of bioprocesses (biorefineries) for the extraction of bioproducts and bioactive compounds from food industry by-products
Development of processes that allow extracting useful components of industrial interest from discards and food industry by-products and effluents. Biochemical characterization of useful components present in different kinds of fisheries products and by-products, such as skin collagen, visceral enzymes, chondroitin sulphate present in cartilage, chitin from crustacean shells and cuttlebone or protein hydrolysates obtained from muscle. Evaluation of potential applications of these compounds through the characterization of their biological activities (antioxidants, etc.) and functional properties for their use in different industries, such as biomedical, chemistry, cosmetic, food, etc.
- Capabilities | Development of “in vitro” bioactivity tests for biomolecules using cell lines and specific gene expression tests
Development of techniques (metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, lipidomics, biomarkers) to characterize the response of cells to different biomolecules and to validate their activity and safety.
- Capabilities | Control of traceability and labelling
Development of specific biomarkers and -omic techniques to quantify allergens and to track species composition and geographical origin for quality traceability and prevention of food fraud and unregulated fisheries.
- Capabilities | Modeling and optimization of fermentative processes and other bioprocesses with industrial utilization
Development of mathematical algorithms and simulation software for global optimization and control of bioprocesses in the food and biotechnological industry
Active projects
- LIFE REFISH -
<p>Flexible biorefinery to valorise discards and by-products of the European fish and seafood production (REFISH)</p>
Principal investigator:VázquezÁlvarezXosé AntónFunding body:LIFE Environment (Nature & Circular Economy)Funding for IIM-CSIC:357637€Fromto - PESCANDO 4.0 -
<p>Plataforma Blockchain e IoT para garantizar la trazabilidad, seguridad, calidad y sostenibilidad en la cadena de valor de los productos pesqueros</p>
Principal investigator:VilasFernándezCarlosFunding body:PROYECTO FINANCIADO POR EL PLAN DE RECUPERACIÓN, TRANSFORMACIÓN Y RESILIENCIA Y LOS FONDOS EUROPEOS NEXT GENERATION EU EN EL MARCO DEL REAL DECRETO 685/2021 DEL 3 DE AGOSTOFunding for IIM-CSIC:145812€Fromto - METDISHFISH -
<p>Terapias metabólicas para el tratamiento de enfermedades infecciosas en peces de cultivo</p>
Principal investigator:NovoaGarcíaBeatrizFunding body:Ayuda cofinanciada por el Fondo Europeo Marítimo y de Pesca y el Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación.Funding for IIM-CSIC:324175€Fromto - BIOTRANSFER -
<p>Polymicrobial L. monocytogenes-carrying biofilms as a key on the risk of listeriosis in foods</p>
Principal investigator:LópezCaboMartaFunding body:CSICFunding for IIM-CSIC:28557€Fromto - VALOR -
<p>Valorización integral de los efluentes y residuos de pieles generados en el proceso de producción de gelatinas marinas de alta calidad</p>
Principal investigator:VázquezÁlvarezXosé AntónFunding body:CSICFunding for IIM-CSIC:21600€Fromto - DTWINE2021 -
<p>Digital Twins to optimize energy efficiency and product quality in WINEries</p>
Principal investigator:BalsaCantoEvaFunding body:Proyecto PLEC2021-007827 financiado por MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033 y por la Unión Europea NextGenerationEU/PRTRFunding for IIM-CSIC:248164€Fromto - SEAFOOD-ID -
<p>ANALYTICAL STRATEGIES BASED ON NON-DESTRUCTIVE METHODS AND METAGENOMICS FOR THE CONTROL OF PRODUCTION METHOD AND GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN</p>
Principal investigator:GonzálezSoteloCarmenPérezMartínRicardo IsaacFunding body:Proyecto PID2020-118012RB-C21 financiado por MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033Funding for IIM-CSIC:168000€Fromto - IMANREFIVIR -
<p>IMMUNE ANTIVIRAL RESPONSE OF FISH AGAINST RNA VIRUSES</p>
Principal investigator:NovoaGarcíaBeatrizFunding body:Proyecto PID2020-119532RB-I00 financiado por MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033Funding for IIM-CSIC:160000€Fromto - Contrato Programa -
<p>AYUDA CONVENIO ENTRE CSIC Y LA AXENCIA GALEGA DE INNOVACIÓN -GAIN- PARA EL DESARROLLO DE PROGRAMAS DE I+D+i EN LOS INSTITUTOS DE INVESTIGACIÓN DEL CSIC EN GALICIA Y EN LOS CENTROS OCEANOGRÁFICOS DEL INSTITUTO ESPAÑOL DE OCEANOGRAFÍA (CSIC-IEO). 2021-2022</p>
Principal investigator:SaboridoReyFranFunding body:Agencia Galega de InnovaciónFunding for IIM-CSIC:521824€Fromto - ISEAS -
<p>Nanopartículas con hidrolizados de colágeno marino: aplicaciones en cosmética</p>
Principal investigator:PérezMartínRicardo IsaacFunding body:CSICFunding for IIM-CSIC:52000€Fromto