Research
Researchers led by Javier Montenegro have shown that alternating cycles of light and darkness can steer the self-organization of dynamic molecular systems towards more stable architectures. The study reveals that periods of darkness play an active role in the evolution of photoresponsive molecules, enabling them to reach structural states inaccessible under continuous illumination.
A device based on ultra-thin ferroelectric films can "switch on and off" thermal conduction, offering a stable and innovative way to manage heat in real time.
The team led by Eduardo Fernández Megía at CiQUS introduces an innovative chemical strategy to create biomimetic structures with greater efficiency. The design of more versatile and controllable synthetic cells could unlock new possibilities in biotechnology and regenerative medicine.
A study led by Manuel Nappi describes a novel strategy to activate carbon dioxide using light, providing new insights into the transformation of this highly stable molecule.
The research, funded by the Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid after the interest generated by previous work from the team, seeks to develop objective tools to evaluate the biological severity of persistent COVID.
By combining solution chemistry and on-surface reactions on metal substrates, the team has constructed a phthalocyanine pentamer—a novel nanoarchitecture that integrates relevant electronic and magnetic properties into a single molecule. The CiQUS study has been recognized as a Very Important Paper and featured on the cover of Angewandte Chemie.
The centre will host five of the eight projects awarded to the University of Santiago de Compostela under the 2025 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF), one of Europe’s most prestigious and competitive research programmes.
CiQUS secures its fifth ERC Proof of Concept with ZEST, led by María Giménez López. The project develops hybrid zinc, bromine, and MnO₂ batteries, offering safer and scalable solutions, in collaboration with Fraunhofer ISE (Germany), to advance sustainable energy storage.
The Ignicia Proof of Concept Program, backed by Galicia’s regional government (Xunta de Galicia), will invest an estimated €500,000 in the ZinCAGE project, led by Oportunius researcher María Giménez. Over the next two years, the team will validate a groundbreaking supramolecular aqueous electrolyte technology designed to create more efficient, safer rechargeable zinc batteries.
A project co-led by CiQUS & CiTIUS is exploring new materials to integrate storage and computation into a single device, enhancing speed and reducing energy consumption.
Scientists have developed a single molecular catalyst that can be switched to produce either oxygen or hydrogen, a breakthrough that could replace expensive noble metals in water-splitting devices. The key lies in controlling its assembly on carbon nanotubes.
A team led by Martín Fañanás at CiQUS have developed an iron-based catalyst that tames the reactivity of methane, paving the way for natural gas to become a sustainable raw material for high-value chemicals, including pharmaceuticals.
A team of leading scientists from four European universities has been awarded a prestigious Synergy Grant of approximately €10 million by the European Research Council (ERC) for the project CARAMEL.
A new study published in JACS by research groups led by Martín Fañanás and Manuel Souto at CiQUS presents a more sustainable photocatalytic method that combines reusable solid materials with low-energy red light.
CiQUS researchers have developed a molecular strategy based on self-assembling peptide nanotubes to deliver drugs into the nucleus of chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells.
Researchers at CiQUS have created synthetic microdroplets capable of mimicking basic cellular functions while withstanding salt concentrations similar to those found in the human body. Published in JACS, the study represents a step forward in the construction of artificial cell models with potential biomedical applications.
Researchers at CiQUS have developed a strategy to activate an initially inactive molecule through chemical stimuli, enabling it to recognize and bind to a specific DNA structure known as a three-way junction (3WJ).
The meeting provided an opportunity to assess the progress of MolDAM, a European project focused on studying and controlling chemical reactions at the atomic scale through molecular synthesis and advanced microscopy techniques.
Researchers from CiQUS and CRETUS have developed a new method to immobilize plastic-degrading enzymes inside protein nanospheres produced by bacteria.
Massimo Lazzari leads the BIOMAPS work package focused on assessing the biodegradation and biosynthetic recycling of new sustainable plastics.