As part of the international activities of the Technological Development Unit (UDT), Dr. Danilo Escobar-Avello participated in several key initiatives in Spain, strengthening collaboration with European institutions and research networks in the fields of bioeconomy, biorefineries and sustainable technologies.
5th Ibero-American Congress on Biorefineries (5th CIAB) – Jaén, Spain
Dr. Escobar-Avello represented UDT and CENAMAD at the 5th Ibero-American Congress on Biorefineries, held in Jaen, Spain, October 2-4, 2024. This congress brought together scientists from different areas to exchange ideas on sustainable development, biorefineries and circular economy. Among the main topics discussed were systems for the extraction of natural compounds, bioproducts derived from agricultural, forestry and algae residues, as well as “green” processing technologies.
On this occasion, Dr. Escobar presented the work entitled: “Optimisation of subcritical water extraction of phenolic compounds from Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus globulus bark”, which is part of his FONDECYT 3230782 project: “From the forest industry to the food industry: Phenolic compounds from bark as multifunctional additives for the development of active food packaging”. This study focuses on the optimization of the extraction of phenolic compounds using subcritical water, an innovative system that allows the dissolution of polymers and the release of soluble oligomers and monomers. This work is aligned with current trends in the revalorization of lignocellulosic biomass, the central theme of the congress.
Visit to the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC)
During his stay in Spain, Dr. Escobar-Avello visited the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), where he held discussions with Professor Letricia Barbosa-Pereira, from the FoodChemPack research group. The visit allowed exploring opportunities for collaboration on topics such as the encapsulation of bioactive compounds and the use of advanced subcritical water extraction technologies. These lines of research are of great interest to UDT, especially in the development of new extraction systems for phenolic compounds and collaboration in international research projects.
Collaboration with ARCP in Portugal: Joint Projects
During his visit to Portugal, Dr. Escobar also held meetings with researchers from the Portuguese Polymer Competence Network (ARCP), linked to the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto and the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu. Among the researchers he met is Dr. Jorge Santos, who participates as a collaborator in the FONDEF project ID23I10194: “Natural additive obtained from forest by-products and incorporated in the formulation of coatings to increase the durability of wood in interior and exterior use”.
Dr. Santos contributes to the development of technologies related to wood coatings, an area in which ARCP has an outstanding research capacity. This link with ARCP is particularly relevant for the projects that UDT develops at the National Center of Excellence in Wood (CENAMAD), and opens new opportunities to advance more sustainable and durable solutions in the field of coatings.
Strengthening International Networks and Collaborations
In addition to the presentations and visits, Dr. Escobar strengthened relationships with renowned researchers in the field of biorefineries and agricultural waste valorization, including Professor Beatriz Gullón (University of Vigo), Dr. Maria Filomena Barreiro (Instituto Politécnico de Bragança), and Professor Andrés Moreno (University of Castilla-La Mancha). These connections open new doors for future scientific collaborations and joint projects in the field of bioeconomy.
Dr. Danilo Escobar-Avello’s participation in these activities reflects UDT’s commitment to research and development of sustainable technologies, as well as its key role in promoting international collaborations to address global challenges in bioeconomy and sustainable development.
