Projects

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International Projects (last 6 years)

European Union, H2020 Program, Accelerator-EIC

Safe and Natural UV Screen Protection. Grant Agreement Nº 101009401. Participants: UVERA (Poland, Coordinator), University of Huelva (UHU participation Coordinator: María Cuaresma & Carlos Vílchez), and other entities from Poland. From 01/10/2020 to 30/09/2022. UHU Funding: €66,105.

European Union, FP7 Program, KBBE

MIRACLES: Multi-Product Integrated Biorefinery of Algae: From Carbon Dioxide and Light Energy to High-Value Specialties. Grant Agreement Nº 613588. Participants: Wageningen University (Netherlands, Coordinator), University of Huelva (UHU participation Coordinator: María Cuaresma & Carlos Vílchez), and other 25 public and private entities from the European Union and America. From 01/11/2013 to 30/10/2017. Total Funding: €12,144,416. UHU Funding: €429,884.

European Union, FP7 Program, KBBE

SPLASH: Sustainable Polymers from Algae Sugars and Hydrocarbons. Grant Agreement Nº 311956. Participants: Wageningen University (Netherlands, Coordinator), University of Huelva (UHU participation Coordinator: Inés Garbayo & María Cuaresma), and other 21 public and private entities from the European Union. From 01/09/2012 to 28/02/2017. Total Funding: €8,942,932. UHU Funding: €320,072.

European Union, FP7 Program, PIRSES

ALGAENET: Renewable energy production through microalgae cultivation: Closing material cycles. Grant Agreement Nº 295165. Participants: CSIC (Coordinator), University of Huelva (UHU participation Coordinator: Carlos Vílchez), and other 4 European and American public universities. From 01/04/12 to 31/03/2016. Total Funding: €709,800. UHU Funding: €203,700.

Cross-border Cooperation Projects Eurorregion AAA (last 6 years)

Bioremediation of acid drainage from mining areas in the Eurorregion AAA with microalgae. Cross-border cooperation promotion program in the Eurorregion AAA, General Secretariat of External Action of the Junta de Andalucía. Lead researcher: Inés Garbayo. From 01/11/2021 to 31/10/2022. Funding: €6,000.

New uses of agri-food by-products in the Eurorregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalucía using microalgae. Cross-border cooperation promotion program in the Eurorregion AAA, General Secretariat of External Action of the Junta de Andalucía. Lead researcher: Inés Garbayo Nores. From 01/11/2020 to 30/10/2021. Funding: €6,000.

Bioexplora: identification of bioactive substances from extremophilic microalgae obtained from mining areas in the Eurorregion AAA. Ref. UHU_01/2018. Cross-border cooperation promotion program in the Eurorregion AAA, General Secretariat of External Action of the Junta de Andalucía. Lead researcher: Inés Garbayo Nores. From 01/11/2018 to 30/09/2019. Funding: €4,000.

Visualization of female scientific activity in the Algarve-Andalucía Eurorregion. Junta de Andalucía, Ministry of the Presidency, General Secretariat of External Action. Lead researcher: Inés Garbayo Nores. From 01/11/2017 to 30/09/2018. Funding: €11,251.20.

National and Regional Projects (last 6 years)

Sustainable production of microalgal biomass and derived products in the frame of the Bioeconomy and Circular Economy. Ref. RYC2021-034640-I. Ministry of Science and Innovation. Lead researcher: María Cuaresma Franco. From 09/2021 to 09/2026. Funding: pending final resolution.

aALPHA: Acidophile Algae: Leading a Pathway to Health-related bioActivities. Ref. P20_00930. Ministry of Economy, Innovation, Science and Employment. Excellence Projects Junta de Andalucía. Lead researcher: Carlos Vílchez Lobato. From 05/10/2021 to 30/06/2023. Funding: €87,290.

Prevention of Mercury Poisoning in Andalucía: Study of Methyl-Hg Metabolism in Microalgae. Ref. UHU-202065. FEDER Operational Program-Andalucía 2014-2020. Lead researcher: Zivan Gojkovic. From 01/01/2022 to 31/12/2023. Funding: €87,000.

Green Technologies for the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds: Innovative, Efficient, and Sustainable Implementation for Microalgae from Extreme Acidic Environments. Ref. UHU-RPU-53. FEDER Operational Program-Andalucía 2014-2020. Lead researcher: María del Carmen Ruíz Domínguez. From 01/06/2022 to 30/05/2023. Funding: €51,500.

Production of New Natural Antioxidant Products with Potential Nutraceutical and Cosmetic Value Based on Sustainable Production of Microalgae from Extreme Acidic Environments. Ref. UHU-1260997. FEDER Operational Program-Andalucía 2014-2020. Lead researcher: María Cuaresma Franco. From 01/02/2020 to 17/10/2021. Funding: €85,600.

Microbial Ecology of Endolithic Communities in Poly-extreme Environments: Resistance Mechanisms and Secondary Metabolites Applicable in Biotechnology. Ref. PGC2018-094076-B-I00. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Lead researcher: Jacek Wierzchos (CSIC). UHU Participants: Carlos Vílchez. From 01/09/2019 to 31/08/2022. Funding: €141,200.

Algactive: Utilization of Agri-food By-products for Producing Microalgae Rich in Bioactive Compounds. Ref. UHU-1265804. FEDER Operational Program-Andalucía 2014-2020. Lead researcher: Inés Garbayo. From 01/01/2020 to 30/06/2021. Funding: €7,052.

ALGAVIN: Sustainable Production of Microalgae Using By-products from the Wine Industry of the Huelva County. Micro-Projects for Research and Knowledge Transfer from the “Chair of the Province” of the University of Huelva. Lead researcher: Inés Garbayo. From 17/11/2020 to 16/11/2021. Funding: €4,000.

Effects of Including Two New Lutein-rich Microalgae Species in the Diet of Bivalve Mollusks: Nutritional Quality and Resistance to Pathogens (Coordinated Project). Ref. CEIJ071. Ceimar Foundation & General Secretariat of Universities, Research and Technology of the Ministry of Economy and Knowledge, Junta de Andalucía. Lead researcher: María Cuaresma Franco. From 01/09/2018 to 31/12/2020. Funding: €15,600.

Contribution of Haloarchaea in Climate Change, Innovation in Wastewater Treatment Technologies, and Uses of Generated Biomass. Ref. CTM2013-43147-R. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Lead researcher: Rosa M. Martínez Espinosa. UHU Participants: Inés Garbayo (responsible for UHU WPs) and Carlos Vílchez. From 01/01/2014 to 31/12/2017. Funding: €108,900.

Adaptation and Geomicrobiology of Lithobiontic Microbial Communities in Hyper-arid Environments and TheirMetabolites. Ref. CGL2013-42509-P. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Lead researcher: Jacek Wierzchos (CSIC). UHU Participants: Inés Garbayo and Carlos Vílchez. From 01/01/2014 to 31/12/2016. Funding: €102,850.

Research Contracts with Companies and Institutions (last 6 years)

MICROBIOCIDA: Microalgae as Biocidal Active Ingredient Factories. BIOPLAGEN S.L., Ministry of Science and Innovation-CDTI and Technological Corporation of Andalusia. Lead researchers: María Cuaresma and Carlos Vílchez. From 01/08/2021 to 31/07/2024. Funding: €124,976.

 Scale up and Optimization for the Production of Astaxanthin from Microalgae. Algenion GmbH (Germany) and Ad Astra ehf (Iceland). Lead researchers: María Cuaresma and Carlos Vílchez. From 01/07/2021 to 31/12/2024. Funding: €263,206.25.

Research on Alternatives for Managing and Utilizing TAR of Phenol: Study ofBiodegradation. Spanish Petroleum Company S.A.U. (CEPSA) and Technological Corporation of Andalusia. Lead researchers: Carlos Vílchez and Juan Luis Fuentes. From 04/04/2019 to 31/12/2020. Funding: €44,221.

Biotechnological Cultivation of Cyanobacteria. Uvera and European Union Structural Funds-Poland. Lead researcher: Carlos Vílchez. From 21/06/2019 to 21/01/2020. Funding: €23,600.

Prototype Testing and Process Optimization for Production of Astaxanthin from Microalgae. Algenion GmbH (Germany) and Ad Astra ehf (Iceland). Lead researcher: María Cuaresma Franco. From 22/06/2018 to 31/03/2020. Funding: €125,770.40.