I obtained a degree in Chemistry from the University of Girona (UdG) in 2011, receiving the Extraordinary Degree Award. After that, I studied a master's degree (2012) and a doctorate (2016) in the group of Prof. Lloret with the FPU grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. The research work during my PhD involved a 3-month stay at Arizona State University (USA) in the group of Prof. Ghirlanda to develop artificial metalloenzymes for the reduction of water to hydrogen. I also spent 2 years at the Institut Català d'Investigació Química (ICIQ) when my
supervisor became a group leader at ICIQ. My PhD project focused mainly on the development of molecular systems for hydrogen production and for the reduction of organic compounds using light and water as a source of hydrides. During my PhD, I also established fruitful collaborations with Prof. Mas-Ballesté and Prof. Pérez-Prieto for the development of materials for hydrogen production. In addition, I also participated in the experimental detection of cobalt intermediates at the Diamond Light Source Synchroton (UK).
After defending my doctoral thesis in December 2016, I moved to the group of Prof. Sakai, at International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (Japan). My postdoctoral work focused on the development of photocatalytic systems for CO2 reduction. In January 2021 I returned to the UdG in the group of Prof. Costas where I continued my postdoctoral research with a Juan de la Cierva contract, to work on the development of catalytic systems for the asymmetric oxidation of C-H bonds. I recently completed a 4-month stay at the University of Utah (USA) in the group of Prof. Sigman to learn how to perform multiparametric linear models to understand and improve enantioselective oxidation reactions.
As a result of my multidisciplinary training I am currently working on the following research projects: i) development of asymmetric C-H oxidation reactions, ii) development of new sterically congested catalysts for asymmetric oxidation, iii) implementation of regression models multivariable linears combining DFT calculations and experimental results, iv) implementation of oxidation reactions in industry in collaboration with a pharmaceutical company, v) development of recyclable polymers based on hybrid bicyclic lactones prepared by selective oxidation, and vi) functionalization stereoselectivity of bonds using light-driven processes.
My work has been presented at 24 prestigious national (JSCC, SIJ) and international (eg ICBIC, EuCheMs, ICCC, ISPCC, PacifiChem and Gordon Research Seminar) conferences as well as two chemistry schools. The quality and significance of my work are best evidenced by the impact of my publications and the interest they have raised. I am the first author of 9 of the articles I have published (18 in total, 5 of them as corresponding author in JACS. 2023, ACS Catal. 2019, Chem. Commun. 2019 and Sustain. Energy Fuels. 2022) and I have been actively implicated in the others by supervising the young students that appear as the first authors. The average impact factor of my publications is 8.9, and all my work has received >500 citations (Scopus and WOS) with an h-index of 10. Three of my scientific works have been highlighted on the cover of scientific journals, and four of them have been highlighted as important papers. In addition, my work published in Chem. Sci. 2018 was highlighted by the editor of the journal for its outstanding contribution to the area of energy research, whereas the work published in JACS 2022 was featured in Org. Chem. Highlights, and received major attention in the field of synthetic chemistry (around 12000 downloads).
I am currently carrying out teaching activities at the UdG where I am co-directing 3 doctoral theses and one master's. I have recently been recognized as a principal researcher of the IQCC for obtaining the “Proyectos de generación de conocimiento” and “Proyectos de Transición Ecológica y Transición Digital 2021” of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. I am also a reviewer of scientific journals and have participated in different evaluation committees. I currently enjoy a contract from the Ramon y Cajal program which has allowed me to start my scientific career independently.