SHORT SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC LIFE

Eric Valdés (Barcelona, 1996) is degreed in Biotechnology (UB, 2018) and a MSc in Biological and Environmental Engineering (UAB, 2021). He has a strong biotechnological background as he did his bachelor degree’s final project at the Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics in a work focused on expression patterns of SlSGT genes in tomato. He also has international experience as a graduate researcher in Lund University (Sweden) where he worked in the characterization of an enzyme with environmental applications (FDCA production from the sugar HMF).
He did his master degree’s thesis in the gases group of GENOCOV, where he developed a kinetic model for the bioproduction of sulfur in presence of acetate in a continuous stirred tank reactor. This work is embedded within the ENSURE project, which aims to develop and optimize a technology for the treatment of SOx and NOx emissions and sulfur recovery trough a two- stage biological process (sulfate reduction followed by partial oxidation of sulfide).
In 2021 he also worked on the kinetic characterization of heterotrophic methanogenic biomass as a temporary staff member of CETAQUA in the NIMBUS project, which has the ultimate goal of using upgraded biogas from wastewater sludge to feed a TMB (Barcelona’s public transport network) bus.
He is currently a PhD student in Environmental Science and Technology and his research aims to develop and implement mathematical models for the optimization of bioprocesses
Eric’s current research interests are:

•    Valorisation of SO2 from flue gases
•    Mathematical modelling and optimization of bioprocesses
•    Sulfate reduction in a UASB with and without methane production using glycerol as an external source of C
•    Partial oxidation of sulfide and sulfur recovery in a microaerated CSTR
•    Autotrophic denitrification with complete oxidation of sulfide in a SRT-controlled CSTR