The BIOMA Institute receives €320,000 for two research projects research the knowledge national call for proposals for knowledge generation.

The Biodiversity and Environment Institute has obtained €320,000 to develop two research projects research the knowledge Generation Projects call, promoted by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities and managed by the State research Agency research AEI). The grants are part of the research State research Plan and are awarded following a competitive process that evaluates the scientific quality, feasibility, and social impact of the proposals.

One of these projects is MYCROP-RESICLIM, which will study the association berry crops (grapes and tomatoes) with a synthetic community of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, developing new strategies to maintain the sustainability of annual and perennial crops in the face of climate change, improving their resilience and adaptation.

The project structured into two subprojects. MYCROP-CLIMATE (PID2024-156430OB-C21), led by Dr. Inmaculada Pascual and Dr. Nieves Goicoechea from the BIOMA Institute, will focus on the response of these mycorrhizal crops to climate change scenarios. MYCROP-FUNCTION (PID2024-156430OB-C22), led by Dr. Nuria Ferrol from the Zaidín Experimental Station (CSIC), with the participation of the University of Alicante, through Dr. Idoia Garmendia, will study the functioning and persistence of arbuscular mycorrhizae under multiple stress conditions. This subproject is led by Dr. Nuria Ferrol, from the Zaidín Experimental Station (CSIC), with the participation of the University of Alicante, through Dr. Idoia Garmendia.

The second initiative awarded was theG-BLEND project , which aims to transform lignin and sewage sludge into optimized derivatives with biostimulant properties for plants. The research within the fields of bioeconomy, sustainable agriculture, and management , in line with Priority 8 (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Climate, and Environment) of the PEICTI 2024-2027. Specifically, it addresses two core topic strategic core topic this priority: Economics and management , and the sustainable use of organic natural resources and biological materials.

Researchers Marta Fuentes and José María García-Mina, from group research group the BIOMA Institute, will lead subproject 2. Subproject 1 will be led by Sergio Collado Alonso, from group Bioprocess and Reactor research group research the University of Oviedo.

The University of Navarra has obtained €4,448,250 to develop 27 research projects. The funded projects address scientific and social challenges from a multidisciplinary perspective, with research in areas such as health and biomedicine, artificial intelligence, sustainability and the environment, nutrition, communication, and management . "These projects are in line with the priorities of Strategy 25-30, which is committed to research , multidisciplinary research aimed at serving society multidisciplinary " says Paloma Grau, Vice President research Sustainability at the University of Navarra.