The Group of Environmental Biotechnology (GI-1613) of the University of Santiago de Compostela started its activity in 1985, focusing mainly on two research lines:

• Management and treatment of industrial and urban effluents
• Application and production of lignolytic enzymes 

Both lines have been developed in parallel giving rise to a multitude of projects and specific contracts. Twenty years later the key words are still: "Bio", "Environment" and "Engineering", although its research lines have evolved according to the achieved targets and the new trends in research.

The Group of Environmental Biotechnology (GI-1613), coordinated by Prof. Gumersindo Feijoo, is composed by 17 teachers (2 Emeritus-professors, 6 professors, 6 Associate professors, 3 Assistant Professors) , 4 post-doctoral researchers, 3 laboratory technicians, 1 technological manager, 1 administrative and 1 communication manager and around 25 PhD students, students from foreign universities that carry out projects or stays of 3 to 6 months and more than 10 master's degree students.

Mission and View of the Group

The Mission is to generate, disseminate and transfer scientific and technological knowledge of quality and train researchers committed to the sustainable development of society, promoting synergies in an ethical, human and stimulating environment. The View is to be renown at an international level due to the quality of its research, international collaboration, training, innovation and technology transfer.

Scientific background

In the last five years (2020-2024), the Group has achieved 24 National research projects, 15 European and 9 regional, as well as participation in 7 networks, one of them coordinated. It has also achieved 38 contracts with companies, which represents an average of approximately 1.44 million euros (excluding permanent staff salaries). Its scientific production in this period can be summarized in 28 defended Doctoral Theses and a total of 332 international publications of which 293 of them were SCI publications,(80% appear in journals located in the first quartile of the SCI ranking). It published 54 book chapters and 4 books. Moreover, 171 communications were presented at conferences, 146 at international conference.

Strategic Plan:

Biogroup Strategic Plan 2025-2028 (NEW)

Biogroup Strategic Plan 2021-2024 

Statistics 2017-2023

Financial Resources

Papers published in SCI journals

Number of Thesis / average duration 

Actividade financiada polo Convenio de Colaboración entre a Consellería de Cultura, Educación e a USC para o desenvolvemento de accións estratéxicas de I+D+i.