Severo Ochoa Programme 2018-2022 NEWS

Thursday, 19 October 2017

New Severo Ochoa – María de Maeztu Alliance for research excellence in Spain

Representatitves of the 25 Severo Ochoa Centres of Excellence and 16 María de Maeztu Units of Excellence accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness met this afternoon for the first meeting of the Severo Ochoa – María de Maeztu Alliance (SOMMa). Presided over by the Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation, Carmen Vela, the event was attended by the directors and other representatives of the research centres and units behind the alliance’s creation.

Friday, 13 October 2017

Hematite-based nanowire structures to enhance solar-to-fuel conversion in photoelectrochemical water splitting

ICN2 researchers led by ICREA Prof. Jordi Arbiol, in collaboration with the IREC and ICIQ, have produced a material for use in photoelectrochemical water splitting that is not only cheaper than existing alternatives, but increases both the efficiency and output of the process. Based on the integration of several materials into a multilayer nanowire structure, the research was featured on the cover of this month’s Energy & Environmental Science.

Tuesday, 10 October 2017

How graphene can transform brain-computer interfaces

ICN2 group leader ICREA Prof. Jose Antonio Garrido and fellow Graphene Flagship programme coordinator, Prof. Kostas Kostarelos of the University of Manchester, were invited by Advanced Materials to present their vision of the role of graphene in the design of advanced brain-computer interfaces. Published earlier this month, the work entitled “Graphene in the design and engineering of next-generation neural interfaces” outlines the current state-of-the-art in this field, along with the ways graphene is allowing us to overcome some of the obstacles to fully realising the next generation of neural interfaces. 

Wednesday, 27 September 2017

Graphene-based synthetic antiferromagnets and ferrimagnets

A team of researchers from ALBA and the ICN2 have developed novel graphene-based antiferromagnetic multilayer structures featuring robust magnetic properties. These results, published in Nature Communications, demonstrate that single-layer graphene spaced magnetic thin film structures present perpendicular antiferromagnetic coupling together with a number of properties that are well suited for applications.

Monday, 18 September 2017

Severo Ochoa

The ICN2 holds immense pride in being a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence since 2014. The Severo Ochoa award is Spain's highest recognition that appreciates scientific brilliance and leadership. It represents research centres that rank among the world's best in their respective fields. Additionally, it honours commitment towards generating significant social and business influence.

In 2014, ICN2 was validated as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, an honour reaffirmed in 2018 and again in 2023 for another quadrannual span. After being awarded this accreditation thrice in succession, we have solidified the accomplishments of the prior programmes and continue broadening and diversifying the ways our work influences the world around us.

SO2023-2026SO2018-2022 SO2014-2018

Thursday, 07 September 2017

The spinoff Paperdrop Diagnostics designs biomedical devices

The detection of drug-induced injuries can be carried out using a simple paper sensor and a drop of blood. The company Paperdrop Diagnostics S.L. will develop a low-cost and easy-to-use tool for this purpose. Promoted by ICREA Prof. Arben Merkoçi, leader of the ICN2 Nanobioelectrics and Biosensors Group and innovation expert Dr. Marc Gallegos, Paperdrop Diagnostics S.L. is the latest example of successful transfer of ICN2 technology.

Tuesday, 01 August 2017

Spin dynamics of graphene explained through supercomputing

This month scientists of the ICN2 Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience Group, led by ICREA Prof. Stephan Roche, have published a paper in NanoLetters shedding light on previously-unexplained results observed in experiments to detect and quantify the spin Hall effect in graphene-based heterostructures.

Thursday, 27 July 2017

PhD student at the ICN2 awarded Best Poster at international conference

Arindom Chatterjee, a PhD student at the ICN2, was one of 10 awardees for Best Poster at the 21st International Conference on Solid State Ionics. 

Thursday, 27 July 2017

Videos of the Manuel Cardona lecture by Dr Prof. Hee Lee now available

The future of electronics is transparent, flexible and stretchable, so says Dr Prof. Young Hee Lee, Director of the Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics in Korea. who last March delivered a talk at the ICN2 on recent advances in 2D materials.

Wednesday, 26 July 2017

La Caixa awards grants to three ICN2 PhD students

Last Friday several members of the ICN2 were at CaixaForum Madrid for the Obra Social La Caixa awards ceremony. Among those receiving grants to complete their doctoral studies were Xiaoman Mao, Marc Vila and Ramón García.

Wednesday, 19 July 2017

Could a new metal nanosponge material eliminate energy wastage in computing and mobile devices?

Currently some 40% of the electrical energy used by computers is dissipated as heat. The ICN2’s Theory and Simulation Group, led by CSIC Research Prof. and ICN2 Director Pablo Ordejón, and Prof. Josep Nogués of the Magnetic Nanostructures Group have lent their expertise to a project led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona to develop and understand the properties of a new nanomaterial to address this efficiency issue.

Tuesday, 04 July 2017

New facilities and equipment at the ICN2

The ICN2 is currently implementing a project to develop a set of "Controlled Environment Nanotechnology Fabrication and Testing Facilities". The goal of CENanoTech is to transform two areas of the ICN2 building into controlled-atmosphere laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment.

Monday, 26 June 2017

A workshop update for Severo Ochoa research at the ICN2

Earlier this month was the ICN2’s third Severo Ochoa Scientific Workshop, an event that brought together researchers from all career stages and all of the institute’s research groups to share progress in their respective fields of study. We were also joined by top influencers in innovation and technology transfer in Spain and beyond.

Thursday, 08 June 2017

New methodology for cancer screening paves the way for more targeted treatment options

A new paper from the ICN2 Nanobiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications Group led by Prof. Laura M. Lechuga is published in Scientific Reports. In it lead author César S. Huertas reports on the methodology developed by the group to detect isoforms with relevance for tumour progression and reversal.

Wednesday, 26 April 2017

Paper-based biosensor with smartphone readout

Researchers from the Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group at the ICN2 have published details of their new biosensor system in Scientific Reports by Nature. Paper embedded with a graphene structure is used together with a 3D-printable mini “darkroom” and smartphone technology to screen for different compounds found in food and environmental samples. The innovative system provides a low-cost portable alternative to lab testing for qualitative and quantitative pollutant detection and monitoring.

Tuesday, 18 April 2017

Optomechanical crystals to enable chaos-based secure data communications

Researchers from ICN2's Phononic and Photonic Nanostructures (P2N) Group published a study showing how the complex dynamics, including chaos, of optical nonlinearities can be controlled using optomechanical crystals and changing the parameters of the excitation laser. This discovery could allow information to be coded by introducing chaos into the light that carries it. 

Thursday, 19 January 2017

ICN2 at the focus of a new episode of LAB24

TVE offers through its 24h Channel the science dissemination program Lab24. In its latest episode this highly recognised program offers an extensive overview of the research performed at ICN2.

Friday, 16 December 2016

State of the art on graphene-based biosensors

Biosensing is growing on importance. Nanomaterials and, more specifically, graphene-based platforms have excellent properties for biosensing. In addition, flexible, abundant, low-cost and green materials, such as plastic and paper, can enhance this technology. Graphene-based biosensors will lead to breakthrough solutions for the real world, although their commercialization will imply diverse technical, production and market issues.

Wednesday, 14 December 2016

ICN2 presents the institutional Procedure for the prevention, detection and treatment of harassment situations

ICN2 is proud of the diversity of its community and seeks to ensure that each individual is treated with dignity and respect and that the different experiences, abilities and skills of each individual are valued by others. The latest example of this institutional compromise is the new institutional Procedure, presented by Rocío Pérez and José Pérez.

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

Surface hydrogen enables semiconductor nanowire subeutectic growth

Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and ICN2 Advanced Electron Nanoscopy Group have recently published an article in Nano Letters. They show an improvement made on the growth procedure of a semiconductor nanowire at subeutectic conditions using hydrogen. These results may have a positive effect on the CMOS technology.