FUNDACION IMDEA NANOCIENCIA

Their core work

IMDEA Nanociencia is a Madrid-based research institute specializing in nanoscale science — from surface chemistry and 2D materials to nanomedicine and molecular optoelectronics. They design, synthesize, and characterize nanomaterials using advanced scanning probe techniques (STM, AFM, tip-enhanced Raman), and translate fundamental discoveries toward applications in cancer therapy, spintronics, permanent magnets, and graphene-based devices. A significant part of their activity involves training the next generation of nanoscientists through Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral programmes. They are deeply embedded in the EU Graphene Flagship and have pushed nanomedicine from lab bench toward clinical trials.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), IMDEA Nano focused on graphene composites, nanocomposite construction materials, and nanomedicine — particularly magnetic nanoparticle therapies for cancer. From 2019 onward, the centre shifted decisively toward fundamental surface science, on-surface molecular synthesis, and ultrafast spectroscopy, with projects like ELECNANO, TOMATTO, and OssCaNa reflecting a deeper push into atomically precise characterization. The nanomedicine thread continued but is no longer the growth area; instead, lanthanide coordination chemistry, attosecond molecular dynamics, and RE-free magnets signal new directions.

IMDEA Nano is moving from applied nanomaterials toward fundamental molecular-scale physics — attosecond dynamics, on-surface synthesis, and lanthanide magnetism — suggesting future collaborations will center on precision characterization and atomically controlled materials design.

How they like to work

IMDEA Nano leads more often than it follows: 13 of 22 projects were coordinated by them, indicating strong project management capacity and a preference for driving research agendas. Their 315 unique consortium partners across 26 countries show a wide, non-repetitive network — they are a hub that connects to many different groups rather than relying on a fixed circle. For potential partners, this means they bring both scientific leadership and access to a broad European network.

With 315 unique consortium partners spread across 26 countries, IMDEA Nano maintains one of the broader collaboration networks for a single-site research institute. Their partnerships span from large Graphene Flagship consortia to focused bilateral MSCA fellowships, giving them reach across both large-scale and niche research communities.

What sets them apart

IMDEA Nano combines world-class scanning probe microscopy infrastructure with the agility of a focused research institute — not a massive university, but a dedicated nanoscience centre with the equipment and expertise to characterize materials at the single-molecule level. Their dual strength in both fundamental surface science and translational nanomedicine (having pushed magnetic nanoparticle cancer therapy toward clinical trial) is unusual. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination: deep instrumentation capability, proven coordination track record, and a structured postdoctoral pipeline that ensures project staffing.

Highlights from their portfolio

• TOMATTO
  Largest single grant (EUR 2.1M ERC Consolidator), investigating attosecond-scale processes in organic optoelectronics — a frontier topic running until 2028.
• NoCanTher
  Translated magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia from lab to GMP upscaling for pancreatic cancer, targeting Phase I clinical trial — rare bench-to-bedside trajectory.
• PASSENGER
  Coordinates a pilot action on rare-earth-free permanent magnets for electromobility, connecting nanoscience to a critical EU strategic materials challenge.