UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Their core work

The University of Santiago de Compostela is a major Spanish research university with deep strengths in nanomaterials science, particle physics, and agricultural innovation. Their research groups design and synthesize nanoparticles and nanostructures for medical applications (drug delivery, diagnostics for Alzheimer's and cancer) and industrial uses (printed electronics, art restoration). They run significant fundamental physics programs connected to CERN's Large Hadron Collider, and separately maintain a strong applied research line in agroecology, agroforestry, and food safety — making them an unusual bridge between hard physics, materials science, and sustainable agriculture.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), USC focused heavily on nanomaterials synthesis and applications — graphene, nanoparticles for drug delivery, nanomaterials for printed devices and art restoration — alongside fundamental food safety research. By 2019–2022, the portfolio shifted toward molecular design, on-surface synthesis, and diagnostic imaging (optical coherence tomography, photoacoustic imaging), while the agricultural side evolved from basic food safety toward multi-actor agroecological practices and circular economy policy. The particle physics program remained constant throughout, but the applied research clearly moved from materials fabrication toward functional molecular systems and sustainability frameworks.

USC is converging toward functional molecular systems with diagnostic and therapeutic applications, while expanding its agricultural research toward policy-oriented circular economy work — expect future projects combining smart materials with sustainability goals.

How they like to work

USC balances leadership and partnership well: they coordinated 35 of 98 projects (36%), often leading mid-sized grants in their strongest areas (peptide chemistry, particle physics, agroforestry) while joining large consortia as a specialist contributor in nanomaterials and food research. With 968 unique partners across 62 countries, they operate as a highly connected hub rather than a closed network — this means they are experienced at integrating into new consortia and managing cross-cultural collaboration. For potential partners, this signals low friction and high adaptability.

USC has collaborated with 968 distinct organizations across 62 countries, making them one of the most broadly networked Spanish universities in H2020. Their reach extends well beyond Europe, though the densest connections are within EU member states through large RIA and MSCA networks.

What sets them apart

USC is rare in combining world-class fundamental physics (LHCb/QCD) with strong applied nanomaterials research AND a robust agricultural innovation program — most universities specialize in one of these, not all three. Their chemistry and materials groups have proven ability to move nanoparticle research from lab synthesis through to biomedical and industrial applications, evidenced by projects spanning the full chain from INSPIRED (industrial-scale nanomaterial production) to NABBA (nanomedicine for biological barriers). For consortium builders, USC offers a genuine multidisciplinary anchor: a single partner that can contribute materials science, molecular biology, agricultural field expertise, and fundamental physics capacity.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NANOCOMP
  Largest single grant (EUR 1.64M coordinated), running 8 years (2016–2024) on high-performance nanostructure platforms — signals sustained institutional commitment to nanoscale research.
• BSMFLEET
  EUR 1.5M coordinated project challenging the Standard Model via LHCb at CERN — demonstrates USC's standing in elite international particle physics.
• DYNAP
  EUR 1.49M ERC-level grant on dynamic penetrating peptide adaptamers — showcases USC's strength in peptide chemistry and their capacity to win highly competitive individual excellence funding.