UNIVERSIDAD DE ZARAGOZA

Their core work

Universidad de Zaragoza is a major Spanish research university with deep strengths in advanced materials science, nanotechnology, and biomedical engineering. Their labs work on magnetic nanoparticles for medical hyperthermia, graphene-based technologies, additive manufacturing processes, and liquid crystal elastomers — bridging fundamental physics and chemistry with industrial and healthcare applications. They are also active in food processing technology (pulsed electric fields), computational modelling, and cultural heritage digitisation, reflecting the breadth of a large multi-faculty institution with over 100 H2020 engagements.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014–2018), Zaragoza focused on graphene, wireless network optimization, cloud computing, and researcher mobility programs — reflecting broad participation in MSCA networks and ICT projects. From 2019 onward, the university sharpened its focus toward additive manufacturing, magnetic nanoparticles for medical applications, biomechanics, liquid crystal elastomers, and cultural heritage — signalling a pivot from general ICT/networking toward applied materials science and health-oriented technologies. The growing presence of tuberculosis research also indicates an expanding life sciences portfolio beyond their traditional physics and engineering base.

Zaragoza is concentrating on the intersection of advanced materials (nanoparticles, elastomers, graphene) and biomedical/industrial applications — expect them to seek partnerships in smart manufacturing and precision medicine.

How they like to work

With 22 projects as coordinator (21% of portfolio) and 67 as participant, Zaragoza balances leadership and partnership roles — they can run a consortium but are equally comfortable as a specialized contributor. Their 1,183 unique partners across 62 countries indicate a hub-style university that connects broadly rather than returning to the same few partners. The heavy use of MSCA-ITN and MSCA-RISE schemes (23 projects combined) shows they invest significantly in training networks, making them a reliable partner for early-stage researcher mobility and doctoral programmes.

An exceptionally well-connected university with 1,183 distinct consortium partners spanning 62 countries — one of the broadest networks among Spanish HES institutions in H2020. Their reach extends well beyond the EU into associated countries and global collaborators.

What sets them apart

Zaragoza combines deep materials science expertise (nanoparticles, graphene, liquid crystal elastomers) with proven ability to translate research toward industrial and biomedical endpoints — a rare profile among Spanish universities. Their food technology coordination experience (FieldFOOD) adds an unusual cross-sector capability, and their massive MSCA network means they can mobilize researchers across disciplines quickly. For consortium builders, they offer both the scientific depth of a research-intensive university and the coordination track record (22 led projects, up to EUR 5M single grants) to anchor a work package or lead a proposal.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CHAMELEON
  Largest single grant (EUR 1.63M) as coordinator — a 7-year ERC-level project on computational visual appearance editing, showing capacity for ambitious long-term research.
• MODELAGE
  EUR 1.5M coordinated project on cardiac aging using systems biology, demonstrating their ability to lead interdisciplinary biomedical research.
• FieldFOOD
  Coordinated a food processing innovation project on pulsed electric fields — a rare example of a physics-oriented university leading agri-food technology transfer.