Native from Granada, Spain, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Universidad de Granada. I did my master’s degree in Process Engineering at Universidad Complutense de Madrid my thesis focusing on the synthesis of low-silica mesoporous zeolite X. After that, I moved to Vienna joining the CODOBIO consortium to do my PhD in Bioprocess Engineering at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna and the Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB). My thesis is supervised by Dr. Astrid Dürauer and within the group of Professor Alois Jungbauer.
Short description of project:
Characterization of the hydrodynamics in microtiter plates for the scale-up of mixing downstream processes developed in the screening process. This was performed with the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics, and the results were then modelled using a data-driven model that enable the accurate prediction of volumetric power input, variable utilized for the scale-up.
What new skill/skills did you learn?
Learnt about modelling, simulation, handling of different downstream operations and process development in bioprocess engineering. Also about project management, time handling, micromanagement, scientific communication and pitching of ideas.
What did you enjoy most about your project?
The diversity of researchers, the possibility of sharing with other working groups for other universities and the short stays in other working groups.
What do you believe is your biggest contribution to the scientific community?
The implementation of Computational Fluid Dynamics as a tool for process development in microscale and the demonstration that it is possible to develop the scale-up of an operation from shaken microscale to pilot plant scale.
What would your advice be for future Early-Stage Researchers at the start of their project?
Do not be afraid of what you are getting into. There might be times where it will seem that everything is tearing apart and you will think about quitting, but those times will pass if you endure them.
What do you plan next?
Working for the company 3M as an application engineer and provide expertise in process development for the purification of biomolecules.
