Spain hosts ALBA Synchrotron with a total of 2600 users, 1600 of them from Spanish institutions. Funding for Academic Research is subject to budget availability on an annual basis and follows the scheme published here.
Additionally, Spain manages the CRG beamline Spline at the ESRF for Absorption and diffraction with about 65 experiments/year.
ESUO REPRESENTATIVE
Olga López
Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia
Biophysics of Lipids and Interfaces group
Barcelona, Spain
PROFILE
My scientific objectives consider biophysical, biochemical, physical-chemical and technological aspects related to biological membranes and complex tissues. Research in my group is based on the study and biomedical application of colloidal systems in which lipids and other amphiphiles have a relevant role such as liposomes, micelles, bicelles, bicosomes and other assemblies. Research related to the knowledge, behavior and treatment of tissues such as the skin, mucosal membranes and the hair are also among our objectives. In the last year, we address our efforts in applying knowledge on the field of the central nervous system diseases. The purpose of my activities is to have a medium-term impact in the industry and to solve society’s problems. Due to the novelty of the topics that are addressed, I need to undertake basic research in order to obtain knowledge that allows adequate applicability.
USER REPRESENTATION
AUSE – Asociación de Usuarios de Sincrotrón en España
AUSE is a nonprofit association created in September 2004 and aims to:
To disseminate among the scientific community the possibilities and novelties of synchrotron radiation techniques.
To represent this scientific community both nationally and internationally in proposals and programs national or local plans.
Offer information regarding events or facilitate the relationship with synchrotron light laboratories.
AUSE has more than 600 partners with a common interest in the use of synchrotron radiation for the study of scientific problems in fields as biochemistry, medicine, materials science or chemistry. Among our activities, AUSE organizes a biannual meeting with more than 150 participants. Since 2013, AUSE awards the best doctoral Thesis on synchrotron radiation defended in a Spanish university. In addition, AUSE is integrated into the European ESUO association, which includes around 30,000 synchrotron users and European free electron x-ray sources.