New materials, active packaging, food ingredients — or biomedical products. The potential of products from underutilised biomass is significant. At Chalmers University of Technology, Amparo Jiménez Quero, is developing green chemistry and biotechnology methods to convert biomass side streams from various industrial sectors into valuable and sustainable products.
“When people describe our research area, they often say we work with waste. But it isn’t waste – it can be the main resource for a novel process. There is great potential in valorising of so-called industrial side streams or residual materials,” says Amparo Jiménez Quero, Assistant Professor at the Department of Life Sciences.
The concept of a circular economy − a societal model to reduce resource use and environmental impact − is central to Amparo Jiménez Quero's research, which revolves around sustainable innovation.
“To me, sustainability is more than a research focus, it is a personal commitment to rethinking how we use resources. I believe science has the power to realign our systems with nature’s cycles, enabling us to create solutions that regenerate rather than deplete,” she says.
"Driven by questions that lead to tangible solutions"
Amparo Jiménez Quero’s way towards her current research area started when she studied biology at the university in her hometown of Seville, Spain, in 2009. During her second master’s thesis, she focused on industrial microbiology and biotechnology. It was through this work that she discovered her passion for applying fundamental understanding to develop real-world solutions, bridging the gap between research and innovation.
"I’ve been told I never stopped asking questions once I started speaking as a child − and I still haven’t stopped. I’m very curious by nature. While fundamental research remains a core part of my work, I’m most driven by questions that lead to tangible solutions especially those with the potential to create positive societal impact,” she says.
"Fundamental science and biobased solutions come together.”
Amparo Jiménez Quero joined Chalmers in 2024, after working at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. She was recruited through an initiative by the national research centre Wallenberg Wood Science Center, WWSC, which focuses on innovation and new materials from forest biomass. Chalmers is one of three university partners in the centre.
“Chalmers offered a unique environment where interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainability are truly embedded in the research culture. Being part of WWSC was a big motivation because of its unique focus on deepening our understanding of how to better use biomass. It’s a place where both fundamental science and real biobased solutions come together.”
Explores the potential of different biomasses
Over the years, moving for her PhD studies to Strasbourg in France, becoming a postdoc, and later a research leader at KTH − her interest in industrial side streams has deepened and evolved. Today, her research group works across a wide range of topics – from developing green and sustainable methods to extract and convert biomass into high-value products, to using biotechnology with microorganisms and enzymes to optimise processes or create new molecules.
“What I really enjoy is exploring the potential of different types of biomasses. Each one has specific properties, and it’s rewarding to figure out how to make the most of them in sustainable processes.”
Great diversity in the application areas
The research projects involve biomass from a variety of sources: residues from forestry and agriculture, algae, and microbes − all with unique properties and potential.
“Since the outcome is depending on the starting material, and the potential of different types of biomasses varies greatly, there is great diversity in the application areas of our research. As a result, we sometimes aim for products for materials applications, and in some cases, we work towards food ingredients. We also work with cosmetics and biomedical applications,” says Amparo Jiménez Quero.
Processes should preserve natural functionality
Even though the potential varies, the researchers often use similar processes to treat the biomass.
“For example, we apply green chemistry in our work. That means we try to minimise chemical processing of the biomasses - most often by using water-based processing or biocatalysts,” says Amparo Jiménez Quero.
An example is the use of subcritical water extraction, which is a green technique that uses water under controlled temperature and pressure to act like an organic solvent – without the need for harmful chemicals. By tuning its properties, water can gently extract valuable compounds from biomass, such as polymers for bio-based packaging, while preserving their natural functionality. An added benefit is that the process generates no toxic waste, making it both efficient and environmentally friendly.
“That’s a huge environmental gain, and this is what we’re aiming for. But it doesn’t stop there, we also want to make sure that the final product, like bio-based packaging, can be recycled or safely reintegrated in the environment. Another example is in the PHAntastic project, where we are developing bio-based and biodegradable alternatives for agriculture that, after use, return nutrient and beneficial microorganisms to the soil,” says Amparo Jiménez Quero.
Characterisation of biomass is crucial
However, developing processes to treat biomass comes with significant challenges, one of the biggest being the need for thorough characterisation of the initial material. Biomass can vary widely, even when it comes from the same source.
“Biomass collected from different regions or in different seasons can have very different properties,” explains Amparo Jiménez Quero.
These natural variations affect the composition and behaviour of the biomass and must be carefully understood and managed to design industrial processes that are both efficient and economically viable.
“It is crucial for society to make better use of the industrial side-streams that are often treated as waste. For instance, in the CIRCALGAE project, we work with industrial residues from algae - which can represent 70 to 95 percent of the total biomass. This means that only a small fraction of this natural resource is currently being used.” says Amparo Jiménez Quero, continuing:
“But there are challenges, the products we develop must meet real market demand, and the production output needs to be large enough for industry to see it as a worthwhile investment."
"Be open to learning from others"
Collaboration is important to move the research forward, in order to understand industrial need and to get new knowledge. In her projects, Amparo Jiménez Quero teams up with both industrial and academic partners.
“For me, it’s important to see and be part of the whole process - from identifying a relevant challenge and writing the proposal, to shaping new ideas and carrying out the research. That full journey is what makes research meaningful. To do it well, you need to stay curious, be open to learning from others, and work closely with collaborators,” she says.
Amparo Jiménez Quero says that they have come a long way, but there is still much to explore.
“My vision is to keep pushing the boundaries of how we use biomass - not just to replace fossil-based materials, but to create smarter, more circular solutions. I want my research to keep bridging fundamental science with real-world impact, and I’m excited about where that path will lead.”
Read more about Amparo Jiménez Quero's research
- Quero Group
- Horizon Europe project CIRCALGAE: CIRCular valorisation of industrial ALGAE waste streams into high-value products to foster future sustainable blue biorefineries in Europe.
- Horizon 2020 project SISTERS: Systemic Innovations for a SusTainable reduction of the EuRopean food waStage
- EU-project PHAntastic: Bioactive Polymers for Healthier Soil
- EU-project FOODIMAR: sustainable climate-Friendly quality fOOD Ingredients from MArine side-stReams
Contact
- Assistant Professor, Industrial Biotechnology, Life Sciences