Francesc X. Prenafeta-Boldú obtained his Ph.D. degree in Environmental Biotechnology in 2002, at the Wageningen University (The Netherlands). He then started as a post-doc at the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute (The Netherlands), where he was trained as a microbial ecologist and mycologist. In 2005, he was awarded an INIA grant (from the Spanish Government, aimed at hiring international young talent), and he started to work as a researcher at the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA). In 2012, he was appointed as Director of the Program of Integral Management of Organic Waste (GIRO–IRTA). The valorization of agrifood and urban wastes and minimizing environmental pollution are the focuses of his research group. He has been qualified as an Associate University Professor by the Agency for Quality Assurance in the Catalan University System (AQU), and he has lectured in diverse MSc programs and specialized courses in highly rated universities within and outside of Spain. Since early in his scientific career, his research has primarily been related to two main topics: the assimilative biodegradation of hydrocarbons by fungi, and the anaerobic digestion of complex, difficult-to-treat organic wastes. He has looked into these processes from the perspective of understanding the underlying microbial biodiversity and interactions but also pursuing new biotechnological applications.
