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Francesc Gòdia, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), who chaired the Spanish Society of Biotechnology (SEBiot) between 2002 and 2006, is the new president of the European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB), the organisation founded by European scientists in 1978 and which today brings together scientific societies, universities, research bodies, companies and individuals working in biotechnology and of which SEBiot has been the Branch Office since 2003.

With a degree and PhD in Chemical Sciences from the UAB, Francesc Gòdia has been, in addition to researcher, teacher and leader of numerous national and international scientific projects, promoter and manager of congresses, institutions, spin-off companies and multiple initiatives for the promotion of biotechnology.

A leading figure in biochemical engineering, Professor Gòdia’s research has focused on cutting-edge advances in animal cell culture technologies for the production of biopharmaceuticals and vaccines, as well as in life support systems for space exploration. In particular, he is director of the MELiSSA pilot plant, a European Space Agency (ESA) facility located at the UAB, dedicated to the development of life support technologies for human space exploration missions. His presentation at the Biotechnology in Extreme Environments conference, organised by the EFB on 9 April, will focus precisely on this experience.

Professor Gòdia’s experience and leadership skills have been key factors in his appointment as president of the EFB, which has more than 25,000 individual members, not only in Europe, but also in several Latin American countries, China, Korea and Japan, thanks to the impetus and projection that its congresses have given it. A projection that we are sure will increase under the presidency of our colleague and member.