CRETUS STAFF

Carmen García Jares

PhD in Pharmacy (USC, 1989), Higher Diploma in Viticulture and Enotechnics (UPM, 1984), and Diploma in High Specialization in Food Technology (CSIC-IATA, 1985), I joined the Analytical Chemistry area of the USC Dpt. Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science in 1989, where I am currently Professor and Head of the Department, as well as coordinator of the LIDSA Research Group (Laboratory for Research and Development of Analytical Solutions), one of the groups recognized by Xunta de Galicia in its Consolidation of Research Groups program. Our group has been constituent partner of the Singular Research Centre CRETUS (Cross-disciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies).

Throughout my research career I have followed several lines of work in which the development of analytical methodologies based on the treatment of the sample with minimum or zero solvent consumption and minimum waste generation, and the development of chromatographic methods, generally with mass spectrometry detection, stand out. Schematically, these lines can be summarized in three. The first has focused on the characterization of natural products (especially grapes and wine) and the by-products derived from their transformation, with the dual objective of improving product quality and at the same time finding new applications for the valorization of generated waste. A second line has focused on environmental monitoring, providing simpler and cleaner methodologies for the analysis of priority and emerging pollutants, and their degradation by-products, in water, soils, and other environmental compartments, including indoor and domestic environments. The third major line has focused on the development of methodologies for the analytical control and safety of consumer and personal care products, also considering their degradation products.

I have co-tutorized 15 PhD thesis, participated in > 40 competitive research projects funded by regional, national and EU public bodies, and > 50 R&D contracts with institutions and relevant companies, including INDITEX, Puig, among others. I have co-authored about 190 papers, 75% in Q1 journals, as well as 20 monographs and book chapters. As for the impact of my research, I have an index h=47/57 (Scopus/ Scholar).

I have two patents, one of them international, both licensed and being exploited by companies. I have been a founding partner and scientific advisor of the spin-off company i-Grape Laboratory, founded in 2014 and still active, created on the results of a doctoral thesis of which I was co-director.

I have been part of the scientific committee and organising committee of national and international conferences. I am evaluator of national/international programmes, reviewer of high impact journals, and member of the EB of Cosmetics. I am a member of the Spanish Society of Analytical Chemistry, the Spanish Society of Chromatography and Related Techniques (SECyTA) and the Spanish Society of Mass Spectrometry (SEEM), as well as member of UNE-Stanpa. I am member of the Galician Royal Academy of Pharmacy.

Research Lines

• Development of new methodologies for analyzing cosmetic ingredients and cleaning and personal care products.
• Study of the antioxidant potential of wines and vinification by-products. Investigation of exploitation alternatives.
• Research into new sample preparation techniques for analysis based on Green Analytical Chemistry: microextraction techniques with and without solvents: SPME, LPME, DLLME, USAEME
• Development of new analysis methodologies for priority and emerging pollutants in environmental, agri-food and biological samples: pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phenols, phthalates, fragrances, preservatives, drugs.
• Investigation of the processes of degradation of chemical additives and environmental pollutants. Determination of degradation by-products.
• Development of analytical and environmental applications of Photo-SPME.