News
Executive Summary - I PLASpain Seminar
University of La Rioja - Logroño, Spain
The I National Seminar of the PLASpain Network, held at the University of La Rioja, marked the first joint in-person meeting of the national research groups working on applications of cold atmospheric plasma in biomedicine and agri-food. The seminar fulfilled the strategic objectives defined in the project memory: presentation of capabilities, scientific coordination, and identification of concrete synergies among the participating groups.
The opening and overall coordination were led by the University of La Rioja, through the P2ML group, which presented the structure, mission, and objectives of the PLASpain, together with a transversal overview of plasma applications (direct plasma, plasma-treated liquids, and functional coatings). Common challenges were highlighted, including safety, regulation, process reproducibility, and scale-up toward industrial and clinical deployment.
Within the biomedical domain, the CIBIR (Molecular Microbiology Unit, MICB) presented results on the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of cold atmospheric plasma and plasma-activated water, while PlasmaMedLab (UPC) reported advances in plasma-treated liquids and hydrogels as biomedical platforms for tissue regeneration and preclinical cancer models.
In the agri-food domain, the NEWTEC group (University of León) addressed the application of non-thermal atmospheric plasma to food safety, microbial inactivation, and by-product valorization. The IATA-CSIC presented plasma-based technologies aimed at improving food safety and techno-functional properties, and the IRTA (Postharvest Program) showcased alternatives to chemical treatments for controlling microorganisms in fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on sustainable water management. The FoodChemPack group (University of Santiago de Compostela) addressed chemical safety issues related to food contact materials and plasma treatments, focusing on migration studies, NIAS identification, and risk assessment.
Within the plasma physics and enabling technologies domain, the ICMS-CSIC (University of Seville) presented the design and characterization of atmospheric-pressure plasma reactors and their application to material treatments and plasma-catalysis processes, while the University of Córdoba (FQM-136 group) reported advances in OES-based diagnostics of cold plasmas, plasma–liquid interaction studies, and microwave reactors for water treatment.
The seminar concluded by emphasizing its value as a starting point for structured and sustained collaboration among the participating groups. Continuity actions were confirmed, including researcher mobility, follow-up meetings, and the organization of the II PLASpain Seminar.
The I PLASpain Seminar was held within the framework of action RED2024-153647-T, funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, consolidating PLASpain as a national reference platform for coordinating and advancing cold plasma research in strategic sectors.