PEOPLE

Anna Maria Costa Arnau is Full Professor in the Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry at the University of Barcelona (UB). Born and raised in Santpedor (Barcelona), she completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Chemistry at UB, earning her PhD in 1999 under the supervision of Professor Jaume Vilarrasa. She subsequently carried out postdoctoral research in Professor Patrick Walsh’s group at the University of Pennsylvania (USA) from 2000 to 2001, where she worked on asymmetric catalysis.

She returned to Barcelona in 2001 first as an Assistant Professor and then as a Ramon y Cajal Research Fellow at the Department of Organic Chemistry. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2007 and has been Full Professor since 2024. She is also a member of the UB Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB).

Her research focuses on the development of novel methodologies in asymmetric catalysis and on their application to the synthesis of biologically active compounds.

Professor Costa has held several leadership roles, including Secretary of the Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry (2020–2022), and has served as Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in Organic Chemistry since 2024.

Pedro Romea Garcia is Full Professor in the Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry at the University of Barcelona (UB). Born and raised in Barcelona, he completed both his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Chemistry at UB, earning his PhD in 1991 under the supervision of Professor Jaume Vilarrasa. He subsequently undertook postdoctoral research in Professor Ian Paterson’s group at the University of Cambridge (UK) from 1991 to 1992, where he participated in the total synthesis of oleandolide.

Upon returning to Barcelona, he joined UB as a tenured lecturer in the Department of Organic Chemistry in 1993. Since 2020, he has been Full Professor in the Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry since March 2020. He is also a member of the UB Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB).

His research focuses on the development of new synthetic methodologies, with a particular emphasis on asymmetric catalysis, and on their application to the stereoselective synthesis of biologically active compounds.

Professor Romea has contributed to academic leadership, serving as Secretary of the Department of Organic Chemistry (2000–2003), Director of the same Department (2020–2024), and as Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in Organic Chemistry (2010–2018).

Fèlix Urpí i Tubella is Full Professor in the Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry at the University of Barcelona (UB). Born and raised in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (Barcelona), he completed both his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Chemistry at UB. In 1988, he earned his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Jaume Vilarrasa, and he subsequently carried out postdoctoral research in Professor David A. Evans’ group at Harvard University (USA) from 1988 to1989, where he worked on the development of titanium enolate chemistry.

He returned to Barcelona in 1991 as a tenured lecturer in the Department of Organic Chemistry and has been Full Professor since July 2017. He is also a member of the UB Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB).

His research focuses on the development of new synthetic methodologies, with a particular emphasis on asymmetric catalysis, and on their application to the stereoselective synthesis of biologically active compounds.

Professor Urpí has held several leadership roles, including Secretary of the Department of Organic Chemistry (1996–2000) and Vice-Dean of Research and Doctorate at the Faculty of Chemistry (2008–2017).