Jose Garrido is a Spanish chemist with research interests in organocatalysis, supramolecular chemistry and photocatalysis. He carried out his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Joaquín R. Morán at University of Salamanca (Spain). The main goal of his PhD project was to emulate enzyme’s catalytic behaviour with small organic molecules to construct new organocatalysts for chemical transformations, as well as to develop supramolecular receptors for compounds with biological or industrial applications. Garrido’s PhD project involved the preparation of oxyanion hole mimics which were used as organocatalysts for ester hydrolysis and transesterification reactions, as well as supramolecular receptors for anions, amino acids, esters and carboxylates. His PhD thesis was awarded with the highest grade (cum laude and extraordinary mention).

Last year, Garrido was granted with a Margaritas Salas postdoctoral fellowship which he is currently spending with the Dell’Amico’s Group in the Department of Chemical Sciences at the University of Padua (Italy). Here, Garrido is improving his knowledge in photochemistry and photocatalysis.

In 2023, Garrido was awarded with a prestigious MSCA-2022 Individual Fellowship (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01-01) to develop his project SupraPhoCat with Prof. Luca Dell’Amico. This project aims to merge molecular recognition and photocatalysis to selectively functionalize undistinguishable C-H bonds. The combination of molecular receptors with organic photocatalysts could provide new sustainable methodologies to functionalize non-reactive C-H bonds, opening the way to previously inaccessible structural targets.