Dr. Álvaro Gallo Córdova is a senior postdoctoral researcher at the Materials for Medicine and Biotechnology Group of the Institute of Materials Science of Madrid (ICMM-CSIC). He obtained his degree in Chemical Engineering in 2014 from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador) and his PhD in Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology in 2021 from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), where his doctoral work on iron oxide nanoreactors for environmental remediation received the Extraordinary Doctorate Prize and two recognitions from Madrid City Council.
His research focuses on magnetic nanocatalysis, exploring how magnetic nanoparticles can drive transformations through localized heating. While magnetic hyperthermia has traditionally been studied in oncology, Dr. Gallo Córdova is focused on redirecting its application towards environmental and energy contexts, including advanced oxidation processes for water treatment, catalytic upgrading of biomass into biofuels, and sustainable hydrogen generation.
His contributions have been recognised with distinctions such as the Mares Circulares Prize (Coca-Cola Foundation, 2022) for environmental innovation and the Young Researcher Award from the European Magnetism Association (2024) for bridging the gap between fundamental magnetism with industrial applications.