Thelmo Lu Chau

Thelmo Lu Chau is an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), affiliated with the Department of Chemical Engineering under the School of Engineering. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from USC and a bachelor's degree from Universidad Nacional de Trujillo (Peru). His research focuses on biofuel production (ethanol, butanol), biopolymers (PHA), enzymatic processes, and valorization of agro-industrial residues. He has authored 55 SCI-indexed papers (H-index 19, 1342 citations), 2 Spanish patents, and supervised 5 doctoral and master's theses. He collaborates with institutions like Abengoa Bioenergy and is a member of the Spanish Lignin Degradation Network (LIGNOCEL).

Education:

• Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Trujillo (Peru)
• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

Research Interests:

• Biofuel and biopolymer production from lignocellulosic biomass
• Enzyme production via microbial systems
• Extraction and enzymatic transformation of bioactive compounds
• Biorefinery integration and waste valorization

Recent Trends in Publications: Recent work emphasizes multi-criteria valorization of agro-industrial wastes, enzymatic UPO production from bioethanol byproducts, and electrochemical lignin oxidation for bioadhesives. His research bridges biotechnology and environmental engineering, focusing on sustainable biomass conversion and industrial bioprocess optimization.

Grants & Collaborations: Participated in 10 funded projects including EU grants, Spanish Ministry initiatives, and industry partnerships with Abengoa, IFP-Energies, and Veolia. Active in evaluating Chilean and Colombian research proposals.

Labs & Teams: Leads projects in USC's Chemical Engineering lab, collaborating with networks like LIGNOCEL to advance lignin degradation and biomass utilization technologies.