Prof. Manel del Valle enrolled as Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) in 1997 and promoted to Full Professor in Analytical Chemistry in 2018. He is active member of the Sensors & Biosensors Group at the UAB since its founding. He has wide experience in teaching and research in analytical chemistry, and, particularly, on the different sensor and biosensor families, automatic analysis systems and computer-based instrumentation. He has undertaken postgraduate studies in Porto (Portugal), Newcastle (UK), Graz (Austria) and Mexico.

His present research lines comprise electrochemical sensors and design and optimization of automated analytical systems. He initiated at the laboratories of the Sensors & Biosensors Group the research lines of sensor arrays and electronic tongues and the use of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for the development of chemical sensors and biosensors. With the latter he has made important contributions in the topic of impedimetric genosensors and aptasensors. He has coordinated different research projects from the Spanish Ministry of Science, the Generalitat de Catalunya and private companies, as the national projects “Electronic tongue fingerprinting: Applications in the food and security fields” and “Bioelectronic tongues with electrochemical transduction: exploring new applications”. He has participated as a partner for European Community projects (FP7 and H2020) in the field of automated analytical systems employing biosensors. The last European project granted has been the H2020-SU-SEC-2018 BORDERSENS: Border detection of illicit drugs and precursors by highly accurate electrosensors.

He maintains fluid collaboration with various groups, Spanish and European, mainly on issues related to electronic tongues. He is the author of more than 220 publications in indexed international journals, and accumulates ca. 7500 SCI citations. Its h index (Web of Science) is 47. He has directed or co-directed 28 doctoral theses and supervised 36 final degree projects, in the departments of chemistry, chemical engineering, environmental sciences, agronomic engineering, electronic engineering and telecommunications engineering.

Recently, he has made significant contributions in the field of (bio)electronic tongues, with qualitative and quantitative applications, in manual or automated operation. These achievements have been reflected in the commission as Guest Editor of the special issues (2011 and 2017) of the journal Sensors (Bioinspired sensor systems and Electronic noses and electronic tongues) and the special issues (2013 and 2018) of the journal Micromachines (Bioinspired sensors and Electronic Tongues). He is currently associated editor of the journal Talanta (Elsevier, Q1) and member of the editorial board of the journals Sensors (MDPI) and Chemosensors (MDPI).

In recent years, the research track heads to the convergence of technologies: nanotechnology, biotechnology, informatics and knowledge sciences, having completed the incorporation of nanocomponents in the development of biosensor array systems or bioelectronic tongues furnished with advanced data treatment based on artificial intelligence. In this subject it was issued an international patent.

As for recognitions, he is 3rd. National Prize for Completion of Studies (Chemistry), Extraordinary Degree Award and Extraordinary Doctorate Award. He was awarded the Novel Researchers Award from the Spanish Society of Analytical Chemistry. In 2005 he was awarded the "Medical Journal" Research and Pharmacology Award. He enjoyed the Distinction for the promotion of University Research (DURSI, Generalitat de Catalunya, 2001-2005), and he was awarded twice with the ICREA Academy distinction, (2010-2015) and  (2016-2020). It currently has six research sexennia granted and one management sexennial term.