Francesc X. Prenafeta-Boldú holds a PhD in Environmental Biotechnology from Wageningen University, the Netherlands (2002). He is also a microbial ecologist and mycologist trained at the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, as recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship from the Netherlands Real Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). In 2005, he was granted by the Spanish National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA) and became a permanent researcher at the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA). There he stablished a new Environmental Microbiology Laboratory to support process and chemical engineers in unraveling biotechnology beyond the traditional "black box" approach. Between 2012 and 2020, Francesc led the Program of Integral Management of Organic Waste, with a research focus on valorizing agrifood and urban organic waste through biotechnology, while minimizing environmental impacts. His leadership also introduced advanced topics, including the application of digital technologies and circular economy principles to enhance the sustainability of food production systems. Currently, his main research focuses on the characterization of extremophilic fungi and on the development of novel fungal-based technologies.