Ricard Gelabert Peiri graduated in Chemical Sciences in 1992 and obtained a Doctorate in Chemistry in 1999 from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He completed his postdoctoral phase with the group of Dr. William H. Miller at the Pitzer Center for Theoretical Chemistry, at the University of California at Berkeley (USA) between 1999 and 2002. During this period, he contributed to the development of the quantum and semiclassical theory of chemical dynamics.

After being a Ramón y Cajal researcher from 2003 to 2005 and was appointed Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department of the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 2006. With more than 58 published scientific articles and supervising 3 doctoral theses, he has played a prominent role in advancing the understanding of quantum effects in chemical systems, especially in the nature and properties of transition metal complexes with elongated dihydrogens.

In his postdoctoral work, he contributed to the development of the semiclassical theory of chemical dynamics and focused on reactivity in electronically excited states. He has pioneered the study of fluorescent proteins and light-activated molecular switches, with a particular focus on the application of these processes in living tissue.

His recent research has focused on molecular photoswitches based on azobenzene, investigating their application possibilities in photoactive therapies and in the control of biological responses through light. Through his work, he has collaborated with prominent researchers and institutions internationally, expanding knowledge in key areas of theoretical and applied chemistry.