He got his Ph.D. degree in the Universitat de Barcelona, where he worked as a teacher from 1950 until 1966. He was Professor of analytic chemistry at the Universidad de la Laguna (1967-1969) and in the Universtiat Autónoma de Barcelona (1969-1976); Professor of analytic and inorganic chemistry in the E.T.S. de Ingenieros Industriales de Barcelona (1969-1976); and Professor of analytic chemistry in the Universitat de Barcelona from 1976.

Dr. Josep Castells Guardiola was born in Barcelona on May 27, 1925, the son of the doctor Feliu Castells Farrarons and Josefina Guardiola Rosa. His father, apart from being a good doctor, was appointed doctor of the Barça first team during the term of President Rafael Llopart (1915-16). Josep Castells attended high school at the Balmes Institute and obtained a degree in Sciences, Chemistry Section, from the UB with Extraordinary Prize (1948).

Lluís Cornudella i Mir was born in Barcelona on September 10, 1936, a few months after the start of the Spanish Civil War. It was the fourth of six brothers.