Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology | Department of Biomedical Engineering

Research interests

Since 2014, Dr Monika Danielewska has been conducting her pioneering research into the phenomenon of ocular dicrotism, which she discovered, consisting in the ocular pulse being twice as fast as the heart rate. – My research involved checking the ocular pulse in healthy subjects and those suffering from glaucoma as well as what the rhythm of the eye movements depends on – explains Dr Danielewska, who for this purpose conducted comprehensive studies of a considerable group of patients. The researcher observed that the glaucomatous eye pulsates at a faster rate than the heart, contrary to the common belief of the past according to which the rate was the same.

– Ocular dicrotism is the double-peak shape in corneal pulse wave for one heart cycle – explains Dr Danielewska. I have confirmed its occurrence in about 70% of the healthy subjects aged more than 50 and in 90% of glaucoma patients.

Currently, Dr Danielewska is in charge of the project LIDER financed by the National Centre for Research and Development. The initiative involves the implementation of a prototype device for recording and analysing the ocular dicrotic pulse in clinical practice to support early detection of glaucoma and eye diagnosis after surgical intervention.

– The NCRD subsidy helped me create my own research team and will make it possible to commercialize my device in the future – announces the WUST researcher.

Education

• 2013 - doctor of technical sciences, Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science. Doctoral thesis (cum laude) entitled “Measurement and analysis of ocular pulse signal and their dependence upon cardiovascular activity” written under the supervision of Associate Professor of WUST D. Robert Iskander, PhD, DSc, Eng,
• 2008-2013 – PhD studies at the Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology of Wrocław University of Science and Technology,
• 2008 - MSc, Eng degree (grade: excellent, cum laude granted by the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology and the Dean of the Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology). Thesis entitled “Phase analysis between longitudinal corneal apex displacements and cardiovascular system” written under the supervision of Professor Henryk Kasprzak.

Academic internships

• 07-09.2015 – participated in the training and internship programme “Top 500 Innovators” dedicated to the commercialisation of research results: the University of Cambridge (UK) and the University of Oxford (UK),
• 07.2015 – internship under Professor Leopold Schmetterer from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna (Austria),
• 07-10.2012 – internship at the Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory under Professor Michael Collins from the School of Optometry and Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane (Australia),
• 07.2008 – internship at the Group of Optics and Vision Sciences at the University of Alicante (Spain).

Most important awards and distinctions

• 2017 – winner of the competition for the grant of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding young researchers,
• 2017 – inclusion in the Academy of Young Scientists and Artists operating by the President of Wrocław,
• 2017 – winner of the Dionizy Smoleński Scientific Award for outstanding research achievements in the field of technical sciences granted by the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology,
• 2015 – winner of the competition LIDER VI of the National Centre for Research and Development,
• 2015 – winner of the governmental programme for supporting innovation in science “Top 500 Innovators” organised by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education,
• 2014 – winner of the “Iuvenes Wratislaviae” Award of the Wrocław Division of Polish Academy of Sciences for outstanding achievement in the field of research,
• 2014 – winner of the main award in the 6th National Competition of Theses for the PhD dissertation “The Innovative Youth 2014” organised by the Industrial Institute of Automatics and Measurements,
• 2014 – winner of "The G. M. Jager Travel Grant 2014" at the prestigious international ophthalmological conference 2014 ARVO Annual Meeting held in the USA,
• 2014 – winner of the “Key Intern – 2nd Edition”,
• 2014 – winner of the PRELUDIUM competition of the National Science Centre,
• 2014 – winner of the VENTURES programme of the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2013 – winner of Ludwik Hirszfeld grant awarded in the category of biological and medical sciences by the President of Wrocław and the City Council as part of the Student Grant Programme.

Contact information

Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław
building A-1, room 60,
phone 0048 71 320 4665,
e-mail: monika.danielewska@pwr.edu.pl.

Private life

Hobbies: travelling and sung poetry.
Challenges: “Up and reach the places out of sight” (A. Mickiewicz).

Home page

Faculty of Chemistry | Department of Advanced Materials Engineering and Modelling

Research interests

Piotr Hańczyc completed his studies at the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology and obtained his MSc, Eng degree in biotechnology in 2009.  At the same time, he obtained the degree of MSc in physics from Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan in France under the programme named „Molecular nano-and bio-photonics for biotechnologies and telecommunications”. He completed his doctoral studies at the Chalmers University of Technology in Goeteborg as well as Wrocław University of Science and Technology under the supervision of Professor Bengt Norden and Professor Marek Samoć.  

Pursuing his research into the structure of amyloid plaques related to neurodegenerative diseases, he went to the USA for a placement at the University of California in Santa Barbara, where he worked in a team led by the Nobel Prize winner Professor Alan Heeger. Under a joint project conducted with Professor David Eisenberg from the University of California in Los Angeles, he developed a concept related to the use of laser spectroscopy in the structural analysis of amyloid plaques.  

The prestigious Marie-Curie grant of the European Commission allowed him to return to Poland and continue his research in the field of biophotonics and materials of a biological origin (DNA and protein). His future work will involve developing techniques which could be applied in early detection of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Perkinson’s.  

Education

• 2017 - researcher at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of Polish Academy of Sciences,
• 2014 - doctor at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. PhD thesis entitled “Applications of chromophores and multiphoton analysis techniques to understanding biomolecular reactions with dyes and drugs” written under the supervision of Professor Marek Samoć and Professor Bengt Norden, 
• 2013 - doctor at Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden). PhD thesis entitled "Applications of chromophores and multiphoton techniques to study structure and interactions of bio-macromolecules in assembled state" written under the supervision of Professor Bengt Norden,
• 2010 - degree of Master of Physics obtained at Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan (France),
• 2009 - degree of MSc, Eng of biotechnology obtained at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. Thesis entitled “Studies of liquid-crystal phases and ordering properties in plasmid DNA” written under the supervision of Professor Katarzyna Matczyszyn.

Academic placements

• 2014-2016 - postdoctoral placement under the Nobel Prize winner Professor Alan Heeger at the University of California in Santa Barbara (USA),
• 2010 - academic placement under Professor Paul Alivisatos at the University of California, Berkeley (USA),
• 2009 - academic placement under Professor Marek Samoć at the Australian National University in Canberra, Laser Physics Center, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering (Australia).

Most important awards and distinctions

• 2017 - Marie-Curie grant holder (MSCA-RI),
• 2016 - winner of a grant from the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO),
• 2014 - winner of a grant from the Swedish Research Council (VR Vetenskapsradet),
• 2014 - winner of the Start competition held by the Foundation for Polish Science (the programme’s first winner of Barbara Skarga Grant  for a young researcher whose research stand out with its bold crossing boundaries between different fields of science while opening new research opportunities and creating new values in science),
• 2013 - winner of Max Born grant in the Grant Competition for the best doctoral students organised under the auspices of the President of Wrocław,
• 2010 - winner of a grant programme held by the Friends of Chalmers foundation.

Contact information

phone: + 48 509 857 700
e-mail: piotr.hanczyc@pwr.edu.pl

Private life

Born in Wrocław
Hobbies: football, skiing, travelling, and fantasy literature. 

Faculty of Chemistry | Division of Bioorganic Chemistry

Research interests

Paulina Kasperkiewicz PhD, Eng started her research work at Wrocław University of Science and Technology under the supervision of Professor Marcin Drąg. She also spent a total of 20 months doing her post-doctoral research placement at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in San Diego, where she cooperated with Professor Guy Salvesen on a project that involved determining the activity of proteolytic enzymes and then imagining them. Our researcher developed a new method of visualisation enabling parallel monitoring of the activity of as many as four enzymes. Results of her research were recently published in the prestigious Journal of American Chemical Society.

- I must admit that the idea of such placement really appeals to me. I carried out part of the research in Poland and did some of the work abroad. Independence and liberty at work are important to me, and both in Professor Salvesen’s USA team and here, at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, with Professor Drąg, I enjoyed a lot of independence - says Paulina Kasperkiewicz, PhD. - I currently keep on conducting my works on methods of imaging the activity of proteases. I’m cooperating with research centres in different parts of the world and making efforts to obtain new grants, as there’s still a lot of work ahead of me - explains our chemist. 

Education

• 2014 - PhD degree at the Faculty of Chemistry of WUST - doctoral thesis supervisor - Professor Marcin Drąg,
• 2010 - MSc degree at the Faculty of Chemistry of WUST Master’s thesis entitled "Synthesis of Human Neutrophil Elastase inhibitors with general structure R-NH-AlaP(OAr)2” written under the supervision of Marcin Sieńczyk, PhD, DSc, Eng.

Academic placements

• 2015-2017 - post-doctoral placement under Professor Guy Salvesen at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (California, USA) - part of the grant Harmonia of the National Centre for Science, which was received by Professor Marcin Drąg,
• 2014 - placement under Professor Guy Salvesen at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (California, USA) - part of the Placements grant financed by the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2014 - placement under Professor James Huntington at the University of Cambridge (UK).

Most important awards and distinctions

• 2017 - winner of the Homing programme of the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2015 and 2016 - two-time winner of the Start programme of the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2015 - winner of the Placements programme of the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2014 - Award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for doctoral thesis,
• 2014 - Award of the Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for outstanding achievements in the area of research,
• 2011 and 2012 - doctoral grant at Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

Contact information

Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 29, Wrocław
building A-2, room 305 C
phone 71 320 2455
E-mail: paulina.kasperkiewicz@pwr.edu.pl 

Private life

Born in Legnica, on December 9, 1986.
Hobbies: swimming and skiing.

Faculty of Chemistry | Department of Advanced Materials Engineering and Modelling

Research interests 

Joanna Olesiak-Bańska, PhD, an employee of the Advanced Materials Engineering and Modelling Group at the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology, describes herself as a chemist and a “bionanophotonist”. Since the beginning of her research activity, she has focused on subjects combining the disciplines of chemistry, physics, and biology. Initially, her research involved studies on self-organising DNA structures and new microscopic techniques used for an imaging them (particularly multi-photon microscopy). Then, she began researching nanoparticles of gold and their unusual optical properties which can be used in interesting ways in studies of biological systems.

- My latest project involves research on the formation of protein aggregates, so-called amyloids, responsible for various diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s - says Joanna Olesiak-Bańska, PhD. - I’m interested in how different techniques using non-linear optics and nanoparticles can be applied to effectively detect the formation of amyloids. 

Since her graduation, Joanna Olesiak-Bańska, PhD has completed a number of academic internships and authored 35 scientific papers.

Education

• 2012 - PhD in chemical sciences at the Faculty of Chemistry of WUST. Doctoral thesis entitled "Dyes and nanoparticles as biolabels in two-photon microscopy of liquid crystalline DNA" written under the supervision of Professor Marek Samoć.
• 2008 - MSc, Eng in the field of biotechnology at the Faculty of Chemistry of WUST and MSc of physics at Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan (France). Master’s thesis entitled "A study on liquid crystalline phases in DNA” written under the supervision of Katarzyna Matczyszyn, PhD, DSc, Eng.

Academic placements

• Sept.-Oct. 2015 - scientific training under Professor G. Marriott at Marriott Group, Bioengineering Department, University of California – Berkeley (USA),
• Oct.-Nov. 2015 - scientific training under Professor C. Kaminski at Laser Analytics Group, University of Cambridge (UK),
• Aug.-Oct. 2015 - scientific training under Professor Marek Samoć at Laser Physics Centre, Australian National University (Australia),
• 2008-2012 - numerous scientific training (11 altogether) under Professor J. Zyss at Laboratoire de Photonique Quantique et Moléculaire (LPQM), ENS de Cachan (France).

Most important awards and distinctions

• 2017 - winner of the First Team programme of the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2015 - Start grant from the Foundation for Polish Science, 2015 - grant for the purpose of participation in Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting,
• 2014 - grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for outstanding young researchers,
• 2014 - Start grant (with distinction) from the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2013 - Award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for doctoral thesis,
• 2013 and 2014 - Young Staff grants as part of the Operational Programme Human Capital at Wrocław University of Science and Technology,
• 2011 - Award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for outstanding achievements in the area of research,
• 2009 - Bourse de recherché grant from the French Embassy in Poland.

Contact information

Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, Wrocław
building A-2, room 125 B
phone: 0048 71 320 4008
E-mail: joanna.olesiak@pwr.edu.pl.

Private life

Hobbies: mountain hiking and bicycle tourism.
Challenges: my biggest challenge is being a mother of a nursery school pupil.

Home page

Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology | Department of Experimental Physics

Research interests 

Paweł Podemski, PhD became involved in research activity near the end of his MSc degree programme when he started his work at the Laboratory of the Optical Spectroscopy of Nanostructures at Wrocław University of Science and Technology under the supervision of Grzegorz Sęk, PhD (currently holding the degree of Professor).

Since the beginning of his career as a researcher, he has been focused on the properties of semiconductor nanostructures. When working on his doctoral thesis under the supervision of Professor Jan Misiewicz, he conducted research into optical properties of quantum dashes (heavily asymmetric semiconductor nanostructures) in terms of applications in the close infrared range, demonstrating, among other things, that a change to the geometry of quantum dashes enables control of the polarisation of edge emission in the spectral range used in optical fibre communication.   

Having defended his doctoral thesis, Paweł Podemski left Poland to pursue one year’s placement at the University of Tokyo, Japan. In the team led by Professor Yasuhiko Arakawa, who was the first scientist to use the term quantum dot, he was in charge of the development of photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy for the research into single GaN quantum dots emitting in the ultraviolet range. - At that time, this kind of optical research was unavailable in experimental terms - says Paweł Podemski. - The works conducted then made it possible for me to build a special photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy apparatus and perform first excitation measurements of single nano-objects in this spectral range.  The follow-up to the piece of research involved applying this experimental technique to single GaN quantum dots placed in nano-wires with controlled locations and demonstrating Rabi oscillations in a GaN quantum dot emitting at 280 nm. 

Since he came back to Poland, the scientist has kept conducting research into semiconductor nanostructures and taken advantage of his experience gained in Japan to broaden the possibilities of photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy of single quantum dots in the close infrared range.  

Education

• 2010 - PhD at the Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology. Doctoral thesis entitled “Optical properties of epitaxial quantum dashes for applications in the close infrared range” written under the supervision of Professor Jan Misiewicz,
• 2006 - MSc at the Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology. Master’s thesis entitled “Optical properties of low surface density self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots” written under the supervision of Grzegorz Sęk, PhD.

Academic placements

• 2011-2012 - post-doctoral placement in a team led by Professor Yasuhiko Arakawa at the University of Tokyo (Japan), whose purpose was to launch a world-unique apparatus for measuring photoluminescence excitation on single quantum dots in the ultraviolet range.

Most important awards and distinctions

• 2016 - Dionizy Smoleński Science Award, 
• 2015 - Grant for Outstanding Young Researchers from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education,
• 2014 - award for an outstanding scientific paper from Japan Society of Applied Physics,
• 2012 - Award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology in recognition of outstanding contribution to the university’s activity,
• 2009 - grant co-funded by the European Union as part of the European Social Fund,
• 2009 - grant from Wrocław Self-Government,
• 2009 - Start grant from the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2006 - award for the best graduate of the Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology of WUST in the academic year 2005/2006.

Contact information

Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, Wrocław
building A-1, room 37/2
phone: 0048 71 320 2986
e-mail: pawel.podemski@pwr.edu.pl.

Private life

Born in Wrocław, in 1982.
Hobby: science-fiction literature.
Challenges: The biggest challenge is to retain a child’s curiosity in discovering the world, as science means looking for adventure. To quote the words of Isaac Asimov: "The true delight is in the finding out rather than in the knowing".

Faculty of Chemistry | Division of Bioorganic Chemistry

Research interests

Marcin Poręba, PhD, Eng started his adventure with chemistry at Wrocław University of Science and Technology in 2010, in Professor Marcin Drąg’s team, where he conducted his master’s and then doctoral research projects. The subject of his research work is the development of new chemical methods for imaging proteolytic enzymes in biological systems. In 2015, Marcin Poręba, PhD was the first Polish researcher to receive the prestigious European grant - Marie Skłodowka-Curie Global Fellowship for Experienced Researchers, an initiative being part of the Horizon 2020 programme. Currently, for over two years, he has been pursuing this project under his post-doctoral placement at the laboratory of Professor Guy Salvesen at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in California (USA).

Asked about the details of the research, Marcin Poręba explains: - The purpose of the PROVIST project (Proteases Visualization during Tumor Progression) is to enable a better understanding of the biology of the development of tumours thanks to the use of new chemical tools and research techniques. One of the main groups of proteins that take part in the development of tumours are proteolytic enzymes. Their activity can be monitored with specific chemical markers, whose synthesis was the subject of my doctoral research. In the PROVIST project, we’re using these tools and combining them with a new research technique called mass cytometry, which enables very accurate analysis of particular proteases taking part in the development of tumours.

Even though the project ends in December 2018, the results of part of the research have been already published in prestigious scientific periodicals:  "Nature Protocols", "Chemical Science", "Cell Chemical Biology", and "Journal of Biological Chemistry".

Education

• 2014 - PhD thesis entitled “Design and synthesis of substrate libraries containing natural and non-natural amino acids for human cysteine proteases included in the groups of caspases and cathepsines” written under the supervision of Marcin Drąg, PhD, DSc at the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology,
• 2010 - MSc thesis entitled "Substrate mapping of the malaria leucyl aminopeptidase using substrates library", written under the supervision of Marcin Drąg, PhD, DSc at the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

Academic placements

• 2016-2018 - academic placement under Professor Guy Salvesen at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla (USA).
• 2013 - academic placement under Professor Guy Salvesen at Sanford Burnham Institute for Medical Research, La Jolla (USA).
• 2011 - academic placement under Professor Boris Turk at Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana (Slovenia).

Most important awards and distinctions

• 2017 - scholarship of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding young researchers,
• 2015 - Marie Skłodowka-Curie Global Fellowship for Experienced Researchers, Horizon 2020,
• 2015 - Travel Award, “The 9th Geenral Meeting of the International Proteolysis Society”, Malaysia,
• 2014 - Start grant from the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2013 - scholarship of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding young researchers,
• 2013 - award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for achievements in the area of research,
• 2013 - Start grant from the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2013 - Travel Award, “The 8th Geenral Meeting of the International Proteolysis Society”, RSA,
• 2013 - beneficiary of the “Young Placement Staff” programme held at Wrocław University of Science and Technology,
• 2012 - award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for achievements in the area of research,
• 2012 - award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for considerable contribution to the organisation and conduct of the 13th Lower Silesian Festival of Science,
• 2011 - award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for achievements in the area of research,
• 2013-2010 - doctoral grant of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

Contact information

Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 29, Wrocław
building A-2, room 305 C
phone:00 48 71 320 2455
E-mail: marcin.poreba@pwr.edu.pl

Private life

Born on April 25, 1986 in Lubin.
Hobbies: cooking, films from the time of the Polish People’s Republic and the Polish band Dżem.
Challenges: bringing up my sons (Tobiasz and Juliusz) to be good people.

Faculty of Chemistry | Division of Bioorganic Chemistry

Research interests 

Daniel Strub, PhD, Eng conducts his research at the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology. Currently, he is focusing on application research in the area of household chemicals and perfumery. Daniel Strub, the winner of the 7th edition of the Leader programme of the National Centre for Research and Development, is carrying out a project named “Synthesis of new olfactory compounds from natural raw materials for applications in the fields of perfumery, cosmetics, and household chemicals”. 

- The research I’m doing is great fun - says  Daniel Strub, PhD, Eng. - Every day brings a new scent. I’m creating molecules which so far have been unknown, and I’m the first person to know their smell. It’s extremely rewarding.

What’s important, the research conducted by our scientist isn’t detached from the market realities. - My placements at Haas School of Business at the University of California in Berkeley and the California Institute of Applied research QB3 in San Francisco allowed me to develop a new perspective on designing scientific research - says Daniel Strub. - And it’s not only about the very research but also its further application.

Education

• 2015 - now - post-graduate programme (Aroma Trades Studies) at the University of Plymouth, UK, 
• 2014 - PhD (thesis defence with distinction) in the field of chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology - thesis written under the supervision of Professor Stanisław Lochyński,
• 2013 - completion of a post-graduate programme in the field of the safety of the use and management of chemical substances at the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Łódź, 
• 2012 - MSc in the field of chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology - thesis written under the supervision of Professor Gotthard Künze and Professor Stanisław Lochyński,
• 2009 - MSc in the field of biotechnology at the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology - thesis written under the supervision of Professor Stanisław Lochyński.

Academic placements

• 2013 - business placement as part o the Top 500 Innovators under  Doug Crawford, PhD at the California Institute of Applied Research QB3, San Francisco (USA),
• 2013 - business and academic placement as part o the Top 500 Innovators under Professor Andrew Isaacs at the University of California in Berkeley, Haas School of Business (USA),
• 2013 - academic placement under Bożena Frąckowiak-Wojtasek, PhD at the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Opole,
• 2009 - academic placement under Professor Gotthard Künze at Leibnitz Institute of Plant Genetics in Gatersleben (Germany).

Most important awards and distinctions

• 2014-2017 - four-time winner of awards from the International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades (IFEAT), seated in Thannhausen, Germany, for achievements in the field of the synthesis and application of new olfactory compounds,
• 2016 - winner of the Leader programme of the National Centre for Research and Development,
• 2015 - Award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for an outstanding doctoral thesis,
• 2012 - Award of the Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for outstanding achievements in the area of research.

Contact information

Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 29, Wrocław
building A-2, room 305a
phone: 71 320 2010
e-mail: daniel.strub@pwr.edu.pl.

Private life

Born in Dębno on October 1, 1985.
Hobbies: perfumery, literature, and sci-fi and fantasy films
Challenges: Work-life balance.

Faculty of Chemistry | Department of Advanced Materials Engineering and Modelling

Research interests 

Dominika Wawrzyńczyk, PhD conducts interdisciplinary research combining the fields of chemistry, materials engineering, and biophotonics.  

Her day-to-day activity involves luminescent nanomaterials: nanocrystals doped with lanthanide ions and semiconductor quantum dots.  The research focuses on optimising a method of synthesising luminescent nanocrystals. - My goal is to obtain new materials with strictly defined optical properties, i.e. materials offering a wide range of practical applications - explains Dominika Wawrzyńczyk, PhD.  Moreover, her work involves characterisation of materials obtained by measuring their morphology, crystallographic structure, and spectroscopic properties.

In her research, Dominika Wawrzyńczyk attaches particular attention to studies of the nanoscale interactions between light and matter.  She is carrying out world-unique measurements of the effective cross-section on the two-photon absorption using the Z-scan technique and the measurement of two-photon excited luminescence.  

Dominika Wawrzyńczyk, PhD has also worked on the construction of optical apparatuses for picosecond time-resolved spectroscopy or detection of singlet oxygen emission. - These measurement techniques are extremely important in the area of the characterisation of optically induced processes taking place in nanomaterials and the applications of the obtained nanomaterials in biology and medicine - says our researcher.  

Education

• 2010-2014 - PhD programme at the Faculty of Chemistry of WUST,
• 2014 - Doctor of chemical sciences in the discipline of chemistry. PhD thesis under the supervision of Professor Marek Samoć - "Synthesis and spectroscopic characterisation of lanthanide doped nanocrystals with potential applications as nano-sensors and nano-labels". PhD thesis awarded by the Council of the Faculty of Chemistry of WUST,
• 2009-2013 - Engineering programme at the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Wrocław. Degree programme: Technical Physics, specialisation:  Dosimetry and Radiological Protection,
• 2005-2010 - MSc programme at the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Wrocław. Degree programme: Physics, specialisation: Medical Physics. Master’s thesis written under the supervision of  Artur Bednarkiewicz, PhD, DSc, Eng - “NaYF4 nano-colloids doped with Nd3+ ions - synthesis, spectroscopic properties, and applications in thermotherapy”.

Academic placements

• August 2014 - academic placements at the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Texas Christian University and the Center for Fluorescence Technologies and Nanomedicine at the University of North Texas, Health Science Center in Dallas (USA),  
• March 2011 - academic placement under Professor Isabelle Ledoux Rak at Institute d’Alembert Laboratories, Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan (France),
• July 2011 - academic placement under Professor Paras N. Prasada at the Institute for Lasers Photonics and Biophotonics, University of Buffalo (USA),
• March 2012 - placement granted by the organisation FAPESP - participation in the 1st Sao Carlos Advanced School on Materials Science & Engineering (Brazil),
• July 2012 - placement granted by the BBVA Foundation and Universidad Autonoma de Madrid - participation in the International Summer School on Fluorescent Nano-Particles in Bio-Medicine (Spain), 
• 2009-2010 - academic placement under Professor Wiesław Stręk at Włodzimierz Trzebiatowski Institute of Low Temperatures and Structural Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Wrocław.

Most important awards and distinctions

• 2015 - grant for outstanding young researchers funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (November 2015 – October 2018),
• 2015 - Dionizy Smoleński Science Award in the field of strict sciences granted by the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology,
• 2014 - Start grant awarded to outstanding young researchers beginning their careers in science by the Foundation for Polish Science, 
• 2013 - Max Born grant under the Wrocław Grant Programme for achievements in the fields of chemical and physical sciences,
• 2013 - grant from the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding achievements of doctoral students, for the academic year 2012/2013,
• 2013 - Start grant awarded to outstanding young researchers beginning their careers in science by the Foundation for Polish Science,
• 2012 and 2013 - Award of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology for doctoral students with outstanding performance,
• 2011 - 3rd-degree Arkadiusz Piekara Award, granted by the Polish Physical Society for the master’s thesis “NaYF4 nano-colloids doped with Nd3+ ions - synthesis, spectroscopic properties, and applications in thermotherapy”.

Contact information

Łukasiewicza St. 2, Wrocław
bud. A-2, room 32
phone: 00 48 71 320 4052
e-mail: dominika.wawrzynczyk@pwr.edu.pl.

Private life

Born in Bielsko-Biała, January 3, 1987.
Hobbies: detective novels, travelling, and skiing.
Challenges: Never give up - "Quitters don’t win, Winners don’t quit".