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Bio
Distinguished Chair group leader at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB) and a full-professor at the Dept. of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science of the Charles University in Prague. He graduated from the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague in 1993 and finished his PhD at IOCB in 1996. After a postdoctoral stay in Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium, he joined the IOCB and started his own research group in 2003. He received numerous awards, including Praemium Academiae from the Czech Academy of Sciences and R. Lukes Prize from the Czech Chemical Society. His research interests include organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, bioorganic chemistry and chemical biology and nucleic acids chemistry.
Abstract
Base-Modified and Hypermodified Nucleic Acids for Chemical Biology
The lecture will summarize recent results of the Hocek group in enzymatic syntheses of base-modified and hypermodified nucleic acids (DNA, RNA or XNA) and their applications in chemical biology, bioanalysis or imaging. Enzymatic methods for construction of nucleic acids with sequence-specific display of diverse substituents or molecules, as well as hypermodified nucleic acids composed entirely from modified nucleotides will be discussed in detail. Special focus will be given to the use of modified nucleotides in selection of aptamers.
Bio
Caroline Murawski is professor for biomedical sensor technology at TUD Dresden University of Technology, Germany, since 2024. She received a PhD in Physics in 2015 working on excitonic processes in organic light-emitting diodes, then joined the University of St Andrews, UK, for a postdoctoral position, and started a junior research group at Kurt Schwabe Institute for Sensor Technologies in 2018. Caroline now works on new biomedical sensor technology based on organic semiconducting materials.
Abstract
Organic semiconductors for flexible, biomedical devices
Organic electronics have major advantages compared to inorganic electronics in applications that require mechanical flexibility, patterning to specific shapes, and tunability of device properties. These benefits are particularly interesting in biomedical applications such as wearable and implantable sensors for tracking body functions and manipulating cellular activity.
Here, I will present the development of organic LEDs (OLEDs) and photodiodes (OPDs) as light sources and sensors for biomedical applications. The OLEDs are based on fluorescent, phosphorescent, and TADF emitters, which are selected with specific focus on high power output at low voltages. The emission spectra and angular intensity profiles are tailored using optical simulations. Devices are fabricated on flexible, water-proof substrates, patterned to sub-mm scale, and applied in optogenetics and fluorescence imaging as well as photoplethysmography at ambient light conditions and under water. This work presents major contributions towards engineering wearable and implantable optical devices for sensing and light-based therapy, which ultimately will advance the understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Bio
Alexander Haseloer is a Junior Research Group Leader in the Institute for Neurosciences and Medicine, Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5) of the Forschungszentrum Jülich. He received his PhD in Bioinorganic Chemistry in 2021 under the guidance of Prof. Klein and then he moved as a Walter Benjamin Fellow to the Group of Prof. MacMillan to learn about photocatalytical method development. His research focusses now on the production of non-standard radionuclides and implementing them into the chemistry he learned in his PhD and Postdoc. He was awarded a Liebig Fellowship early 2025
Abstract
Production Routes for non-Standard Radionuclides for Nuclear Medical Applications
In recent years, two very important bioinorganic drugs hit the market, Lutathera and Pluvicto. Both are now the highest grossing metal containing small molecule drugs and have a similar design principle. Basically, it’s a biovector, a chelator and a radionuclide – both contain Lu-177. Despite being successful, Lu-177 leaves room for improvement. Mainly its decay radiates further than desired, leading to off target irradiation and side effects.
At the INM-5 we aim to produce radionuclides which have a much smaller penetration depth. For this purpose we develop production routes and chemistry of radionuclides like Pt-193m, Pb-203, and At-211 among others. During this talk I will present our endeavors into the production of these nuclides and their subsequent chemistry.
Bio
Following undergraduate studies (Sorbonne Université), Amina Benchohra completed her Ph.D, in 2019, on the design of switchable hybrid materials based on magnetic molecular complexes under the supervision of Prof Kreher and Prof Lescouëzec (IPCM, Paris). She then undertook post-doctoral studies at Moltech-Anjou (Angers, France) on self-assembled materials for solar cells applications with Dr Goeb. After working on the design of Cr(III)-Ln assemblies for energy-transfer upconversion -as post-doctoral researcher and then as a junior lecturer- in the group of Prof Piguet (Geneva), she was appointed assistant professor at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale (Brest, France) in 2023. Her current research focuses on (multi)functional molecular materials.
Abstract
Tuning the luminescence of Cr(III) organometallic and coordination complexes.
Over the past decade, the quest of earth-abundant alternatives to the charge-transfer Ru(II) emitters has undoubtedly revitalized chromium(III) chemistry. Their intriguing properties - including a near-infrared (NIR) phosphorescence stemming from metal-centered spin-flip transitions, long-lived excited states (from µs to ms), and efficient sensitization pathways via either ligand-centered (LC), ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) or metal-centered (MC) excitations- are of interest for photonic devices, photocatalysis or energy conversion [1]. So far, the practical guidelines for optimizing Cr(III) emitters mainly drew on traditional coordination ligands (e.g.: bipyridine, phenantroline and terpyridine derivatives) [2]. This talk will describe the design and use of novel series of luminescent Cr(III) complexes relying on contrasted organometallic and coordination ligands.
Bio
A native of Jamaica, André moved to the US to attend the College of the Holy Cross where he received his B.A. in Chemistry in 2005. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 under the guidance of Prof. Winkler where he focused on the design and synthesis of novel steroid-derived inhibitors of Hedgehog-signaling, based on the alkaloid cyclopamine . After that, he worked as a post-doctoral researcher with Prof. Sarpong at the University of California, Berkeley where he focused on the synthesis of diterpenoids and the radiolabeled insecticide chlorantraniliprole . In 2012, André accepted a tenure-track position at the College of the Holy Cross where he was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure. In addition to teaching courses in Organic Chemistry, André conducts research utilizing copper-mediated organic trans- formations. He uses his social media platform to challenge and dismantle the normative culture in STEM and to increase visibility of queer and BIPOC folks.
Abstract
Teaching Where Students Are: Authentic Science Communication in Digital Spaces
Broadening participation in STEM requires a multipronged approach that acknowledges generational differences in how students learn and engage with the world. For Gen-Z students, social media is not just entertainment but a primary space for cultural exchange, identity formation, and engagement with social concerns. Leveraging these platforms offers unique opportunities to communicate scientific concepts both formally and informally. This lecture will explore strategies for creating effective science communication videos while emphasizing the importance of authenticity. By bringing one’s full self—personal identity, values, and lived experiences—into the act of teaching and communication, educators and scientists can foster deeper connections, build trust, and make science more accessible and inclusive. I will showcase my work on social media as a case study for integrating identity and culture in STEM.
Bio
Dr. Line Næsborg is a Junior Research Group Leader at the Organic Chemistry Institute at WWU Münster, a position she has held since 2020. She completed her PhD at Aarhus University under the supervision of Prof. K. A. Jørgensen, focusing on the combination of organocatalysis and transition-metal catalysis, followed by postdoctoral research at Aarhus University and TU Munich with Prof. T. Bach on photochemical cascade reactions and total synthesis. Her work has been recognized with several prestigious awards and fellowships, including the Liebig Fellowship, the Thieme Chemistry Journal Award, and the 2025 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award.
Abstract
On the importance of the reaction medium for photochemical synthesis
The reaction medium can be key to induce photochemical reactions. A particular focus is given to aqueous micellar systems to provide unique benefits in photochemistry and photocatalysis. Here, apolar molecules such as oxygen are present in the inner core and charged or polar molecules such as a photocatalyst (PC) can be localized at the interphase. Through preferred localizations, non-productive encounters are minimized and oxygen quenching of a triplet state photocatalyst can be avoided. Based on this, oxygen sensitive photocatalytic reactions could be developed without the need for oxygen removal. However, controlled localization and compartmentalization can lead to further interesting benefits that are important in photochemical synthesis such as enabling complex or excimer formation. For example, we illustrate that a small organic molecule (chalcone) can exhibit excimer emission in the micellar system whereas no such emission could be observed in organic solvents. The phosphorescence was recorded at room temperature and has a surprisingly long average lifetime (19.22 μs). Interestingly photochemical reactivity was accordingly only observed in the micellar reaction medium and not in organic solvent.
The vision of the program is medium-controlled photochemical synthesis that unites physical understanding, reaction design and sustainable implementation.
Bio
Professor at the Department of Chemical Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, West Bengal in India. He obtained his PhD in supramolecular chemistry at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) under the supervision of Prof. P. K. Das in 2010. After a postdoctoral stay at the Emory University with Prof. D. Lynn in the US he started at the IISER as assistant professor, and rose through the ranks to become full professor in 2025.
His research group is interested in the emerging field of systems chemistry, chemical evolution and peptide nanotechnology.
Abstract
Non-equilibrium self-assembly for living matter-like properties
Life's soft and wet machinery arose from spatially confined assemblies of biomolecules capable of replication, integrated with metabolic reaction cycles that function far from equilibrium. By methodically synthesizing and integrating these key elements, i.e. replication, metabolism, and confinement under non-equilibrium conditions, we can begin to explore how chemically constructed systems might acquire life-like, evolving properties. This ambitious goal lies at the heart of systems chemistry. In this talk, I will outline recent insights into how reaction networks, self-reproduction, and compartmentalization can be brought together under non-equilibrium settings.1 I will also delve into the interplay between reaction dynamics and transient compartmentalization, and explore the development of self-replicating systems capable of sustained operation in far-from-equilibrium conditions.
Bio
Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Aarhus University in Denmark. She received her PhD in Nanoscience in 2014. Subsequently, she held an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellowship and worked as a group leader at the Technical University of Munich in Germany. She has received several fellow- ships and awards, including a fellowship at the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, a fellowship for distinguished visiting scientists of the Max Planck Society, and the Gerhard Ertl Young Investigator Award for excellence of research in surface science of the German Physical Society. Her current research interests include data-driven materials modelling, heterogeneous catalysis and astrochemistry.
Abstract
Uncovering Molecular Origins in Space with Computational Chemistry and Machine Learning
Complex organic molecules—including fatty acids and amino acids, the building blocks of life—have been found in comets, and molecules such as acetone and dimethyl ether have been detected in the interstellar medium via telescopes. Although their formation pathways remain poorly understood, there is strong evidence that surface reactions at dust grains play a decisive role.
Here I will present the computational methods we use—including ab initio methods such as density functional theory (DFT) and machine learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs)—to model dust grains and their interaction with molecules. Dust grains are mainly composed of abundant elements like C, Si, O and Mg, and we have modelled these using either a thin sheet of C (graphene) or as Mg-rich silicates.
Within dense and cold gas clouds, the grains may be partially or completely covered in ices consisting of abundant interstellar molecules like H2O, CO2 or CO. By training MLIPs on DFT data, we can model the structure and dynamics of ice formation on dust grains at near-DFT accuracy, but orders of magnitude lower computational cost. This enables us to probe larger, and hence more relevant, system sizes and timescales in molecular dynamics simulations. I will show how we use these simulations to interpret laboratory experiments on ice growth and to deduce crucial parameters such as binding energies for astrochemical models of the molecular evolution of interstellar gas clouds.
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