News
Dr Dorota Chełminiak-Dudkiewicz Participated in the International Conference on Porphyrins & Phthalocyanines
From 28 June to 3 July 2026, Dr Dorota Chełminiak-Dudkiewicz participated in the International Conference on Porphyrins & Phthalocyanines (ICPP) held in Kyoto, Japan.
The International Conference on Porphyrins & Phthalocyanines is one of the leading international scientific meetings dedicated to porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and related macrocyclic compounds. The conference brings together researchers from chemistry, materials science, photochemistry, photophysics, and biomedical sciences to discuss recent advances in the synthesis, properties, and applications of these compounds. The scientific programme covers topics including photodynamic therapy, diagnostics, catalysis, organic electronics, functional materials, nanotechnology, and other emerging biomedical applications.
During the conference, Dr Dorota Chełminiak-Dudkiewicz presented a scientific poster entitled: „Chitosan-based Sponge Loaded with Zinc Phthalocyanine as a Multifunctional Wound Dressing Material.”
The 30th IUPAC Symposium on Photochemistry
From 12 to 17 July 2026, Aleksander Smolarkiewicz-Wyczachowski, a PhD student at the Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, participated in the 30th IUPAC Symposium on Photochemistry, held in Zagreb, Croatia.
The IUPAC Symposium on Photochemistry is one of the leading international conferences in the fields of photochemistry and photophysics. The scientific programme covered recent advances in photocatalysis, photochemical reaction mechanisms, spectroscopy and microscopy, functional materials, sustainable energy conversion, and the application of photochemistry in materials science and biomedical research. The symposium also highlighted emerging developments in photobiology, photomedicine, sensing, and imaging technologies.
During the conference, Aleksander presented a scientific poster entitled: „Influence of Haemoglobin Incorporation into Chitosan Films as Chlorin e6 Carriers for Photodynamic Therapy.”
Aleksander’s participation in the conference was made possible thanks to financial support received through the Grants4NCUStudents programme under the Excellence Initiative – Research University (IDUB) at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.
60th edition of the International Conference on Medicinal Chemistry
From 1 to 3 July 2026, PhD student Aji Suhartoyo represented the Medicinal Chemistry Research Group at the 60th International Conference on Medicinal Chemistry (RICT 2026), held in Paris, France.
This year’s conference, themed „Interfacing Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery,” brought together researchers from around the world working in the fields of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. The scientific program featured 18 plenary lectures, 6 short lectures, as well as two keynote lectures delivered by the recipients of the prestigious Novalix SCT Award for Drug Discovery Chemistry and the Evotec Prize for Excellence in Molecular Design.
During the conference, Aji Suhartoyo presented the results of research conducted within the Medicinal Chemistry Research Group in the form of a scientific poster.
Research Group Publication in ACS Omega
We are pleased to announce that in June 2026, members of the Medical Chemistry Research Group published a new research article in ACS Omega, entitled: „Surface Engineering of Magnetite Nanoparticles with Boronated Polysaccharides Enables Alpha-1-Acid Glycoprotein Binding.”
The publication is available at: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.5c12779
Visit of Dr Andrej Perdih from the National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
From 24 to 26 June 2026, the Medical Chemistry Research Group had the pleasure of hosting Dr Andrej Perdih from the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Dr Andrej specializes in computational biochemistry and computer-aided molecular design. His research focuses on the application of computational methods to support the design of novel biologically active compounds with potential therapeutic applications. He actively collaborates with numerous research groups both in Slovenia and internationally and has led or participated in several national and bilateral research projects. He is also the author or co-author of approximately 80 scientific publications.
During his visit to Toruń, Dr Perdih delivered the opening lecture at the 19th Copernican Doctoral Seminar, held at the Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University. His lecture, entitled „Catalytic Inhibition of Topoisomerase IIα: Targeting the ATPase Domain to Modulate Allosteric Pathways,” attracted considerable interest from conference participants and provided an excellent overview of recent advances in computational approaches applied to medicinal chemistry.
Dr Perdih’s visit provided a valuable opportunity to exchange scientific ideas, discuss ongoing research projects, and further strengthen the international collaboration between the Medicinal Chemistry Research Group and the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana.
19th Copernican Seminar of Doctoral Students
The 19th Copernican Seminar of Doctoral Students was held on 25–26 June 2026 at the Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.
PhD students from the Medicinal Chemistry Research Group actively participated in the event by presenting the results of their research in the form of scientific posters:
- Karolina Kozerska – „CHITOSAN FILMS CROSSLINKED WITH HEMOGLOBIN AND BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN FUNCTIONALIZED WITH BODIPY AS POTENTIAL MATERIALS FOR PDT”
- Mehdi Ibrahimov – „DEVELOPMENT AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CHITOSAN-BASED FILMS INCORPORATED WITH ZINC PHTHALOCYANINE FOR LIGHT-RESPONSIVE APPLICATIONS”
- Aji Suhartoyo – „PHYSICALLY CROSSLINKED TRAGACANTH/CHITOSAN BIOCOMPOSITE SPONGES WITH RUBIADIN AND INCORPORATING MORINGA OLEIFERA EXTRACT”
Aji Participated in the Royal Society of Chemistry Medicinal Chemistry Summer School
We are pleased to announce that Aji Suhartoyo, a PhD student in the Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, participated in the Royal Society of Chemistry Medicinal Chemistry Summer School, organized by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), which took place from 7 to 12 June 2026.
The summer school covered key topics in modern medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, providing participants with a comprehensive overview of the drug development process—from early-stage molecular design and translational research to intellectual property and commercialization. The event brought together leading experts and early-career researchers, creating an excellent environment for scientific discussion and professional development.
During the summer school, Aji Suhartoyo presented a scientific poster entitled „Physical Stabilisation of Gellan Gum by Musa sapientum and Functionalisation with Cucurbita maxima for Accelerated Wound Healing,” showcasing research carried out within the Medical Chemistry Research Group.
Medicinal Chemistry Research Group Members Participated in ACCORD 2026
From 27 to 29 May 2026, members of the Medicinal Chemistry Research Group—Prof. Marta Ziegler-Borowska, Dr Kinga Mylkie, and PhD students Karolina Kozerska, Aji Suhartoyo, and Aleksander Smolarkiewicz-Wyczachowski—participated in the ACCORD – Interdisciplinary Conference on Drug Science, held at the Medical University of Warsaw.
During the conference, members of the research group presented the results of their studies in the form of scientific posters and poster spotlight presentations, showcasing ongoing research conducted within the group.
The following contributions were presented:
- Dr Kinga Mylkie – „pH-Controlled Glycoprotein Binding in Boronic Acid-Functionalized Starch Magnetic Nanomaterials”
- Aji Suhartoyo – „Physical Stabilisation of Gellan Gum by Musa sapientum and Functionalisation with Cucurbita maxima for Accelerated Wound Healing”
- Karolina Kozerska – „Chitosan-based Films Crosslinked with Hemoglobin and Bovine Serum Albumin Enriched with BODIPY for Potential Application in PDT”
- Aleksander Smolarkiewicz-Wyczachowski – poster and poster spotlight presentation entitled „Haemoglobin as a Functional Modulator of Chlorin e6 Binding, Release, and Photodynamic Properties in Magnetic Chitosan Nanocarriers”
European Patent Granted to Members of the Medical Chemistry Research Group
We are pleased to announce that the invention entitled „Kefiran Film and Method of Its Production” has been granted European patent protection. The invention was developed by Dr Dorota Chełminiak-Dudkiewicz and Prof. Marta Ziegler-Borowska of the Medicinal Chemistry Research Group.
The patent covers an innovative kefiran-based film and its method of production, offering promising applications in the fields of advanced biomaterials and regenerative medicine.
The information on the granted patent was published in the European Patent Bulletin No. 26/25 on 17 June 2026.
More information is available at: link
Visit of Prof. Yangchao Luo from the University of Connecticut
On 29 April 2026, the Medical Chemistry Research Group had the pleasure of welcoming Prof. Yangchao Luo from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut (UConn). His visit took place as part of the BRIDGE research team activities within the IDUB Priority Research Area (POB) Programme at Nicolaus Copernicus University.
Prof. Luo is not only an outstanding scientist but also an inspiring speaker. During his visit, he delivered a lecture entitled „Sustainable Food Systems through Edible Biomaterials, Nanotechnology, and Intelligent Sensing,” which attracted considerable interest and was particularly well received by early-career researchers and PhD students.
His openness, enthusiasm, and genuine kindness made a lasting impression on everyone who had the opportunity to meet him.
The visit also provided an excellent opportunity for numerous inspiring scientific discussions. During our meetings at the Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, we exchanged ideas on current research topics and discussed several exciting possibilities for future scientific collaboration.
Publication in Materials & Design (Elsevier)
We are pleased to announce the publication of a new scientific article authored by members of our research team. The paper, entitled „Multifunctional Laminarin–Chitosan Composites Loaded with Bromelain Nanoflowers: A Biohybrid Design Approach”, has been published in Materials & Design (Elsevier) and is available at the following link: link.
We encourage you to read the article!
Light Against Bacteria: New Approaches to Treating Infections – WEAVE-UNISONO Grant Awarded to Dr Dorota Chełminiak-Dudkiewicz!
Dr Dorota Chełminiak-Dudkiewicz and RNDr. Miloslav Macháček, Ph.D., from Charles University in Prague, together with their research teams, will carry out a project focused on the development of photoactive, supramolecular, and biocompatible materials for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. More than PLN 700,000 has been allocated to support the Polish part of the project.
The increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics has made the treatment of infectious diseases one of the greatest challenges in modern medicine. In response to this growing problem, the project aims to develop a novel and safe light-based approach for combating bacterial infections through antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, a technique particularly promising for the treatment of wounds and skin infections.
The research will focus on designing innovative photoactive biomaterials in the form of wound dressings, hydrogels, and nanoparticles, in which light-activated compounds will be permanently immobilised within biopolymer matrices. This strategy is expected to improve therapeutic efficacy while minimizing the risk of damage to healthy tissues. The resulting materials will not only effectively eliminate bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains, but also promote wound healing and help protect against recurrent infections.
The project has the potential to pave the way for an innovative, effective, and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional antimicrobial therapies, offering significant benefits for both patients and healthcare systems.