Topic details
| Topic | Synthetic polymers as an alternative to proteins for biochemical applications |
|---|---|
| Supervisor | Libor Kostka, PhD. |
| Consultant | Tomáš Etrych, DSc. |
| Department | Biomedical Polymers |
| Description | Society is increasingly seeking ways to reduce the use of animal-derived products, including proteins used in medical diagnostics. This creates many opportunities for modern synthetic macromolecules, which can replace or supplement biological proteins in various applications. As part of your dissertation, you will contribute to the development of these "artificial proteins" based on synthetic hydrophilic polymers. We are looking for motivated students interested in combining modern polymer chemistry with biochemistry to develop sustainable alternatives to natural proteins. Using advanced controlled polymerization techniques like Photo-RAFT and CuRDRP, you will design and synthesize sequence-defined polymers based on methacrylamides and (meth)acrylates. Your work will involve synthesizing polymers with controlled chain architectures and optimizing polymerization processes. You will perform detailed characterization of the materials using state-of-the-art analytical techniques (SEC, FFFF, LC MS, NMR, etc.). Additionally, you will engage in organic synthesis of new monomers and their functional derivatives. The materials you create will be tested in real biochemical applications in collaboration with both domestic and international partners, including industry. We are seeking an enthusiastic candidate passionate about macromolecular and/or organic chemistry, eager to learn across disciplines, especially biochemistry and biology. We offer exciting and diverse work within a young, dynamic team at a cutting-edge academic facility, with opportunities for internships abroad at partner institutions. |
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