Second admission round for the Warsaw-4-PhD Doctoral School: the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS invites applications until August 7

The Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) offers doctoral studies through the Warsaw PhD School in Natural and BioMedical Sciences (Warsaw-4-PhD).

Established in 2019, the Warsaw-4-PhD Doctoral School brings together nine leading research institutions in Warsaw, which jointly deliver an interdisciplinary doctoral education across four scientific disciplines: biology, chemistry, physics, and medicine. Each partner institution trains doctoral students in its area of scientific excellence. Admissions are held three times each year.

As part of the second admission round, which is currently underway, the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS is offering 24 PhD research projects (25 positions).

We welcome applications from graduates holding a Master's degree in chemistry, physics, materials science, or related disciplines. We encourage both experimental and theoretical researchers with strong aptitude in the natural and physical sciences and a genuine passion for scientific research to apply.

Research areas

Prospective doctoral candidates may pursue fundamental research in a broad range of fields, including:

• Nanotechnology and advanced materials;
• Photochemistry and photophysics;
• Physical chemistry of solid-state materials, soft matter, and surface phenomena;
• Biochemistry and biophysics;
• Physical chemistry of supramolecular systems;
• Chemical kinetics and catalysis;
• Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics;
• Quantum chemistry, mathematical modeling, and molecular dynamics;
• Electrochemistry, including electrode processes, electroanalysis, and corrosion protection.

We strongly encourage prospective applicants to contact the coordinators of the research projects that interest them before submitting an application to learn more about the projects and discuss potential research opportunities.

IPC PAS also offers paid research internships, typically lasting one to three months, to allow prospective candidates to become familiar with the Institute's research environment before applying. Internship duration is arranged individually with the prospective supervisor. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact potential supervisors directly.

Admissions timeline

Applications for the 2026–2027 academic year are submitted online through the Warsaw-4-PhD admissions system.

Second admission round

Call for applications announced

• July 10, 2026

Online application period

• July 24 – August 7, 2026

Admissions interviews

• September 2 – September 11, 2026

Admission results announced

• Beginning September 15, 2026

Applicants who advance to the second stage of the admissions process will receive an invitation to interview by email.

Available PhD Projects

The Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS is currently offering the following PhD research projects:

Project No. 3.1

Catalytic Ortho–Para HyDrogen Conversion in NMR Spectroscopy: Implications for NMR Line Shape

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Piotr Bernatowicz. Contact: pbernatowicz@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Tomasz Ratajczyk. Contact: tratajczyk@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 30. Nuclear Hyperpolarization of Molecular Systems and Nanomaterials - Dr. Tomasz Ratajczyk

 www: https://applied-nmr.pl/ 

Project No. 3.2

Design and synthesis of selective catalysts for hydrocyanation reactions assisted by machine learning methods

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Volodymyr Sashuk. Contact: vsashuk@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Dawid Lichosyt. Contact: dlichosyt@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 7. Chemistry in Confined Spaces - Prof. Dr. hab. Volodymyr Sashuk

www: https://lichosytlab.com/

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants

The scholarship is funded under the project „Smart Catalyst Engineering for Hydrofunctionalization Reactions: From Selectivity Control to Predictive Model” No.  FENG.02.02-IP.05-0063/25 financed from the funds of Priority 2 of the European Funds for a Smart Economy 2021–2027 Program (FENG) Action 2.2 FIRST TEAM, with the Intermediate Institution being the Foundation for Polish Science.

Project No. 3.3

Computer simulations of transient absorption spektra

Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Michał Kochman. Contact: mkochman@ichf.edu.pl 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 20. Cooperative catalysis - Dr. hab. Adam Kubas, Institute's Professor

www: http://coopcat.pl/  

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

5000 PLN gross

Project No. 3.4

Multiscale Modelling of Metabolite Channeling: Physiological Insights and Optimization of Enzyme Cascades

Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Svyatoslav Kondrat, Institute's Professor. Contact: skondrat@ichf.edu.pl 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 13. Physical chemistry of complex systems - Prof. Dr. hab. Wojciech Góźdź

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/fizykochemia-ukladow-zlozonych  

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

6500 PLN gross

Project No. 3.5

Multiscale Modelling of Confined Enzyme Cascades in Nanocages

Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Svyatoslav Kondrat, Institute's Professor. Contact: skondrat@ichf.edu.pl 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 13. Physical chemistry of complex systems - Prof. Dr. hab. Wojciech Góźdź

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/fizykochemia-ukladow-zlozonych   

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

6500 PLN gross 

Project No. 3.6

Non-invasive Optical Imaging of retinal ganglion cells

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Maciej Wojtkowski. Contact: mwojtkowski@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Sławomir Tomczewski. Contact: stomczewski@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 3. Physical Optics and Biophotonics Group - Prof. Dr. hab. Maciej Wojtkowski

www: www.icter.pl

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

5000 PLN gross

Project No. 3.7

Using dynamic electrochemical techniques to acquire comprehensive insights into the parameters governing the properties of aptamer-based sensors

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Eng. Jacek Ryl. / Dr. Steven Linfield. Contact: slinfield@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 12. Sensor arrays - Dr. Eng. Emilia Witkowska Nery

www: https://sensorarrays.com.pl/  

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

6500 PLN gross 

Project No. 3.8

Integrated phage display platform for the discovery of single-domain antibodies for molecular detection and PPI interaction inhibition

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Marcin Drąg. Contact: marcin.drag@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Łukasz Krzemiński. Contact: lukasz.krzeminski@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 31. Combinatorial Chemistry and Biochemistry - Prof. Dr. hab. Marcin Drąg

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/chemia-kombinatoryczna-i-biochemia

Project No. 3.9

New catalytical protocols of conductive polymer synthesis and application of these polymers in chemosensing

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Piyush Sindhu Sharma, Institute's Professor.

Contact: psharma@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Eng. Maciej Cieplak. Contact: mcieplak@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 18. Functional Polymers - Dr. hab. Piyush Sharma, Institute's Professor

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/polimery-funkcjonalne

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

5000 PLN gross 

Project No. 3.10 

Bleomycin-Inspired Molecular Constructs for DNA Damage in Cancer Therapy

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Marcin Drąg. Contact: marcin.drag@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Jeena Manayath Thekkeyil. Contact: jeena.manayath-thekkeyil@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 31. Combinatorial Chemistry and Biochemistry - Prof. Dr. hab. Marcin Drąg

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/chemia-kombinatoryczna-i-biochemia  

Project No. 3.11

Self-assembly of amphiphilic peptides within the cancer cellular membrane

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Marcin Drąg. Contact: marcin.drag@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Jeena Manayath Thekkeyil. Contact: jeena.manayath-thekkeyil@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 31. Combinatorial Chemistry and Biochemistry - Prof. Dr. hab. Marcin Drąg

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/chemia-kombinatoryczna-i-biochemia  

Project No. 3.12 (2 PhD Students)

Development of Molecular and Supramolecular Tools to Exploit Human Copper(I) Homeostasis for Cancer Therapeutics

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Marcin Drąg. Contact: marcin.drag@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Jeena Manayath Thekkeyil. Contact: jeena.manayath-thekkeyil@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 15. Molecular Innovations for Biomedical Interventions - Dr. Manayath Thekkeyil Jeena

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/en/groups/molecular-innovations-for-biomedicine  

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

5000 PLN gross 

Project No. 3.13

Global thermodynamics of systems with nonuniform temperature

Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Karol Makuch. Contact: kmakuch@ichf.edu.pl 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 32. Digital manufacturing of biomimetic systems - Dr. hab. Marco Costantini, Institute's Professor

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/groups/digital-manufacturing-of-biomimetic-systems  

Project No. 3.14

A new approach for gene delivery into retinal bipolar cells

Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Andrzej Foik. Contact: afoik@ichf.edu.pl 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 3. Physical Optics and Biophotonics Group - Prof. Dr. hab. Maciej Wojtkowski

www: https://icter.pl/   

Project No. 3.15

Non-Toxic Silver Chalcogenide Colloidal Quantum Dots for Printable Flexible IR Detectors 

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Eng. Daniel Prochowicz, Institute's Professor. Contact: dprochowicz@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Apurba Mahapatra. 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 26. Semiconducting Materials and Optoelectronic Devices - Dr. hab. Eng. Daniel Prochowicz, Institute's Professor

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/materialy-polprzewodnikowe-i-urzadzenia-optoelektroniczne   

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

6500 PLN gross

Project No. 3.16

Covalent organic frameworks exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Eng. Daniel Prochowicz, Institute's Professor. Contact: dprochowicz@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Eng. Jakub Ostapko. 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 26. Semiconducting Materials and Optoelectronic Devices - Dr. hab. Eng. Daniel Prochowicz, Institute's Professor

www: https://prochowiczlab.com/   

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

6500 PLN gross 

Project No. 3.17 

Development of New Hole and Electron Transporting Organic Materials in Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Daniel Prochowicz. Contact: dprochowicz@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 26. Semiconducting Materials and Optoelectronic Devices - Dr. hab. Eng. Daniel Prochowicz, Institute's Professor

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/materialy-polprzewodnikowe-i-urzadzenia-optoelektroniczne  

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

5000 PLN gross 

 Project No. 3.18

Seasonal dynamics of atmospheric aerosol composition and pollution sources in urban and suburban environments

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Eng. Rafał Szmigielski. Contact: ralf@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Eng. Agata Dorota Błaziak. Contact: ablaziak@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 17. Environmental Chemistry Group - Prof. Dr. hab. Eng. Rafał Szmigielski

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/chemia-srodowiska   

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

6500 PLN gross 

Project No. 3.19

Tire-Derived Organic Pollutants as Drivers of Airway Epithelial Toxicity

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Eng. Rafał Szmigielski. Contact: ralf@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Faria Khan. Contact: fkhan@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 17. Environmental Chemistry Group - Prof. Dr. hab. Eng. Rafał Szmigielski

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/zespoly/chemia-srodowiska  

Project No. 3.20

Viral Protection through Advanced Polymeric Excipients for Biomedical Applications

Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Jan Paczesny, Institute's Professor. Contact: jpaczesny@ichf.edu.pl 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 2. Living Materials - Dr. hab. Jan Paczesny, Institute's Professor

www: www.livingmaterials.org  

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

5000 PLN gross 

Project No. 3.21

Data-Driven and AI-Supported Methods in Physical Chemistry and Materials Chemistry

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Jan Paczesny, Institute's Professor.

Contact: jpaczesny@ichf.edu.pl / Supervisor: Dr. hab. Eng. Paweł Wawrzyński 

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 2. Living Materials - Dr. hab. Jan Paczesny, Institute's Professor

www: www.livingmaterials.org  

Project No. 3.22

Structural and Redox Activity Studies of Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Complexes with β-Amyloid Peptide Mutants

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Wojciech Bal / Dr. Eng. Magdalena Zofia Wiloch-Szyborska. Contact: mwiloch@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 14. Charge transfer processes in hydrodynamic systems - Prof. Dr. hab. Anders Martin Jönsson-Niedziółka

www: https://www.charge-transfer.pl/  

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

6500 PLN gross 

Project No. 3.23

Optimization of a bioreactor for cultured meat production using computer simulations, with particular focus on porous medium evolution

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. hab. Robert Hołyst. Contact: rholyst@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Paweł Żuk. Contact: pzuk@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 10. Soft Condensed Matter - Prof. Dr. hab. Robert Hołyst

Project No. 3.24

Atomic-Scale Synergy: Engineering Cooperative Effects in Zeolite-Anchored Bimetallic Sites for Dry Reforming of Methane

Supervisor / Auxiliary Supervisor:

Dr. hab. Anna Śrębowata, Institute's Professor. Contact: asrebowata@ichf.edu.pl / Dr. Eng. Emil Kowalewski. Contact: emil.kowalewski@ichf.edu.pl

IPC PAS Group:

Research group No. 21. Spectroscopic and microscopic (STM/AFM) studies of intermolecular interactions - Prof. Dr. hab. Robert Nowakowski

www: https://ichf.edu.pl/en/groups/spectroscopic-and-microscopic-stm-afm-studies-of-intermolecular-interactions   

Scholarship/PhD student remuneration from grants:

6500 PLN gross 

Important information:

• There is no application fee for admission to the Doctoral School.
• Tuition is free for all students enrolled in the Doctoral School.
• Detailed admission requirements and procedures for the current academic year are available in the Documents section.
• Applicants who have not yet obtained a Master's degree (or equivalent) are eligible to apply, provided they complete their degree before the end of the admissions process. In such cases, applicants must submit either their diploma or a written statement confirming the award of a Master's degree (or equivalent) no later than the application deadline.

More information about admissions to the Warsaw Doctoral School in Natural and BioMedical Sciences (Warsaw-4-PhD) is available at:
https://warsaw4phd.eu/en/admissions/

Research project selection (Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS):
https://warsaw4phd.eu/en/candidates-2/research-projects/

Application portal (opens July 24, 2026, at 12:00 PM CET):
https://warsaw4phd.eu/register.php

On social media, announcements related to PhD opportunities at the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS are published under the hashtag #YourPhDatIChF & #TwójDoktoratwIChF.