IChF researchers awarded 11 National Science Centre grants

Researchers from the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences (IChF) have been awarded a total of 11 research grants in the latest editions of the National Science Centre's OPUS 30 and SONATA 21 competitions. The awarded projects span a broad range of research areas, including environmental chemistry, catalysis, advanced materials, biochemistry, electrochemistry and atmospheric science.

The awarded projects are:

1. Principal Investigator: Prof. Agnieszka Piekiełko-Witkowska
Implementation at IChF: Dr. Agata Błaziak
Project title: "Impact of PFAS mixtures on thyroid hormone-induced signaling: towards the identification of PFAS-exposure biomarkers and targets for protective interventions against harmful effects of endocrine disruptive chemicals"
Funding: PLN 3,786,362.00
Grant: OPUS 30 | No.: 2025/59/B/NZ7/01988

2. Principal Investigator: Dr. hab. Svyatoslav Kondrat
Project title: "Multiscale Modelling of Metabolite Channeling: Physiological Insights and Optimization of Enzyme Cascades"
Funding: PLN 1,735,084.00
Grant: OPUS 30 | No.: 2025/59/B/ST3/01980

3. Principal Investigator: Dr. Lennart Brewitz
Project title: "Functional and Structural Characterization of Predicted Human Oxygenases with an Unusual Fe(II)-Binding Site"
Funding: PLN 3,298,636.00
Grant: OPUS 30 | No.: 2025/59/B/NZ1/02711

4. Principal Investigator: Dr. Iwona Justyniak
Project title: "Striving to make a progress in protonolysis of aluminium and zinc alkyls (PROAl/Zn)"
Funding: PLN 1,911,740.00
Grant: OPUS 30 | No.: 2025/59/B/ST5/02293

5. Principal Investigator: Dr. Michał Leszczyński
Project title: "Sustainable Synthesis of MOFs featuring Low-Valent Metals and Exploration of their Redox Properties (LoVaMOF)"
Funding: PLN 1,824,510.00
Grant: OPUS 30 | No.: 2025/59/B/ST5/02406

6. Principal Investigator: Dr. Jakub Ostapko
Project title: "Covalent organic frameworks exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence"
Funding: PLN 3,463,836.00
Grant: OPUS 30 | No.: 2025/59/B/ST5/01207

7. Principal Investigator: Dr. Apurba Mahapatra
Project title: "Development of Silver Chalcogenide Colloidal Quantum Dots Inks for Flexible IR Detectors (FlexIRDet)"
Funding: PLN 2,011,170.00
Grant: SONATA 21 | No.: 2025/59/D/ST11/02867

8. Principal Investigator: Dr. Steven Linfield
Project title: "Using dynamic electrochemical techniques to acquire comprehensive insights into the parameters governing the properties of aptamer-based sensors"
Funding: PLN 2,475,635.00
Grant: SONATA 21 | No.: 2025/59/D/ST4/02713

9. Principal Investigator: Dr. Magdalena Wiloch-Szyborska
Project title: "The relationship between the structure of Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with β-amyloid mutants and the modulation of oxidative stress in familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD)"
Funding: PLN 1,220,732.00
Grant: SONATA 21 | No.: 2025/59/D/ST4/00979

10. Principal Investigator: Dr. Emil Kowalewski
Project title: "Atomic-Scale Synergy: Engineering Cooperative Effects in Zeolite-Anchored Bimetallic Sites for Dry Reforming of Methane"
Funding: PLN 1,976,400.00
Grant: SONATA 21 | No.: 2025/59/D/ST4/02374

11. Principal Investigator: Dr. Agata Błaziak
Project title: "Seasonal dynamics of atmospheric aerosol composition and pollution sources in urban and suburban environments"
Funding: PLN 1,304,790.00
Grant: SONATA 21 | No.: 2025/59/D/ST10/00853

The Institute extends its congratulations to all Principal Investigators and research teams on this achievement and wishes them every success in the implementation of their projects.
We also acknowledge the support of the IChF Grants Team, headed by Anna Wajler and comprising Małgorzata Kanoza, Anna Sokołowska and Olga Niemiec, for their dedicated support in the preparation of the grant proposals.