Room: 321b, building A2

Phone: +48 71 3204080

e-mail: monika.szefczyk@pwr.edu.pl

Hobby:  movies, games

ORCID: 0000-0003-4779-6395

Scopus ID: 55907953300

Web of Science ID: GEK-9795-2022

Education

2010 - 2014, PhD in Sustainable Chemistry, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

2004 - 2009, MSc in Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University (UMK), Toruń, Poland

Research 

My research focuses on the design, synthesis, and structural characterization of peptides, with a particular interest in their self-assembly and functional applications. My key areas of interest include:

• Peptide synthesis and structure evaluation – Exploring the solid-phase peptide synthesis and structural properties of peptides.
• Self-association of peptides – Investigating peptide aggregation and supramolecular interactions.
• Peptide foldamer-based nanostructures – Designing novel peptide foldamers for nanotechnology applications.
• Amyloids – Studying amyloid formation, structure, and potential biomedical implications.
• Peptide-based nanocarriers – Developing encapsulation procedures for therapeutic applications.
• Drug delivery systems for antiparasitic drugs – Engineering innovative peptide-based platforms for targeted drug delivery.

Research stays:

1. October 28 – November 16, 2024 (3 weeks) – University of Szeged, Hungary, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, Department of Medicinal Chemistry. Implementation of the project “System Chemistry as a New Approach to Obtaining Peptide Foldamer Assemblies for Encapsulation Applications”, co-financed by the Visegrad Fund (Scholarship No. 62410206).
2. September 19 – October 2, 2022, and March 19–26, 2023 (3 weeks) – University of Porto, Faculty of Science. Implementation of the project “NANOFOLD – Peptide Foldamer-Based Nanostructures as Potential Carriers for Antiparasitic Drugs”, co-financed by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (Agreement No. BPN/BPT/2021/1/00012/U/00001).
3. October 1, 2014 – September 30, 2016 (2 years) – Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry. Postdoctoral fellowship within the project “Artificial Enzymes Based on Foldamers” (Grant No. 2013/10/E/ST5/00625).
4. April 2012 (2 weeks) – Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain. Research internship.
5. May 2011 (2 weeks) – Photochemistry and Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Faculty of Chemistry, New University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. Research internship.

Fellowships:

1. Visegrad Fund, Visegrad Fellowship Program, Scholarship No. 62410206 (2024)
2. Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal), Research Grant for PhD Studies, Scholarship No. SFRH/BD/66297/2009 (2009)

Projects

1. PI; “NANOFOLD - Peptide foldamer-based nanostructures as potential carriers of antiparasitic drugs”, NAWA, nr. BPN/BPT/2021/1/00012/U/00001
2. PI; “Peptide foldamer-based nanostructures”, NCN, nr. 2017/26/D/ST5/00341
3. PI; “Metalloporphyrin-functionalized carbon nanomaterials for catalytic applications”, FCT, nr. SFRH/BD/66297/2009
4. Co-investigator; "Understanding cross-talk between amyloids"; NCN, 2019/35/B/NZ2/03997
5. Post-doc; "Foldamer-based artificial enzymes"; NCN, 2013/10/E/ST5/00625
6. Co-investigator; "New strategies for the immobilization of metal complexes on carbon materials"; NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000067-Nanochemistry; FEDER
7. Co-investigator; "Nanostructured catalysts based on carbon nanofibers for environmental applications"; NANO/NTec-CA/0122/2007; COMPETE
8. Co-investigator; "Development and synthesis of metal complexes supported on mesoporous nanomaterials, as heterogeneous catalysts for isomerization in liquid and gas phases and oxidation reactions of alkanes"; PTDC/EQU-ERQ/110825/2009; COMPETE
9. Co-investigator; "Projecto estrategico-LA 6-2011-2012"; PEst-C/EQB/LA0006/2011; COMPETE
10. Co-investigator; "Nanostructered catalysts for selective oxidation of glycerol"; PP_IJUP2011/75; UP/Santander Totta
11. Co-investigator; "Selective oxidation of renewable organic substrates"; PTDC/EQU-ERQ/101456/2008; I&DT/FCT

Cooperation

• KotulskaLab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland.
• Organic Chemistry-Inspired Design and Synthesis of bioactive molecules team integrated in LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Portugal.
• Biomimetic Systems Research Group, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Hungary.

Publications

​

​​