Nanoscale & Nanoscale Advances Blog

Eoghan Courtney is a synthetic organic chemistry PhD student in University College Dublin (UCD). He received his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from UCD in 2023, graduating at the top of his class and receiving the Hugh Ryan Memorial Medal. Under the supervision of Prof. Pat Guiry, his research focuses on the design of axially chiral P,N- ligands and their application in asymmetric catalysis.

Enrique Lozano-Sanchez is completing his PhD in Biotechnology at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), working under the supervision of Dr. José-Antonio Daròs, leader of the Plant Virus Biotechnology group at IBMCP (CSIC-UPV). His research focuses on the design of plant virus-derived nanoparticles for nanomedicine purposes. His work integrates synthetic virology, molecular biology and protein-based nanomaterials, combining recombinant viruses with nanobodies to develop novel platforms for biotechnology purposes such as cancer targeting, diagnostic reagent and SARS-CoV-2 neutralization

Przemyslaw Pula is an Assistant at the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, and a final-year PhD candidate at the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, UW. He holds a Master’s degree in Nanostructure Engineering from the Faculty of Physics, UW. My research focuses on block copolymers, with particular emphasis on their self-assembly behavior and templating capabilities within the fields of polymer chemistry and nanotechnology. As presented at the Nanoseries conference, I investigate a scalable, one-step synthesis strategy for fabricating metal oxide nanowires, later used for the fabrication of functional core-shell nanostructures with enhanced capabilities for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Rajesh Chennuboina is currently pursuing a PhD in Materials Science and Technology at the University of Genoa, Italy. His research focuses on 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs), particularly MoS₂ and WS₂. He is mainly involved in the growth, fabrication, and nano-structuring of 2D TMDs, with a special emphasis on studying their interaction with light for light-harvesting and optoelectronic applications.

Nurrahmi Handayani is a lecturer and researcher at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Indonesia. Her work focuses on analytical chemistry, particularly in developing functional materials like Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs), nanomaterials, and electrochemical sensors for environmental and biomedical applications. She is especially interested in sustainable and green chemistry approaches and enjoys collaborating with others to find creative solutions to analytical challenges.

Dr. Mone’t Sawyer is a biomedical scientist and recent Ph.D. graduate from Boise State University, where she conducted her doctoral research in the Advanced Nanomaterials Manufacturing Laboratory under the mentorship of Dr. David Estrada. Her work sits at the interface of nanotechnology, biofabrication, and regenerative medicine, with a specific focus on electroactive bioscaffolds for tissue engineering.

Dr. Sawyer’s research explores how nanoscale material properties can be leveraged to direct stem cell behavior and drive tissue regeneration. She developed and patented custom bioreactor systems capable of delivering scaffold-coupled electrical stimulation to three-dimensional cultures, uncovering new insights into how biophysical cues influence matrix formation, gene expression, and mechanical properties. Her interdisciplinary work combines advanced materials characterization, proteomics, and mechanobiology to address longstanding challenges in musculoskeletal repair.

Taieesa Peshkovsky (ETH Zurich)

Poster Prize Winner

Taieesa is a second year PhD student at ETH Zurich, in the Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces under Prof. Dr. Lucio Isa. Her research focuses on using a custom built Fabry-Pérot interferometer for 2-dimentional imaging of refractive index in systems lacking optical contrast. By leveraging the phase shift of light she can quantitatively visualize concentration gradients and diffusive processes, and she aims to apply the technology to better understand the propulsion of active colloids as well as intercellular signalling. Prior to her PhD, Taieesa acquired her MSc degree from Wageningen University where she did a thesis project in the group of Prof. Dr. Joris Sprakel on mechanobiology. Taieesa also did an internship in biophysics in the group of Prof. Dr. Léa-Lætitia Pontani in Laboratoire Jean Perrin at Sorbonne Univeristé.

Christina Puijk (University College London)

Poster Prize Winner

Christina obtained her Master’s degree in Chemistry from Nottingham Trent University in 2018, where her research focused on the synthesis, characterisation, and application of nanoparticles. She went on to work in industry for several years, specialising in the continuous flow synthesis of nanomaterials for a variety of applications. Christina is now pursuing a PhD at University College London under the supervision of Dr Guido Bolognesi. Her research investigates microfluidic approaches for the characterisation and separation of colloidal particles in continuous flows by utilising the chemical energy stored in electrolyte solutions. The project combines elements of colloid and interface science, physical chemistry, and materials science for use in diagnostic applications