Group Members

Staff

Marcin Stępień 🇵🇱

Professor, Principal Investigator

MSc 1999 University of Wrocław
PhD 2003 University of Wrocław

Marcin A. Majewski 🇵🇱

Research associate (adiunkt), NCN SONATA project leader

MSc 2014 University of Wrocław
PhD 2019 University of Wrocław

Marcin obtained his PhD for the synthesis and investigation of polyaromatic compounds with non-trivial geometries, such as macrocyclic hydrocarbons, followed by post-doc research concentrated on a novel, pi-extended pyrroles. Both projects were a result of over eight years of collaboration with prof. Marcin Stępień, Wrocław. He then went on to design porphyrin-based nano-architectures in the H. L. Anderson Group, Oxford, where he spent two years as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow. He is currently exploring new possibilities of using templates to create large, polyaromatic macrocycles. Outside of the lab, Marcin likes to get involved in scientific outreach, as well as explore architecture while travelling on city breaks (he's a licensed city guide of Wrocław).

Arseni Borissov 🇵🇱 🇷🇺

Research associate (adiunkt), NCN SONATA project leader

MSc 2014 University of Edinburgh
PhD 2019 University of Oxford

Arseni obtained a PhD for his research on new anion receptors for molecular recognition and organocatalysis (advisors: Paul D. Beer and Martin D. Smith). Currently working on the synthesis of diradicaloid nanocarbons, with additional focus on helicenes and photoswitchable molecules. Likes to run uphill and ski downhill. Finds black metal music relaxing.

Postdocs

Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat 🇮🇳

NCN OPUS postdoctoral fellow

MSc (hons.): 2015, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India
PhD 2023, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India

Ankit Kumar Gaur 🇮🇳

NCN OPUS postdoctoral fellow

Kundan Singh Mehra 🇮🇳

NCN SONATA postdoctoral fellow (PI Marcin Majewski)

MSc 2016, Kumaun University, Nainital, India
PhD 2024, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal (IISERB), India

Graduate students

Agata Wiencierz 🇵🇱

NCN OPUS graduate student

MSc 2021 Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław

Agata received her MSc degree for her work on the synthesis of polylactide depolymerization catalysts (with Prof. Jolanta Ejfler). She is currently synthesizing new types of open-shell nanocarbons. After hours, she likes learning languages (apart from English and Polish, she knows French and Italian, and now is focused on Korean).

Katarzyna Ślusarek 🇵🇱

NCN OPUS graduate student

MSc 2021 Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław

Kasia received her MSc degree for her work on the synthesis, properties and reactivity of selena-2,7-naphthiporphyrins (with dr hab. Bartosz Szyszko). Kasia is currently synthesizing new oligopyrrole-naphthalenimide hybrids.

Piotr Semanyszyn 🇵🇱

NCN OPUS graduate student

MSc 2022 Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław

Piotr obtained his MSc degree for work on the synthesis of expanded meso-substituted azuliporphyrinogens (with Dr. Natasza Sprutta). He is currently working on the synthesis of new open-shell nanocarbons.

Szymon Leśniewski 🇵🇱

NCN OPUS graduate student

MSc 2024 Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław

Jędrzej P. Perdek 🇵🇱

graduate student

MSc 2025 Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław

Jędrzej obtained his MSc degree for his work on the synthesis and skeletal editing of rotaxanes (with Prof. Bartosz Szyszko). He is currently working on organic oligoradicals displaying spin frustration.