Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PD2PI (From Postdoc to PI: Future leaders of ERA)
Reporting period: 2021-11-01 to 2024-10-31
The overall objective of the PD2PI project was to train a new generation of scientists (Experienced Researchers, ER) – independent leaders and managers capable of working in both business and academia while acting as catalysts and intermediaries in international knowledge and technology transfer. The PD2PI project provided an international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary postdoctoral programme for ERs, combining chemistry, physics, materials science/engineering, biotechnology, and related fields with soft and transferable skills training.
As part of PD2PI, 15 outstanding and highly motivated experienced researchers were recruited to the programme. After their enrolment, they conducted interdisciplinary research projects while participating in a tailor-made training programme. The training programme was personalised to each participant through an Individual Career Plan, combining specialised scientific courses with hands-on experience, including business-oriented training. It also encompassed conferences, scientific seminars, and practical training in instrumentation and soft skills workshops. During their stay at IChF, the PD2PI fellows received support from two mentors (including one scientist from IChF and one supervisor from a leading foreign research institution). Many gained additional experience by supervising and mentoring MSc students who collaborated on the project.
The research and training strategy adopted within the PD2PI project ensured the development of researchers qualified to work in the European business sector and scientists who could act as intermediaries between academia and industry.
As part of PD2PI, 15 outstanding and highly motivated experienced researchers were recruited to the programme. After their enrolment, they conducted interdisciplinary research projects while participating in a tailor-made training programme. The training programme was personalised to each participant through an Individual Career Plan, combining specialised scientific courses with hands-on experience, including business-oriented training. It also encompassed conferences, scientific seminars, and practical training in instrumentation and soft skills workshops. During their stay at IChF, the PD2PI fellows received support from two mentors (including one scientist from IChF and one supervisor from a leading foreign research institution). Many gained additional experience by supervising and mentoring MSc students who collaborated on the project.
The research and training strategy adopted within the PD2PI project ensured the development of researchers qualified to work in the European business sector and scientists who could act as intermediaries between academia and industry.
From the beginning of the project, all actions were according to the plan. The most important step towards adequately implementing the PD2PI project was the recruitment of the PD2PI fellows. As a result of the recruitment process under a single call, we have selected fifteen top-scoring postdoctoral fellows. The selection proceedings followed the principles underlying the provisions of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct in the recruitment of the researchers. In particular, the recruitment was open, transparent and based on merits and involved international experts from external research units who also have experience in the business sector.
Apart from the successful recruitment of ERs for PD2PI, we have implemented the following actions:
• gaining additional, complementary funds from the Polish Ministry of Education and Science to supplement the EU contribution to the PD2PI project
• carrying out research within the fifteen research projects proposed by successful candidates
• formulation of fifteen Individual Career Development Plans
• implementation of the PD2PI training programme encompassing a series of lectures on the cutting edge of science (linking biology, medicine, physics, chemistry) as well as courses on transferable knowledge & soft skills (e.g. IPR, career planning, scientific writing, communication and presentation skills)
• dissemination and exploitation of the ERs’ research results - activities in this area include establishing and running the PD2PI website, press and social media releases, active participation of fellows in 51 scientific conferences and publication of 54 articles with an open access status
• preparing the individual ethics clearance reports by PD2PI fellows in collaboration with their mentors.
Apart from the successful recruitment of ERs for PD2PI, we have implemented the following actions:
• gaining additional, complementary funds from the Polish Ministry of Education and Science to supplement the EU contribution to the PD2PI project
• carrying out research within the fifteen research projects proposed by successful candidates
• formulation of fifteen Individual Career Development Plans
• implementation of the PD2PI training programme encompassing a series of lectures on the cutting edge of science (linking biology, medicine, physics, chemistry) as well as courses on transferable knowledge & soft skills (e.g. IPR, career planning, scientific writing, communication and presentation skills)
• dissemination and exploitation of the ERs’ research results - activities in this area include establishing and running the PD2PI website, press and social media releases, active participation of fellows in 51 scientific conferences and publication of 54 articles with an open access status
• preparing the individual ethics clearance reports by PD2PI fellows in collaboration with their mentors.
Achieving the objectives outlined in the PD2PI project significantly advanced the state of the art and shaped the socio-economic landscape in multiple ways. The project aimed to develop a new generation of highly qualified scientists capable of working in the academic and business sectors while also serving as intermediaries in the international transfer of knowledge and technology.
PD2PI focused on recruiting postdoctoral researchers to conduct interdisciplinary research projects at the forefront of modern science, integrating chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and materials science. The research fields within PD2PI were aligned with key strategies underpinning H2020, as well as regional and national priorities, including SMART specializations such as Healthy Society; Circular Economy; Bio-economy agri-food, forestry, and environment; Innovative Technologies & Industrial Processes; and Sustainable Energy.
Recruiting ambitious, highly skilled, and accomplished scientists greatly elevated IChF’s research capabilities and broadened its collaborative network, reinforcing its role as a driver of innovation within regional and national economies. The project fostered dynamic partnerships with prestigious academic institutions, including École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lancaster University, Comenius University in Bratislava, the University of Regensburg, the University of Tokyo, and numerous others. Within the framework of PD2PI, in synergy with IChF, the fellows also engaged with distinguished industry leaders such as Fluid-Screen, Scope Fluidics, and Fluence, further bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world applications.
Several concepts developed by PD2PI fellows during their fellowship also hold potential applications in industrial and medical solutions. This includes:
• providing a comprehensive theoretical framework for the photoisomerization reactions of retinoids, which can contribute to developing novel therapeutic agents for hereditary eye diseases
• reporting of the first neutral organic catalyst that transfers enantioselectivity via halogen bonds, opening up new, unexplored possibilities in synthesis
• developing a method for quantitative measurements of photogenerated oxygen, crucial for investigating the impact of local dopants on photocatalytic efficiency
• developing a new synthesis method in line with green chemistry principles, which involved modifying the Fenton reaction to produce thin polymeric pedot layers at the liquid-liquid interface
• inventing three-dimensional cell culture methods with multimodal detection, offering potential applications in drug development and regenerative medicine
• developing more sensitive biosensors and advancing our understanding of electric charge behaviour in environments with statistically small charge numbers
• creating new synthesis pathways for bi- and multi-metallic dichalcogenides, eliminating the need for solvents
• advancements in sustainable inorganic synthesis and oxygen electrocatalytic reactions on non-precious metal catalysts, showing promise for significant progress in energy and environmental technologies
• the development of a silica-based aggregate carrier for enzyme immobilization in catalysis, with potential applications in medicine
• better understanding of the stability of perovskite-based solar cells, which are vital for their future commercialization and widespread use.
The research carried out under the PD2PI project transcended the academic realm, demonstrating good commercialization potential. The fellows and their collaborators will continue to develop and refine these pioneering concepts, further driving innovation and real-world applications.
PD2PI focused on recruiting postdoctoral researchers to conduct interdisciplinary research projects at the forefront of modern science, integrating chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and materials science. The research fields within PD2PI were aligned with key strategies underpinning H2020, as well as regional and national priorities, including SMART specializations such as Healthy Society; Circular Economy; Bio-economy agri-food, forestry, and environment; Innovative Technologies & Industrial Processes; and Sustainable Energy.
Recruiting ambitious, highly skilled, and accomplished scientists greatly elevated IChF’s research capabilities and broadened its collaborative network, reinforcing its role as a driver of innovation within regional and national economies. The project fostered dynamic partnerships with prestigious academic institutions, including École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lancaster University, Comenius University in Bratislava, the University of Regensburg, the University of Tokyo, and numerous others. Within the framework of PD2PI, in synergy with IChF, the fellows also engaged with distinguished industry leaders such as Fluid-Screen, Scope Fluidics, and Fluence, further bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world applications.
Several concepts developed by PD2PI fellows during their fellowship also hold potential applications in industrial and medical solutions. This includes:
• providing a comprehensive theoretical framework for the photoisomerization reactions of retinoids, which can contribute to developing novel therapeutic agents for hereditary eye diseases
• reporting of the first neutral organic catalyst that transfers enantioselectivity via halogen bonds, opening up new, unexplored possibilities in synthesis
• developing a method for quantitative measurements of photogenerated oxygen, crucial for investigating the impact of local dopants on photocatalytic efficiency
• developing a new synthesis method in line with green chemistry principles, which involved modifying the Fenton reaction to produce thin polymeric pedot layers at the liquid-liquid interface
• inventing three-dimensional cell culture methods with multimodal detection, offering potential applications in drug development and regenerative medicine
• developing more sensitive biosensors and advancing our understanding of electric charge behaviour in environments with statistically small charge numbers
• creating new synthesis pathways for bi- and multi-metallic dichalcogenides, eliminating the need for solvents
• advancements in sustainable inorganic synthesis and oxygen electrocatalytic reactions on non-precious metal catalysts, showing promise for significant progress in energy and environmental technologies
• the development of a silica-based aggregate carrier for enzyme immobilization in catalysis, with potential applications in medicine
• better understanding of the stability of perovskite-based solar cells, which are vital for their future commercialization and widespread use.
The research carried out under the PD2PI project transcended the academic realm, demonstrating good commercialization potential. The fellows and their collaborators will continue to develop and refine these pioneering concepts, further driving innovation and real-world applications.