The Vice-Rector's Award for Excellent Results in Doctoral Studies also goes to the Faculty of Pharmacy

"We would like to sincerely thank the Vice-Rector for this award; we are very pleased to receive it. This award confirms that we are heading in the right direction in our research, which motivates us to continue in our development. 

Since 2015, our team has focused primarily on the asymmetric α functionalization of enols and enolates – that is, the introduction of chemical groups into specific positions of molecules with a precisely defined spatial arrangement. To do this, we use small molecule catalysis (asymmetric organocatalysis), which is one of the most dynamically developing methods in modern synthetic chemistry.

These reactions enable the preparation of enantiomerically pure chiral molecules, which are key in pharmaceuticals, cosmetology, agrochemistry, and other fields. This is crucial because in biological systems, the individual mirror images of substances often behave differently – one enantiomer may be an effective drug, while the other may be ineffective or even harmful.

In the laboratory and industrial production of active and auxiliary substances, asymmetric organocatalysis makes it possible to reduce the number of production steps, improve product purity, and eliminate the risk of metal contamination, which is particularly important for pharmaceuticals. These methods are currently used in the industrial production of paroxetine, oseltamivir, and darunavir, for example.

Asymmetric organocatalysis is therefore an example of how even small organic molecules can have a huge impact on our everyday lives. It enables the production of structurally defined building blocks or bioactive substances for medicines, cosmetics, and agriculture in a safer, cleaner, and more sustainable way than ever before.

Our work that led to this award includes:

Among our work that led to receiving this award, we can mention:

- Development of Asymmetric Organocatalyzed Friedel–Crafts Reaction of Trihaloacetaldehydes, where we were the only ones in the 37 years since its discovery to succeed in creating a fully organocatalytic version.

- Pioneering work in the field of Asymmetric Organocatalyzed Transfer Hydroxymethylation of Isoindolinones Using Formaldehyde Surrogates​s – substances that circumvent the limitations of traditional formaldehyde sources.

And because our research in this field is still growing, we are also looking for enthusiastic students who would like to join us and participate in discovering new molecular strategies with a real impact on pharmacy and cosmetics."