Vinci RELOADED Interdisciplinary International Silesian Summer School 2026

Chemistry

During the Vinci RELOAD Interdisciplinary, International, Silesian Summer School 2026 you will get the chance to learn: about designed smart polymeric materials for biomedical applications, materials as infrared emitters operating within telecommunication windows; to explain phase changes occurring in nature, how mechanical energy can be harvested, stored and converted into electrical energy, about the importance of green technologies related to renewable resources and how nature-derived design principles can guide the development of innovative catalytic methodologies. You will become familiar with the most important issues of chemometrics and instrumental analytical methods in the final determination of the quality of food, pharmaceutical products and in physicochemical forensic examinations.

You will build vital skills essential in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical and materials industries, design and carry out individual research projects under the supervision of tutors, learn about the specifics of research work and the latest scientific research conducted in the Institute of Chemistry and work with the use of modern instrumental analytical methods such as: scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF, µ-XRF, TXRF), UV-VIS and Raman spectroscopy, chromatographic methods (HPTLC).

The school’s program includes classes in English with the following elements:

basic lecture interdisciplinary lecture online lectures specialist workshops

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Basic lectures (15 hours + 15 hours of self-work)

A summer school student is required to attend all lectures in his or her primary discipline

Towards rational design of effective metal-based emitters and photosensitizers

Transition metal complexes that exhibit enhanced absorption in the visible spectral region, high intersystem crossing (ISC) efficiency, and extended triplet excited-state lifetimes are highly promising candidates for use as photosensitizers. Such systems are particularly advantageous for applications in photocatalysis, photodynamic therapy (for generation of singlet oxygen or reactive oxygen species, ROS), and triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA UC) where low-energy light is converted into light of higher energy. Recent studies have shown that prolonging excited-state lifetimes in transition metal complexes can be achieved through population of triplet ligand-centered (³LC) states or formation of intraligand charge-transfer (³ILCT) states. In practice, this is accomplished by incorporating -conjugated organic chromophores that possess long-lived non-emissive triplet states, as well as by introducing strong electron-donating organic substituents. This lecture will highlight correlations between ligand structural features and the resulting photophysical properties of transition metal complexes, with particular emphasis on their potential utility in aforementioned modern technologies.

Physical chemistry around us

We'll learn why something warm has a higher temperature than something cold. Why we constantly have to clean our room and it's always a mess. We all know the phase transitions from our daily experiences of boiling water or watching an ice-cream melt on a hot day. Thanks to this, we begin to understand that there are different phases of matter and that, under the right conditions, matter can change phase, in which its properties change in a distinct and easily visible way. In this brief introduction, we consider the similarities and dissimilarities between phase transitions, and in particular how they are identified despite their sometimes exotic and different nature. We will analyze the phase diagram of water, carbon dioxide, tin. We will find and explain phase transitions around us and related effects. We will answer the following questions: How does a pressure cooker work? Why do we feel cold when we get out of the shower? Why are we ice skating and why can we throw snowballs? How can you get decaffeinated coffee? How is "Smoke" made in horror movies? We will describe the eruption of a geyser and much more. We will learn that physical chemistry is useful in managing companies, i.e. there will be a few words about systems thinking.

Green Innovation Frontiers: Sustainable Resources and Technologies in Modern Chemistry

Sustainable chemistry is rapidly transforming how modern materials, chemicals, and energy carriers are produced. This lecture examines innovative green technologies that replace fossil-based routes with renewable resources, including biomass, agricultural residues, CO₂, and lignocellulosic waste. Natural feedstocks enable the creation of valuable compounds, from bioplastics and biodiesel to vanillin and alkyl levulinates, while also supporting the biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles through clean, plant-based methods. Central attention is given to greener solvents—including supercritical CO₂, deep eutectic solvents, and bio-derived alternatives—that significantly reduce the environmental footprint compared to traditional options like THF or toluene. We will discuss challenges such as resource stability, energy efficiency, and competition with the food sector, alongside emerging applications in UV-shielding lignin composites, nanostructured sensors, microwave-assisted synthesis, and hydrate-based desalination. The lecture highlights how these technologies contribute to shaping a circular, low-carbon future for the chemical engineering industry.

Analytical Chemist as a Forensic Expert

An analytical chemist serving as a forensic expert is responsible for the reliable examination of evidence using advanced instrumental analytical methods. Their role involves not only the identification and comparison of trace materials or chemical substances, but also the proper interpretation of results in the context of the forensic question, taking into account measurement uncertainty and methodological limitations. The expert’s opinion becomes a key component in the decision-making process of law enforcement and the judicial system. During the lecture, students will become familiar with:

• the basic concepts and objectives of applying instrumental analytical methods in physicochemical forensic examinations;
• instrumental analytical methods used in forensic laboratories for the analysis of evidential samples, with particular emphasis on the problem of trace evidence analysis, by a) scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), b) X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF, µ-XRF), c) microspectrophotometry in the UV-VIS range (MSP), d) infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), e) Raman spectroscopy, f) chromatographic methods;
• the fundamental issues related to the interpretation of the evidential value of various types of data obtained in forensic laboratories, with particular emphasis on the likelihood ratio test.

Surface Engineering in Energy Conversion

The energetic performance of materials is strongly influenced by their surface properties and chemical composition. Key surface characteristics—roughness, functionalization, and charge distribution—govern interfacial interactions, charge-transfer efficiency, and energy dissipation, particularly in materials used for energy harvesting, storage, and conversion. Increased surface roughness can enlarge the contact area in triboelectric systems, enhancing charge generation, while specific functional groups modify the work function and electron affinity. At the compositional level, dopants, nanofillers, and tailored molecular structures can adjust the dielectric constant, electrical conductivity, and polarization behavior, all of which are critical for optimizing energy performance. This lecture will address these aspects through the following topics:

• Fundamentals of surface and interface properties
• Surface treatment methods
• Techniques for measuring surface properties
• Electrical properties influenced by surface engineering

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Interdisciplinary lecture (3 hours + 3 hours of self-work)

Fundamentals of characterization and synthesis of Polymers - Prof. Kamil Kamiński
An analytical chemist serving as a forensic expert is responsible for the reliable examination of evidence using advanced instrumental analytical methods. Their role involves not only the identification and comparison of trace materials or chemical substances, but also the proper interpretation of results in the context of the forensic question, taking into account measurement uncertainty and methodological limitations. The expert’s opinion becomes a key component in the decision-making process of law enforcement and the judicial system. During the lecture, students will become familiar with: the basic concepts and objectives of applying instrumental analytical methods in physicochemical forensic examinations; instrumental analytical methods used in forensic laboratories for the analysis of evidential samples, with particular emphasis on the problem of trace evidence analysis, by a) scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), b) X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF, µ-XRF), c) microspectrophotometry in the UV-VIS range (MSP), d) infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), e) Raman spectroscopy, f) chromatographic methods; the fundamental issues related to the interpretation of the evidential value of various types of data obtained in forensic laboratories, with particular emphasis on the likelihood ratio test.

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It is strongly recomended that you attend in all interdisciplinary lectures listed below across all four additional disciplines. It will be recognised with an extra certificate corresponding to 1 ECTS credit.

Computer Science

Data mining and storytelling - Magdalena Tkacz, PhD
As part of the first 3h block, the basic concepts of data mining will be introduced to students. Various data mining tasks will be highlighted and characterized. The Cross Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP) scheme will be presented. Issues related to data preprocessing will be discussed. Finally, methods for assessing the quality of data mining models will be presented.

SPIN-Lab Microscopic Centre

Capture natural state of living matter - electron microscopy in life science - Marcin Libera, PhD, Eng.
The lecture focuses on modern cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) techniques, with particular emphasis on sample preparation methods. It discusses key freezing strategies such as plunge freezing, high-pressure freezing, and slam freezing, along with approaches to fixation and rapid flash freezing of biological material. The lecture explains the importance of vitrification in protecting samples from electron beam damage and outlines the principles of low-dose microscopy. It also introduces the fundamentals of cryo-TEM tomography and the process of 3D reconstruction from tilt-series images. Overall, the session provides a comprehensive overview of techniques that enable high-resolution structural analysis while preserving the native state of specimens.

Materials Science and Engineering

Material secrets - can silly questions lead to brilliant answers? - Sylwia Golba, PhD, Eng. Assoc. Prof. and Magdalena Szklarska, PhD
One plus one makes two. And when something falls, it breaks. But does it always? Do you ever find yourself questioning the unquestionable? Wondering (even quietly) if it really makes sense? Sometimes you just want to do it your way and see what happens if... So we'll do it our way. We'll ask plenty of less-than-serious and more-than-serious questions. And we'll see if it actually... works. Maybe in a "stupid" question there's a seed of wisdom? Come and find out. Because in materials engineering, that's exactly how discoveries begin -- when we test what "everyone knows," look closer at cracks, strengths, and surprises hidden in matter itself. Sometimes it's the unexpected question that leads to a new material, a better design, or a smarter solution.

Physics

Applications of physics in medicine and pharmacology - Prof. Armand Cholewka and Anna Mrozek-Wilczkiewicz, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof.
What is medical physics? What are the responsibilities of a medical physicist in therapy and medical imaging diagnostics? A brief description of selected diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. What is the future of medical physics? The lecture will include demonstrations utilizing selected medical devices. The lecture will presents the latest trends in the study of potential anticancer drugs. The topic of stages of research on new drugs will be discussed, with emphasis on the problem of in vivo testing. Moreover, the basic methods of toxicity testing of new substances and methods of verification of the obtained results will be presented. In the next part, other more advanced techniques (such as Western Blot, flow cytometry, PCR) allowing to determine the mechanism of anticancer activity will be presented. This will be followed by a discussion of the problems of selectivity of cytostatics to healthy tissue and methods to improve these parameters.

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Online lecture (4 hours + 4 hours of self-work)

The lecture titled "Development of Selenium Based Catalysis and In continuos biocatalaysis for novel green alternative technologies" will be delivered by a world-renowned expert professor  Claudio Santi from University of Perugia, Italy.

Development of Selenium Based Catalysis and In continuos biocatalaysis for novel green alternative technologies

This four-lecture series explores the principles and applications of bio-inspired and biomimetic catalysis, with a particular focus on selenium-based catalytic systems and modern biocatalytic strategies. Lecture 1 introduces the fundamental concepts of catalytic processes involving selenium, highlighting its unique redox behavior, mechanistic versatility, and relevance to natural selenoenzymes. Lecture 2 examines synthetic applications inspired by biological systems, showcasing how selenium catalysts can mimic enzymatic function to drive selective oxidations, reductions, and group-transfer reactions. Lecture 3 extends these concepts to the valorization of biomass, discussing selenium-mediated oxidative transformations of lignocellulosic substrates and their potential for sustainable chemical production. Lecture 4 focuses on the integration of biocatalysis with continuous-flow technologies, outlining how flow systems enhance selectivity, efficiency, and catalyst stability in both enzymatic and biomimetic processes. Together, the lectures provide a comprehensive overview of how nature-derived design principles can guide the development of innovative, sustainable catalytic methodologies.

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Specialist workshops (30 hours + 30 hours of self-work + 10 hours to prepar a presentation for a closing seminar)

Workshops for research teams. Each candidate will declare their readiness to cooperate with a given research team at the recruitment stage, selecting an appropriate topic. These will be stationary classes carried out in modern research laboratories.

1. Ping-pong energy transfer in biscyclometalated  Ir(III) complexes
2. Analysis of active components of fermented kombucha type drinks
3. Development of alternative green and sustainable technologies for chemistry
4. Drugs in the Diamond Trap: High-Pressure Spectroscopic Studies of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
5. Energetic Behavior of Materials: The Role of Composition and Surface Characteristics
6. Study of properties of ionic liquids with carbon nanoparticles (ionanofluids) as heat transfer fluids"
7. In search of new solutions in optical technologies – analysis of the potential utility of selected materials as infrared emitters operating within telecommunication windows
8. Differential Scanning Calorimetry  (DSC) and Themogravimetry (TG) in practice - from theory to interpretation of results
9. X-ray Fluorescence analysis of food products
10. Multielemental analysis of tea and herbal infusions using Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (TXRF)
11. Imaging innovation for pharmaceutical quality control
12. Caffeine under the magnifying glass: Exploring methylxanthines in everyday foods
13. Beyond limits: designing intelligent polymers for next-generation biomedical materials
14. Exciting Nano world. Towards development of the unique nano drug delivery systems
15. Design of innovative polymer materials for new drug delivery systems