Danowski’s Group

Group Leader:

Dr Eng. Wojciech Danowski

Permanent Staff:

Dr Katarzyna Sęktas

PhD Students:

MSc. Piotr Cieciórski

Students:

Szymon Szymański
Natalia Skałecka
Kacper Rakowski

Visiting Students:

Jakub Krajnik

The central philosophy underpinning our research is the belief that the functionality of a responsive material arises not merely from its composition, but from the deliberate and precise design of molecular motion occurring in concert with the geometric deformations of the surrounding material framework. By examining how molecular dynamics are orchestrated across varying spatial and temporal length scales, we aim to uncover the fundamental mechanisms that drive emergent behavior and amplify the influence of embedded molecules on macroscopic properties. This approach ultimately enables the development of advanced materials with programmable and adaptive functionalities.

Molecular Machines in Motion – We design and synthesize new scaffolds for molecular machines that perform various tasks and exhibit a diverse range of motions.

Next-Gen Motor Scaffolds – We pioneer new molecular motor architectures and optimize existing designs to expand the toolbox of light-driven molecular machinery.

Adaptive Porous Materials – We design and synthesize next-generation photoresponsive materials based on MOF, COF, and HOF scaffolds, unlocking new functionalities through light activation.

Tailored Architectures – Our strive to develop simple and accessible synthetic strategies for porous materials with morphologies tailored to specific applications.

Light-Orthogonal Systems – Our ongoing work on light-responsive copolymers is generating an ever-growing family of systems that respond selectively to specific wavelengths of light, enabling multifunctional behavior in porous materials.

FerroTWIST | Light-Driven Molecular Motion with Ferroelectric Twist
PI: W. Danowski
2025-2028, 2.449.760 PLN
Sonata 20, (2024/55/D/ST5/01688), National Science Centre

Porous Organic Crystals in the Spotlight – Development and Applications
PI: W. Danowski
2024-2027, 1.123.200 PLN
Polish Returns 2023, (BPN/PPO/2023/1/00014), National Agency for Academic Exchange

Porous Organic Crystals in the Spotlight – Development and Applications
PI: W. Danowski
2024-2026, 200.000 PLN
Research Component, (2024/03/1/ST5/00003), National Science Centre

Shining new light on photoresponsive polymers: orthogonal molecular photoswitches for the construction of functional polymeric materials
PI: P. Cieciórski
2024-2027, 210.000 PLN
Preludium 22, (2023/49/N/ST5/01864), National Science Centre

LA2DCOFS – Light-Addressable 2D Covalent-Organic Framework Semiconductors
PI: W. Danowski
2022-2023, 184.708 EUR
MSCA-IF-2020 – Individual Fellowships, (ID: 101027639), H2020, EU

• Prof. Ben L. Feringa
  University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
• Prof. Paolo Samori
  Univeristy of Strasbourg (France)
• Prof. Bettina V. Lotsch
  Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research (Germany)
• Prof. Angiolina Comotti
  University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy)
• Prof. Paweł W. Majewski
  Centre of Biological and Chemical Research, UW (Poland)
• Dr. Simon Krause
  Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research (Germany)
• Dr. Joanna Jankowska
  University of Warsaw (Poland)