Alumni

Hua grew up in Taichung, Taiwan. In 2011, she obtained her master’s degree at National Taiwan University (NTU) where she worked in Prof. Tien-Yau Luh’s lab on the development of the first polynorbornene-based double-stranded ladderphanes with macrocyclic metallic linkers. Later, she worked in industry where she developed and modified thermoplastic polyurethane. In May 2018, she joined Tomáš Šolomek at the University of Basel, Switzerland, as a PhD candidate. Her research focused on synthesis, photochemistry and porosity of chiral redox-active covalent organic cages. Hua defended her thesis successully in June 2022 and works now in the chemical industry in Basel. In her spare time, Hua very much enjoys adventures to Swiss mountains, jogging, and eating.

Hua was our first group's graduate finishing successfully her PhD in late spring 2022. Big congratulations! Hua has been probing companies around Basel finding one that fulfils her expectations. That's how it should be done, you choose who you wish to work for. 

Juraj comes from Prievidza, a small town in Slovakia. His career as a chemist started when he represented Slovakia at 44th and 45th International Chemistry Olympiads in Washington and Moscow. In 2013, he joined University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT) in Prague and graduated there as a Master of Science in Organic Chemistry (2018). At UCT in Prague, he worked in Svoboda-Kohout research group on photoswitchable liquid crystals and stationary phases for high performance liquid chromatography. In September 2018, Juraj  joined the group and worked on new topologies of carbon nanohoops at the University of Basel. Juraj moved in July 2023 rejoining the group at the University of Amsterdam as a postdoctoral scholar. Outside the lab, he loves computer games, dank memes, metal music, history, and enjoys a good party or hiking.

Juraj was the group's second graduate student at the University of Basel finishing his PhD successfully in January 2023. Big congrats!

Sergey was born in Russia in a small town close to Wolgograd. At the age of four he moved to Germany. He studied Chemistry at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin where he obtained his master´s degree in 2021. His chemical career started in inorganic chemistry during an internship under the supervision of Prof. Limberg where he later also did his Bachelor thesis. After he broadened his knowledge in spectroscopy in the group of Prof. J. Kneipp and Dr. Z. Heiner in cooperation with School of Analytical Sciences Adlershof in Berlin, he developed a passion for organic chemistry, which motivated him for his research and Master thesis project on carbon nanohoops in the lab of Dr. Oliver Dumele. His interest in physical-organic chemistry led him to join our group in July 2021 as a PhD student. Outside the lab, Sergey very much enjoys cooking, swimming, and spending time outdoors and with animals.

We have the first triplet! Sergey is the third graduate student of the group who finished successfully. Started in Bern, but defended in Amsterdam. Congratulations, Sergey!

Cristian grew up in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat near Barcelona. In 2011, he joined the Organic Materials group at the University of Barcelona, where he graduated as a Master of Science in Organic Chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Velasco. There, his research focused on blue luminescent and ambipolar materials for the application in organic electronic devices. For his PhD, he joined the Molecular and Supramolecular Materials group at the POLYMAT institute in San Sebastian, Spain.  He graduated as a doctor of chemistry from the University of the Basque Country (2017, summa cum laude) and continued his research in the design of organic semiconductors by supramolecular chemistry and fabrication organic thin film transistors. In 2018, he joined the group as a postdoctoral researcher focusing on three-dimensional photo- and redox-active macrocycles and polymers, the latter funded by an SNF Spark grant. In his free time, Cristian likes to travel, especially to Jarafuel (his village in Valencia). He also enjoys playing videogames and tennis. Cristian concluded his postdoctoral stay in our group in March 2021 and is now working in the chemical industry in Switzerland.

Sudhakar earned his BSc (2004) and MSc (2006) degrees in Organic Chemistry from the Shivaji University, Kolhapur (India). After one-year training in Process R&D at Ranbaxy Research Laboratories (India), he completed Industrial Placement Studentship (2007–2008) in Medicinal Chemistry at GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage (UK) through UK-India Education & Research Initiative. The studentship at GSK fueled his passion to continue New Drug Discovery Research. Subsequently, he moved back to India and worked as a Research Scientist at Advinus Therapeutics (2009–2011). In 2011, he received Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst scholarship and in 2018 received a PhD degree in Chemistry under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Michael Schmittel at the Universität Siegen, Germany (thesis: Multi-State Nanoswitches and Switchable Catalysis in Multi-Component Systems). In 2018–2020, he was a postdoctoral scholar at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München with Prof. Dr. Ivan Huc. In Munich, he synthesized various helical aromatic oligoamides and studied their molecular recognition of complex molecules. In March 2020, he joined the group and investigated new donor-acceptor carbon nanohoops. In early 2021, Sudhakar was awarded prestigious Ramanujan Fellowship, which allowed him to return to India and start his independent research in August 2021. Outside work, Sudhakar likes to watch sci-fi series and films. He also loves to do photography during travelling.  

Adriano grew up in Basel but did his BSc in Chemistry at ETH Zurich. There he joined the group of Prof. Altmann and worked on the total synthesis of Salirin C. After his studies in Zurich, he returned to Basel and worked in Belenos Clean Power Holding Ltd. formulating novel carbon-coated cathode materials for coin and pouch batteries. In 2018, Adriano started his MSc studies at the University of Basel. Before he joined the group to work on his Masterabreit, he did a training on advanced NMR-spectroscopy with PD Daniel Häussinger. Adriano's thesis focused on the synthesis of a new type of carbon nanohoops. His time with the group was, according to his words, marked by dynamic decision-making and close mentoring by all members regarding the practical work, presentation skills, and scientific writing. Outside the lab, Adriano loves listening to (even weird) music. He successfully defended his thesis in November 2019. Thank you, Adriano, for your great work and lots of fun in the lab, which, fortunately, will continue because Adriano started his PhD journey in the group of Prof. Marcel Mayor (Uni Basel) in January 2020.

Luise was born and raised near Munich, Germany. After graduation, she started studying chemistry and biochemistry in 2014 at the Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität in Munich. During an internship in her master’s degree in chemistry with Prof. Henry Dube, she investigated the effects of the incorporation of a molecular tweezer into a catalytic system. Thereby she discovered her passion and interest in supramolecular organic chemistry. In an another internship with Prof. Veinot at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, she worked on the surface functionalization of silicon nanoparticles. In her time off the lab, she very much enjoys sports, nature, meeting friends, traveling, and cooking. Luise successfully defended her thesis in October 2021 and stayed with us another two months pushing her project forward. Although we were sad to see her go, she started a new adventure in the group of Prof. Marcel Mayor (Uni Basel) as a PhD student in December 2021. Thank you Luise for all the great work, lots of learning on both sides and the great deal of fun :-)

Gianna is from Graubünden canton in Switzerland. She moved to Bern and did her BSc in biochemistry at the University of Bern. She then had a change of heart and wished to explore the beauties of synthetic organic chemistry, which lead to her join the group for her final project in the MSc in Chemistry. She is pursuing her dream to be a wonderful teacher. Aside from science, Gianna enjoys learning languages, playing sudoku and watching math videos. 

Simon is from Switzerland and did his BSc in chemistry at the University of Bern. He fancied tackling the challenges in the filed of covalent organic cages and wished to explore the possibilities to synthesize heteroleptic organic cages with unprecedent selectivity, which lead him join the group for his final project in the MSc in Chemistry.

Noah grew up in a rural village in the Emmental Valley in Switzerland. During his Bachelor's studies, he came into contact with members of the Šolomek Group and their exciting research. Those encounters sparked his interest to start pursuing the interdisciplinary fields of physical-organic chemistry. One thing led to another, and he eventually joined the group for his Bachelor thesis on the synthesis of precursors for covalent organic cages. He did not resist the opportunity to follow the group to the Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences at the University of Amsterdam, to work on the synthesis of heteroleptic covalent organic cages within the scope of his Master thesis.  After a long day in the lab, you may very well find Noah outdoors running his laps in the parks of Amsterdam, taking his bike out for a spin, overcoming climbing challenges on boulders, cooking/eating lots of food, or playing the occasional game of chess.

The sporty spirit of Noah let him run smoothly to a new endeavour at the University of Zurich joining the group of our beloved friend Michal Juríček to pursue his PhD. Farewell, Noah, we are convinced that you will thrive there and that we see each other again.