Group members

Group members

Group Leader

Dr. Calum Ferguson

Dr. Calum Ferguson

Calum Ferguson undertook an integrated Masters in Chemistry at The University of Edinburgh. He then attained his PhD from the University of Leeds, UK, in 2018. After the completion of his doctoral studies he joined the department of Physical Chemistry of Polymers at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPIP), working with Prof. Katharina Landfester and Prof. Kai Zhang. Early 2020, he started as a research group leader at MPIP. His research interests include controlled radical polymer synthesis, photocatalytic classical polymers, organic small molecule photocatalysts, and selective photocatalysis.

Post Doctoral Researcher

Dr. Seunghyeon  Kim

Dr. Seunghyeon Kim

Post Doc
Seunghyeon obtained degrees in chemical engineering, a B.S. (2016) at Seoul National University and a Ph.D. (2021) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the supervision of Prof. Hadley D. Sikes. During his Ph.D., he designed cascade photoredox catalysis reactions to achieve exponential photocatalyst amplification, and used this strategy to develop more sensitive photo-induced signal amplification methods for rapid diagonstic tests. In November 2021, he joined as a postdoctoral researcher the Ferguson group in the department of Prof. Landfester, focusing on designing cascade photoredox catalysis reactions at the interface of polymers for unconventional photocatalytic organic synthesis.
Dr. Marina Melchiors

Dr. Marina Melchiors

Post Doc
Marina obtained her doctoral degree in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Catarina – UFSC Brazil (2021), master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Catarina – UFSC Brazil (2017), and the degree in Food Engineering at the State University of Santa Catarina – UDESC Brazil (2015). During her Ph.D., she developed nanostructured polymeric systems based on Ring-Opening Polymerization (ROP) and Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain-Transfer (RAFT) polymerization. She undertook a research visit at the Max- Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung (MPIP) – Germany (2020-2021). In November 2021, she joined as a postdoctoral researcher in the Silva and Ferguson groups in the department of Prof. Landfester, focusing on developing of synthetic cell growth induced by in situ polymer synthesis.

PhD Students

Julian Heuer

Julian Heuer

Julian did his Bachelor in the Wiemhöfer group at the University of Münster, focusing on the in-situ polymerization of sustainable electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries in a cooperation project with FZ Jülich. He then undertook his Master’s thesis in Münster, working on supramolecular, thermoresponsive nanocarriers in the Ravoo group. During a research stay at the University of Nagoya, he came in contact with biochemistry. In December 2020 he started his PhD at the Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, working on selective photocatalysis in the Landfester department working in the Ferguson group.
Thomas Kuckhof

Thomas Kuckhof

Thomas studied chemistry at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. He joined Zhang group as doctoral candidate in summer 2019 later the Ferguson group in 2020. In his research, he focuses on the development of new heterogeneous photocatalytic systems by covalently integrating synthesized single photocatalytic moieties into polymer and glass based structures.
Rong Li

Rong Li

Rong did her Masters in the Schönherr group and Jonas group at the University of Siegen, focusing on the surface functionalization of titanium substrates via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and the synthesis of thermoresponsive polymeric supramolecules via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. She then completed her Master‘s thesis at Max Planck Institute for polymer research in the Blom department, working on the surface functionalization of 2D MXene flakes via ATRP. In July 2020, she joined the Ferguson group in the Landfester department at MPIP, working on the targeted pro-drug photo-activation.

Technicians

Angelika Manhart

Angelika Manhart

Visiting Researchers

Ines Adam Cervera

Ines Adam Cervera

Previous Group Members

  • Rocio Rodriguez, Visiting PhD (2022)
  • Wenxin Wei, PHD (2021)
  • Lenka Kotrchova, Visiting Post Doc (2021)
  • Niklas Huber, PhD (2021)
  • Marina Melchiors, Visiting PhD (2020)
  • Masis Sirim, Bachelor Student (2020)
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