Alumni
Former Graduate Students

Dr. Jan Boelke
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2017
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2017 - 2024
"Light-Controlled Mechanically Interlocked Molecules and Materials"
Now:
R&D Scientist at micro resist technology GmbH"

Dr. Christoph Jurissek
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2017
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2018 - 2023
"Controlling Dynamic Processes with Light"
Now:
R&D Scientist at micro resist technology GmbH"

Dr. Pauline Liesfeld
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2016
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2016 - 2022
"Torwards Light-Controlled Unidirectional Information Transport in Multiphotochromic Architectures"
Now:
Product Development at BioAnalyt GmbH

Dr. Dragos Mutruc
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2016
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2016 - 2022
"Dynamic Covalent Chemistry for Accelerated Photoswitch Discovery an Photoswitchable Core-Shell Metal-Organic Frameworks"
Now:

Dr. Christopher Knie
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2014
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2014 - 2019
"Light-Responsive Azobenzene-Based Architectures: From Large Macromolecular Aggregates to Small Zwitterions"
Now:

Dr. Yves Garmshausen
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2013
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2013 - 2019
"Photochromism of Arylazotetracyano
Now:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Research group of Prof. Stefan Hecht
HU Berlin, Germany

Dr. Fabian Eisenreich
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2014
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2014- 2018
"Photo-Guided Polimerizations-From photoswichable catalysis to 3D printing"
Now:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Research group of Prof. Bert Meijer
TU Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Dr. Michael Peter Kathan
M.Sc., FU Berlin, Germany, 2014
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2015- 2018
"Photoswitching Reactivity from remote-controlled to light-driven chemical systems"
Now:
Emmy Noether Group Leader
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Dr. Sebastian Fredrich
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2014
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2014- 2018
"Diarylethene Photoawitches Bearing Carbonyl Functionalities"
Now:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Research group of Prof Albert P.H.J. Schenning
TU Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Dr. Anne Fuhrmann
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2013
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2014- 2018
"Photocontrol over Thermally Healable Materials"
Now:

Dr. Johannes Gurke
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2013
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2013- 2018
"Protons and Photons - Interconnecting Photochemical and Acid-Base Equilibria"
Now:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Bioelectronics Laboratory of Prof. George Malliaras
University of Cambridge, UK

Dr. Michael Kleinwächter
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2012
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2013 - 2018
"Highly Constrained Dithienylethenes"
Now:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Research group of Prof. Gwénaël Rapenne
Centre d'Elaboration de Materiaux et d'Etudes Structurales (CEMES/CNRS)
Toulouse, France

Dr. Antti Alexander Senf
M.Sc., FU Berlin, Germany, 2012
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2012 - 2016
"Design and Synthesis of Photoswitchable Polymerization Catalysts"
Now:

Dr. Andreas Viertel
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2011
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2011 - 2015
"Molekulare Schaltkreise und Nanodrähte"
Now:
Staff Scientist
Persán (Sevilla/ Spain)

Dr. Martin Herder
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2010
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2010 - 2015
"Improving the Design of Diarylethene Photoswitches and their Exploitation as Remote-Controlled Building Blocks"
Now:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Research group of Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn
Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoleculaires (I.S.I.S.)
Strasbourg, France

Dr. Björn Kobin
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2011
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2011 - 2015
"Ladder-Type oligo-(p-Phenylene)s for Hybrid Optoelectronic Devices based on Resonant Energy Transfer"
Now:
Scientific Officer
Research group of Prof. Stefan Hecht
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Dr. Philipp Viehmann
Dipl.-Chem., Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany, 2009
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2010 - 2014
"Photoschaltbare Polymerisationen"
Now:
Staff Scientist
Kodak Graphics Communication GmbH

Dr. Robert Göstl
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2011
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2011 - 2014
"Photocontrolling the Diels-Alder Reaction"
Now:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Research group of Profs. Bert Meijer & Rint Sijbesma
TU Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Dr. Maria-Melanie Russew
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2009
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2009 - 2013
"Azobenzole für die E/Z-Isomerisierung durch Zweiphotonenanregung"
Now:
Staff Scientist
micro resist technology GmbH

Dr. Zhilin Yu
M.Sc., Nankai University, Tianjin, China, 2009
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2009 - 2013
"Oligo(azobenzene) Foldamer: Relationship Between Structure and Photoresponse"
Now:
Assistant Professor (tenure track)
Institute of Polymer Chemistry
College of Chemistry
Nankai University
Tianjin, China

Dr. Erik Johnsen
Dipl.-Chem., Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany, 2008
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2008 - 2012
"Novel Photoswitchable Catalysts Based on N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Dr. Volker Eberhardt
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2008
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2008 - 2012
"Molekulare Elektronik: Syntheseansätze für photomodulierbare Leiterstrukturen und den oberflächenunterstützten Aufbau kovalenter Netzwerke"
Now:
Staff Scientist
Fraunhofer IAP - Institute for Applied Polymer Research

Dr. Marie-Anne Berlin
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2008
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2008 - 2012
"Auf dem Weg zu photoschaltbaren Bisinterkalatoren für dsDNA auf Basis von Azobenzol- und Naphthalendiimid-Bausteinen"
Now:
Dr. Marie-Anne Stoll
Product Developer Hair Care
Dr. Kurt Wolff GmbH & Co KG

Dr. Marie Gille
Dipl.-Chem., Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany, 2008
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2009 - 2012
"Graphen und Graphenstreifen Bottom-up: Chemische Syntheseansätze für defektfreies und gezielt modifiziertes ein- und zweidimensionales Graphen"
Now:
Teacher
KGS Bad Lauterberg

Dr. Jan J. Klein
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2007
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2007 - 2011
"Towards Novel Aggregation Inhibitors and Stimulus-Responsive Peptide-Tweezers"
Now:
Product Manager
micro resist technology GmbH

Dr. Chandan Maity
M.Sc., Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India, 2006
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2006 - 2011
"Spiropyran-based Systems for Molecular Electronics"
Now:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Advanced Soft Matter Group (Prof. Jan van Esch)
Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands

Dr. Denise Zornik
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2007
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2007 - 2011
"The 1,2,3-Triazole Moiety as Conformationally Restricting Entity for New Foldamer Motifs"
Now:
Staff Scientist
Vetter Pharma-Fertigung GmbH & Co. KG

Dr. Tamer El Malah
M.Sc., University of Ain Shams, Cairo, Egypt, 2003
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2007 - 2011
"Hierarchical Self-Assembly of Folded Amphiphiles: Synthesis and Liquid Crystalline Behavior"
Now:
Researcher
Al Jouf University, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Robert M. Meudtner
Dipl.-Chem., FU Berlin, Germany, 2005
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2005 - 2009
"Neuartige Triazol-basierte aromatische Rückgrate für die Makromolekulare und Supramolekulare Chemie"
Now:
Staff Scientist
LGC GmbH

Dr. Sebastian Hartwig
Dipl.-Chem., Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany, 2004
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2004 - 2009
"New Peptide-Mimicking Scaffolds: Influence of Stereochemistry, Connectivity, and Topology"
Now:
Staff Scientist
Elastogran (BASF)

Dr. Ragnar S. Stoll
Dipl.-Chem., FU Berlin, Germany, 2004
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2005 - 2009
"Design of Photoswitchable Catalyst Systems"
Now:
Staff Scientist
Elastogran (BASF)

Dr. Maike V. Peters
Dipl.-Chem., FU Berlin, Germany, 2004
Dr. rer. nat., HU Berlin, Germany, 2004 - 2008
"Photoswitchable Catalysts"
Now:
Dr. Maike V. Balbo Block
Technical Manager
Evonik Gorapur GmbH

Dr. Christian Kaiser
Dipl.-Chem., J.-W.-Goethe-Universität Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 2003
Dr. rer. nat., FU Berlin, Germany, 2003 - 2006
"Systematische Untersuchungen zum Helix-Knäuel-Übergang in meta- Phenylenethinylen-Polymeren"
Then:
Post-Doctoral Fellow
GKSS Teltow

Dr. Marco A. Balbo Block
Dipl.-Chem., FU Berlin, Germany, 2002
Dr. rer. nat., FU Berlin, Germany, 2002 - 2006
"Folding Architectures Containing Phenylene Ethynylene Oligomers and Polymers"
Now:
Laboratory Manager
tesa SE

Dr. Anzar Khan
M.Sc., NCL Pune, India, 2001
Dr. rer. nat., FU Berlin, Germany, 2002 - 2005
"Phenylene Ethynylene Foldamers: From Synthesis to Tubular Scaffolding and Photoswitchable Helices"
Now:
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Korea University
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Former Post-Doctoral Fellows

Dr. Joseph Ogunjobi
Postdoc DWI Aachen 2022 - 2024

Dr. Ian Cheng Yi Hou
PhD secondment, HU Berlin, Germany, 2018
Postdoc, DWI Aachen, 2020 - 2023
Now:
Assistant Research Fellow
Institute of Chemistry
Academia Sinica
Taiwan

Dr. Bohan Tang
Postdoc, DWI Aachen, 2021 - 2023
Now:
Postdoc in the Stoddart Group @ Hong Kong University.

Dr. Jie Li
Postdoc, DWI Aachen, 2021-2023
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Dr. Dusan Kolarski
Postdoc, DWI Aachen, 2021 - 2022
Now:
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Deparment of NanoBiophotonics
Max Planck Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences
Göttingen

Dr. Dennis Chung-Yang Huang
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2014 - 2018
Now:
Assistant Professor
Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (ICReDD)
Hokkaido University
Japan

Dr. Aurelio Bonasera
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2015 - 2018
Now:
Associate Researcher
University Palermo, Italy

Dr. Bernd Schmidt
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2013 - 2014
Feodor Lynen Return Fellowship, 2016 - 2017
Now:
Junior Group Leader
Heinrich Heine University
Düsseldorf, Germany

Dr. Virginia Valderrey Berciano
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2014 - 2017
Now:
BAM, Berlin, Germany

Dr. Alexis Goulet-Hanssens
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2013 - 2017
Now:
Beiersdorf AG, Germany, Hamburg

Dr. Derk Jan van Dijken
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2014 - 2016
Now:
Product Development Scientist
BASF, The Netherlands

Dr. Petr Kovaricek
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2014 - 2015
Now:
Post-Doctoral Researcher
(Fellowship of the Academy of Sciences)
Department of Low-Dimensional Systems (Dr. Martin Kalbac)
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague

Dr. Sonia Castellanos Ortega
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2010 - 2013
Now:
Group Leader
Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography (ARCNL)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Dr. Ryo Tanaka
Post-Doc, HU Berlin, Germany, 2011 - 2012
Now:
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Engineering
Hiroshima University, Japan
Former Graduands

M.Sc. Angelique Ladwig
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2018
“Entwicklung von wasserlöslichen Photoschaltern als Modell für lichtaktivierte Acryltransferreagenzien“

M.Sc. Jonas Becker
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2018
“Photoswitchable Imine-based Dynamic Materials“

Dipl.-Chem. Anna Grafl
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2016
"New azo-benzenes/thiophenes architectures"
Now:
Ph.D. Student
AK Börner (Humboldt Berlin)

M.Sc. Sanja Winterhalder
M.Sc., HU Berlin, Germany, 2016
“Photoschaltbare Prolin-basierte Organokatalysatoren“
Now:
teacher of science

Dipl.-Chem. Felix Brauße
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2013
"Self-Assembling Amphiphilic Azobenzene Polymers"
Now:
Ph.D. Student
Max-Born-Institut

Dipl.-Chem. Torben Peters
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2010
"Photoswitchable Chelate Ligands"
Now:
Dr. Torben Adermann
Research Scientist
BASF SE

Dipl.-Chem. Daniel Becker
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2009
"Design und Synthese Neuartiger Polyazaacene als Elektronenakzeptormaterialien"
Now:
Ph.D. Student
Research group of Prof. Dr. Arne Thomas
TU Berlin

Dipl.-Chem. Irén Fischer
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2009
"Elektronenarme Heteroaromaten für Neue Organische n-Halbleiter"
Then:
Ph.D. Student
Research group of Profs. Bert Meijer & Albert Schenning
TU Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Dipl.-Chem. Susanne Grützner
Dipl.-Chem., HU Berlin, Germany, 2007
Now:
Staff Scientist
micro resist technology GmbH
Former Laboratory Technicians

Jana Hildebrandt
Laboratory Technician, HU Berlin, Germany, 2011 - 2018
Now:
Laboratory Technician NMR-Service
HU Berlin, Germany

Henry Müller
Laboratory Technician, HU Berlin, Germany, 2011 - 2012
Now:
In Memorian

Dipl. Chem.
Carsten Winterboer
1990 - 2009