Winner of the Golden Master Award 2026
Winner of the Golden Master Award 2025
Julia Krzemińska
Supramolecular Polymerization of Peptide Amphiphiles, TU Eindhoven
The Golden Master Award Jury has nominated the thesis of Julia Krzemińska, entitled ”Supramolecular Polymerization of Peptide Amphiphiles“ as Winner of the Golden Master Award 2026.
In her thesis, Julia takes the reader by the hand and engages them from the first sentence with a lively introduction into the extensive world of supramolecular polymers. The work for her excellent thesis was conducted at Eindhoven University of Technology under the guidance of Prof. E.W. Meijer at the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, and partly at Northwestern University in the USA (in the group of Prof. Sam Stupp).
Julia's work sits at the interface of supramolecular chemistry, physical-organic chemistry, and bioactive materials. She developed and implemented novel experimental strategies to quantitatively control the dynamics and micelle–polymer equilibrium in peptide-amphiphile systems.
Julia used a combinatorial titration approach to quantify the micelle–polymer equilibrium in peptide amphiphiles, showing that increasing the number of glutamic acid residues shifts the equilibrium toward dynamic micelles and enhances overall supramolecular dynamics at physiological pH. The resulting system, featuring a coexistence of micelles and polymers, improves biocompatibility and significantly promotes neurite outgrowth and synapse formation in neuronal cultures. Her findings advance the understanding of peptide-amphiphile supramolecular polymerization systems by establishing a direct correlation between molecular design, assembly equilibrium, supramolecular dynamics, and biological functionality.
Julia characterized the peptide amphiphiles using a wide range of techniques, demonstrating creativity, an extensive skillset, and scientific rigor. What makes Julia stand out even more is that she not only systematically investigated their complex supramolecular polymerization behavior, but also tested them in a biological setting, revealing a pronounced effect on neurite outgrowth in neuronal cell cultures.
Her supervisor Prof. E.W. Meijer says: "From the very start, she stood out for her exceptional analytical talent, her independence, and her ability to grasp complex supramolecular concepts and apply them creatively."
Taking all of the above into consideration, the jury unanimously selected Julia's thesis as the winner of the Golden Master Award 2026.
The other two prizes were awarded to:
- Paul Melis, University of Groningen
'BHMF-based polyester vitrimers: synthesis, characterization, and rheology'
- Constantijn van de Wetering, Utrecht University
'Understanding Mechanical Properties and Li Transport in Solid-State Batteries: Using DFT & Machine Learning'
