Dr Katarzyna Malec from the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy at Wroclaw Medical University has received the Prime Minister’s Award for an Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation. Her research was recognised for its innovative combination of advanced NMR spectroscopy and biological studies on nanosystems for drug delivery.
Groundbreaking doctoral research at Wroclaw Medical University
The awarded dissertation tackles a key challenge in pharmaceutical sciences – the development of carrier–drug systems that improve the physicochemical properties of existing active substances and enhance therapeutic effectiveness.
Dr Malec analysed the structure and mechanisms of nanoscale drug-delivery systems, applying nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy alongside biological testing. This approach follows the global trend of designing innovative formulations that optimise existing molecules and reduce the time and cost of new drug development.
Comprehensive structural and biological studies of colloidal materials were performed, says Dr Katarzyna Malec. For the first time, multi-frequency STD NMR was used in this context, offering detailed molecular-level insights into drug–carrier interactions. Biological-activity tests enabled the optimisation of carriers and revealed new potential in well-known excipients.
Innovation recognised by the Prime Minister’s Award
By using model systems with diverse structural properties, Dr Malec demonstrated the applicability of DEEP-STD NMR for analysing supramolecular interactions across different materials. Complementary analytical techniques confirmed the robustness of her findings.
An important part of the dissertation examined the antifungal activity of new micellar and gel formulations containing fluconazole, targeting clinically resistant Candida spp. strains. The work demonstrated improved therapeutic outcomes and revealed novel functions of the applied block copolymer. A patent derived from this research confirms its practical and commercial potential.
Interdisciplinary impact and societal relevance
The Prime Minister’s Award is among Poland’s most prestigious distinctions for scientific excellence. It honours outstanding doctoral and habilitation dissertations as well as high-impact implementation and research achievements.
Dr Malec’s interdisciplinary project integrates pharmaceutical technology, materials chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, microbiology, and computational modelling – contributing valuable insights into supramolecular structures, excipient functionality, and strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance.