We established stereochemical sequence as an independent molecular information channel in sequence-defined oligourethanes and developed scalable routes that translate this information from discrete molecules into polymer materials.
Recent Highlights
Environmental Control of Secondary Structure
Solvent and chain length regulate protein-like secondary structures in abiotic oligomers.
M. Szatko, R. Konefal, S. Njoku, K. Zwoliński, T. Andruniów*, R. Szweda*, “Solvent Effect on Secondary Structures of Discrete, Isotactic, Oligourethane Motif – Towards Engineering Protein-Like Features in Abiotic Polymers”, Eur. Polym. J. 2025, 239, 114262.
Stereochemical programming of folding
Compositionally identical oligourethanes adopt distinct conformational ensembles depending on stereochemical sequence.
S. Njoku, A. F. Perez Mellor, J. Brazard, S. G. Giuffrida, W. Dudziak, C. Besnard, T. Buergi, T. B. M. Adachi*, R. Szweda* Stereocontrol as a Tool for Shaping Abiotic, “Sequence-Defined Oligourethanes”, Polym. Chem. 2026, 17, 2619.
DOI: 10.1039/D6PY00299D
Stereosequence-Controlled Self-Assembly
Stereochemical information directs ultrasound-triggered assembly into supramolecular gels.
E. Castellanos, W. Dudziak, P. Groch, M. Szuwarzyński, R. Szweda*, “Ultrasound-Triggered Self-Assembly of Discrete Oligourethanes into Supramolecular Gels: Importance of Stereocenter Sequence”, ACS Macro Lett 2026, 15, 95.
Translation into Bottlebrush Materials
Discrete, sequence-defined and stereocontrolled oligourethane side chains can be incorporated into scalable bottlebrush architectures.
S. Mbizana, J. Rutkowski, K. Zwoliński, E. Castellanos, J. Pietrasik*, R. Szweda*, “Design, Scalable Synthesis, and Characterization of Poly(Oligourethane Methacrylate)s Bottlebrushes with Discrete, Sequence-Defined, and Stereocontrolled Side-Chains”, Macromolecules 2026, 59, 1722.
Publications
A. Jose, K. Zwoliński, Y. Didovets. E. Castellanos, M. Z. Brela*, R. Szweda*, “Stereochemical sequence controls thermal transitions in oligourethanes through hydrogen-bond cooperativity”, Eur. Polym. J. 2026, 256, 114961.
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2026.114961
S. Njoku, A. F. Perez Mellor, J. Brazard, S. G. Giuffrida, W. Dudziak, C. Besnard, T. Buergi, T. B. M. Adachi*, R. Szweda*, “Stereocontrol as a Tool for Shaping Abiotic, Sequence-Defined Oligourethanes”, Polym. Chem. 2026, 17, 2619.
DOI: 10.1039/D6PY00299D
E. Castellanos, W. Dudziak, P. Groch, M. Szuwarzyński, R. Szweda*, “Ultrasound-Triggered Self-Assembly of Discrete Oligourethanes into Supramolecular Gels: Importance of Stereocenter Sequence”, ACS Macro Lett 2026, 15, 95.
S. Mbizana, J. Rutkowski, K. Zwoliński, E. Castellanos, J. Pietrasik*, R. Szweda*, “Design, Scalable Synthesis, and Characterization of Poly(Oligourethane Methacrylate)s Bottlebrushes with Discrete, Sequence-Defined, and Stereocontrolled Side-Chains”, Macromolecules 2026, 59, 1722.
K. Witruk, S. Njoku, E. Castellanos, R. Szweda*, T. Andruniów*, “Molecular dynamics as a tool for unveiling protein-like folding behavior in urethane-based macromolecules: The effect of chain length on the secondary structure of oligourethanes.”, Polym. Chem. 2025, 16, 4622.
DOI: 10.1039/d5py00635j
M. Szatko, R. Konefal, S. Njoku, K. Zwoliński, T. Andruniów*, R. Szweda*, “Solvent Effect on Secondary Structures of Discrete, Isotactic, Oligourethane Motif – Towards Engineering Protein-Like Features in Abiotic Polymers”, Eur. Polym. J. 2025, 239, 114262.
A. Sharma, P. Cwynar, A. Jose, V. Gupta, R. Szweda*, “Step-economy approach for scalable synthesis of stereocontrolled and sequence-defined polyurethanes”, Eur. Polym. J. 2025, 236, 114120.
DOI:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2025.114120
W. Forysiak, A. Lizak, R. Szweda*, “Sequence of monomers and position of stereocenters matter for thermal properties of stereocontrolled oligourethanes”, ChemPhysChem 2024, 25, e202400366.
M. Szatko, W. Forysiak, S. Kozub, T. Andruniów*, R. Szweda*, “Revealing the effect of stereocontrol on intermolecular interactions between abiotic, sequence-defined polyurethanes and a ligand”, ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng. 2024, 10, 3727.
DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c00456
R. Szweda*, “Sequence- and stereo-defined macromolecules: properties and emerging functionalities”, Prog. Polym. Sci. 2023, 145, 101737.
DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2023.101737 (Green Open Access Link)
A.F. Perez Mellor, J. Brazard, S.Kozub, T. Bürgi, R. Szweda, T. B. M. Adachi, “Unveiling the Configurational Landscape of Carbamate: Paving the Way for Designing Functional Sequence-Defined Polymers”, J. Phys. Chem. A 2023, 127, 7309.
A. Lizak, R. Szweda*, „Czy plastik może rozpocząć nową erę w przechowywaniu danych?”, Archeion 2022, 132, 1.
P. Cwynar, P. Pasikowski, R. Szweda*, “One-pot approach for multi-step, iterative synthesis of sequence-defined oligocarbamates”, Eur. Polym. J. 2023, 182, 111706.
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2022.111706
E. Laurent, R. Szweda, J.F. Lutz, Synthetic Polymers with Finely Regulated Monomer Sequences: Properties and Emerging Applications. In Macromolecular Engineering, (eds N. Hadjichristidis, Y. Gnanou, K. Matyjaszewski and M. Muthukumar), 2022.
S.G. Giuffrida, W. Forysiak, P. Cwynar, R. Szweda*, “Shaping Macromolecules for Sensing Applications—From Polymer Hydrogels to Foldamers”, Polymers 2022, 14, 580.
A. Krywko-Cendrowska, D. Szweda, R. Szweda*, “Well-defined Conjugated Macromolecules in Sensing”, Processes 2020, 8, 539.
DOI: 10.3390/pr8050539
Selected Publications with Former Mentors
N. F. König, A. Al Ouahabi, L. Oswald, R. Szweda, L. Charles, J.-F. Lutz, “Photo-editable macromolecular information”, Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 3774.
R. Szweda, M. Tschopp, O. Felix, G. Decher, J.-F. Lutz, “Sequences of sequences: spatial organization of coded matter through layer-by-layer assembly of digital polymers”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 15817.
D. Lipowska, B. Trzebicka, R. Szweda, A. Dworak “Preparation and characterization of doxorubicin nanocarriers based on thermoresponsive polymer-drug conjugates”, Eur. Polym. J. 2018, 109, 391.
R. Szweda, C. Chendo, L. Charles, P.N.W. Baxter, J.-F. Lutz ”Synthesis of oligoarylacetylenes with defined conjugated sequences using tailor-made soluble polymer supports”, Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 8312.
R. Szweda, D. Szweda, D. Kosowski, A. Dworak, B. Trzebicka, “Polymer-peptide/protein conjugates on the surface”, Curr. Org. Chem. 2017, 21, 1579.
D. Szweda, R. Szweda, A. Dworak, B. Trzebicka, “Thermoresponsive poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate)s and their bioconjugates – synthesis and solution behavior”, Polimery 2017, 62, 450.
B. Trzebicka, R. Szweda, D. Kosowski, D. Szweda, Ł. Otulakowski, E. Haladjova, A. Dworak, “Thermoresponsive polymer-peptide/protein conjugates”, Prog. Polym. Sci. 2017, 68, 35.
L. Charles, G. Cavallo, V. Monnier, L. Oswald, R. Szweda, J-F. Lutz, “MS/MS-assisted design of sequence-controlled synthetic polymers for improved reading of encoded information”, J. Am. Soc. Mass. Spectrom. 2017, 28, 1149.
E. Gibula-Bruzda, M. Marszalek-Grabska, K. Gawel, R. Trzcinska, J. Silberring, J. H. Kotlinska, “The new kisspeptin derivative – kissorphin (KSO) – attenuates acute hyperlocomotion and sensitization induced by ethanol and morphine in mice”, Alcohol 2017, 64, 45.
R. Szweda, B. Trzebicka, A. Dworak, L. Otulakowski, D. Kosowski, J. Hertlein, E. Radoslavova Haladjova, S. M. Rangelov, D. Szweda “Smart polymeric nanocarriers of met-enkephalin”, Biomacromolecules 2016, 17, 2691.
A. Adamus, J. Komasa, S. Kadłubowski, P. Ulanski, J. M. Rosiak, M. Kawecki, A. Klama-Baryła, A. Dworak, B. Trzebicka, R. Szweda, “Thermoresponsive poly[tri(ethylene glycol) monoethyl ether methacrylate]-peptide surfaces obtained by radiation grafting – synthesis and characterisation”, Coll. Surf. B. Biointer 2016, 145, 185.
A. Dworak, D. Lipowska, D. Szweda, J. Suwinski, B. Trzebicka, R. Szweda, “Degradable polymeric nanoparticles by aggregation of thermoresponsive polymers and “click” chemistry”, Nanoscale 2015, 7, 16823.
R. Szweda, D. Lipowska, J. Silberring, A. Dworak, B. Trzebicka, „Polymers for peptide/protein arrays”, Polimery 2015, 60, 75.
R. Trzcinska, K. Balin, J. Kubacki, M. E. Marzec, R. Pedrys, J. Szade, J. Silberring, A. Dworak, B. Trzebicka, „Relevance of the poly(ethylene glycol) linkers in peptide surfaces for protease assays”, Langmuir 2014, 30, 5015.
A. Kowalczuk, R. Trzcinska, B. Trzebicka, A. Dworak, A. H. E. Müller, Ch. B. Tsvetanov, „Loading of polymer nanocarriers: Factors, mechanisms and applications”, Prog. Polym. Sci. 2014, 39, 43.
R. Trzcinska, P. Suder, A. Bodzon-Kulakowska, M. Skalska, A. Marcinkowski, J. Kubacki, R. Pedrys, J. Silberring, A. Dworak, B. Trzebicka, „Synthesis and characterization of PEG-peptide surfaces for proteolytic enzyme detection”, Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2013, 405, 9049.
B. Trzebicka, B. Robak, R. Trzcinska, D. Szweda, P. Suder, J. Silberring, A. Dworak, “Thermosensitive PNIPAM-peptide conjugate – Synthesis and aggregation”, Eur. Polym. J., 2013, 49, 499.
R. Trzcinska, D. Szweda, S. Rangelov, P. Suder, J. Silberring, A. Dworak, B. Trzebicka, „Bioactive mesoglobules of poly(di(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacrylate)–peptide conjugate”, J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2012, 50, 3104.
A. Utrata-Wesołek, R. Trzcinska, K. Galbas, B. Trzebicka, A. Dworak, „Photodegradation of polyglycidol in aqueous solutions exposed to UV irradiation”, Polym. Degrad. Stab. 2011, 96, 907.