Dr. Quinn A. Besford
Dr. Quinn A. Besford heads the Functional Polymer Architectures group at the Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung (IPF) Dresden, Germany. He received his PhD in theoretical/physical chemistry (2016) from The University of Melbourne (UoM), Australia, specialising in statistical mechanics. He subsequently worked with Prof. Frank Caruso in the ARC Centre of Excellence in Bio-Nano Science and Technology at UoM, specialising on the development of new nanomaterials for therapeutic applications. He transitioned to IPF in Germany in 2019 as an Alexander von Humboldt research fellow (Ludwig Leichhardt Memorial Fellowship), before being promoted to Group Leader. He is also a Young Investigator (Habilitation Equivalent) at the Technische Universität Dresden. His research team focuses on developing functional polymeric materials for sensing, which leverages fluorescence methods, and nanoparticle systems for therapeutic applications, mainly focused on in-blood interactions. His work has been internationally recognised through the 2022 IPF Innovation Award, nomination to the STS Forum in Japan (2023), being named to the journal Matter’s “35 under 35 materials scientists in 2024”, and being selected as one of 15 polymer engineers from Germany to attend the first Japan-Germany Frontiers in Polymer Engineering Symposium as speaker (Tokyo, Japan, 2025).
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Postdocs
Dr. Khrystyna Rymsha – 2022–current
Dr. Jyoti Yadav – 2023–current
Dr. László Mérai – 2023–current
Postdoctoral researcher with a broad interest over colloidal, polymer and surface science, with a main focus on utilizing florescence phenomena to visualize molecular transport, local viscosity and pressure-triggered conformation changes within polymer brushes.
Dr. Vaidehi Londhe – 2026–current
Dr. Nadiia Foliush, Guest (German Cancer Research Center, Dresden, Prof. Tian Qui) – 2026–current
Students
Ms. Nuray Mammadzada, PhD Candidate – 2025–current
Received her Bachelor’s degree from Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University and her Master’s degree in Chemistry from TU Dresden, Germany. Her research focuses on glycogen-based hydrogels for biomedical applications, including tissue engineering and bioelectronics. She develops modified glycogen nanoparticles and hydrogels with tailored mechanical and degradation properties for therapeutic and implantable applications. Her work combines polymer chemistry, 3D printing, and advanced material characterization to design biodegradable and functional biointerfaces.
Mr. Doğukan Duymaz, PhD Candidate – 2025–current
PhD researcher within the DIGS-ILS program. He holds a B.Sc. in Molecular Biology & Genetics and a double-major B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, as well as an M.Sc. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Koç University, Turkey. As both a scientist and an engineer, his research experience and perspective are highly interdisciplinary, integrating principles of biomaterial science and bioengineering to develop advanced biomedical technologies, including functional hydrogels, drug delivery platforms, and immunomodulatory systems. At IPF, his PhD focuses on designing multifunctional polymer systems for the dual delivery of therapeutics and immune-regulating factors for pancreatic cancer treatment.
Ms. Nell Gutmann, PhD Candidate – 2025–current
Graduated her studies in food chemistry at the Technical University of Dresden in 2025 with a diploma. She heads the research and development department at Dermapurge, a company specialising in the development of advanced cleansing products for the effective and gentle removal of pollutants from the skin. Simultaneously, she is pursuing her doctorate at the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research Dresden (IPF) in the Department of Nanostructured Materials, focusing on formulation development.
Ms. Rushba Saman Masood, PhD Candidate – 2026–current
Rushba Saman Masood received her Bachelors and M.Phil. degree in Chemistry from Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan, with a background in organic and polymer chemistry. She has previously worked as a Research Assistant at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and as a Visiting Lecturer at Quaid-i-Azam University. Her research experience includes polymer synthesis, chemical and biosensor development, and surface functionalization. At the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF), her PhD focuses on designing adaptive polymer brushes for fluid entrapment and transport to use in information-processing applications.
Ms. Anamika (visiting PhD candidate from Varanasi, India (Prof. Biplab Kumar Kuila)) 2026
Ms. Azadeh Keshavarz, Master’s thesis – 2025–current
Ms. Akhiya Sebastian, Master’s thesis 2026–current
Ms. Tharini Ananthi Srinivasan, SHK – 2025–current
Ms. Khue Thi Minh Dinh, ERASMUS (University of Twente, The Netherlands) – 2026–current
