Chemistry

Possibilities to attain European PhD (Doctor Europeus) in partnership with PCAM (Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials Network)

Objective of doctoral study programme in chemistry is training doctors of science, who are ready for research career, able to work as scientists and educators. The programme aims to expand their knowledge in chemistry and related fields, at the same time developing their skills of critical thinking, creativity, training their ability to seek original and independent solutions.
The study program lasts 4 years and is completed by a public defense of doctoral dissertation. The program of study is adapted to the needs of individual students, depending on their prior training and research interests. Study and research opportunities for doctoral students are comprehensive and interdisciplinary, covering inorganic, organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, computational, and theoretical chemistry, food chemistry, materials chemistry, atmospheric and environmental chemistry. Research is typically started during the first year of study. However, during the first two years of studies, PhD students also have to take doctoral modules in broad areas or special topics (30 ECTS in total). Subsequent years focus on thesis research only and writing the dissertation. Original research, performed under the direction of a supervisor and consultants, plays a major role in this degree. The ground of the final dissertation has to be based on at least 2 published original scientific publications (one of them may be accepted only for publication) in high rank international chemistry or material science journals, where the PhD student must be the first author of the article, and the corresponding presentations in international scientific conferences.

Apply

Topic title	Possible scientific supervisors	Source of funding
Studies of self-assembling biopolymeric amphiphiles and their properties	prof. dr. Ramunė RUTKAITĖ	state non-funded	Research Topic Summary. Numerous approaches have been developed for the self-assembly of natural or synthetic amphiphiles into soft core-shell nano- or microobjects which are of great interest in various fields. Among these amphiphilic molecules, amphiphiles containing natural blocks, such as polysaccharides, have attracted the most attention because they are non-toxic, non-immunogenic, biocompatible, biodegradable, and renewable. Polysaccharide based amphiphilic copolymers might represent a new class of biopolymeric materials with potential applications in different fields such as plastic industry, detergency, and also as the pharmaceutics where the design of nano or microdevices carrying a polysaccharide chains can be also of interest for therapy, vaccination and diagnostic purposes. The aim of this research work – to obtain various modified polysaccharide structures having both hydrophilic and lipophilic groups and to explore their properties in the light of different potential applications. During the course of the project chemical and physical modification of natural polysaccharides will be performed to obtain the derivatives of different structure, amphiphilicity, charge density (either neutral or charged), molecular weight etc. The self-aggregation behavior of obtained amphiphilic polysaccharides in water via formation of various structures e.g. hydrogel nanoparticles, micelles, polymersomes, oil in water emulsions etc. as well as their properties will be also assessed. The developed materials will be also tested in some applications such as controlled delivery of target compounds via stimuli responses e.g. pH, temperature, enzyme-degradation etc.
Synthesis, investigation and application of organic compounds exhibitting TADF effect	dr. Dalius GUDEIKA	state non-funded	Research Topic Summary. Organic electronics is attractive due to the potentially of cheap production, environmental friendliness and material flexibility. Organic synthesis methods allow changing of chemical and physical properties of substances in wide ranges.
Valorisation of poorly studied plant species by evaluating their phytochemical composition and functional properties	prof. dr. Petras Rimantas VENSKUTONIS	state non-funded	Research Topic Summary. The plants biosynthesize various secondary metabolism products, including bioactive compounds (e.g. antioxidants, antimicrobials, anticancerogenic molecules), which may find applications in food additives, functional ingredients for nutraceuticals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other purposes. Considering that there are thousands of species in the Plant Kingdom and many of them are very poorly studies, it may be expected to discover (identify) new structures possessing beneficial properties, e.g. antioxidant capacity, antimicrobial and enzyme inhibitory activity, etc. The candidate species may be selected from the plants growing in Lithuania and other regions; e.g. until now performed preliminary studies have shown that the extracts from such plants possess strong radical scavenging capacity.
Fibrous pharmaceutical delivery systems	vyr.m.d. dr. Edvinas KRUGLY	state non-funded	Research Topic Summary. During doctoral studies research will be carried out in order to develop a functional fibrous drug delivery system with controlled drug release for the treatment of cancer metastases.

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Application procedure

Mandatory documents for admission:

Filled in application form (online on apply.ktu.edu)
Official legalised Bachelor’s and Master’s diplomas or a higher education degree equivalents and academic transcripts (translated into English or Lithuanian and notary verified)
Curriculum Vitae
Recommendations by two researchers of the relevant science field (one of the recommendations must be written by the supervisor of the research topic that the candidate is applying to)
A list of the research works (this list is submitted with full bibliographic description) along with copies of the research works (or a research paper on the topic (-s) consistent with the dissertation topic (-s) indicated in the candidate’s application, if a candidate does not have any research works)
A copy of the passport personal data page, or a copy of the ID card
A copy of the receipt of the application fee payment (40 EUR for EU citizens, and 100 EUR for non-EU citizens)
A certificate issued by IELTS, TOEFL, CERF or any other competent institution within the last 2 years certifying the level of the English language if the candidate is not a graduate of the first or second cycle studies conducted in the English language

Participation in motivational interview (Kaunas University of Technology, K. Donelaičio g. 73, Kaunas, Lithuania or online)

Signing a study agreement (if invited to study)

Cycle	Third cycle
Language	Lithuanian, English
Duration	4 y.
Degree awarded	Doctor of Science

Research experience Research experience in ten-point grading system (The evaluation of the research experience includes the candidate’s scientific publications or the research paper, other research experience, scientific qualifications, the compliance of the scientific publications and research experience with the topic of doctoral studies)	0,3
Weighted grade point average of the Master’s diploma supplement	0,5
Motivational interview, including evaluation of the knowledge of a foreign language	0,15
Recommendations by scientists One of the recommendations must be written by the supervisor of the research topic the candidate is applying to	0,05

Chemistry

Research topics

Research Topic Summary.

Research Topic Summary.

Research Topic Summary.

Research Topic Summary.

Entry requirements

Minimum requirements

Application procedure

Selection criteria and their weighted coefficients

Study programme modules