Miriam M. Unterlass
Principal Investigator
Miriam studied chemistry, process engineering and materials science in Germany, the UK, France, and obtained a PhD at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in 2011. She worked as postdoc at the École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles in Paris, France, before starting her own group at Technische Universität Wien (TUW) in 2012. Miriam was tenured assistant and subsequently associate professor at TUW and obtained her habilitation in materials chemistry in 2018. In 2021, she became full professor of solid state chemistry at Universität Konstanz. With October 2024, Miriam took over as director of Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg. She also joined Universität Würzburg, where she holds the Chair for Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis. Since 2018, Miriam is Adjunct Principal Investigator at the Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (CeMM) in Vienna, Austria.
The ambition of her group’s research is to find and develop sustainable advanced materials and molecules without compromising the compounds’ performance and diversity, especially through employing water as reaction and processing medium. Her team has pioneered the chemical synthesis of defined organic compounds in high-temperature water, and holds several patents on these innovations. In 2018, Miriam co-founded her first company UGP Materials GmbH, winner of several start-up awards (e.g. Sallinger Fonds S&B award 2018, RSC sustainable technologies competition finalist 2019) aiming at commercializing hydrothermal polymerization of high-performance polymers. She has received numerous accolades, including Staatspreis Patent 2020, FWF START prize 2017, Austrian founder’s award PHÖNIX 2016, Anton Paar Science award 2015, and has been elected as member of the Young Academy of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) in 2018. She is alumna of the Fast Track program of the Robert Bosch foundation (2016-2018) and of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the U.S. Department of State (2018).
Services to the academic community include serving as associate editor of the Journal of Materials Chemistry A and Materials Advances, and as representative for materials and solid state chemistry of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation. Miriam is an expert in green and sustainable chemistry, teaches seminars on the topic, and advises as member of several advisory boards (scientific advisory board “Materials” of the German Federal Institute for Materials research and Testing (BAM), scientific advisory board of the European Forum Alpbach).
Fabián A. Amaya García
Postdoc
Fabián studied chemistry in Bogotá, Colombia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He joined our group in 2018 for his PhD thesis and continued his research as a Postdoc at the Chair of Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in 2025. Fabián develops new dyes for biological applications, with a focus on sustainable synthesis of the dyes.
D. Alonso Cerrón Infantes
Scientific Advisor to Prof. Dr. Miriam Unterlass
Alonso studied natural sciences and chemistry in Lima, Peru, and Vienna, Austria. He joined our group in 2014 and is currently working as Scientific Advisor to Prof. Dr. Unterlass at Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC. He also works as a research assistant in the development of sustainable high-performance polymers and their water-based processing at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg.
Tobias Klenk
PhD Student
Tobias studied chemistry at the University of Konstanz. He joined our group in 2022 for his bachelor and stayed for his PhD thesis, starting 2025. He works on the hydrothermal synthesis of bulky aromatic compounds at Julius Maximilian University in Würzburg.
Florian Vollstädt
PhD Student
Florian studied chemistry at the University of Konstanz. In 2023 he joined the group for his master research. In February 2024 he started his PhD thesis. In this project he explores metal oxides@polyimides hybrid materials.
Frank Sailer
PhD Student
Frank studied nanoscience at the University of Konstanz. In 2022 he joined the group for his master research. In March 2023 he started his PhD thesis. In this project he explores the synthesis of hybrid materials based on silicates.
Martina Lexner
Administrative Assistant
Martina joined us in 2019. She supports the team in project management and administration of our third-party funding projects.
Lukas Leimhofer
Research Technician
Lukas studied technical chemistry in Vienna, Austria. He joined the group in 2015 to work on sustainable hybrid materials’ synthesis and processing. Lukas rejoined the group in 2021 and, currently, focuses on the hydrothermal synthesis of small molecules for application in biology.
Celine Kuchler
PhD Student
Celine studied nanoscience at the University of Konstanz. She joined our group in 2022 as research intern and stayed with us as research assistant and MSc student from 2023 onwards. As of February 2025, she has been working on her PhD thesis titled “Analysis components of materials acceleration: Automation of Characterization techniques for chemical compounds” at Julius Maximilian University in Würzburg.
Frederic Hallmann
PhD Student
Frederic studied chemistry at the University of Konstanz. He first joined our group in 2022 for an internship and returned in 2023 for his master thesis. In August 2024, Frederic started his PhD thesis which focuses on developing sulfur-containing high performance materials.
Danica Drpic
Project Scientist
Danica studied molecular biology and physiology in Belgrade, Serbia. She obtained her PhD in cell biology in 2017 at the University of Porto, Portugal. Danica joined our group in October 2023 as a project scientist to characterize hydrothermally synthesized cell dyes in vitro.
Lena Schittenhelm
PhD Student
Lena studied chemistry at the University of Konstanz. She first joined our group in 2022 for an internship and returned in 2023 for her master thesis. In March 2025 she started her PhD thesis at Julius Maximilian University in Würzburg, which focus on the synthesis of small organic molecules featuring heterocyles.
Lukas Zeyffert
PhD Student
Lukas studied chemistry at the University of Konstanz and started his PhD in the research group of Prof. Helmut Cölfen before joining our group in January 2024. He focuses on the hydrothermal synthesis of MAX-phase-derived organic-inorganic hybrid materials.
Nick Sokov
PhD Student
Nick studied chemistry at the University of Konstanz. He started his PhD in the research group of Prof. Helmut Cölfen and joined us in January 2024 to continue his PhD thesis. He develops polymers for the stabilization and assembly of metal nanoparticles.
Jessica Geppert
PhD Student
Jessica studied nanoscience at the University of Konstanz. She started her PhD in August 2022 in the group of Prof. Helmut Cölfen before joining us in January 2024. She develops new strategies for the synthesis of multi-elemental colloidal nanocrystals with a focus on metal chalcogenides and oxides, as well as their heterostructures with metals and their subsequent investigation of properties.
Hannah Mehringer
PhD Student
Hannah studied chemistry at the University of Konstanz. She joined our group in 2024 as a research intern. Starting July 2025, she is doing her PhD thesis with focus on the automation of hydrothermal synthesis at Julius Maximilian University in Würzburg.
Dr. Guntram Schwarz
Senior Councillor – JMU Würzburg
Guntram studied chemistry at the University of Potsdam, did his diploma in 2004, which was followed by a doctorate at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Colloids and Interfaces in 2008. He worked as a postdoc until 2010, first at the MPI and then at the University of Würzburg. He is active in academic research – primarily in the field of supramolecular chemistry-, in teaching for the ‘Functional Materials’ degree programme and in the administration of the chair.
Diana Stürmer
Administrative Assistant – JMU Würzburg
Diana Stürmer has been working at the Chair of Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis in the secretariat since 2016. Her tasks include handling personnel matters, financial management, budget and project administration. She is the point of contact for all matters relating to the chair.
Sandra Stockmann
Lab Technician – JMU Würzburg
Sandra trained as a chemical laboratory technician and studied food chemistry and environmental analysis at the University of Applied Sciences in Isny im Allgäu. She has been working at the JMU chair since 2001 and is responsible for safety, supply and disposal, purchasing, inventory accounting, laboratory support, and more.
Dr. habil. Torsten E.M. Staab
Senior Councillor – JMU Würzburg
Torsten is involved in both teaching (for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs at the LCTM) and research. His research interests include atomic defects in aluminum alloys, materials for solid-state batteries, ab initio simulations, and Monte Carlo simulations. He is also responsible for managing the technical equipment, such as SAXS, XRD, PALS, and DSC.
Stephanie Maaß
Technical Secretary – JMU Würzburg
Stephanie was trained as a chemical laboratory assistant in Frankfurt at AllessaChemie, where she worked in product and process development before moving to the University of Würzburg / Chair of Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis in 2010. Stephanie provides administrative help for the scientific staff. She is responsible for ordering, disposal, inventory of chemicals. She takes care of servicing scientific equipment (obtains quotes, coordinates implemen-tation) and gives a hand where needed.
Tamara Piock
PhD Student
Tamara studied Chemistry at the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg and in 2023 moved to Würzburg for her PhD thesis at Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC. Her research focuses on developing alternative materials to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), with an emphasis on achieving water and oil repellency.
Tilman Stark
MSc Student
Tilman is pursuing a Master’s degree in Functional Materials at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. He joined the group in July 2025 to conduct his Master’s thesis, which focuses on inorganic supraparticles.
Daniel Rieger
BSc Student
Daniel is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Functional Materials at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. He joined our team in July 2025 to conduct his bachelor’s thesis on the synthesis of inorganic-organic hybrid materials for battery applications.
Boris Morozov
Postdoctoral Researcher – JMU Würzburg (AK Kurth)
Boris Morozov studied chemistry at Moscow State University, specializing in organic chemistry. He joined the research group of Prof. Dr. Evgeny A. Kataev at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg for his PhD in supramolecular chemistry. In 2024, he moved to the LCTM at JMU Würzburg as a postdoctoral researcher under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Kurth in the field of water-soluble supramolecular polymers based on metal ion coordination.
Isabelle Eggers
PhD Student
Isabelle studied chemistry at the University of Kiel. In May 2025, she joined the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg for her PhD, focusing on the sustainable synthesis and structure-property correlations of photo-structureable, high-temperature stable materials.
Krystyna Albrecht
Senior Councillor – JMU Würzburg
Krystyna studied chemistry at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland. She obtained her PhD in Macromolecular Chemistry from RWTH Aachen University, and worked as a research assistant at the DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials in Aachen. She became a group leader in the Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry and at the Bavarian Polymer Institute at the JMU Würzburg. In 2025, Krystyna joined the Chair of Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis. Her research focuses on the synthesis, functionalization, and characterization of polymers and nanoparticles.
Giulia Sinesi
MSc Research Intern
Giulia studies chemistry at the University of Como. She joined the group for an internship as part of her PhD in September 2025. In this project she explores sustainable treatments on materials for cosmetic applications.
Lia Scheuring
MSc Research Intern
Lia obtained her B.Sc. in Biomedicine and is currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Biosciences at Julius Maximilians University Würzburg. She joined our group in November 2025 for a research internship, which focuses on the encapsulation of lactic acid in bacteria in collaboration with Fraunhofer ISC in Würzburg.
Leonard Moritz
MSc Student (AK Staab)
Leonard is currently pursuing a master’s degree in chemistry at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. He joined Torsten Staab’s group in September 2025 for his Master’s thesis, where he studies the effects of different dopants on solid-state electrolytes.
We are always interested in highly motivated and dedicated coworkers. Currently we have plenty of interesting opportunities for Master and Bachelor theses. Please contact us to learn more about the currently available topics.
Future position openings will be announced!