Marek Kowalczuk graduated from the Chemistry Department at the Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland. He received his Ph.D. degree in Chemical Science (1984) and his ‘Habilitation’ in Technical Science (1994) from the same University. Since 2010 he has been a Professor of Chemistry, nominated by the President of Poland. In 1973 he joined the Centre of Polymer Chemistry at the Polish Academy of Science in Zabrze, Poland (currently: the Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Science) and focused on anionic ring opening polymerization of β-lactones, especially β-butylolactone. Marek joined the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Wolverhampton in 2013.
His main scientific interests are: biodegradable and functional polymers; novel initiators and mechanisms of anionic polymerization related to the synthesis of biodegradable polymers possessing desired architecture; biodegradation of synthetic and natural polymers; and novel mass spectrometry techniques for analysis of biodegradable polymers at the molecular level.
His current research involves structural studies of biocompatible copolymers and blends of controlled biodegradability containing synthetic analogues of natural polyhydroxyalkanoates and copolymerisation reactions to novel polymeric materials with “made-to-order” structure and properties, with variety of catalysts, including metal free anionic initiators.