Jens Gaitzsch

Dr. Jens Gaitzsch is the Head of the Department for Bioactive and Responsive Polymers and leader of a research group at the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research Dresden (IPF). He is affiliated with the Macromolecular Chemistry department under Prof. Dr. Brigitte Voit. His research group focuses on Functional Polyesters from Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization (RROP).

Dr. Gaitzsch completed his diploma in chemistry at TU Dresden in 2009 under Prof. Peter Metz and earned his PhD at IPF under Prof. Brigitte Voit. He conducted postdoctoral research at University College London under Prof. Giuseppe Battaglia (funded by DFG) and later worked as a Senior Postdoc with Prof. Wolfgang Meier at the University of Basel. His research interests center around biodegradable polymers, particularly radical ring-opening polymerization, with 50+ publications, an h-index of 24, and an i-10 index of 35+.

His research portfolio shows a consistent focus on responsive polymer systems, particularly polymersomes and hydrogels. The publication trends indicate strong emphasis on microfluidic applications, enzyme cascades, and the development of biodegradable materials through radical ring-opening polymerization techniques. Recent work explores supercritical CO₂ as a green solvent and pH-responsive systems for controlled release applications.

Scientific Awards:

• Gastprofessor für Polymerchemie an der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg (2021-2022)
• Novartis-Universität Basel Stipendiat für Excellenz in den Lebenswissenschaften (2019)
• DFG Postdoc-Stipendium (2014)
• Promotionspreis des IPF Dresden (2014)
• Promotionsstipendium der Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung (2010)

Dr. Gaitzsch has successfully mentored numerous researchers through his work at IPF and previously at the University of Basel. His research has been supported by prestigious funding bodies including the DFG and Novartis. His work bridges fundamental polymer chemistry with practical biomedical applications, particularly in drug delivery and synthetic biology systems. His laboratory at IPF focuses on developing novel polymerization techniques for creating responsive and biodegradable materials with applications in nanomedicine and biotechnology.