HPRG 64th Conference: Polymers in an increasingly challenging world
Top row (L to R): Dr. Mona Semsarilar, Prof Clare Mahon, Dr. Amy Goddard
Second row (L to R): Prof Tony Ryan, Dr. Jon Meegan, Prof Charlotte Williams, Prof Sebastien Lecommandoux, Dr. Dan Toolan
Third row (L to R): Prof Liljiana Fruk, Dr. Neal Williams
Front row (L to R): Prof Matthew Campen, Dr. Oleksandr Mykhalyk, Prof Dame Athene Donald, Mr. Mike Hale, Prof Stefan Bon.
Sunday April 26th to Thursday April 30th, 2026
Shrigley Hall Hotel, Pott Shrigley, Cheshire
Programme Organisers: Prof Clare Mahon, Durham University and Dr Neal Williams, CPI.
Monday 27th April | |
| 09:00 | Professor Dame Athene Donald, Chair, HPRG (University of Cambridge) Welcome to the 64th Meeting of the High Polymer Research Group |
|---|---|
| Session 1: Polymers and Human/Environmental Health | |
| Chair: Professor Clare Mahon | |
| 09.20 | Professor Matthew Campen (University of New Mexico) The Hunt for Environmental Nanoplastics |
| 10.20 | Coffee |
| Session 2: Polymer Colloids | |
| Chair: Dr Neal Williams | |
| 10:45 | Dr Oleksandr Mykhaylyk (University of Sheffield) Green Chemistry through the Lens of SAXS: Structural Insights into Colloids and Polymeric Film Formation |
| 11:45 | Professor Stefan Bon (University of Warwick) Sustainable Polymer Colloids |
| 12:45 | Lunch |
| 15:15 | Coffee |
| Session 3: Polymer Technologies of the Future | |
| Chair: Dr Amy Goddard | |
| 17:00 | Dr Dan Toolan (University of Manchester) From Exclusion to Inclusion: Controlling Quantum Dot:Organic Semiconductor Blend Morphologies for Photon Multiplication |
| 18:00 | Professor Charlotte Williams (University of Oxford) Designing Renewably Resourced Oxygenated Polymers for Performance and Recycling |
Tuesday 28th April | |
| Session 4: Polymers for Water Purification and Environmental Remediation | |
| Chair: Professor Paul Topham | |
| 09:10 | Dr Mona Semsarilar (University of Montpellier) Functional Materials for Environmental Remediation |
| 10:10 | Coffee |
| Session 5: Industrial Innovations in Polymer Science | |
| Chair: Dr Michael Elwell | |
| 10:45 | Dr Jonathan Meegan (Syensqo) Composite Materials in a Challenging World |
| 11:45 | Dr Amy Goddard (Croda) Sustainable Polymers for a Clean Future |
| 12:15 | Mike Hale (Chestnut Biopolymers) After My Life in Plastic – The Challenges Remain the Same |
| 12:45 | Lunch |
| 15:15 | Coffee |
| Session 6: Polymers in Medical and Biotechnology Applications | |
| Chair: Professor Cameron Alexander | |
| 17:00 | Professor Liljiana Fruk (University of Cambridge) Nanostructured Polymers for New Generation of Therapeutics |
| 18:00 | Professor Theoni Georgiou (Imperial College) Designing Thermogels: Which Polymeric Characteristics Matter More? |
Wednesday 29th April | |
| Session 7: Digitisation and Automated Polymer Assembly | |
| Chair: Professor Matthew Gibson | |
| 09:10 | Professor Peter Seeberger (Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces) The Digitization of Carbohydrate Chemistry: Automating Retrosynthesis, Reaction Screening and Glycan Assembly |
| 10:10 | Coffee |
| Session 8: Smart Polymers and Responsive Materials | |
| Chair: Dr Jennifer Garden | |
| 10:45 | Professor Cyrille Boyer (University of New South Wales) Design of Functional Polymeric Materials via photoRAFT Polymerisation |
| 11:45 | Professor Sebastién Lecommandoux (University of Bordeaux) Multi-component and Multi-scale Dynamic Polymer Vesicles: From Smart Therapeutics to Artificial Cells |
| 12:45 | Lunch |
| 15:15 | Coffee |
| Session 9: Sustainable Polymer Materials | |
| Chair: Professor Dame Athene Donald | |
| 17:15 | Professor Tony Ryan (University of Sheffield) Neofossils: Carbon sequestration using bio-sourced plastics |
| 19:15 | Drinks Reception |
| 20:00 | Conference Dinner |
Sponsorship
If your company would like to sponsor the High Polymer Research Group conference programme, please contact us through the link below:
