A busy week at the SOLARIS synchrotron centre

From 13 to 19 September 2026, the Head of the Department of Crop Production, Academician Svitlana KALENSKA, and Associate Professor Olga KRAVCHENKO of the Department of Analytical and Bioinorganic Chemistry and Water Quality undertook a placement in Kraków as part of the NEPHEWS Twinning Programme – a European programme aimed at expanding researchers’ access to cutting-edge research infrastructure and facilitating the exchange of practical experience between research groups.

For representatives of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, participation in the programme provided an opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the workings of a major European research infrastructure, acquire practical knowledge on the use of synchrotron methods, and identify potential applications for these methods in agrobiological research.

On 14–16 September, Svitlana KALENSKA and Olga KRAVCHENKO took part in the 4th joint meeting of PSRS members and SOLARIS centre users (JMSU 2026), which was held at the Faculty of Chemistry of Jagiellonian University. The meeting was dedicated to the exchange of experience in the field of cutting-edge research using synchrotron radiation and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The programme covered structural biology, materials chemistry, nanotechnology, quantum materials and biomedicine.

Representatives from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine presented posters on the prospects for the application of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies in the agricultural sector, in particular the possibilities for researching them using modern instrumental methods.

From 16 to 19 September, the researchers continued their work directly at the SOLARIS centre, taking part in the Crosscarpathian Synchrotron School 2026 (CSS 2026). The scientific school focused on modern methods of X-ray spectroscopy and microscopy, as well as the practical aspects of working with synchrotron experimental beamlines.

Of particular interest to the research areas at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine was a workshop dedicated to work on the ASTRA line and the application of the XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) method. This method enables the determination of the chemical state and local environment of elements and may prove promising for studying the forms of heavy metals and nanomaterials in soils and plant material. The knowledge gained during the workshop and the practical understanding of the ASTRA beamline’s capabilities are already set to be utilised in the preparation of an in-house research project. The next step will be to prepare a proposal to secure funding for synchrotron measurements involving research groups from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine.

A meeting at the Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences also formed an important part of the programme. During the meeting, further areas of scientific collaboration were discussed, as well as opportunities for students from the Faculty of Agrobiology to participate in international research programmes.

Agreements were reached regarding the prospect of students from the Faculty of Agrobiology undertaking internships in the research group led by Professor Maciej Guzik, which is working on the development of biodegradable polymer materials and technologies for soil remediation.

We would particularly like to thank Dr Alexey MAXIMENKO and Prof. Marcin NIEMIEC for organising the trip, providing professional guidance and giving us the opportunity to join the work of the international scientific community SOLARIS, as well as the management of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NULES) for supporting international scientific cooperation and creating opportunities for the professional development of our researchers.

We hope that the contacts and agreements established during this visit will form the basis for further joint research and new opportunities for researchers and students at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine.