Chairmen

Alexander Böker
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research
Potsdam-Golm, Germany

Frank Wiesbrock
PCCL - Polymer Competence Center Leoben
Leoben, Austria

Scientific Committee Members

Mohamed Khayet University Complutense of Madrid, Spain	João F. Mano University of Aveiro, Portugal	Andrew B. Lowe Curtin University, Australia
Gila E. Stein The University of Tennessee, USA	Ton Peijs Queen Mary University of London, UK	Yue Zhao University of Sherbrooke, Canada
Gregory T. Russell University of Canterbury, New Zealand	Carlo Cavallotti Politecnico di Milano, Italy	Wei Min Huang Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Walter Remo Caseri ETH Zürich, Switzerland	Patrick van Rijn University of Groningen, The Netherlands	Seth B. Darling Argonne National Laboratory, USA
Wolfgang Meier University of Basel, Switzerland	Kang Li Imperial College London, UK	Simone Knaus Technische Universität Wien, Austria
Silvia Janietz Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Polymerforschung IAP, Germany	Svetlana Santer University of Potsdam, Germany	Stéphanie Reynaud UPPA, France

Schedule

The detailed program of PDFA, Polymers: Design, Function and Application conference in Barcelona is now available, please see below. Moreover, you can also download the Polymers 2018 Book of Abstracts (last update 14 March 2018).

Session Start

Wednesday 21 March 2018: 14:30 - 17:30 / Welcome Cocktail & Poster Session 17:30
Thursday 22 March 2018: 08:30 - 12:30 / 14:00 - 18:00
Friday 23 March 2018: 08:30 - 12:30 / 14:00 - 18:00

Detailed Program

Day 1: Wednesday 21 March 2018

14:30 Registration Desk Open (Check-in)
15:00 – 16:00 Meet the Editors Session
16:00 – 17:30 Young Investigator Award (YIA) Session (Bernhard Schmidt, Haritz Sardon, Joseph Patterson, Lei Fang)
17:30 – 19:00 Welcome Cocktail and Poster Session (All Numbers)

Day 2: Thursday 22 March 2018

Session 1: Design to Function

08:30 – 08:45 Opening Ceremony
08:45 – 09:25 Ulrich S. Schubert: “New Battery Systems Based on Polymers as Active Materials”
09:25 – 09:40 Seema Agarwal: “Non-ionic polymers and gels with UCST-type transitions and thermophilicity in water”
09:40 – 10:20 Josef R. Wünsch: “High Performance Materials for Mobility”
10:20 – 10.35 Dirk Kuckling: “Light-triggered degradation in aliphatic poly(carbonate)s via intramolecular cyclization”

10:35 – 11:05 Coffee Break and Poster Session (Even Numbers)

11:05 – 11:20 Cesar Petzhold: “Synthesis and characterization of hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide having oligo(lactic acid) as hydrophobic macromonomer”
11:20 – 12:00 Klaus Müllen: “A Polymer Chemistry of Graphenes and Graphene Nanoribbons”
12:00 – 12:15 Patxi Garra: “Unprecedented photopolymerization of very thick films and access to composites: low optical densities vs. latent species strategies”
12:15 – 12:30 Svetlana Santer: “Light responsive objects: from active manipulation to self-propulsion of small particles at solid liquid interfaces”

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 14:40 Richard Hoogenboom: “From the Chemistry of Poly(2-oxazoline)s to Their Use as Biomaterials”
14:40 – 14:55 Philipp Marx: “Influence of surface interactions on the dielectric properties in poly(2-oxazoline)-co-polyester nanocomposites”
14:55 – 15:35 Yao Lin: “Revisiting the Helix-Coil Transition and Helical Chain Growth of Polypeptides”

15:35 – 16:05 Coffee Break and Poster Session (Even Numbers)

16:05 – 16:20 Niels ten Brummelhuis: “Controlling Monomer Sequence Using (Supramolecular) Cyclopolymerization”
16:20 – 17:00 Helmut Schlaad: “Polymers from Amino Acids”
17:00 – 17:15 Yeseren Saylan: “Molecularly Imprinted Bacterial Cellulose Nanofibers for Selective Recognition of Proteins”
17:15 – 17:30 Stefan Reinicke: “New immobilization protocols for the embedding of enzymes in ultrathin polymeric films”
17:30 – 17:45 Ian Teasdale: “Design of inorganic polymers with stimuli responsive cleavage and/or degradation in biological environments”
17:45 – 18:00 Sarah Glaß: “Poly(ethylene glycol) Diacrylate Hydrogels Used as Carriers for Photodynamic Therapy Photosensitizers”

18:00 Conference Group Photograph

Day 3: Friday 23 March 2018

Session 2: Function to Application

08:30 – 09:10 Ulrich Neuhausen: "Hybrid 3D Manufacturing of Smart Systems”
09:10 – 09:25 Harald Brünig: "Advances and challenges in poly(lactic acid) fiber design for biomedical applications"
09:25 – 10:05 Andreas Greiner: “New Biobased Polycarbonates as Functional Materials”
10:05 – 10:20 Dániel Vadas: "Application of Melt-Blown Poly(Lactic Acid) Filaments in Self-Reinforced Composites"
10:20 – 10:35 Mª Asunción Illarramendi: "Progress in Doped Polymer Optical Fibers for Photonic Applications"

10:35 – 11:05 Coffee Break and Poster Session (Odd Numbers)

11:05 – 11:20 Patrick van Rijn: "Mechanics, Topography, and Chemistry: How to determine multi-parameter influences on cell behavior"
11:20 – 11:35 Christophe Tribet: "Mixed polymer adllayers allowing remote control of cell adhesion and polarization via click, temperature, or redox triggers"
11:35 – 12:15 Roy Shenhar: “Nano-Patterned Polyelectrolyte Multilayers: A Non-Lithographic Approach”
12:15– 12:30 Eleanor Dougherty: "Radial Dependence of Film Formation During the Spin-Coating of an Immiscible Polymer Blend"

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 14:40 Katja Loos “Enzymatic Polymerizations – Novel Ways to (New) Polymer Systems”
14:40 – 14:55 Felix Plamper: "Electrochemically-Active Microgel Systems"
14:55 – 15:10 Simone Haslinger: "Tailoring Ioncell Fibers with Noble Metal Nanoparticles"
15:10 – 15:25 Tino Töpper: "Electrospraying of nanometer-sized droplets for sub-micrometer-thin dielectric elastomer transducers"
15:25 – 15:40 Teresa Poerio: "Sustainable preparation of PVDF-based membranes with tailored properties"

15:40 – 16:10 Coffee Break and Poster Session (Odd Numbers)

16:10 – 16:50 Greg Tew: “Building Simple Mimics of Natural Proteins Provides New Opportunities from T-Cell Delivery to Novel Amphiphilic Networks ”
16:50 – 17:05 Filippo Rossi: "Three dimensional biomimetic hydrogel to deliver factors secreted by human mesenchymal stem cells in spinal cord injury"
17:05 – 17:20 Robert Luxenhofer: "Ultra-high loaded polymer micelles for drug delivery"
17:20 – 17:35 Pavel Semenyuk: "Thermoresponsive polymers exhibit chaperone-like activity and recognize unfolded state of the protein"
17:35 – 17:50 Ulrich Glebe "Mimicking natural membranes utilizing transmembrane protein-polymer conjugates"

17:50 Closing Remarks and Awards Ceremony

The conference will be held at the Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Address: Avinguda Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Closest Metro Station: Palau Reial (Line 3)

How to get there:

Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia and is Spain's second largest city, with a population of over one and half million people (over five million in the whole province). This city, located on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, has a rich and diverse history, with its roots dating back to Roman times when it was a settlement called ‘Barcino’.

In 1992, Barcelona gained international recognition by hosting the Olympic games which brought about a massive upturn in its tourism industry. This had the effect of changing the city in ways that are still felt today, with neighborhoods that were renovated (and in some cases, leveled), updates to the public transportation system, and an intense focus on modern design, that permeates all aspects of life in Barcelona, from public buildings to something as simple as a park bench or an event poster. For visitors, this has translated into the very modern, yet incredibly old city you see now in the 21st century, where new elements work to both preserve and celebrate both the city’s heritage and origins.

Barcelona is similar to other large cosmopolitan European cities with plenty of outdoor markets, restaurants, shops, museums, and churches. The city is also very walkable, with an extensive and reliable Metro system for more far-flung destinations. The core center of town, focused around the Ciutat Vella ("Old City"), provides many opportunities for enjoyment for those looking to experience the life of Barcelona, while the beaches the city were built to provide locations for sun and relaxation during the long periods of agreeably warm weather.

For a complete overview, see wikitravel.org.

Early Registration: until 26 January 2018

Late Registration: 27 January 2018 - 23 March 2018 (Onsite registration also available)

IUPAC Members, Affiliate Members and Fellows (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) are granted a 10% registration fee reduction.

The registration fee includes attendance of all conference sessions, morning/afternoon coffee breaks and lunches, participation in the Meet the Editors session and welcome cocktail on 21 of March 2018, conference bag and program book. Other dinners are not included and are left at the convenience of attendees.

Please note that, in order to finalize the scientific program in due time, at least one registration by anyone of the authors, denoted as Covering Author, is required to cover the presentation and publication of any accepted abstract. Covering Author registration deadline is 20 February 2018.

Cancellation

Participation to the conference is considered final only once the registration fees have been paid. The number of participants is limited, once the number of paid registrations reaches the maximum number of participants, unpaid registrations will be cancelled.

Polymers: Design, Function and Application (PDFA) announces the availability of awards for postdocs, PhD students and young researchers conducting research in the field of polymer research and who plan to attend the PDFA 2018 conference.

Travel Award

Winners will be awarded 500 Swiss Francs with a certificate and a waiver of the registration fee for the PDFA conference. Runners-up will be granted a waiver of the registration fee for the PDFA conference.

Candidates' Requirements:

• Applicants must be postdoctoral fellows or PhD students involved in the polymer research field
• The abstracts submitted by the applicants must be accepted by the scientific committee of the PDFA conference

Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

1. A brief description of current and future research.
2. A CV, including a complete list of publications.
3. A letter of recommendation from their supervisor, research director or department head which also confirms that the applicant fulfills all requirements.

Update 19 January 2018: The winners and runners-up of the Travel Award are:

Two winners:
Patxi Garra, University of Upper Alsace, France
Kankana Banerjee, University of Mysore, India

Five runners-up:
Junliang Zhang, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
Qasim Zia, University of Manchester, UK
Sarah Glaß, University of Leipzig, Germany
Arn Mignon, University Ghent, Belgium
Pavel I. Semenyuk, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia

Young Investigator Award

The award consists of 2500 Swiss Francs, a plaque, a waiver of the registration fees of the next Polymers conference in 2020 and a plenary presentation at the next conference. Nominations are open to all investigators who work in the polymer research field. The candidates must be nominated by two established scientists rather than sending applications themselves. The support letter should highlight their achievements and contribution to the field and recommend them for this award. Self-nomination is not accepted.

Candidates' Requirements

1. Ground-breaking contribution to the advancement of the field
2. 35 years of age and under (by 31 December 2017)
3. Curriculum Vitae and list of publications
4. Nomination letter from two established scientists in the polymer research field

There will be a special session at the PDFA conference on 21 March 2018 for the Young Investigator Award (YIA), at which point candidates are requested to give a presentation of their research. Based on these presentations, the YIA winner will be chosen by an evaluation committee, and the result will be revealed at the Award Ceremony of the last day of the conference.

Update 16 February 2018: The candidates selected for the Young Investigator Award session are:

• Bernhard Schmidt, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Germany
• Haritz Sardon, University of the Basque Country, Spain
• Joseph Patterson, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
• Lei Fang, Texas A&M University, USA

Update 23 March 2018: The winner for the Young Investigator Award 2017 is Dr. Lei Fang (Texas A&M University, USA).

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. The city combines modern and historic architecture in a unique way.

You can visit the official website of Barcelona Turisme for further information.

Accommodation

We want your stay in Barcelona during the conference to be as good as possible. With that in mind, we have agreed a 10% discount with several hotels to make your accommodation choice a bit easier.

We are delighted to announce that the following three hotels, located a step away from the conference venue, will offer a discounted price for all attendees to the Polymers 2018 conference:

• Hotel Madanis: The Hotel Madanis offers 30 exclusive rooms where care has been taken to the last detail.
• Hotel Madanis Liceo: Modern design care, excellent connections with all Barcelona, and services designed for your comfort.
• Apartamentos Madanis: Tourist apartments for 1-5 people, fully equipped, offering guests the possibility to enjoy their visit to Barcelona with all the comforts. 

Please add the discount code ‘polymers’ while making your reservation.

Atiram Hotels will also offer 10% discount on room booking:

• Oriente Atiram, Alba Hotel and Meson Castilla Atiram: Located in  Las Ramblas, have a fantastic central location, next to Plaza Catalunya and the famous Boqueria market, 25 minutes away (by metro) from the conference venue.
• Arenas Atiram: The Arenas Atiram Hotel offers a highly personalized service together with very friendly, elegant facilities, only a few meters away from the conference venue.
• Tres Torres Atiram: Located in the center of one of the best residential neighborhoods of Barcelona, next to the distinguished commercial and leisure districts Diagonal Avenue, 2 km away from the conference venue.

Please add the discount code ‘POLYMERS18’ while making your reservation.

Finally, the following hotels will also offer a 10% discount from 22 to 23 of March using the code ‘SERCOTELPOLYMERS18’ 

• B-Hotel is a modern hotel that offers comfort and design, located in Plaza España, 20 minutes away by metro from the conference venue.
• Barcelona Universal Hotel, 1898 Hotel and Reding Croma Hotel  are in an excellent location in the city centre 25 minutes away by metro from the venue.

To ensure availability, we encourage you to book your accommodation as soon as possible.

Getting to Barcelona

By Plane

By Train

Once in Barcelona:

Public Transport (Bus & Metro): www.tmb.cat
Local Trains: www.fgc.cat

Public taxis can apply four types of fares in Barcelona. These fares must be visible inside the taxi, and are usually printed on a sticker over the window. Finally, the amount payable must be indicated on the taximeter.

Visa Requirements

IUPAC endorsement implies that entry visas will be granted to all bona fide chemists provided application is made not less than six months in advance. If visa is not granted two months before the meeting, the IUPAC Secretariat should be notified without delay by the applicant.

Citizens of the EU and the EFTA

Citizens of EU and EFTA countries must present valid personal identification, an ID card or a passport. No visa is required.
Regardless of their citizenship, family members of EU and EFTA citizens must present a valid passport and they must have a specific residence permit from a Schengen country (no visa required). Otherwise a visa must be obtained.

For more information, see http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/en/ServiciosAlCiudadano/InformacionParaExtranjeros/Paginas/Inicio.aspx. 

EU Countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

EFTA Countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.

Schengen Countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Citizens of the USA and Canada

A valid passport is required. No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.

Third-Country Nationals

A valid passport is required and in some cases a visa must be obtained prior to entering Spain. For more information, check http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/en/ServiciosAlCiudadano/InformacionParaExtranjeros/Paginas/RequisitosDeEntrada.aspx.  

Travel Insurance

Subscription to an insurance plan to protect you from the high costs of illness or accident during your stay in Spain is a prerequisite for obtaining your visa. You should obtain adequate travel, health and accident insurance before you depart from your country. The organizers are not responsible for personal injuries, or loss of, or damage to, private property belonging to the congress participants.

Letter of Invitation

A letter of invitation can be requested during the registration process using the "comments" field. The letter will be sent to you by email once the registration fees has been received. Letters of invitation do not include responsibility of, and, do not imply any financial support from the conference organizers.

Attend the exclusive "Meet the Editors" session to learn about exciting innovations in science and how to get your work published. You will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the editors-in-chief of Polymers, Alexander Böker and of Biomimetics, Josep Samitier. Participation is free, but registration is encouraged. You can register for this by selecting it as the extras option during your registration. If you are already registered and would like to attend the session, please contact the Conference Secretariat.

We look forward to seeing you there!