Projects

Our projects grouped by category

Project Coordination

EU Horizon Europe, Widening participation and spreading excellence, Twinning project Twinning for building excellence and innovative solutions in flow catalysis – FlowCat, Grant No. 101160108 (1.10.2024-30.9.2027); Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl

Slovenian-Hungarian project: Novel microbioreactors for expanding the chemical space of flexible chiral amines, Grant No. N2-0342 (2024 -2027). PI: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl; Partner: Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology (Prof. Dr. Laszlo Poppe)

Slovenian-Croatian project: Biocatalytic process intensification using deep eutectic solvents in microflow systems for sustainable waste valorization – BioInDES. Grant No. J4-4562 (2022-2025); PI: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl; Partners: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marina Cvjetko Bubalo, University of Zagreb

Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) project Intensification of continuous synthesis of high-purity hydrogen peroxide by application of an electrocatalytic microreactor – H2O2 on a chip. Grant No. L2-3161 (2021-2024); PI: Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl; Partners: Belinka Perkemija d.o.o., National Institute of Chemistry, Institute Jožef Stefan

Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) project: Development of microflow systems for bacterial cell analysis, selection, and application, Grant No. J4-1775 (2019-2023); PI: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl; Partners: Prof. Dr. Ines Mandić-Mulec, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana; Acies Bio d.o.o., Ljubljana

EU Horizon 2020, Widening participation and spreading excellence, ERA chair project: Chair of Microprocess Engineering and Technology – COMPETE, Grant No. 811040 (1.1.2019-31.12.2022); Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl

Slovenian-Hungarian project: MIO-enzyme-based multistep syntheses in continuous-flow microfluidic reactor systems, Grant No. N2-0067 (2017 -2021). PI: Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl; Partner: Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology (Prof. Dr. Laszlo Poppe)

EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship project Development of Chitosan-based Immobilized Catalysts for H/D Exchange in Continuous Flow Systems – CHITOCAT, Grant No. 101211395 (1.8.2025-30.11.2027); Coordinator: Dr. Ross Jansen van Vuuren; Partners: TalTech (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maksim Ošeka) and Sanofi (Dr. Volker Derdau).

Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) JP NAP project H₂O₂ on Demand: Pilot Plant for High-Purity Hydrogen Peroxide Synthesis Using an Electrocatalytic Flow Microreactor, Grant No. ARIS-JP NAP-2025/17 (2027-2028); PI: Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl; Partners: National Institute of Chemistry, Jožef Stefan Institute, and Belinka Perkemija d.o.o.

Partnership in International Projects

Interreg Central Europe Project Bringing Green Chemical Production Forward in Central Europe – GreenChemForCE; project ID CE0200857 (1.6.2024-30.11.2026); PI at UL: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl; Coordinator: Charles University

EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral network Project Green and digital continuous-flow pharmaceutical manufacturing – GreenDigiPharma, Grant No. 101073089 (1.1.2023-31.12.2026); PI at UL: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl; Coordinator: Politecnico di Milano (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gianvito Vilé)

M-ERA.NET Project cofunded through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 958174: Neoteric Biomaterials for hIPSCs Monitorized Differentiation to RGCs: Creation, Microfabrication & Microfluidics – bioMAT4EYE (2022-2025); PI at UL: Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl; Coordinator: Complutense University of Madrid (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Miguel Ladero)

CELSA project Self-assembling Multi-Layer Enzyme Network for Flow Biocatalysis – Selfembed (2020-2023): Coordinator: KU Leuven, Department of Chemical Engineering (Prof. Dr. Simon Kuhn), PI at UL: Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl, Collaborator: Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology (Dr. Diána Balogh, Prof. Dr. Laszlo Poppe)

EU FP7 PEOPLE – ITN Project European network for innovative microbioreactor applications in bioprocess development – EUROMBR, Grant No. 608104 (2013– 2017); PI at UL: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl; Coordinator: Technical University of Denmark , Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering (Prof. Dr. Krist V. Gernaey, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Krühne)

EU FP7 Collaborative Project Mastering bioprocess integration and intensification across scales – BIOINTENSE, Grant No. 312148 (2012-2016); PI at UL: Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl; Coordinator: Technical University of Denmark , Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering (Prof. Dr. John Woodley)

PRIMA 2025 project REsilient agriFood system through REuse and Safe Handling of effluents – RE-FRESH, ARIS project code N1-0492 (1.10.2026-30.9.2029); PI at UL: Dr. Andraž Šuligoj; Coordinator: Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP), CNRS (Dr. Gwendoline Lafaye).

CELSA project Photochemical Hybrid Oxidation with Tunable HydrOgels for Wastewater Remediation – PHOTOX (1.10.2026-30.9.2028); UL participants: Assist. Prof. Dr. Rok Ambrožič, Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl, and Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl; Coordinator: KU Leuven, Department of Chemical Engineering (Prof. Dr. Simon Kuhn).

EU Horizon Europe New European Bauhaus project Renovation Management for Adaptability and Disassembly Enhancement – REMADE, Grant No. 101308946 (1.8.2026-31.7.2029); UL participants: Prof. Dr. Urška Lavrenčič Štangar and Dr. Andraž Šuligoj; Coordinator: City St George’s, University of London.

WEAVE joint ARIS–GAČR project Computer-aided framework for the systematic synthesis, design, and integration of flow chemistry and microprocesses into sustainable production systems targeting Power-to-X, Grant No. J2-60044 (1.2.2025-31.1.2028); UL participants: Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl and Assist. Prof. Dr. Rok Ambrožič; Coordinator: University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (Prof. Dr. Zdravko Kravanja); Partners: Scientific Research Centre Bistra Ptuj and Brno University of Technology.

Industrial Cooperation

Belinka Perkemija

Acies Bio d.o.o., Ljubljana: Development of microflow systems for bacterial cell analysis, selection and application, Grant No. J4-1775 (2019-2022);

Krka, d.d., Novo mesto: Development of methodologies and procedures for the synthesis and isolation of selected active ingredients; Project No. RRU/07-2017 (2017-2018); Project No. RRU/02-2021 (2021-2023)

Corning SAS, France (2014-2021)

Involvement in COST Actions

MPNS COST Action MP1305 Flowing matter (2014-2018)

CMST COST Action CM1303 Systems Biocatalysis (2013-2017)

Bilateral Cooperation

Slovenian- French cooperation in science and technology 2019 -2020: project Process intensification in the production of 2nd generation platform molecules, Grant No BI-FR/19-20-PROTEUS-007, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rouen (INSA) (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sebastien Leveneur)

Slovenian – USA cooperation in science and technology 2017-2018: project Theoretical and experimental studies of biocatalytic processes in microreactors; Oregon State University, School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering (Prof. Dr. Goran N. Jovanovic)

Slovenian – USA cooperation in science and technology 2015-2016: project Biocatalytic processes in microreactors with integrated nanosprings; University of Idaho, Department of Physics (Prof. Dr. David McIlroy)

Fulbright research grant of Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl and research position of Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl in 2014-2015 at Oregon State University in the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Goran N. Jovanovic, School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Corvallis, OR, USA

Slovenian – Chinese cooperation in science and technology 2014-2015: project Microwave-assisted nanoparticles synthesis in microchannels; Key Laboratory of Unconventional Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology (Dr. Guo Chen)

Slovenian – Austrian cooperation in science and technology 2011-2012: project Monitoring of bioprocesses within microfluidic devices; Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology (Dr. Torsten Mayr)

Slovenian – Croatian cooperation in science and technology 2010-2011: Organization of international thematic conference Implementation of microreactor technology into biotechnology; Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb (Prof. Dr. Bruno Zelić.)

Slovenian – Portuguese cooperation in science and technology 2010-2011: project Implementation of microstructured devices in biotransformation and bioseparation processes; BioEngineering Research Group, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Technical University of Lisbon (Prof. Dr. Luís J. P. Fonseca)

International Scientific Cooperation, granted through The National Foundation for Science, Higher Education and Technological Development of the Republic of Croatia – Research Project (2009-2010): Synthesis of ionic liquids and biotransformations with these solvents in microreactors; Laboratory for Cell Technology, Application and Biotransformations, Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb (Dr. Marina Cvjetko Bubalo, Ivan Radoš, Prof. Dr. Jasna Vorkapić-Furač)

Slovenian – Bulgarian cooperation in science and technology 2009-2010: project Microbial transformations of steroids within a microchannel system; Department of Microbial Biochemistry, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Blaga Angelova)

Fulbright research grant of Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl and research position of Prof. Dr. Polona Žnidaršič Plazl in 2003-2004 at Oregon State University in the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Goran N. Jovanovic, School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, USA

Student exchange programme (CMEPIUS and ERASMUS)

Nela Milićević, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Silvia Moreno Rodrigues, University of Granada, Spain

Filipa A. Vicente, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Marija Nujić, Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia

Ivan Radoš, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Marina Cvjetko, Laboratory for Cell Technology, Application and Biotransformations, Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Marco Paulo Cardoso Marques, BioEngineering Research Group, Centre for Biological and Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal

Alex Clemente, Spain

NATIONAL COOPERATION

Laboratory for Alternative Technologies, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,, University of Ljubljana (Primary Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Joško Valentinčič)

Laboratory of Microsensor Structures and Electronics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana (Primary Investigator: Dr. Danilo Vrtačnik)

Bionanoteam, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana (Primary Investigator: Prof. Dr. Damjana Drobne)

Department of Surface Engineering and Optoelectronics, Jožef Stefan Institute (Primary Investigator: Dr. Alenka Vesel)

National research and development programme CO₂ Capture, Thermal Energy Management, and Electrification Using Industrial Technologies with Net-Zero Emissions for Decarbonization – CarbNETs, project ID ARIS-TRL-3-6-2025/13 (1.6.2026-30.6.2029); UL participants: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boštjan Genorio and Prof. Dr. Igor Plazl; Coordinator: National Institute of Chemistry; Consortium: 20 Slovenian research and industrial partners.