FLOWery Research Group
Research Interest
Our FLOWery group explores how microreactors and flow technologies can be leveraged to create greener, safer and more efficient chemical processes. We focus on photochemistry, electrochemistry and multiphase flow in microreactors, with particular emphasis on heterogeneous photocatalysis, mass transport and reactor engineering. By combining microfluidics, advanced materials and reaction engineering principles, we develop innovative flow systems that intensify reactions, enhance sustainability and expand the practical use of photochemical and electrochemical microreactors.
Head of group
Anna Vanluchene
Anna Vanluchene obtained her PhD in Chemical and Process Engineering through a double degree between UPMC Paris and UCT Prague, working at ESPCI under the supervision of Prof. Jérôme Bibette and Prof. František Štěpánek at UCT Prague. After postdoctoral research at the Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals (Czech Academy of Sciences) and Ghent University (MSCA Fellow, SynBioC group, Prof. Christian V. Stevens), she established her independent research group at UCT Prague in September 2024.
People
PhD Students
- MSc. Ruben Hansson
Ruben obtained his Master’s degree in Chemistry in 2025 from Lund University, Sweden, where he focused on the synthesis of metal pincer complexes. Since September 2025, he has been pursuing his PhD on photocatalysed processes in microreactor systems, specifically heterogeneous photocatalysis using carbon nitride–based materials under continuous-flow conditions.
Students
Master
- Sebastian Lecaros Vasquez
Sebastian works on the development of stable emulsions for sustainable hair dyes derived from Peruvian plant sources. - Vladimír Krucký
Vladimír (co-supervised with Dr. Petr Kovaříček) focuses on transitioning from homogeneous to heterogeneous photocatalysis through the immobilisation of deazaoxaflavins, studying their performance in photocatalytic sulfoxidation. - Monika Felcmanová
As part of a double-degree program with the Università degli Studi di Cagliari (UniCa), Italy, Monika works on the design of microfluidic flow cells with passive mixers for photochemical applications. - Andreas Maton
Andreas is a visiting student from Ghent University, his thesis is focusing on singlet oxygen oxidations by carbon nitride in the flow photoreactors.
Bachelor
- Matouš Barták
Development of a Microflow Cell for Heterogeneous Photocatalysis - Adam Plšek
Development of a Microfluidic Chip for Studying Oxidative Photocatalytic Reactions in Two-Phase Flow - Tomáš Heimerle
Preparation and Testing of Graphitic Carbon Nitride Thin Films for Microfluidic Photocatalytic Reactors
The FLOWery group at the New Year’s dinner (Prague, 2026)
Join Us!
We warmly welcome motivated B.Sc. and M.Sc. students. If you are interested in joining the group, please contact anna.vanluchene@vscht.cz
Topics for Bachelor’s and Master’s students
- Development of high-throughput experimentation in flow microreactors
- Sustainable photochemical transformations in flow reactors for chemical specialties
- Photochemically induced antibacterial properties of functional films, tested in microflow cells
- Scale-up strategies for photochemical reactors
- Design of microreactors for enhanced photon utilisation in gas–liquid photoreactors
- We also collaborate closely with the ICPF, Czech Academy of Sciences, offering students the opportunity to work on joint research topics
Funding
- Dagmar Procházková Fund
Project duration: 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2028
Project title: Illuminating Flow: Transport Phenomena in Photocatalysis for Fine Chemical Synthesis
This project is supported by the Dagmar Procházková Fund in collaboration with the UCTP. - GAČR – Czech Science Foundation
Project duration: 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2028
Project title: From Speculation to Mechanism: Deciphering the True Potential of Poly(Heptazine Imide)
This project is funded by the Czech Science Foundation (GAČR) and carried out in collaboration with the Laboratory of Biomimetics (doc. Viola Tokárová, UCTP) and the following partner institutions: Brno University of Technology, Masaryk University, and Czech Academy of Sciences
Role of our group: Within this project, our group focuses on oxidative transformations and microbial inactivation in microfluidic systems.
List of Publications
Full publication list: Google Scholar