Abstract

Carbon is a fundamental element of life, present in every human body—yet every atom of carbon in us was once formed in the interior of a star. Despite being the same element, carbon can create materials with strikingly different properties, such as hard, insulating diamond and soft, conductive graphite. This lecture shows how different atomic arrangements give rise to a wide range of carbon structures, from classical forms to modern nanomaterials like graphene, carbon nanotubes, and fullerenes. Special attention is given to nanoscale forms of carbon, including nanodiamonds, which combine unique surface properties, biocompatibility, and exceptional mechanical stability. We briefly introduce the physical and materials science principles behind these differences and demonstrate how they translate into real-world applications. In particular, the lecture highlights the growing importance of carbon-based nanomaterials in biomedical engineering, where they enable advances in drug delivery, biosensing, and the development of innovative biomaterials.

Short bio

Anna Karczemska is a graduate of the Faculty of Technical Physics, Computer Science, and Applied Mathematics at Lodz University of Technology, with a specialization in Solid State Physics. She completed her master’s thesis in France at ECAM Lyon (École Catholique d’Arts et Métiers). After graduation, she was awarded the Jan Dzienisiewicz Scholarship, which enabled her to pursue doctoral studies at Imperial College London, in the High Energy Physics Group. She defended her PhD dissertation at the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering at Warsaw University of Technology.

Since November 2000, she has been working at the Institute of Turbomachinery within the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Lodz University of Technology. Her academic work focuses on materials science and biomedical engineering. She has coordinated numerous scientific research projects and actively supervises student projects and diploma theses. She also teaches a variety of courses and mentors students in both academic and research contexts.

Her scientific interests include carbon allotropes (such as diamond) and their applications in biomedical engineering, nanomaterials, microfluidics, and meteorites. She is a member of the Polish Meteoritical Society.

She currently serves as the Chair of the Solidarity Trade Union at Lodz University of Technology. Additionally, she holds the position of Faculty Representative for Students with Disabilities and Faculty Equality Officer at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. She is the author of numerous scientific publications and is also a passionate science communicator.

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