Contact

alicja.surowiak@pwr.edu.pl 
A-2, room 305a
LinkedIn

Research

My research focuses on the development and evaluation of innovative fragrance potential cosmetic ingredients, encompassing both synthetic and natural compounds. With a background in chemistry and biotechnology, I specialize in assessing antimicrobial, toxicological, and sensory properties of olfactory substances. My work bridges fundamental research and industrial application, including co-authorship of eight patents and the successful industrial implementation. I contribute to research initiatives across cosmetics, perfumery, and household chemicals. In addition to my scientific work, I serve as an assistant professor and lecturer, integrating research findings into postgraduate education in cosmetic technology through practice-oriented instruction. My contributions have been recognized through awards such as the silver medal at the International Warsaw Invention Show and a Special Award from the Polish Association of Pharmaceutical Industry Employers or multiple IFEAT Young Scientist Fellowship. I remain committed to advancing science through interdisciplinary and international collaboration and training the next generation of researchers.

Projects

“Exploring the Safety and Potential of Essential Oils: Understanding Skin Interaction and Anti-Cancer Effects against Skin Cancer” Internal grant, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology. April 2024 – March 2025.

"Development of three innovative biocidal products" LT/PWR/22 under the Innovation Voucher. July 2022-January 2023.

“Determination of MIC, MBC and MFC parameters” External service provided on behalf of the University of Economics in Kraków. Project manager in the period March 2023 – May 2023.

"Synthesis of new fragrance compounds from raw materials of natural origin for applications in perfumery, cosmetics and household chemicals" (SYNFRA); grant number: LIDER/4/0099/L-7/15/NCBR/2016 April 2018-December 2019.

Education and research internships

February 2025 Internship at Department of Biology (DB), Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, As part of Erasmus+ Staff Mobility For Training. Fractionation of essential oils and toxicity studies on marine organisms

2017 - 2023 PhD in the discipline of chemical sciences, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wrocław, Poland. "Synthesis and analysis of antimicrobial activity of volatile organic compounds"

2018.10 - 2023.01 Lecturer, Wroclaw Colleage of Phisiotherapy, under a civil law contract. At the Institute of Cosmetology, where I gave lectures on the Chemistry of Natural Products, Application Methods in Cosmetics Research and Biotechnology Elements.

2018.04 - 2019.12 Research Assistant, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, the LIDER project "Synthesis of new fragrances from raw materials of natural origin with application in perfumery, cosmetics and household chemistry" (SYNFRA); In this project I was responsible for the synthesis of a number of low-molecular-weight volatile compounds, their purification and analysis on a gas chromatograph with a flame-ionization detector using an olfactometer and chiral columns. Additionally, I conducted a number of microbiological studies with the determination of the minimum concentration inhibiting the growth of microorganisms.

2016 - 2017 MSc in Molecular biotechnology and biocatalysis, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland. "Synthesis of menthofurane derivatives with aromatic properties.”

2014.10 - 2016.02 Junior Specialist for Environmental Protection, P.U.H B-I-P Serwis. Preparing water-legal reports and permits, an atmosphere protection study, project information cards and reports on the volume of greenhouse gas emissions and other substances (KOBiZE) as well as marketing research.

2011 - 2015 BEng in Biotechnology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland. "Review and evaluation of methods for determining polyphenolic compounds in selected organic materials."

2014.06 - 2014.10 Internship in a physicochemical laboratory Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Poznań, Kalisz Branch. During the internship, I learned techniques for determining major and trace elements in environmental samples as well as methods for determining quality indicators of environmental samples such as COD or BOD5.

Publications and patents

Szczęsna-Górniak WP, Lamch Ł, Surowiak AK, Zboińska E, Szyk-Warszyńska L, Bartman MJ, Warszyński P, Wilk K. Novel antimicrobial-decorated polyelectrolytes as versatile building blocks for multifunctional hydrogel nano- and microparticles. ACS Omega 10(21) (2025), doi:10.1021/acsomega.5c01734

Strub DJ, Surowiak AK, Baberowska K, Živković Stošić MZ, Radulović N. Estrowe pochodne kwasów fenolowych, sposób ich wytwarzania oraz ich zastosowanie jako środków zapachowych oraz środków przeciwgrzybicznych. Zgłoszenie patentowe nr P.451578 z dnia 26.03.2025.

Bacińska Z, Baberowska K, Surowiak AK, Balcerzak L, Strub DJ. Exploring the antimicrobial properties of 99 natural flavour and fragrance raw materials against pathogenic bacteria: a comparative study with antibiotics. Plants 12(21) (2023), doi:10.3390/plants122137771.

Balcerzak L, Surowiak AK, Groborz KM, Stróżak S, Piekarska K, Strub DJ. Comparative evaluation of mutagenic, genotoxic, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial effects of flavour and fragrance aldehydes, ketones, oximes, and oxime ethers. Toxicology 490 (2023), doi:10.1016/j.tox.2023.

 Surowiak AK, Balcerzak L, Strub DJ. 52-gie Międzynarodowe Sympozjum Olejków Eterycznych (ISEO 2022). Aromaterapia 29(1) (2023),

Strub DJ, Balcerzak L, Surowiak AK. Eterowe związki zapachowe i sposób wytwarzania. Polska, patent nr PL243494, opublikowano 04.09.2023, zgłoszenie nr 436291 z 09.12.2020.

Balcerzak L, Surowiak AK, Adamowicz A, Kaleta M, Pieńkosz-Żagan A, Strub DJ. Evaluation of small combinatorial libraries of nitrogenous low-molecular-weight compounds for new fragrance development. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 115 (2022), doi:10.1016/j.jiec.2022.12.018

Surowiak AK, Sowała M, Talma M, Groborz KM, Balcerzak L, Lochyński S, Strub DJ. Cytotoxicity, early safety screening, and antimicrobial potential of minor oxime constituents of essential oils and aromatic extracts. Scientific Reports 12 (2022), doi:10.1038/s41598-022-09339-3

Strub DJ, Lochyński S, Błaszczyk M, Surowiak AK. (EZ, 2EZ)-3,7-dimetylo-N-(oksiran-2(RS)-ylometoksy)okta-2,6-dien-1-imina i sposób jej wytwarzania. Polska, patent nr PL241187, opublikowano 22.08.2022, zgłoszenie nr 432400 z 24.12.2019.

Strub DJ, Surowiak AK, Kołodyński W. Eter n-propylowy oksymu 3-metoksybenzaldehydu i sposób jego wytwarzania. Polska, patent nr PL240178, opublikowano 28.02.2022, zgłoszenie nr 432404 z 24.12.2019.

Strub DJ, Lochyński S, Dudek A, Surowiak AK. Eterowa pochodna oksymu piperytonu i sposób wytwarzania eterowej pochodnej oksymu piperytonu. Polska, patent nr PL240176, opublikowano 28.02.2022, zgłoszenie nr 432399 z 24.12.2019.

Strub DJ, Surowiak AK, Kołodyński W. Eter etylowy oksymu 3-metoksybenzaldehydu i sposób jego wytwarzania. Polska, patent nr PL240177, opublikowano 28.02.2022, zgłoszenie nr 432401 z 24.12.2019.

Strub DJ, Lochyński S, Dudek A, Surowiak AK. Eterowa pochodna oksymu piperytonu i sposób wytwarzania eterowej pochodnej oksymu piperytonu. Polska, patent nr PL240175, opublikowano 28.02.2022, zgłoszenie nr 432398 z 24.12.2019.

Strub DJ, Lochyński S, Dudek A, Surowiak AK. Eterowa pochodna oksymu piperytonu i sposób wytwarzania eterowej pochodnej oksymu piperytonu. Polska, patent nr PL240173, opublikowano 28.02.2022, zgłoszenie nr 432396 z 24.12.2019.

Strub DJ, Lochyński S, Dudek A, Surowiak AK. Eterowa pochodna oksymu piperytonu i sposób wytwarzania eterowej pochodnej oksymu piperytonu. Polska, patent nr PL240174, opublikowano 28.02.2022, zgłoszenie nr 432397 z 24.12.2019.

Surowiak AK, Balcerzak L, Lochyński S, Strub DJ. Biological activity of selected natural and synthetic terpenoid lactones. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(9) (2021), doi:10.3390/ijms22095036

Surowiak AK, Lochyński S, Strub DJ. Unsubstituted oximes as potential therapeutic agents. Symmetry-Basel 12(4) (2020), art. 575, doi:10.3390/sym12040575

Surowiak AK, Kannenberg-Leszczyńska D, Strub DJ, Lochyński S. Przemysłowy potencjał rozmarynu lekarskiego (Rosmarinus officinalis L.). Przemysł Chemiczny 99(2) (2020), doi:10.15199/62.2020.2.14

Surowiak AK, Lochyński S. Aktywność biologiczna oksymów. Na pograniczu chemii i biologii 37 (2017).

Hoffmann J, Huculak-Mączka M, Surowiak A, Surowiak S, Surowiak AK. Dziś trudny odpad – jutro surowiec. Recykling 1 (2014).

Conferences

Surowiak, A.K., Kołodziej, A., Balcerzak, L., Baberowska, K., Bacińska, Z., Strub, D.J. Exploring natural alternatives for preserving cosmetics: essential oils as antimicrobial agents. 54th International Symposium on Essential Oils (ISEO), 09/2024, Balatonalmádi, Hungary.

Baberowska, K., Surowiak, A.K., Živković Stošić, M.Z., Radulović, N., Strub, D.J. Lily of the valley odorants: synthesis and potential applications – preliminary results. 54th ISEO, 09/2024, Balatonalmádi, Hungary.

Baberowska, K., Surowiak, A.K., Strub, D.J. Fragrance compounds – synthesis, evaluation, and potential applications. Interdisciplinary Doctoral Symposium: Rajd Doktoranta 2024, Przesieka, 05/2024.

Strub, D.J., Balcerzak, L., Surowiak, A.K., Baberowska, K., Bacińska, Z. Olejki eteryczne i ekstrakty aromatyczne jako substancje aktywne w produktach funkcjonalnych. II Ogólnopolska Konferencja Bioaktywne Związki Pochodzenia Naturalnego, Trzebnica, 10/2023.

Baberowska, K., Surowiak, A.K., Strub, D.J. Transformation and antimicrobial activity of natural and volatile phenolic compounds and their derivatives. ISEO 2023, Milazzo, Italy, 13–16/09/2023.

Surowiak, A.K., Balcerzak, L., Strub, D.J. Raw fragrance materials as potential antimicrobial agents. ISEO 2023, Milazzo, Italy, 09/2023.

Baberowska, K., Surowiak, A.K., Strub, D.J. Antimicrobial potential of lily alcohol oxa-derivatives with fragrance properties. ChemBiotIC 2023, Wrocław. 06/2023.

Baberowska, K., Surowiak, A.K., Strub, D.J. Potencjał przeciwdrobnoustrojowy związków fenolowych i ich pochodnych o właściwościach zapachowych. XIX Ogólnopolskie Seminarium "Na pograniczu chemii i biologii", Trzebieszowice, 06/2023.

Surowiak, A.K., Lochyński, S., Strub, D.J. The main components of essential oils as potential preservatives in cosmetic emulsions. ISEO 2022, Wrocław, 09/2022.

Surowiak, A.K., Balcerzak, L., Lochyński, S., Strub, D.J. Low molecular weight oxime ethers as potential fragrances. ChemBiotIC 2021, Wrocław, 06/2021.

Balcerzak, L., Surowiak, A.K., Lochyński, S., Adamowicz, A., Kaleta, M., Pieńkosz-Żagan, A., Strub, D.J. Combinatorial synthesis of fragrant volatiles from natural raw materials – a sustainable approach towards discovery of new odorants. 50th ISEO, Vienna, 09/2019.

Surowiak, A.K., Sowala, M., Strub, D.J., Lochyński, S. Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of oximes derived from natural volatile compounds. 50th ISEO, Vienna, 09/2019.

Surowiak, A.K., Strub, D.J., Lochyński, S. Microbial safety of cosmetics. XVII Ogólnopolskie Seminarium "Na pograniczu chemii i biologii", Jastrzębia Góra, 05/2019.

Surowiak, A.K., Lochyński, S., Strub, D.J. Oximes derived from natural volatile compounds as antimicrobial active agents. 3rd Wrocław Scientific Meetings, Wrocław. 03/2019.

Surowiak, A.K., Dudek, A., Lochyński, S., Strub, D.J. Microbial growth inhibition by oximes derived from natural volatile carbonyl compounds. 50th ISEO, Vienna, 09/2018.

Surowiak, A.K., Lochyński, S., Strub, D.J. Antimicrobial activity of low-molecular oximes. 4th Symposium on Biotransformations, Trzebnica, 06/2018.

Surowiak, A.K., Dudek, A., Lochyński, S., Strub, D.J. Aktywność przeciwbakteryjna i przeciwgrzybowa lotnych oksymów. VII Krajowe Sympozjum "Naturalne i Syntetyczne Produkty Zapachowe i Kosmetyczne", Łódź, 07/2018.

Strub, D.J., Gibka, J., Błaszczyk, M., Kula, J., Balcerzak, L., Sikora, M., Surowiak, A.K., Lochyński, S., Piekarska, K. Synthesis, olfactory evaluation and preliminary environmental impact of citral oxime ethers. Natural Volatiles & Essential Oils, 07/2017.