| Title: | Assistant |
| Function: | Assistant |
| Location: | 218 |
| Public phone number: | +385 1 4606 147 |
| Internal phone number: | 6147 |
| E-mail: | |
| Department: | Division of Physical Chemistry |
| Graduation year: | 2019 |
| PhD graduation year: | 2023 |
| Employed in this institution since: | 2019 |
Andrea Usenik was born in Rijeka on May 20, 1995. In 2002, she enrolled in the Vladimir Gortan Elementary School (Rijeka), which she completed in 2010, and enrolled in the School of Science and Graphic Arts in Rijeka, majoring in Natural Science Gymnasium. During her school education, she participated in numerous competitions in chemistry and mathematics, and in state competitions in chemistry she achieved significant success, i.e. she won first place twice (2011 and 2014) and second place (2012). In 2014, she represented Croatia at the 46th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Hanoi, Vietnam, where she won a bronze medal. Based on the results achieved, she has been awarded the Oscar of Knowledge three times (Education and Teacher Training Agency).
She enrolled in the undergraduate study of chemistry at the Faculty of Science (University of Zagreb) in 2014 and completed it in 2017 with a final thesis entitled The Solvent Effect on the Kinetics of Chemical Reactions (mentor Prof. Vladislav Tomišić). During her undergraduate studies, she volunteered at the Division of Organic Chemistry (2016−2017 under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Vesna Petrović Peroković and Prof. Srđanka Tomić Pisarović). In 2017, she started volunteering at the Division of Physical Chemistry under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Josip Požar and enrolled in the Graduate Study of Chemistry (major: Inorganic and Physical Chemistry). In 2019, she was awarded the Rector's Award (paper entitled Thermodynamics of complexation of alkali metal cations with the fluorescent derivative calix[4]arene in organic solvents, mentor Prof. Vladislav Tomišić). She completed her graduate studies in 2019 with a thesis entitled Thermodynamics of complexation of alkaline-earth metal cations by a fluorescent phenanthridine-based calix[4]arene derivative (mentor Prof. Vladislav Tomišić) and was awarded the Medal of the Department of Chemistry for excellence in studies. During her studies, she started working on professional projects at the Department of Physical Chemistry, and since October 2019 she has been employed as an expert associate. She enrolled in the postgraduate study of Chemistry (major: Physical Chemistry) in the same year, and her doctoral dissertation entitled Thermodynamics of Inclusion Reactions of Amphiphilic Compounds with Cyclodextrins and Cucurbiturils was written under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Josip Požar and successfully defended on December 20, 2023.
She was an associate on the Croatian Science Foundation project Coordination reactions of macrocyclic ligands in solution (MacroSol) from 2020 to 2024. Since 2020, she has been working as an assistant at the Department of Physical Chemistry and participated in teaching numerous courses (Physical Chemistry 2, Chemical Thermodynamics, Elements of Physical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Laboratory 1, Advanced Physical Chemistry Laboratory 1 and 2). She is the direct supervisor of three graduate theses (one of which is in progress).
She is a co-author of seven scientific papers cited in the WoS and Scopus databases. She has presented her results at numerous conferences (three invited lectures, four section lectures, and over 30 poster presentations).
She has been a member of the Croatian Chemical Society since 2014 and the American Chemical Society (ACS) since 2023. She has participated and currently participates in the organization and implementation of numerous activities related to the popularization of science within the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Science (Open Day of the Department of Chemistry, Day and Night at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb Expo/Fair – represented the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Science in 2017 with the presentation "Where there is smoke... There's also fire!" and the Croatian Chemical Society (activities of the Student Section of the Croatian Chemical Society). She participated in the organization of the 4th, 5th, and 6th Symposium of Chemistry Students (as an associate, member of the Organizing Committee, and advisor), 25th and 27th Croatian Meeting of Chemists and Chemical Engineers (volunteer, member of the Organizing Committee), Adriatic NMR Conference and Magnetic Moments in Central Europe 2022 (MMCE2022). She is currently participating in the organization of the international conference Solutions in Chemistry, of which she is the secretary and initiator.
She is engaged in graphic design and preparation and has designed the visual identity of several events (β-Lactam Day, PHARMA – Behind closed doors), conferences (27HSKIKI, MMCE2022, Solutions in Chemistry), projects (MacroSol, Product Development through Scientific Expertise) and the Leopold Ružička Award. She has also designed the cover of the book Organic Stereochemistry in Croatia and Prelog School and many printed materials (Adriatic NMR Conference, Supramolecular Chemistry 2020, 27HSKIKI, AdiDent, Why Not?!, Embrace Croatia...).
Solutions in Chemistry 2024: Book of Abstracts
Thermodynamics of Cation-Binding Reactions of Tertiary-Amide Calix[6]arene Derivative
Thermodynamics of inclusion reactions of amphiphilic compounds with cyclodextrins and cucurbiturils
Complexation Thermodynamics of Benzene Derivatives with Cucurbit[7]uril and β-Cyclodextrin
Complexation of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metal Cations by Calix[6]arene Receptors
Hosting of diamantane alcohols in water and hydrogen-bonded organic solvents: the (non-)classical hydrophobic effect
INFLUENCE OF CATION BINDING ON INTRINSIC FLUORESCENCE OF TERTIARY-AMIDE CALIX[6]ARENE DERIVATIVE
Hydrophobically driven hosting – What about the guest?
The Hydrophobically Driven Inclusion Revisited, the Complexation of Simple Aliphatic and Aromatic Compounds with Cyclodextrins and Cucurbiturils
Enhancing the Cation-Binding Ability of Fluorescent Calixarene Derivatives: Structural, Thermodynamic, and Computational Studies
Comparative study of cyclodextrin binding affinities for diamondoid alcohols
When hydrophobic cavities meet benzene derivatives
The Role of Triazole and Glucose Moieties in Alkali Metal Cation Complexation by Lower-Rim Tertiary-Amide Calix[4]arene Derivatives
Complexation thermodynamics of benzene derivates with beta-cyclodextrin and cucurbit[7]uril
THE THERMODYNAMICS OF HYDROPHOBICALY DRIVEN INCLUSION; β-CYCLODEXTRIN VS. CUCURBIT[7]URIL
UNDERSTANDING THE ATTRACTION BETWEEN HYDROPHOBIC CAVITIES AND BENZENE DERIVATIVES
THE CHALLENGES BEHIND SOLUTIONS: AN INSIGHT FROM VARIOUS VIEWPOINTS OF SUPRAMOLECULAR PHYSICAL CHEMISTS
Hydrophobic effect – comparison of aromatic and aliphatic alcohols
H2O vs. D2O: Thermodynamics Beyond NMR
Solutions in Chemistry 2022: Book of Abstracts
Complexation Thermodynamics of Benzene Derivatives with Macrocyclic Receptors
Macrocyclic Receptors and Benzene Derivatives: Complexation Thermodynamics and Substituent Impact
THE CURRENT CHALLENGES FOR IMPROVING CHEMISTRY LEARNING
Hydrophobic cavities and diamantanes
Thermodynamic and structural studies of complexation reactions of phenanthridine-based calix[4]arene derivative with alkaline earth metal cations
Finding ability of ferrocene derivatives with beta- cyclodextrins as inclusion complex
(A) Romantic Relationship Between Hydrophobic Cavities and Aromatic Alcohols
Diamantane Alcohols and Hydrophobic Cavities: The (not so) Perfect Match in Water and Structured Organic Solvents
Inclusion complexes of ferrocene uracil derivatives with cyclodextrins: solubilization and binding ability
From icebergs to geysers: the story behind hydrophobic effect
Fluorescent phenanthridine-based calix[4]arene derivatives: synthesis and thermodynamics of complexation reactions with metal cations
Diamantanes are a hydrophobic cavity's best friend: the role of solvent structuring in complex stability
Exploring the bright side of hydrophobically driven complexation: the bitter synthesis of sweet fluorescent amphiphiles
Diamantane Alcohols and Hydrophobic Cavities: The Perfect Pair Also in Non-Aqueous Solutions?
Hydrophobic Effect and Beyond
Thermodynamic and structural studies of complexation reactions of phenanthridine-based calix[4]arene derivative with alkaline earth metal cations
Alkali-metal cation coordination to calix[4]arenes containing triazole functionalities
Shining a light on hydrophobically driven complexation: the bittersweet story behind fluorescent mannoconjugates
Melting Down the Iceberg Model: Hydrophobic Cavities and (Sweetened) Alcohols
Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of adamantyl kojic acid derivatives
Design, synthesis and complexation properties of calix[4]arenes with phenanthridine subunits
Adamantyl pyran-4-one derivatives and their in vitro antiproliferative activity
Complexation Properties of Phenantridine-Based Calix[4]arene Derivatives
Thermodynamics of complexation of alkaline- earth metal cations by a fluorescent phenathridine- based calix[4]arene derivative
Phenanthridine-based calix[4]arene derivates: complexation with alkali metal cations
Phenanthridine-based calix[4]arene derivates: synthesis and their complexation with alkali metal cations
Thermodynamics of Complexation of Alkaline- earth Metal Cations by a Fluorescent Phenanthridine-based Calix[4]arene Derivative
Synthesis and complexation properties of calix[4]arenes with phenanthridine subunits
Synthesis and complexation properties of fluorescent phenanthridine-basesd calix[4]arene derivates
Thermodynamics of complexation of fluorescent calix[4]arene derivative with alkali metal cations
Synthesis and Complexation Properties of Fluorescent Phenanthridine-Based Calix[4]arene Derivative
Fluorescent Phenanthridine-Based Calix[4]arene Derivatives: Synthesis and Complexation Properties
Sythesis of novel lipophilic mannosides and their complexation with β-cyclodextrin
1. M. Modrušan, N. Cindro, A. Usenik, K. Leko, L. Glazer, R. Tomaš, G. Horvat, J. Požar, V. Tomišić, Complexation of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metal Cations by Fluorescent Glycoconjugated Calix[4]arene Derivative: Thermodynamic and Computational Studies, Croat. Chem. Acta. 2024, accepted for publication.
2. A. Usenik, N. Kallay, V. Tomišić, Motion of ions in solution under the influence of an electric field: microscopic vs. macroscopic view, J. Chem. Educ. 2024, 101(9), 3805−3812.
3. K. Leko, A. Usenik, N. Cindro, M. Modrušan, J. Požar, G. Horvat, V. Stilinović, T. Hrenar, V. Tomišić, Enhancing the Cation-Binding Ability of Fluorescent Calixarene Derivatives: Structural, Thermodynamic, and Computational Studies, ACS Omega 2023, 8, 43074−43087.
4. A. Usenik, M. Alešković, S. Roca, I. Markuš, M. Šekutor, J. Požar, Hosting of diamantane alcohols in water and hydrogen-bonded organic solvents: the (non-)classical hydrophobic effect, New J. Chem. 2023, 47, 18745−18755.
5. A. Usenik, K. Leko, V. Petrović Peroković, Ž. Car, R. Ribić, K. Pičuljan, M. Hanževački, J. Draženović, J. Požar, Hydrophobically driven hosting – What about the guest?, J. Mol. Liq. 2023, 388, 122774.
6. J. Požar, M. Cvetnić, A. Usenik, N. Cindro, G. Horvat, K. Leko, M. Modrušan, V. Tomišić, The Role of Triazole and Glucose Moieties in Alkali Metal Cation Complexation by Lower-Rim Tertiary-Amide Calix[4]arene Derivatives, Molecules 2022, 27, 470.
7. V. Petrović Peroković, Ž. Car, A. Usenik, T. Opačak-Bernardi, A. Jurić, S. Tomić, Adamantyl pyran-4-one derivatives and their in vitro antiproliferative activity, Mol Divers 2020, 24, 253–263.
Croatian Chemical Society (member since 2014)
American Chemical Society (member since 2023)
2020 − 2024 - researcher on the Croatian Science Foundation project Coordination Reactions of Macrocyclic Ligands in Solution (MacroSol)
2019 − 2020 - Expert Associate on the project Fizikalno-kemijska karakterizacija lijekova u otopini (Xellia, PI Prof Vladislav Tomišić)
2020 − Assistant
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