Patryk Wesolowski

I am a DDLS Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet, working in the Molecular Pharmacology of GPCRs team led by Paweł Kozielewicz. My research focuses on understanding how protein conformational dynamics and molecular interactions regulate biological function, with particular emphasis on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs).

I completed my bachelor's degree in Biotechnology at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, before moving to Cambridge, UK, where I completed an MPhil and a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Professor David J. Wales. I subsequently held a Research Associate position in his group, developing multilevel computational frameworks for studying protein energy landscapes. My research background combines theoretical chemistry, molecular dynamics simulations, molecular modelling, and computational structural biology.

My current research integrates molecular simulations, conformational ensemble analysis, and network-based approaches to investigate how mutations reshape receptor dynamics and influence signalling outcomes. More broadly, I am interested in bridging the physical principles governing biomolecular systems with experimentally observable biological function and developing predictive computational approaches for molecular pharmacology.

My research lies at the intersection of computational chemistry, structural biology, and molecular pharmacology. I develop and apply computational approaches to understand how biomolecular structure, conformational dynamics, and energy landscapes determine biological function.

My main research interests include:

• GPCR signalling and molecular pharmacology: Understanding how receptor mutations, conformational ensembles, and intracellular regulatory mechanisms influence G protein coupling and the recruitment of GRKs and β-arrestins.
• Protein energy landscapes: Developing multilevel theoretical and computational frameworks to characterise conformational states, metastability, transition pathways, and the energetic principles underlying protein folding and function.
• Intrinsically disordered regions: Investigating the conformational properties of disordered protein regions, identifying interaction hotspots, and developing computational approaches to understand molecular recognition and binding-induced structuralisation.
• Allostery and molecular communication: Using dynamic network analysis and molecular simulations to investigate how perturbations redistribute intramolecular communication and influence protein function.
• Molecular modelling and simulation: Applying molecular dynamics, coarse-grained modelling, and atomistic simulations to investigate biomolecular interactions, conformational heterogeneity, and the role of the molecular environment.
• AI-driven structural biology: Exploring how structure prediction and data-driven approaches can be integrated with physical models and molecular simulations to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of biomolecular behaviour.

My long-term research goal is to connect molecular structure and dynamics with biological function through physically grounded, predictive computational frameworks.

I have extensive teaching, assessment, and supervision experience from the University of Cambridge, where I contributed to undergraduate education in chemistry, chemical biology, and theoretical chemistry. My responsibilities included supervising undergraduate courses, demonstrating experimental and theoretical practicals across different stages of the undergraduate curriculum, and supporting students in developing their theoretical knowledge and practical skills. I also served as a senior demonstrator, interviewing and marking students, and acted as the examiner for second-year Theoretical Chemistry in 2026.

In addition to my teaching responsibilities, I have experience in academic admissions, having conducted undergraduate admissions interviews in Chemistry at Clare College, Cambridge. I have co-supervised PhD and master's students, including MPhil and Part III students undertaking research projects, as well as undergraduate students and interns during summer research projects. My broader academic activities have included tutoring A-level students, preparing and delivering lectures on chemistry and protein folding, and mentoring prospective Oxbridge applicants.

At Karolinska Institutet, I look forward to contributing to teaching in receptor pharmacology and related areas, drawing on my expertise in computational chemistry, molecular modelling, and structural biology. I am also keen to contribute to the supervision and co-supervision of master's and PhD students, supporting interdisciplinary research at the interface of computational modelling and molecular pharmacology.