New laureates of MINIATURA 5 call.  130 laureates, whose projects received funds from National Science Centre, include three representatives of our university: Michał Karbownik MD PhD, Elżbieta Kozłowska MD PhD and Urszula Smyczyńska MD PhD.

Congratulations! We wish you further success in your scientific career!

The aim of MINIATURA call is to finance research activities conducted for the purpose of future research project to be submitted under an NSC call or other domestic and international calls for proposals. The fifth edition of MINIATURA offers grants from PLN 5,000 up to 50,000 for activities to be carried over a period of up to 12 months.

 

Michał Karbownik MD PhD (Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology)

The project title: The assessment of the impact of selected human gut microbiota metabolites on the gliotransmitters release in the model of human astrocytes cultures (preliminary/pilot study)

Recent research into gut microbiota has revolutionised our understanding of the process of human brain development and its functioning in health and in disease. However, despite the progress in molecular, preclinical and clinical studies, it is yet to be clarified how micro-organisms affect our brain.

One of potential mechanisms includes a release of metabolites which, having reached the brain, interact with the receptors of the glial cells. Cerebral glia cells do not only have a macrostructural function but together with neurons they create synaptic connections. The secretion of specific gliotransmitters maintains the synaptic homeostasis and contributes to neuroplasticity. It seems that so far there has been no research conducted into the impact of gut microbiota metabolites on gliotransmission. This research project is supposed to fill in this gap in our knowledge and contribute to the development of new therapies in neuropsychiatry.

 

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Urszula Smyczyńska PhD Eng. (Departmnt of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine)

The project title: Radiomic methods in research into neoplastic diseases (research internship)

The project involves a 10-week research internship in Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Harvard Medical School). The aim of the project is to expand the knowledge and acquire skills in radiomics, a scientific discipline which includes advanced techniques of medical imaging analysis e.g. computer tomography in patients with neoplastic diseases. The competences acquired during the internship at the leading research institute with extensive experience in radiomic research will be applied in the implementation of one’s own project concerning lung cancer.

The research project also aims at searching for new solutions between radiomic characteristics (the features of the tumour ‘appearance’ in medical imaging) and molecular features of lung cancers. The information obtained in such imaging will enable more precise and less invasive diagnostics in patients with lung cancer in the future.

 

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Elżbieta Kozłowska MD PhD (Department of Microbiology and Experimental Immunology)

The project title: Do fungal antigens affect the expression of selected pattern recognition receptors on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (preliminary and pilot study)

It has already been demonstrated that fungi constitute a significant component of human microbiota (mycobiome) and by influence on various cells they can regulate many physiological and pathological conditions, in particular they can modulate the activity of the cells engaged in immunological and inflammatory processes. The available data show that changes in mycobiome composition may lead to the development or increased severity of many diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases, allergic diseases of the respiratory system, chronic obtrusive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis, and some autoimmunological diseases.

The funds obtained in Miniatura 5 call for proposals are meant to be used to determine whether the components of cellular membrane of the fungi can regulate the expression of selected molecules of PRR group on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The project involves the assessment of mannan and β-(1,3)-glucans impact on selected cells.

Functionality of given receptors will also be investigated with (or without) simultaneous application of the inhibitors of intracellular signalling. Along with the researcher’s earlier studies in this issue, the obtained outcomes will initiate a large scientific project on the impact assessment of fungal antigens on the phenotype and activity of various subpopulations of immunocompetent cells which are the components of PBMC.