Instytut Biologii

Research topic: CMy PhD thesis focuses on sensitizing resistant cancer cells (breast cancer cells mainly) to neutron radiation in case of BNCT method. Boron-Neutron Capture Therapy is a method which can be used as alternative way of cancer treatment to standard radiotherapy. However, it is not commonly used due to some obstacles as that BNCT cannot be used to treat every type of cancer because of toxic influence of boron compound on healthy cells around cancer cells area. To sensitize resistant cancer cells to neutron radiation, in research are going to be used gold nanoparticles in appropriate amount and with adequate size to type of cancer. It is essential to add boron compound (BSH or BPA) to cell culture because due to boron element whole reaction, which is going between boron and neutrons, is able to take place in cancer cells after irradiating these cells by neutrons. The main aim of whole research is to find alternative and more effective way of cancer therapy. What is more, this research enables to maximize the effect of cancer therapy by BNCT and use this method to treatment of other types of cancer than glioblastoma multiforme.

Research topic: A key barrier in the delivery of recombinant phage endolysins for the eradication of Gram-negative bacteria is the outer cell membrane. The aim of the study is to develop a method of transporting phage endolysins as bactericidal proteins against P. aeruginosa. Research involves the natural process of permeabilizing the bacterial membrane called pyroptosis. Pyroptosis is the process of the immune response of eukaryotic cells to the infection of Gram-negative bacteria via a lipopolysaccharide-dependent pathway leading to perforation of the cell membrane and release of pro-inflammatory factors. It is believed that one of the pyroptotic proteins gasdermin D could also permeabilize the bacterial outer membrane, which would allow the access of the recombinant phage endolysin to the periplasmic space, peptidoglycan degradation, and bacterial cell death. Besides, the research also includes induction of the pyroptosis process by dendritic gold nanoparticles, capable of destabilizing the cell membrane and activating the inflammasome. The research is carried out under the project of the National Science Center OPUS no. UMO-2017/27/B/NZ6/00199.

Research topic: Escherichia coli is one of the most adaptive species that can survive in various and unfavorable environmental conditions. Uropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (UPEC), which were usually identified as urine isolates, are now defined as an intracellular pathogen. UPECs are bacteria that can form a specific biofilm, intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) inside the umbrella cells of the urinary tract. The aim of the study is to determine the role played by the UPEC forming IBCs in the pathomechanism of bladder cancer.

Research topic: My doctoral thesis concerns the influence of various factors on the radiosensitivity of U2OS cells. The factors analyzed by me are temperature and low dose rate of ionizing radiation. I started my research work by analyzing the influence of hypothermia on the kinetics of foci and micronucleus repair foci in U2OS-53BP1 and U2OS-NBS1 cells. The second factor analyzed by me is the very low dose rate of ionizing radiation. People are constantly exposed to low doses of genotoxic factors (chemical and physical) due to their presence or environmental pollution or work activity. The organism's adaptation to low doses of ionizing radiation is still a matter of debate. Radiation exposure concerns people living in regions of the world where the natural radiation background is increased. Using an in vitro model, I plan to investigate the effect of very low doses of ionizing radiation. For this purpose, a special source of ground euxenite found in nature was constructed. The third stage of my research is to investigate the kinetics of foci repair foci formation in nuclei and micronuclei in U2OS-53BP1 cells. The aim of the planned research is to analyze the induction and repair of DNA double-strand breaks observed as 53BP1 foci in the nuclei and micronuclei of U2OS cells.

Research topic: The aim of the dissertation is to optimize the technique of laser interferometry for biomedical applications. A new measuring system will be used in the research, i.e. a laser interferometer dedicated to biological research. The optimization of the technique will be carried out in three model systems. The first is the characteristics of the release of lysozyme and fuconazole from hydroxyapatite as a potential bone filling dedicated for medical applications. The second stage of the research is the analysis of the diffusion of biologically active substances and drug carriers through the monolayer of CHO-K1 eukaryotic cells. It is planned to characterize the diffusion of dendrimers as carriers of biologically active substances and selected thio-sugars. In the last stage of the work, the antibacterial activity of biopolymers containing bacteriophages against P. aeruginosa PAO1 will be widely analyzed. Part of the research is carried out under the project of the National Science Center OPUS no. UMO- 2016/21/B/NZ6/01157.

Research topic: Effect of dietary supplements with different fatty acid content on the morphology of hepatocytes and markers of oxidative stress in selected mouse tissues. Fatty dietary supplements are a group of commonly used preparations that enrich the daily diet with the necessary unsaturated fatty acids necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the human body. There has been an excessive interest in dietary supplements in the last decade. The lack of clinical trial requirements for supplements limits the knowledge of both the pharmacokinetics of the substances contained in these products and their interactions with other xenobiotics and their side effects. The work covers the results of the impact of selected dietary supplements with different fatty acid content on the morphology of hepatocytes and markers of oxidative stress in selected mouse tissues.

Research topic: The research topic of the doctoral dissertation concerns the development of a polymer bed based on chitosan for the purification of protein products from bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS). In the first stage of research, various utility forms of chitosan will be developed. It is planned to create chitosan deposits, which will be assessed for physical, chemical, mechanical and thermal parameters. In the second stage of the research, two enzymes will be used as model systems for testing the developed deposits: lysozyme and recombinant phage endolysin from a biotechnological process before the endotoxin purification stage. The developed bed will be compared in terms of efficiency with commercial solutions.

Research topic: My doctoral thesis focuses on the biophysical study of the mechanism of bacterial outer membrane permeabilization (OM) by cationic dendritic nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, PAMAM polyamidoamine dendrimers and carbosilicon dendrimers. The mechanism of membrane permeabilization will be investigated using liposomes as a model of the bacterial outer membrane (OM). In addition, this mechanism will also be tested on antibiotic-resistant strains of Pseudomonas bacteria. Investigating the above-mentioned effect will answer the question whether the permeabilization of the outer bacterial membrane by cationic nanoparticles will allow for the transport of peptidoglycan (PG) degrading antibacterial proteins. The results of these studies will contribute to the development of new alternatives to fight antibiotic resistance in drug-resistant bacteria.

Research topic: The subject of my research concerns the application of the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technique in research on the Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) in the course of acute myeloid leukemia. MRD is characterized by the presence of a small number of neoplastic cells (during remission or treatment) leading to frequent relapses. This condition is difficult to diagnose using standard methods, while the use of NGS allows for the detection of changes with high sensitivity. The aim of my research is to fully understand the meaning of genetic diversity (mutations and variability of the expression level) associated with the discussed disease entity. This may contribute to the development of modern and personalized therapeutic methods as well facilitate diagnosis and monitoring of MRD.