Prizes and awards

2024

Award of the Polish Society of Diabetology. The Polish Diabetes Association appreciated the work co-authored by Prof. Marzena Gajecka and Dr. Katarzyna Jaskiewicz (Gajecka M*, Gutaj P*, Jaskiewicz K*, Rydzanicz M, Szczapa T, Kaminska D, Kosewski G, Przyslawski J, Ploski R, Wender-Ozegowska E. Effects of maternal type 1 diabetes and confounding factors on neonatal microbiomes. Diabetologia. 2024 Feb;67(2):312-326. doi: 10.1007/s00125-023-06047-7 ; *contributed equally). The second prize in the competition for the best scientific publication in the field of diabetology and metabolic diseases in 2023, named after Kazimierz Funk, was awarded to Dr. hab. Pawel Gutaj.

FameLab 2024 Finale Audience Award for Monika Pieniawska, MSc. With the greatest participation, Monika Pieniawska,MSc., a PhD student at the Department of Molecular Pathology, won the Audience Award in the Final of the Polish Edition FameLab 2024 Competition. This prestigious gathering was attended by aspiring science popularizers. As the winner of the Audience Award, Monika Pieniawska, MSc. will have the honor of giving a lecture on one of the main stages of science popularization – during the Silesian Science Festival in Katowice, which will take place from December 7 to 9, 2024 at the International Congress Center in Katowice.

Award to Marta Budzińska, M.D., for the best speech in the doctoral session at the 24th International Congress of Young Medical Scientists. On 18th May 2024, Marta Budzińska, M.D., with her presentation “In vitro gene therapy using Human iPS cell-derived mesonangioblast-like cells (HIDEMs) combined with microdystrophin (µDys) expression as the new strategy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)” won the Basic Life Science – PhD Students session during the 24th International Congress of Young Medical Scientists.

Main prize and distinction in the competition for the best original creative work of a doctoral student in 2023. In the competition for the best original creative work by a doctoral student in 2023, organized by the Poznan Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Katarzyna Jaskiewicz, PhD, won the main prize in the area of medical sciences, and Karolina Rassek, PhD, received a distinction also for her work in the area of medical sciences.
Awarded publications:
– Jaskiewicz K, Maleszka-Kurpiel M, Kabza M, Karolak JA, Gajecka M. Sequence variants contributing to dysregulated inflammatory responses across keratoconic cone surface in adolescent patients with keratoconus. Front Immunol. 2023 Jul 6;14:1197054. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1197054.
– Rassek K, Iżykowska K, Żurawek M, Pieniawska M, Nowicka K, Zhao X, Przybylski GK. TMEM244 Is a Long Non-Coding RNA Necessary for CTCL Cell Growth. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 9;24(4):3531. doi: 10.3390/ijms24043531.

In the second edition of the competition organized by the Polish Genetic Society for the best original work and doctoral thesis in the field of genetics from 2023, the doctoral thesis of Dr. Monika Drobna-Śledzińska entitled: “Identification of miRNA-mRNA interactions in the pathogenesis of childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL)”, performed under the supervision of Dr. hab. Małgorzata Dawidowska, won the 2nd Prize in the Specialty of Human Genetics.

Dr. Joanna Swierkowska received the ‘FY2024 JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan’ from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) for the implementation of the project ‘DNA methylation study in myopic mice towards explanation of increasing incidence of myopia worldwide’ at the Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.

For the 32st time, the Foundation for Polish Science awarded START scholarships to the most talented young scientists from all over Poland. This year, 100 young researchers will receive it, including Karolina Rassek from the Department of Molecular Pathology. START is a scholarship programme for the best young researchers representing all fields of science. Grant can be used for any purpose, is intended to provide financial support to researchers at early stage of their research career and to enable them implementation of research plans.

Travel grant International Society of Andrology (ISA) dla Zuzanny Graczyk. 13^th European Congress of Andrology (ECA) 2024. Sztokholm, 3-8.09.2024 r.

PhD Magdalena Nowaczyk was awarded the Special Award of the Polish Biochemical Society for the best report containing elements of biochemical research during the XXVIII Symposium of the Section of Experimental Cardiology of the Polish Society of Cardiology, held on 24-26.10.2024 in Poznan, Poland.

Krzyż Kawalerski Orderu Odrodzenia Polski otrzymał prof. dr hab. Maciej Kurpisz
Złoty Krzyż Zasługi otrzymał prof. dr hab. Grzegorz Przybylski
Brązowy Krzyż Zasługi otrzymali:
prof. dr hab. Małgorzata Jarmuż-Szymczak
prof. dr hab. Andrzej Pławski
prof. dr hab. Ewa Ziętkiewicz

Złoty Medal za Długoletnią Służbę otrzymali:
Aleksandra Jakubowska-Pawłowska
dr Marzena Kamieniczna
Grzegorz Zamelczyk
dr Mariola Zawada

Monika Pieniawska, MSc, was awarded as Finalist in the prestigious “Young Researchers in Vienna” competition, aimed at enabling doctoral students from the Doctoral Schools of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS) to present their research findings in an international academic environment in Vienna. As part of her award, Monika spent five days at the Scientific Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Vienna for a research stay, during which she delivered a lecture titled “The molecular background of Sezary Syndrome.” Participating in this event allowed her to showcase her research on an international stage and establish valuable scientific connections.

2023

In the competition for the best original work of a doctoral student in 2022 organized by The Poznan Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences, MSc Erkut Ilaslan won the main prize in the field of medical sciences. Awarded publication: Ilaslan E, Kwiatkowska K, Smialek MJ, Sajek MP, Lemanska Z, Alla M, Janecki DM, Jaruzelska J, Kusz-Zamelczyk K „Distinct Roles of NANOS1 and NANOS3 in the Cell Cycle and NANOS3-PUM1-FOXM1 Axis to Control G2/M Phase in a Human Primordial Germ Cell Model. IJMS, 2022, 13;23(12):6592 and

Karolina Rassek, MSc, was granted a honorable mention in the contest for the best original paper published in 2022, with a PhD student as the leading author, organized by the Poznań branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The work entitled “TMEM244 Gene Expression as a Potential Blood Diagnostic Marker Distinguishing Sézary Syndrome from Mycosis Fungoides and Benign Erythroderma”. J Invest Dermatol. 2022 Sep 8;S0022-202X(22)01899-1.doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2022.08.046.

Rim Ibrahim secured her place in the french competition “My PhD in 180- Central Europe”. Rim Ibrahim, PhD student from the Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells- IGC PAN, won 2nd Prize of the Jury of the 5th edition of the french competition “MY PhD in 180 seconds- Polish Edition”, coorganized by the French Civilization Center and Francophone Studies at the University of Warsaw, the Plajeda Association of Polish Romanists in partnership with the French Institute in Poland.
The winners of the first two prizes will represent Poland in the finals of “My PhD in 180 seconds” in Central Europe, which will take place the 8th of June 2023 at the Charles University in Prague.
“My PhD in 180 seconds” is a competition that aims to popularize science in French. Within three minutes, the doctoral student presents their research work to the general public by simply explaining a complex subject, and it includes all research disciplines.
The event is part of the celebrations of the Festival of the Francophone and the French Language Week.

Monika Pieniawska received the main prize of Prof. Kazimierz Ostrowski in the conference “XIV National Conference on Advances in Biomedical Research”, which took place on March 4, 2023 in Warsaw. The award was given for an oral presentation entitled “Influence of histone deacetylase 10 overexpression on cancer cell biology in Sezary Syndrome”.

Małgorzata Dawidowska – professor of the Institute of Human Genetics PAS from the Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics was awarded the Scientific Award of the City of Poznań in 2023. The award was granted for comprehensive research on the molecular basis and pathogenesis mechanisms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, combining basic research and application aspects. A series of 5 papers published in peer-reviewed scientific journals in 2021-2022 was presented for the award.

Karolina Rassek – PhD student from the Department of Molecular Pathology has received a scholarship from the City of Poznań for young researchers for outstanding scientific achievements in the field of studying the molecular mechanisms underlying cutaneous T- cell lymphomas pathogenesis. Scientific scholarships of the City of Poznań are awarded to outstanding researchers who demonstrate success in their field of science.

During the 11th Congress of the Polish Society of Human Genetics in Bydgoszcz, Małgorzata Dawidowska – head of the Basic and Translational Hemato-oncology Research Group at the Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics, received the Award of the Polish Society of Human Genetics for the best habilitation thesis in the field of human genetics in the years 2018-2020. Title of the awarded habilitation thesis: ‘Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children: basic and translational research’.

2022

The Golden Hundred of Polish Agriculture. Gala “Wprost” 2022. On December 5, 2022, the “Wprost” Gala was held in Warsaw, during which leaders in the agricultural industry were awarded, awarding distinctions to exceptional companies and entrepreneurs. In the category of Innovations in the agricultural and food industry, the Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants National Research Institute was awarded, which is the only research centre in Poland with almost 90 years of experience in work on hemp. Director of the Institute Dr. Eng. n. med. Rafał Spachacz said that we are happy that we can work together to implement a non-fiber hemp cultivation program and this award is a mobilization for us to further action. Together with the director, the award was received by prof. dr hab. Ryszard Słomski, MD, Katarzyna Wielgus, Paweł Gała, PhD, and Karolina Wielgus, PhD. Institute of Human Genetics PAS represented by prof. Słomski previously implemented the Innomed project. Development of a technology for obtaining cannabinoids from hemp with a low THC content as means supporting the treatment of oncological patients. Acronym: ONKOKAN.

Awarding the “Wprost” Eagle for innovations in the field of hemp cultivation and the development of non-fibrous hemp. From the left: Dr. Katarzyna Wielgusz, attorney Paweł Gała, Dr. Rafał Spachacz – director with “Wprost” Eagle, representative of “Wprost”, Dr. Karolina Wielgus and Professor Ryszard Słomski

Wojciech Łosiewski, MSc, has received “Dr Wacław Mayzel Medical Laurel”, an honorary award of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the Polish Academy of sciences for students.

The Polish Society of Nutritional Sciences awarded the Prof. Aleksander Szczygieł Prize for the research work published in 2021 to the team consisting of dr Kinga Gawlińska, dr Dawid Dawliński MSc. Ewelina Kowal-Wiśniewska, dr hab. Małgorzata Jarmuż-Szymczak, prof. Małgorzata Filip.

During the 4th International Conference on the Long and the Short of Non-Coding RNAs, which took place 12th June-17th June 2022, on Rhodes, Greece, Marta Kasprzyk, MSc a phd student in the The Independent Research Group of Non-coding Parts of the Genome, led by Agnieszka Dzikiewicz-Krawczyk, PhD, received the Aegan Conference FEBS Award.

First Prize in the competition for the best paers “Molecules 2020 Best Paper Award for Anniversary Special Issues for Dr. Aleksandra Zielilńska.

During the VI Polish Genetics Congress held in Cracow on June 27-30th, 2022 MSc Joanna Jurczak, MSc Marta Kasprzyk and MSc Alicja Rabiasz were awarded “Helisa 2022” for the best posters presented on the Human Genetics session.

2021

Dr hab. Anna Kowalska received the scientific team award of the Rector of Poznan Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences awarded to a team consisting of: Dr hab. Zuzanna Ślebioda, Prof. dr hab. Barbara Dorocka-Bobkowska, Dr hab. Anna Kowalska for a series of 7 papers on selected genetic aspects and systemic conditions accompanying chronic recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Dr Marta Olszewska – Early Stage Investigator registration scholarship American Society of Andrology, 46^th Annual Conference 23-25 April 2021.

Prof. dr hab. n. med. Ryszard Słomski odznaczony Krzyżem Oficerskim Orderu Odrodzenia Polski. Uroczystość miała miejsce w dniu 7 czerwca 2021 r. w Urzędzie Wojewódzkim w Poznaniu. Odznaczenie przyznał Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej Andrzej Duda na 70-te urodziny Profesora. Z powodu pandemii wręczenie nastąpiło z półtorarocznym opóźnieniem. Order został przyznany za działalność naukowo-badawczą Profesora obejmującą pionierskie badania DNA w kraju dla potrzeb diagnostycznych, medyczno-sądowych oraz wdrożenie i upowszechnienie diagnostyki molekularnej (odcisk genetyczny 1987; łańcuchowa reakcja polimerazy PCR 1989). Prace z zakresu biotechnologii medycznej stanowią ważny nurt zainteresowań i obejmują uzyskiwanie transgenicznych zwierząt jako bioreaktorów do wytwarzania peptydów oraz tkanek dla potrzeb ksenotransplantacji. Opatrunki biologiczne ze skóry transgenicznych świń zostały wielokrotnie zastosowane w Centrum Leczenia Oparzeń w Siemianowicach Śląskich.

Aleksandra Zielińska, Ph.D., from the Department of Nucleic Acid Functions of our Institute, is a laureate of the START 2021 Program of the Foundation for Polish Science

Dr Julia Paczkowska –  lauerate of the IX Edition of the Competition of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznan for the best scientific publication, which was published in 2020 and the lead author was a PhD student.

“Aegean Conference Travel Award” – dr Iwony Ziółkowskiej-Suchenek, lecture “Hypoxia-induced FAM13A modulates lung cancer cells growth, metastatic potential and actin cytoskeleton organization”. Conference: 7th International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress: Signaling, Metabolism, Imaging and Therapeutic Targets. Kos, Greece, 18-25.09.2021 r.

Dr Maciej Jerzy Śmiałek was awarded a Prize of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland for his PhD dissertation „A global identification of mRNAs regulated by PUM1 and PUM2 and their protein cofactors, in the model of human seminoma (TCam-2)” defended in 2020.

Dr Maciej Jerzy Śmiałek – the Prof. W. Bielański awarded by the Society for Reproductive Biology for two related original articles published in 2020.

Prof. Jadwiga Jaruzelska, dr Marcin Piotr Sajek, dr Maciej Jerzy Śmiałek and  Ms Erkut Ilaslan  from the Institute of Human Genetics Polish Academy of Sciences were awarded by Medical Division of the Polish Academy of Sciences for 5 articles entitled: “Role of NANOS and PUM proteins in human reproduction and infertility”.

Professor Krzysztof Szyfter from the Department of Cancer Genetics has been awarded by Marek Woźniak – the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Region with the honorary badge ‘For merits for the Wielkopolska Region’. Badge of honor ‘For merits for the Wielkopolska Region’ is given by the Board of the Region to individuals, state institutions, local government units, social and professional organizations and other legal persons, who by their overall professional and social activity or realization of their tasks for the Wielkopolska Region have made an outstanding contribution to the economic, cultural and social development of the region.

2020

Biocodex award. Dr Oliwia Zakerska-Banaszak, dr hab. Marzena Skrzypczak-Zielińska and prof. dr hab. Ryszard Słomski received the Biocodex award in the competition ‘Microbiota in health and disease’ for funding a research project entitled “Treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by means of intestinal microbiota transplantation – evaluation of the therapy and its effect on the change of the intestinal microbiome”. Manager dr Marcin Gabryel.

Publications of the year 2019
Prof. dr hab. Ryszard Słomski, dr Szymon Hryhorowicz, dr Marta Kaczmarek-Ryś and dr Aleksandra Korcz received the Award of the Director of the Institute of Human Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences for a review entitled “Allosteric Modulation of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 — Current Challenges and Future Opportunities” published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, which was awarded the title of PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2019.

Dr Marcin Sajek, mgr Maciej Śmiałek, mgr Erkut Ilaslan, dr hab. Kamila Kusz-Zamelczyk, dr Damian Janecki and prof. dr hab. Jadwiga Jaruzelska were awarded the Director of the Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences for the original work entitled.: „PUM1 and PUM2 exhibit different modes of regulation for SIAH1 That Involve cooperativity with Nanos paralogues” published in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, which awarded the title PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2019.

Dr Katarzyna Iżykowska received the Travel Scholarship Award, 4th World Congress of Cutaneous Lymphomas, Barceona, Hiszpania, 11-15.02.2020 r.

Dr n. med. Marta Olszewska has been nominated for the Polish Intelligent Development Award 2020 in the category: Scientist of the future for the project: “Badanie metylacji DNA plemników niepłodnych mężczyzn ze zdiagnozowaną oligozoospermią.”

Monika Drobna, MSc. – PhD student from the Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics has received a scholarship from the City of Poznań for young researchers for outstanding scientific activity and scientific achievements in the field of molecular research including microRNA, which are the basis of childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Assoc. Prof. Monika Fraczek, PhD and Marta Olszewska, PhD have been nominated for the Polish Intelligent Development Award 2020
In this year’s edition of the Polish Intelligent Development Award two scientists of the Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells received nominations in category: Scientist of the future.

Assoc. Prof. Monika Fraczek, PhD has been nominated for the project: ‘Verification of the hypothesis of oxidative stress, apoptosis and immune factor as the mechanisms responsible for the poor semen quality in men exposed to genital heat stress’

Marta Olszewska, PhD has been nominated for the project: “Analysis of DNA methylation pattern in spermatozoa of infertile men with oligozoospermia”. The material regarding the nominee is available on website: https://rzeczo.pl/blog/2020/07/08/nieplodnosc-to-tez-epigenetyka/.

Mgr Alicja Rabiasz, MSc has been nominated for the project: In search for new genes involved in primary ciliary dyskinesia pathogenesis: functional screening of candidate genes using RNA interference.

Mgr Joanna Świerkowska, MSc has been nominated for the project: Rola metylacji DNA w etiologii wysokiej krótkowzroczności u polskich dzieci, August 2020.

Prof. Grzegorz Przybylski M.D., Ph.D. has been nominated for the project: “Double impact of BCL11B gene suppression for the targeted therapy of T-cell neoplasms”, funded by the NCBiR, September 2020.
The winners of this prestigious award have been for five years organizations  and people who in their work show a constant focus on the future, constituting the basis of sustainable economic development of the country.

Oustanding Paper Award for the best paper published in 2019 in Asian Journal of Andrology: Olszewska M, Barciszewska MZ, Fraczek M, Huleyuk N, Chernykh VB, Zastavna D, Barciszewski J, Kurpisz M: Global methylation status of sperm DNA in carriers of chromosome structural aberrations. Asian J Androl, 2017, 19: 117-124.https://dx.doi.org/10.4103/1008-682X.168684, awarded by Editorial Office of Asian Journal of Andrology (Wolters Kluwer), July 2020.

Prof. Grzegorz Przybylski M.D., Ph.D. became a laureate of the Polish Intelligent Development Award 2020 in the category: Scientist of the future for the realization of projects: “Double impact of BCL11B gene suppression for the targeted therapy of T-cell neoplasms”, “Elucidating the function of the transmembrane protein TMEM244 and its role in the development of lymphoid malignancies” and “BCL11B – Potential Therapeutic Target in T cell Neoplasms”.

Assoc. prof. Małgorzata Dawidowska, PhD from the Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics received the Prime Minister’s award in the category of highly valued scientific achievements that were the basis for awarding the habilitation.

Maciej Śmiałek, PhD is the laureate of the Professor W. Bielański award from Society of Reproductive Biology, for two related original articles published in 2020, of which he is the first and corresponding author (doi: 10.1242 / jcs.240986. And doi: 10.3390 / cells9040984.). They concern research on the importance of PUM1 and PUM2 proteins involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in human gametogenic cells, performed in the TCam-2 cell model. Maciej Śmiałek, PhD received the Professor W. Bielański award from Society of Reproductive Biology. The award is granted for experimental work or a series of closely related experimental works in the field of reproductive biology, carried out in research laboratories in Poland (a leading contribution of the Polish research center) by young scientists.

Marta Olszewska, Ph.D. became a laureate of the Polish Intelligent Development Award 2020 in the category: Scientist of the future for the realization of project: ‘Analysis of DNA methylation pattern in spermatozoa of infertile men with oligozoospermia’, funded by National Science Centre, SONATA no. 2015/17/D/NZ5/03442 (2016-2020).

Alicja Rabiasz, MSc became a laureate of the Polish Intelligent Development Award 2020 in the category: Scientics of the future for the realization of project: “Poszukiwanie nowych genów zaangażowanych w patogenezę pierwotnej dyskinezy rzęsek: analiza funkcjonalna genów kandydatów metodą interferencji RNA.”.

Msc Monika Drobna-Śledzińska, Msc Marta Kazimierska and Msc Erkut Ilaslan were awared Direcotr’s Scholarships from Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS in Poznań for the academic year 2020/2021.

Marta Podralska, Ph.D. – distinction in the contest for the best poster presentation in Gliwice Scientific Meeting 2020: Identifiction of irradiation-induced ATM-dependent IncRNAs (Podralska M, Sajek M, Bielicka A, Zurawek M, Ziółkowska-Suchanek I, Kolenda T, Kazimierska M, Kasprzyk M, Sura W, Pietrucha B, Cukrowska B, Rozwadowska N, Dzikiewicz-Krawczyk A).

2019

Monika Drobna, MSc, was granted a honorable mention in the contest for the best original paper published in 2018, with a PhD student as the leading author, organized by the Poznań branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The work entitled „Identification of endogenous control miRNAs for RT-qPCR in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia” [Drobna M, Szarzyńska-Zawadzka B, Daca-Roszak P, Kosmalska M, Jaksis R, Witt M, Dawidowska M; Int J Mol Sci, 2018, 19 (10): e2858].

Bronisława Szarzyńska-Zawadzka has been awarded a Kosciuszko Foundation Grant for the academic year 2019/2020, to visit University of New Mexico, NM, US. During the 3-month visit at University of New Mexico in Albuquerque Bronisława Szarzyńska-Zawadzka will study tumor suppressor function of RNA-binding protein QKI-5 in T-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Prof. Marzena Gajecka has been awarded a Kosciuszko Foundation Fellowship for the academic year 2019/2020, to visit Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, TX, US. Prof. Gajecka during the 3-month fellowship, will work on an implementation of integrative analyzes in multi-omics studies of host-microbiota interactions in multifactorial diseases.

Dr n. med. Agnieszka Malcher has been nominated for the Polish Intelligent Development Award 2019 in the category: Scientist of the future for the project: “Novel causative genetic variants in azoospermia: whole genome analysis and functional in vitro studies.”
Dr hab. Kamila Kusz-Zamelczyk has been nominated for the Polish Intelligent Development Award 2019 in the category: Scientist of the future for the project: “Badania potencjalnej roli białek NANOS w kontroli translacji funkcjonalnie powiązanych ze sobą mRNA, w ludzkich komórkach linii płciowej: poszukiwanie mechanizmu potranskrypcyjnych regulonów u ssaków.”
The winners of this prestigious award have been for four years organizations and people who in their work show a constant focus on the future, constituting the basis of sustainable economic development of the country.

Dr Agnieszka Malcher, PhD from the Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells received a Short-Term Fellowships of European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) to implement the project CRISPR/Cas9 system based spermatogenesis impairment in vitro modeling of human male gonad. The research will be conducted in Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Germany.

For the 27th time, the Foundation for Polish Science awarded START scholarships to the most talented young scientists from all over Poland. This year, 100 young researchers will receive it, including Agnieszka Zimna, PhD from the Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells. START is a scholarship programme for the best young researchers representing all fields of science. Grant can be used for any purpose, is intended to provide financial support to researchers at early stage of their research career and to enable them implementation of research plans.

MSC Alicja Rabiasz – PhD student at the Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics was awarded for the best oral presentation entitled “Identification of genes potentially involved in the pathogenesis of primary ciliary dyskinesia” during the X Open Lectures from the series of Youth Meetings with Science in Poznan organized by the student scientific association “Biosfera” at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences (27th April 2019).

Awards of the Director of the Institute of Human Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences for:

• the best original publication in 2018 entitled: “Modifying impact of RET gene haplotypes on medullary thyroid carcinoma clinical course” published in the prestigious journal Endocrine-Related Cancer awarded to: prof. dr Ryszard Słomski, prof. dr Andrzej Pławski, dr Szymon Hryhorowicz, dr Justyna Hoppe-Gołębiewska, dr Marta Kaczmarek-Rys
• the best review publication in 2018 entitled: “T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia from miRNA perspective” published in the prestigious journal Blood Reviews awarded to: dr. Małgorzata Dawidowska, mgr Monika Drobna, mgr Bronisława Szarzyńska- Zawadzka.

Msc Adam Ustaszewski was awarded  by an international fellowship (Short-Term Fellowship) for the research project entitled “Identification of putative alternations of open chromatin regions in Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma by integration of ATAC-Seq and high-throughput sequencing of cis-regulatory elements.”, granted by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). Poznan. 24.01.2019.

Prof. Ryszard Słomski awarded by the Polish Society of Gastroenterology. In 1977, the Polish Society of Gastroenterology was selected from the Society of Polish Internists and on this occasion a brass medal commemorating the event was minted. This commemorative medal was awarded to prof. Ryszard Słomski on March 15, 2019 for friendship, born through years of exceptional cooperation, joint determination and implementation of goals and for everything, everything else ...

2018

“Gold Helix” award for poster on the IXth Convention of Polish Human Genetics Association. Poster titled “Schmidtea mediterranea as a model organism to study novel genes potentially involved in primary ciliary dyskinesia pathogenesis” presented by Alicja Rabiasz, Michał Witt, Ewa Ziętkiewicz, was awarded a “Gold Helix” by the Polish Human Genetics Association during IXth Convention of Polish Human Genetics Association in Bydgoszcz. 13-15.09.2018 r.

Dr. Agnieszka Dzikiewicz-Krawczyk among the winners of the fifth FIRST TEAM competition
131 applications were submitted to the fifth FIRST TEAM competition, out of which 13 projects were recommended for financing from the Smart Growth Operational Programme (SG OP). Among them was the project submitted by Dr. Agnieszka Dzikiewicz-Krawczyk, entitled “Functional dissection of IGH regulatory regions in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma”. 09.08.2018.

Prof. Natalia Rozwadowska has been honored with Prime Minister Award for the habilitation dissertation entitled “Molecular characterization and genetic modification of muscle stem cells as an approach to regenerative therapy”.  Among of this year’s the Award laureates, achievement of prof. Natalia Rozwadowska is the only affiliated to Polish Academy of Sciences. 17.07.2018.

Young IHG PAS researchers awarded with ETIUDA grants from the National Science Centre
The National Science Centre has published results of ETIUDA 6 call for proposals. Two scientists of Institute of Human Genetics PAS  were awarded:

1. Ewelina Maria Kałużna, project title: ‘Expression and interaction of selected miRNAs with target mRNAs in chronic hepatitis C’; 18.07.2018.
2. Maciej Jerzy Śmiałek, project title: ‘Global identification of mRNA regulated by PUM1 and PUM2 and their protein co-factors in the model of TCam-2 cell line’. 18.07.2018.

Adamm Ustaszewski
The oral presentation entitled ‘Germline mutations in ALDH3A1 and RMDN2 genes as potential factors in salivary gland tumor development.’ received a distinction during 18th International Congress of Young Medical Scientists, Poznan, 14-16.06.2018 r.

Poster entitled “FAM107A gene is silenced in laryngeal tumors by combined DNA methylation and deletion”(K. Kiwerska, M. Szaumkessel, J. Paczkowska, M. Bodnar, E. Byzia, E. Kowal, M. Kostrzewska-Poczekaj, J. Janiszewska, K. Bednarek, M. Jarmuz-Szymczak, E. Kalinowicz, M. Wierzbicka, R. Grenman, K. Szyfter, A. Marszalek, M. Giefing) was nominated for the International Poster Prize during 2^nd International Symposium on Tumor-Host Interaction in Head and Neck Cancer and 3^rd International Symposium on HPV Infection in Head and Neck Cancer, which took place in Essen, Germany on January 25-27, 2018.

First prize for the poster “Targeted next generation sequencing of selected genes in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes” (Kowal E, Kiwerska K, Ustaszewski A, Paczkowska J, Adamska M, Czerwińska- Rybak J, Komarnicki M, Gil L, Jarmuż-Szymczak M), II Ogólnopolskie Sympozjum Nauk Rolniczo-Przyrodniczych, Poznań 7-8.04.2018.

MSc Monika Drobna and MSc Erkut Ilaslan were awarded Scholarships for the Best Doctoral Students for the academic year 2018/2019 by Doctoral Program of Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS in Poznań.

Tomasz Kolanowski (PhD) has been distinguished for outstanding oral report: Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPS-CMs) show enhanced maturation and response to low-oxygen conditions in microflow conditions at the XXIII Symposium of Experimental Cardiology Section of the Polish Cardiac Society and the Committee of Physiological and Pharmacological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, which took place between 15-17 November 2018 in Lodz, Poland.

MSc Marta Budzińska was awarded the second place at the 54^th Master’s Thesis Competition organized by the Faculty of Pharmacy of Poznan University of Medical Sciences. The title of the master’s thesis: “Correlation of selected markers of sperm apoptosis and oxidative stress parameters with semen quality in men exposed to genital heat stress”.  Supervisor: Monika Frączek PhD, Associate Professor.

MSc. eng. Ewelina Kowal from the Departament of Cancer Genetics was awarded the Professor Jerzy Zwoliński first degree prize in the competition for the best master’s thesis written in the academic year 2017/2018 at the Poznan University of Life Sciences. Supervisor: Małgorzata Jarmuż-Szymczak, PhD Associate Professor.

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2017

Monika Drobna
Award in “City of Poznań Award for outstanding master thesis” contest for a thesis entitled “In vitro evaluation of the biofunctionalized nanoparticles’ effectiveness”. Poznań 10 April 2017.

Kurpisz M
Medal Polskiego Towarzystwa Immunologii Doświadczalnej i Klinicznej im. L. Hirszfelda – za wybitny wkład w rozwój immunologii w Polsce. Warszawa, 10.06.2017 r.

Bronisława Szarzyńska-Zawadzka, MSci
Etiuda scholarship founded by National Science Centre. Project entitled: “Genetic factors in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL): prognostic value and significance in disease biology.” Within the framework of ETIUDA, NCN will finance an internship in Center for Medical Genetics Ghent University Hospital in Belgium.

Maciej Dabrowski, MSci
Award in the contest organized by the Poznan branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Maciej Dabrowski was granted a honorable mention in the contest for the best original paper published in 2016, with a PhD student as the leading author. The work entitled  “Aminoglycoside-stimulated readthrough of premature termination codons in selected genes involved in primary ciliary dyskinesia” [Bukowy-Bieryłło Z, Dąbrowski M, Witt M, Zietkiewicz E] was published in RNA Biol, 2016, 13 (10): 1041-1050].

Ryszard Słomski
Specjalist 2016, Ministry of Health, Warsaw, 14.10.2017.
On 14.10.2017 Minister of Health Konstanty Radziwiłł awarded the title of Specialist of the year 2016 to the laboratory diagnosticians, pharmacists and physicians. Title of Specialist of the year 2016 received prof. Ryszard Słomski for passing with the highest grade official state exam in laboratory forensic genetics.

Ryszard Słomski
Polish Intelligent Development Award 2017 for Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, PULS
On 23-24.10.2017 in Jasionka near Rzeszów II Forum of Intelligent Development took place. Professor Ryszard Słomski received the Polish Intelligent Development Award granted to Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology in Poznań in the category of Higher Education and Science for two Projects: “Development of an innovative technology using transgenic porcine tissues for biomedical purposes” and “Development of technology for obtaining cannabinoids from hemp with a low THC content as remedies supporting cancer treatment”. Consortium member – Institute of Human Genetics PAS in Poznań, is a crucial partner in both projects.

On December the 5^th 2017 Prof. Marzena Gajecka has been designated as a member of the Ethics and Decencies in Science Committee by President of Poznan University of Medical Sciences.

On November the 30^th 2017 Prof. Marzena Gajęcka and Dr. Justyna A. Karolak have received the President of Poznan University of Medical Sciences scientific awards for achievements in 2016.

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2016

Bogna Świątek-Kościelna
2^nd place in the best short report competition during the 7^th Open Lectures held within the framework of Young Scientists’ Meeting in Poznań organized by “Biosphere” Students’ Research Club and the Department of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics on 9 April 2016. Presentation: “Expression of the TP53 gene in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin”.

Maciej Dąbrowski, Zuzanna Bukowy-Bieryłło, Michał Witt, Ewa Ziętkiewicz
Award for the best poster: “Translational suppression of premature termination codons in selected genes involved in primary ciliary dyskinesia”. Conference: BEAT-PCD 1^st Training School of the CIOST action and Second Young Researchers’ Meeting on Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. Paris, France, 26-30.04.2016.

Tomasz Szymański
Award for the best conference report at the Forum of Understanding on Nanomaterials and their Interdisciplinary Applications held in Serock (Poland) on 3-5 June 2016. Poster: “Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for bioimaging of myoblasts and mesenchymal stem cells for potential use in post-infarction heart stem cells therapy” (T. Szymański, A.A. Mieloch, M. Kręcisz, K. Wierzbiński, M. Hilgendorff, N. Rozwadowska, J.D. Rybka, M. Giersig,  M. Kurpisz).

Maciej Kurpisz, Marta Olszewska, Ewa Wiland
Award granted by the Main Board of the Polish Genetics Society for the round of publications entitled “Genetic background of male infertility – comprehensive studies of the genetic material of sperm and gametogenic cells in carriers of chromosome aberrations”, 5^th Polish Congress of Genetics, Łódź, 19.09.2016.

Justyna Karolak
Award granted by the Board of the Polish Society of Human Genetics for the best doctoral dissertation in the period between 1 January 2014 and 30 June 2016 .

Justyna Karolak
Third prize (Bronze Helix) for the poster “Downregulation of core elements of TGF-b, Hippo, Wnt, and collagen synthesis pathways in keratoconus corneas” (Karolak JA, Kabza M, Rydzanicz M, Szcześniak MW, Nowak DM, Ginter-Matuszewska B, Polakowski P, Płoski R, Szaflik JP, Gajęcka M), 5^th Polish Congress of Genetics, Łódź, 19-22.09.2016.

Kamil Wierzbiński
The award for the best Conference presentation entitled: „Potential use of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for bioimaging of myoblasts in post-infarction heart stem cells therapy.” (Kamil R. Wierzbiński, Tomasz Szymański, Natalia Rozwadowska, Jakub D. Rybka, Agnieszka Zimna, Karolina Nowicka-Bauer, Agnieszka Malcher, Magdalena Przybył,  Michael Giersig, Maciej Kurpisz);  XXI Symposium of the Section of Experimental Cardiology of Polish Cardiac Society and the Committee of Physiological Sciences and Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Rynia, 13-15.10.2016.

Kinga Bednarek, Krzysztof Szyfter, Małgorzata Jarmuż-Szymczak, Maciej Giefing
Poster presentation, chosen to additional oral presentation: „The inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPA1) expression as the new potential metastatic parameter in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC)”(Bodnar M, Łuczak M, Bednarek K, Szylberg Ł, Marszałek A, Grenman R, Szyfter K, Jarmuż-Szymczak M, Giefing M), was awarded as one of five best presentations in Head and Neck Pathology Section of 31st International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology, European Society of Pathology in Cologne (Germany), 25-29.09.2016 r.

Dr Marta Podralska was awarded by a conference fellowship from the Embassy of France and the French Institute in Poland for a poster presentation entitled: “PATM gene alterations in Polish patients with ataxia-telangiectasia” (Podralska M, Stembalska A, Slęzak R et al.) during the Polish-French Scietific Conference: Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegenerative disorders: what challenges for tomorrow ?” which was held in Warsaw, November 4, 2016 (at the M.Mossakowski Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine PAS).

Prof. Maciej Kurpisz
The award of the Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Journal of Andrology for the best evaluations of scientific reports in AJA in 2016.

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2015

Małgorzata Kurkowiak
The prize from the Prime Minister for the PhD thesis entitled “Analysis of new genes involved in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)”.

Tomasz Kolanowski
“START” Stipend from the Foundation for Polish Science.

The prize of the Second Medical Faculty at the Poznań University of Medical Science to Strauss E, Oszkinis G and Staniszewski R for the best paper published in academic year 2014/2015: “SEPP1 gene variants and abdominal aortic aneurysm: gene association in relation to metabolic risk factors and peripheral arterial disease coexistence”. Scient Reps, 4, IF 5.07.

Tomasz Kolanowski
The prize of the Polish Academy of Sciences Branch in Poznań in the IIIrd edition of the competition for the best original paper published by a PhD student in 2014 in the field of medical sciences: “In vitro and in vivo characteristics of connexin 43-modified human skeletal myoblasts as candidates for prospective stem cell therapy for the failing heart”. Poznań, 12 June 2015.

Julia Paszkowska
First prize in the 51^st competition for MSc theses at the Faculty of Pharmacy at Poznań University of Medical Science, 6 November 2015 (experimental part conducted at the Institute of Human Genetics).

Magdalena Żurawek
Prof. A. Czyżyk competitive research grant award from the Polish Diabetes Association for the project entitled “Microarray analysis of microRNA expression for identification of molecular markers of type 1 diabetes”.

Justyna A. Karolak
Organizers’ travel grant for the European Human Genetics Conference 2015, Glasgow, UK, June 2015.

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2014

On the occasion of the 40^th jubilee anniversary of the Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, its most merited employees were honoured with orders from the President of the Republic of Poland.

Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (Order of the Rebirth of Poland) was awarded to:
Prof. Maciej Kurpisz – Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells
Prof. Ryszard Słomski – Department of Functions of Nucleic Acids

Gold Cross of Merit was awarded to:
Prof. Michał Witt – Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics
Prof. Krzysztof Szyfter – Department of Environmental Mutagenesis

Silver Cross of Merit was awarded to:
Dr Grzegorz Przybylski – Department of Molecular Pathology

Medals for Long Service were awarded to:
Ewa Gawrońska-Ratajczak – Silver Medal – Accountancy

Jolanta Rembowska – Gold Medal – Department of Molecular Pathology
Ewa Rutkiewicz – Gold Medal – Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics
MA Małgorzata Strecker – Gold Medal – Administration
Elżbieta Wojtasiewicz – Gold Medal – Administration

The first degree Team Prize from the Rector of the Poznań University of Life Sciences for original and creative research achievements in molecular diagnostics and animal transgenesis for Słomski Ryszard, Daniel Lipiński, Szalata Marlena, Joanna Zeyland, Barbara Gawrońska, Mariola Galbas and Łukasz Wolko.

The organizers’ prize to Dr Ewa Strauss for the best paper presented in the medical section during the Oxygenalia 2014 conference, entitled “Longer GT repeats and rs2071746T allele in the heme oxygenase-1 gene promoter are associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm”.

Prof. Maciej Kuprisz – the prize of the Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Journal of Andrology for the best reviews in 2013

Dr Agnieszka Malcher received an award in the II^nd edition of the competition of the Polish Academy of Sciences Branch in Poznań for the best original paper published by a PhD student in 2013 in the field of medical sciences: “Potencjalne biomerkery azoospermii nieobstrukcyjnej zidentyfikowane za pomocą analizy profilu ekspresji genów”, Poznań, 5 June 2014.

MSc Bartosz Wiernicki  – The Poznań Municipality Prize for an outstanding Master’s thesis entitled “Alternatywna ocena natężenia i wielkości zawału serca poprzez określenie poziomu wybranych czynników osoczowych – model zwierzęcy”, Poznań, 25 March 2014.

Dr Ewa Strauss obtained the prestigious Camillo Di Croce prize at the International Meeting on Aortic Disease (IMAD) in Liege, Belgium (10-14 September 2014) for her presentation entitled “Genetic variants in SEPP1, SELS, TXNRD2, GPX4 and SOD2 are associated with peripheral atherosclerosis and poor left-ventricular function in a comprehensive analysis of polymorphisms in selenoprotein genes in AAA and AIOD”.

Dr Kamila Kusz-Zamelczyk, MSc Marcin Sajek, MSc Anna Spik, Dr Renata Glazar, Piotr Jędrzejczak, Anna Latos-Bieleńska, Dr Maciej Kotecki, m.in. Leszek Pawelczyk, and Prof.  Jadwiga Jaruzelska were awarded the prize of the Polish Society of Genetics for the best paper on human genetics performed in a Polish laboratory and published in 2013.

Recognition prize in the competition for the best academic book in 2014 for the publishing house of the Poznań University of Life Sciences for the book “Analiza DNA. Praktyka” edited by Prof. Ryszard Słomski, 18^th Poznań Book Day, 5-7 November 2014.

Joanna Janiszewska MSc – PhD grant from the UE/Wielkopolska Voivodship Office.

Dr Marcin Szaumkessel – Award of the Head of the Institute for an outstanding doctoral dissertation.

Dr Katarzyna Iżykowska – “START” Stipend from the Foundation for Polish Science.

Dr Iwona Ziółkowska-Suchanek – “START” Stipend from the Foundation for Polish Science.

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2013

Prof. Maciej Kuprisz – Nagroda Redaktora Naczelnego czasopisma Asian Journal of Andrology dla
prof. Macieja Kurpisza za najlepsze recenzje wykonane w roku 2013.

Kamila Kusz-Zamelczyk, Marcin Sajek, Anna Spik, Renata Glazar, Piotr Jędrzejczak, Anna Latos-Bieleńska, Maciej Kotecki, Leszek Pawelczyk, Jadwiga Jaruzelska – Award by the Polish Society of Genetics as the best work in the field of human genetics made by a Polish research team and published in 2013

„Gold Helix” award for the best poster on the IVth Polish Convention of Genetics ( IV Polski Kongres Genetyki), Poznan, 10-13/09/2013. Awarded by the Polish Human Genetics Association. Poster title: „Application of translational readthrough of premature termination codons (PTCs) in primary ciliary dyskinesia pathogenesis” Dabrowski M, Bukowy-Bieryllo Z, Witt M, Zietkiewicz E, presented in session: “Selected genetic disorders in paediatrics, internal medicine, neurology and psychiatry”