I graduated Biotechnology at the Faculty of Agriculture and Bioengineering at the University of Life Sciences in Poznan. During studies I completed scientific internships at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences in Norway and the Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier in France. In 2014 I started PhD studies at the PhD Program of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS and realization of the PhD project at the Institute of Human Genetics PAS. In 2020 I defended my PhD thesis titled ‘Characterization of chosen (epi)-genetic aspects in high myopia in Polish patients’.

Funded by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) I completed two research stays at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where I broadened my knowledge and skills in research on myopia and other eye disorders.

My scientific interest is focused mainly on genetic and epigenetic factors in etiology of (high) myopia. Currently, I am conducting my own research project PRELUDIUM 18 titled ‘The role of DNA methylation in etiology of high myopia in Polish children’.

Publications

Events

Date:
3 – 7.09.2022
Where:
Rotterdam, the Netherlands

International Myopia Conference 2022, “The role of the PCDHA10 gene in high myopia pathogenesis – further investigation”

Date:
11 – 14.06.2022
Where:
Vienna, Austria

European Human Genetics Conference (ESHG 2022), “Is the decreased methylation of the PCDHA10 gene causative in high myopia in children?”

Date:
28 – 31.08.2021
Where:
online

European Human Genetics Conference (ESHG 2021) - Virtual Conference, “Differential methylation of microRNAs encoding genes may contribute to high myopia.”

Date:
06 - 09.06.2020
Where:
online

European Human Genetics Virtual Conference, "Revealing the role of enhancers in myopia"

Date:
15-19.10.2019
Where:
Houston, USA

American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Annual Meeting 2019, “DNA hypomethylation in high myopia: differentially methylated genes in overrepresented molecular pathways could contribute to high myopia in Polish children”

Date:
15 – 18.06.2019
Where:
Gothenburg, Sweden

European Human Genetics Conference, ‘Hypermethylated genes and pathways in Polish children with high myopia’

Date:
13-15.09.2018
Where:
Bydgoszcz, Poland

9th convention of Polish Society of Human Genetics, „Searching for sequence variants related to high myopia: axial length, intraocular pressure, and corneal curvature in Polish families”

Date:
16-19.06.2018
Where:
Milan, Italy

European Human Genetics Conference, “Variants in the FLRT3 and SLC35E2B identified using whole-exome sequencing in seven high myopia families from Central Europe”

Date:
19-21.09.2016
Where:
Lodz, Poland

5th Polish Congress of Genetics, “Comparison of mtDNA and mitochondrial transcripts in keratoconus patients from Polish population”

Awards

Awarded:
Given by:

Awarded: dr n. med. i n. o zdr. Joanna Świerkowska-Janc
Nagroda Polskiego Towarzystwa Genetyki Człowieka za najlepszą pracę doktorską z zakresu genetyki człowieka
Given by: Polskie Towarzystwo Genetyki Człowieka (PTGC)

Podczas XI Zjazdu Polskiego Towarzystwa Genetyki Człowieka w Bydgoszczy, dr n. med. i n. o zdr. Joanna Świerkowska otrzymała Nagrodę Polskiego Towarzystwa Genetyki Człowieka za najlepszą pracę doktorską z zakresu genetyki człowieka – stopień doktora nadany w latach 2018-2020. Tytuł nagrodzonej pracy doktorskiej: „Charakterystyka wybranych aspektów (epi)–genetycznych w wysokiej krótkowzroczności u polskich pacjentów”.

Awarded: dr n. med. i n. o zdr. Joanna Świerkowska-Janc
EMBO Short-term fellowship
Given by: EMBO

Joanna Świerkowska from the Department of Cancer Genetics received an EMBO short-term fellowship for the implementation of the project “The role of the noncoding miRNA and enhancers in high myopia” at Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands