The IIMCB will receive over PLN 36 million for research and development
Thanks to the support from the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP), the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB) is set to advance with new laboratories and core facilities, pioneering research, and the potential for groundbreaking therapies.
The FNP has concluded the first calls under the International Research Agendas, funded by the European Funds for a Modern Economy program. The "RNA and Cell Biology Platform for Research and Innovation in Medicine" (RACE-PRIME) project led by the IIMCB received a grant of PLN 36,293,600.
“Our project aims to develop strategies for innovative treatments for human diseases where current ones are inadequate or unavailable," said Prof. Marta Miączyńska, director of the IIMCB. “The funding from the Foundation for Polish Science will bring us closer to scientific excellence in the field of RNA and cell biology," stressed Director Miączyńska.
RACE-PRIME: the roadmap to excellence
RACE-PRIME, in accordance with the agreement with the European Commission, is complementary funding to the earlier project "RNA and cell biology – from basic research to therapies" (RACE) under the Teaming for Excellence program of Horizon Europe. For the implementation of the RACE project, the IIMCB and its partners have already received 15 million euros from the European Commission.
The combined funds will help transform the Institute into a world-class Center of Excellence in RNA and cell biology and translate cutting-edge basic research into clinical applications and innovation.
In all these endeavors, the IIMCB is supported by prominent international partners: the MRC Human Genetics Unit of the University of Edinburgh and the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology VIB in Belgium.
Innovation on the horizon
As part of RACE-PRIME, two research areas will be developed. The first one, focused on antiviral and antimicrobial therapeutic strategies, will be coordinated by Prof. Gracjan Michlewski, leader of the Laboratory of RNA-Protein Interactions - Dioscuri Centre. The second area, coordinated by Prof. Marta Miączyńska, leading the Laboratory of Cell Biology team, will include work on advanced models of rare diseases, which could ultimately allow the development of personalized therapies. Both research areas will be supported by IIMCB's laboratories and core facilities, and international strategic partners.
“With RACE and RACE-PRIME, we are initiating an ambitious R&D program focused on infectious and rare diseases. Its implementation will require the recruitment of six new research teams, professional training of young scientists and the development of modern specialized core facilities," says Prof. Marta Miączyńska.
New headquarters - new prospects
However, the dynamic development of the Institute faces a significant barrier. The IIMCB does not have its own headquarters - it uses space lent by the Polish Academy of Sciences, which is becoming insufficient. Therefore, the plan is to construct a new, spacious building for the 21st century.
A winning architectural design has been selected for 2023. The IIMCB has land for construction, but the price increase in recent years does not allow the investment to be made with the funds it has. The situation is not saved by the scientific grants that the Institute successfully obtains and that determine its development, as these funds cannot be used for construction purposes.
"10 years ago we had 6 research laboratories, soon, thanks to RACE, we will have 20. We are beginning to run out of space for our specialists and research equipment. Therefore, the need to build a new headquarters is becoming more urgent," says the IIMCB director Prof. Marta Miączyńska.
