We are proud to announce that our project entitled RNA and Cell Biology - from Fundamental Research to Therapies, acronym RACE, has been selected for funding in the Teaming for Excellence programme under Horizon Europe, with the evaluation score of 14.5 out of 15 points! The project topped the ranking list out of 31 projects evaluated in the second stage of the competition. The RACE will last six years and will be granted nearly 15 M euro.
The aim of the RACE is aligned with IIMCB ambitious development plans for the years to come. It will elevate IIMCB into a world-class Centre of Excellence in RNA and Cell Biology that will combine outstanding science with professional commercialisation activities.
The project will be coordinated by Prof. Marta Miączyńska, the Director of IIMCB and implemented within a consortium of three institutes: IIMCB – the Coordinator and main RACE beneficiary, and two partners: the Medical Research Council, Human Genetics Unit of the University of Edinburgh (UoE–MRC HGU) and Flanders Institute of Biotechnology (VIB) in Belgium.
Both UoE–MRC HGU and VIB possess important expertise to actively support IIMCB in achieving its goals and implementing RACE key activities which are: recruiting new research groups and broadening collaborations with external partners, training of young generation of IIMCB researchers for academia and industry, developing modern core facilities, establishing internal systemic technology transfer support (Technology Incubator), and last but not least – digitalizing and upgrading management and administrative processes.
The RACE project will be funded under HORIZON-WIDERA-2022-ACCESS-01-two-stage —Teaming for Excellence.
Teaming for Excellence is a part of the Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area programme of Horizon Europe. It creates and supports centres of excellences that should serve as role models nationally and in the region to stimulate performance, new investments and reforms of national research and innovation systems in countries with lower R&I potential.
Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski, Head of the Laboratory of RNA Biology – Era Chairs Group, was awarded the Prime Minister's Award for outstanding scientific achievements in 2021. Our sincerest congratulations!
Prof. Dziembowski was recognized for research on understanding the mechanisms of RNA degradation in eukaryotic cells and the control of transcript stability resulting from RNA polymerase II activity in various human tissues and cells. The justification also emphasizes the importance of the discovery he and his team made regarding the role of oligouridylation of the 3' ends of transcripts of mobile and repetitive elements in the human genome -LINE1, as well as the identification and description of a new family of poly(A) polymerases TENT5 in the human genome and the elucidation of their functions.
This year the Prime Minister's Awards honored 40 scientists. Traditionally, awards were given in three categories: (I) outstanding doctoral dissertation, (II) highly commended scientific achievements that are the basis for awarding the degree of doctor of habilitation, and the most prestigious (III) for outstanding scientific achievements, including artistic creation or implementation activity.
Structural studies of herpesvirus proteins involved in DNA replication – this is the title of a project by Dr Małgorzata Figiel from the Laboratory of Protein Structure. Recently she has received a grant from the National Science Center. The amount of it is PLN 2,047,255 and it will be carried out over a period of 4 years. Congratulations!
The aim of the project is to improve a better understanding of the DNA replication process in herpesviruses, which are one of the most widespread pathogens found in humans. Admittedly, they pose little threat to healthy individuals, but they can cause severe disease in immunocompromised patients.
Despite a wealth of biochemical data on herpesvirus replication proteins, our understanding of herpesvirus DNA replication is still incomplete. No structures have yet been determined for several of the replication proteins. Furthermore, unclear is how replication proteins are recruited to the replication fork and how the synthesis of both DNA strands is coupled. Finally, structural information about interactions of proteins that form HSV-1 replication machinery with each other and with their nucleic acid substrates is missing, so the architecture of the complete replisome or even its parts is unknown.
The research team, led by Dr. Figiel, plans to determine atomic structures of herpesvirus proteins involved in DNA replication and their complexes with relevant nucleic acid substrates using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and X-ray crystallography. These structural studies will be complemented by biochemical experiments. – Based on the structures and the biochemical data we will reveal how the herpesvirus replisome works and how the activity of its components is regulated and coordinated. The results of this project will be a valuable resource for future efforts that seek to produce new anti-herpesvirus drugs – adds dr Małgorzata Figiel.
We are pleased to invite you to the broadcast of the Foundation for Polish Science 2022 award ceremony. The award for "Elucidation of molecular mechanisms of DNA damage recognition and repair" will be received by Prof. Marcin Nowotny, head of the Protein Structure Laboratory at the International Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology in Warsaw.
The ceremony will begin on December 7, 2022 at 4 pm.
Online broadcast available at the link: bit.ly/3iLqdoh
Designing the future - what will research centers look like from a perspective of tomorrow?
In June 2023, EU-LIFE - an alliance of European research institutes – will celebrate its 10th anniversary. The celebration will include various activities such as: an essay contest organized in cooperation with Nature; a call for posters showcasing initiatives which aim to strengthen research organizations; and finally, an international conference to which the representatives of the scientific community and policymakers have been invited.
The goal of the conference will be to initiate discussion on the topic of how research centers should function in the future so that they empower scientists to concentrate on breakthrough discoveries and engage the societies.
Call for posters
This part of the event will provide a platform for the entire scientific community to present and promote their research organizations. The available topics are:
- The research places of the future
- Research culture & environment
- Research facilities & services
- Research governance
- The stories of success in science (scientific, knowledge transfer, community building, etc.)
Posters will be presented during the conference. The participants of the event will have an opportunity to talk to their authors and vote for the best poster. The most voted one will be published on the event website. Moreover, an interview with its author will be published on the EU-LIFE website. For more information visit: https://eu-life.eu/10-years-conference/call-for-posters
Essay contest in cooperation with Nature
Another activity will be an essay contest entitled "Utopia Research Institute." Its purpose will be to encourage reflection and generate new ideas about the ideal research institute of the future. You are encouraged to share your vision. EU-LIFE will consider the submitted ideas in its future initiatives. Detailed rules for participating in the competition can be found at the following link: https://eu-life.eu/essay-contest-mailing-sign-up
The conference "Envisioning the research centers of the future" will be held on June 6-7, 2023, and it will be hosted by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
On November 14-15, 2022, the annual Laboratory Leaders’ Retreat took place in Mała Wieś. The Retreat was devoted to discussions on scientific projects performed in IIMCB labs and strategic directions for the development of the Institue. Two days meeting was attended by all representatives of the laboratories and directors of the Institute.
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Rare neurological diseases, ataxias, pyramidal signs indicating damage to motor neurons and manifested by a lack of proper posture - this topic concerns not only doctors and scientists but also patients affected by such conditions and their families. The search for the causes of rare diseases is a long and challenging process, as it is difficult to grasp all the molecular aspects that allow for a clear answer to the question: does a mutation detected in genetic screening really underlies the disease?
A recent study conducted using an animal model by the team of Dr. Wojciech Pokrzywa from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB) indicates that specific amino acid mutation of an important enzyme involved in protein degradation can cause a neurodevelopmental disorder.
Using exome sequencing to diagnose a pediatric patient with developmental delay, pyramidal signs, and limb ataxia, the research team has identified an ultra-rare de novo Asp126His missense variant in the FEM1C gene encoding a ubiquitin ligase that promotes degradation of other proteins. - However, it was not clear yet whether this mutation was actually responsible for the patient's disease, which is crucial in making the diagnosis and the possibility of seeking personalized therapies – says Dr. Wojciech Pokrzywa, head of the Laboratory of Protein Metabolism at the IIMCB.
The bioinformatics analysis made by the team of Dr. Pokrzywa showed that the aforementioned FEM1C mutation disrupts the binding of protein substrates destined for degradation, which can lead to their accumulation in the cell and cause toxic effects. To evaluate the pathogenicity of the Asp126His variant in the FEM1C gene, the researchers used the Caenorhabditis elegans nematode as a disease model. They found that animals expressing a variant analogous to the patient's mutation had normal muscle architecture but, similarly to the patient, impaired mobility. These nematodes were sensitive to the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, aldicarb, indicating that their impaired locomotion was due to synaptic abnormalities rather than muscle dysfunction.
As a result of the research, the first evidence from an animal model has been presented, suggesting that a mutation in the evolutionarily conserved amino acid Asp126 in the ubiquitin ligase FEM1C causes neurodevelopmental disorders in humans.
The findings were published in the latest issue of the British journal Human Molecular Genetics
It was two days of hard work and inspiring meetings within an international group of representatives of 15 leading research institutes in life sciences from all over Europe. That is how this year EU-LIFE Community Meeting may be summarized.
The purpose of the meeting was to integrate representatives of the EU-LIFE community and to exchange experiences in implementing best practices in the organization and management of research institutes.
The meetings were workshop-based and they were held within the framework of individual working groups, which included selected representatives of 15 member institutes. The representatives of the International Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology in Warsaw participated in 7 working groups, namely: Core Facilities; Gender Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; Grants & Funding; IT; Training & Recruitment; Science Communication, and Tech Transfer.
"The participation in the working group such as Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion was an excellent chance to get to know all its members personally. It also allowed us to participate in interesting discussions as well as gave us an opportunity to exchange good practices on the implementation of gender equality plans in individual institutions. We agreed on an action plan for the near future, including the preparation of a mentoring program for women," assessed Agnieszka Faliszewska, the deputy head in the HR Unit.
In turn, the IT Working Group meeting was held to conclude the Research Data Management Policy. Among other things, the participants discussed the topic of cataloguing, storing, and sharing large data sets. An outline of the group's action plan for the next 12 months was also laid out, assuming the creation of detailed guidelines for good practice in the IT security field.
In the Technology Transfer Working Group, the action plan for 2023 was discussed. There was also an intensive exchange session on the following topics: capital and start-up policies, proof-of-concept financing and de-risking strategies, ways to protect computer software, resources, and tools used in technology transfer. The Group also talked about frequenting events to promote scientific achievements and attract business partners.
The Grant & Funding Group summarized the statistics of the EU-LIFE institutes' grants, which is an important input to science policy documents.; Its representatives also exchanged information on the Horizon Europe program rules. "The most valuable part of the meeting for me was the "Re-connect" session, during which we made tour de tables, introducing each other and the institutional grants offices. Such experiences strengthen cooperation and build a sense of community," added Dorota Libiszowska, the head of the Grants Office.
As a part of the meeting, the Science Communication Working Group held a workshop on storytelling and so-called "inclusive communication" in the area of communicating research. Participants also discussed the topics related to upcoming 10th anniversary of EU-LIFE and the organization of events highlighting this celebration.
Last but not least, the Core Facility Working Group discussed the next steps of preparing the CF Lifecycle Guideline and CF Benchmarking Report for 2021. Activities were planned for 2023, including, among others, improving the operation of the CFs through training course opportunities and Staff exchanges. In addition, WG members agreed to continue the Tech Watch seminars, through which the EU-LIFE community can explore the scientific technologies used in the partner institutes and establish collaborations. The exchange of experiences on conducting sustainability and energy savings was also an important topic.
The next annual EU-LIFE Community Meeting is planned for June 2023 in Lisbon.
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