PRELUDIUM is a competition of the National Science Centre for research projects for people without doctoral degrees. Among the winners of the 22nd edition of the competition are Anna Wójtowicz and Ewelina Żebrowska, PhD students of Dr Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska from the Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology at our Institute, who, thanks to the grant, will extend their research into fertility disorders in mares, resulting in severe losses in the horse breeding industry.

Grant-winning projects:

Building blocks and energy carriers in the course of mare endometrial fibrosis – identification of metabolic changes and the effect of inflammatory mediators

Project leader: Anna Wójtowicz

Research supervisor: Dr Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska

Grant: PLN 140 000

The objective of this research project is to investigate the metabolic changes occurring in the mare

endometrium during the development of fibrosis. We aim to identify alterations in the metabolome

profile at each stage of fibrosis and understand the impact of inflammatory mediators, such as IL-4

and IL-13 on the metabolic state of mare endometrial fibroblasts and the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

The effect of macrophages on the miRNA expression profile in equine endometrial fibroblasts

Project leader: Ewelina Żebrowska

Research supervisor: Dr Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska

Grant: PLN 209 960

The research team hypothesized that paracrine factors secreted by activated Mϕ1 and Mϕ2a induce changes in the miRNA profile in equine endometrial fibroblasts and their effect differs between Mϕ1 and Mϕ2a via secreted mediators. This project aims to investigate the effect of different types of Mϕs on miRNA profile in equine endometrial fibroblast in processes associated with the development of endometrosis.