Our scientist – Dr. Urszula Krupa‑Kozak, Professor at the InLife Institute – was recognized in the prestigious Women of Success Warmia and Mazury 2026 awards. The ceremonial gala took place on March 6 at the Ełk Cultural Center, where, for the 28th time, women who contribute to the development of the Warmia and Mazury region through their passion and dedication were honored.
Dr. Krupa‑Kozak is a renowned researcher in food technology and nutrition, specializing in gluten-free food technology. For nearly two decades, she has been conducting pioneering research aimed at improving the technological, sensory, and nutritional quality of gluten-free products, using innovative plant-based ingredients and raw materials aligned with the principles of sustainable development. Her work combines cutting-edge technological research with clinical aspects of dietary therapy for gluten-related disorders, as well as education, health promotion, and mentoring the next generation of scientists.
She is the author of numerous publications highly regarded in both national and international scientific communities and a co-inventor of patents that set new directions in gluten-free food. Her research has a tangible impact on improving the quality of life for people with gluten intolerance and promoting healthy dietary standards.
The Women of Success Warmia and Mazury awards have a history spanning over 20 years – the first gala was held in 1999 at the Olsztyn Castle. Every year, the event celebrates how women bring their work, passion, and courage to enrich the region. It is also worth noting that in 2017, the current director of InLife, Monika Kaczmarek, was among the awardees.
InLife – the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences organised an international study visit as part of the FutureFoodS European Partnership. In this initiative, the Institute acts as a partner responsible for co-creating and developing the European network of Living Labs in food systems — covering the entire chain: from production and processing, through consumption and public health, to food waste reduction and the implementation of circular economy principles.
The event brought together partnership members and representatives of Living Labs and initiatives from Poland and other European countries. Its aim was to exchange experiences and present practical co-creation models, where academia, society, business, and public administration collaboratively design and test solutions for the transformation of food systems — following the quadruple helix (4H) model.
Visit to the Food Bank – A Model Social Living Lab
The first day of the visit took place at the Food Bank in Olsztyn, a partner of the Institute within the EIT Food network. Within FutureFoodS, the Food Bank has been designated a “lighthouse social living lab”, recognising it as one of Europe’s demonstrator laboratories for social innovation in food systems. This status is awarded to organisations that systematically combine operational activities with research and social components, test solutions in real-life settings, and engage collaboratively with food system stakeholders. Such centres act as demonstrators and reference points for other organisations developing the Living Lab model across Europe.
Participants learned about the Food Bank’s mission, operational model, societal impact, and solutions in food waste prevention, collaboration with local authorities and businesses, and building cross-sector partnerships.
Living Labs in Practice – Co-Creation through the Quadruple Helix
The expert sessions highlighted initiatives using the Living Lab methodology as a tool for designing and implementing changes in food systems.
The Warsaw Food Lab (Poland) is an urban innovation lab supporting local gastronomy and charitable organisations, developing solutions to reduce food waste and optimise its distribution to those in need, including during crisis situations.
Lab for Health IrsiCaixa (Barcelona) employs a participatory approach to transform the food and health environment. The project engages local communities, public administration, and the private sector in co-creating interventions that encourage healthier food choices.
Consumer Engagement Labs (CEL), run by InLife within EIT Food initiatives, systematically involve citizens in designing food sector innovations. Developed by the University of Warsaw, CEL combines consumer research tools and co-creation workshops to integrate consumer perspectives at early stages of product and service development.
Presentations focused on co-creation methodology as a tool to test solutions in real-life conditions and scale them across diverse social and regional contexts.
From Living Lab Creation to Market Impact
The study visit programme also included a workshop titled “Living Labs for Business Development – From Creation to Market Success”, focusing on the use of Living Lab methodology in product and service development — from concept to market implementation — with attention to market validation and stakeholder collaboration.
The day concluded with the culinary and networking session “One Table Experience – Cook, Learn, Share”. Participants prepared plant-based dishes using local products, fostering informal team collaboration and discussions on sustainable consumption models, short supply chains, and the role of local markets in food system transformation.
Science and Campus Living Labs
The second day of the visit was organised in collaboration with the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Food Science, Department of Dairy Science. Participants attended a demonstration of the “From Milk to Market” model, showcasing the full dairy processing chain and product tasting. Experiences from Campus Living Labs at the Jagiellonian University were also presented, illustrating the role of universities as spaces for testing innovation in real educational and production environments.
For more information about the FutureFoodS European Partnership, click HERE.
Precise analysis of the proteome and phosphoproteome provides insight into the molecular mechanisms that determine fertilization efficiency, semen quality, and the resilience of the reproductive system to infections. Understanding these processes is crucial both for reproductive biology and for practical applications, including the optimization of cryopreservation methods and the monitoring of reproductive health in aquaculture and species conservation.
In recognition of her contributions to research in this field, Professor Mariola Dietrich has been awarded the Scientific Award of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn and Białystok Branch, in the category of biological, agricultural, and medical sciences.
The distinction was granted for the scientific achievement entitled “Characterization of the Proteome and Phosphoproteome of the Fish Reproductive System in the Context of Bacterial Infections and Cryopreservation”, comprising a series of publications focused on the role of fish gamete proteins and their microenvironment. The research examined the impact of cryopreservation and bacterial infections on protein composition and post-translational modifications in the semen of two key species—sturgeon and carp.
Key Research Findings
The analyses conducted enabled:
the identification of novel markers of semen quality, cryoinjury, and reproductive system infections,
the elucidation of molecular mechanisms responsible for reduced reproductive capacity.
The results significantly expand current knowledge on the molecular regulation of fertilization. They also provide a foundation for improving cryopreservation procedures and developing tools for assessing the reproductive condition of aquatic organisms—an advancement of importance for modern aquaculture as well as for species conservation efforts.
We warmly congratulate Professor Dietrich on this distinction and thank her for research that strengthens the foundations of contemporary reproductive biology and advances the fields of food science and aquatic environmental studies.
Photo: Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn and Białystok Branch, based in Olsztyn
DIRECTOR and the SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL of the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn have the honor to invite you to the public defense of the doctoral dissertation for the degree of Ph.D. in agricultural sciences, discipline of animal science and fisheries:
Rossella Debernardis, M.Tech
„The transcriptome of newly hatched larvae as a window into the exploration of parental legacy and early life performance in Eurasian perch”
The defense will take place on March 10, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. (CET) in a stationary mode (seminar room SKANDA AB InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Trylińskiego 18)
Supervisor:
Daniel Żarski, Ph.D., D.Sc. – InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences;
Reviewers:
Prof. dr hab. Konrad Ocalewicz – University of Gdański, Gdańsk, Poland;
Dr Catherine Labbe – INRAE, Rennes, France;
Dr Jonna Tomkiewicz – Denmark National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Charlottenlund, Denmark.
The doctoral dissertation and the dissertation reviews can be found in the BIP Institute website.
Chair of the Scientific Council Prof. Urszula Gawlik
Chronic pain is not merely a prolonged warning signal from the body. It is a complex neurobiological process involving persistent alterations in nervous system function, modulation of inflammatory responses, and reorganization of stimulus-processing mechanisms. Understanding these processes remains one of the major challenges of contemporary neuropharmacology.
On 27 February 2026 at 9:00 a.m. (Zoom platform), the OL-PAN seminar will host Professor Katarzyna Starowicz-Bubak, Director of the Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków. Her lecture, entitled “New Neuropharmacological Perspectives in Chronic Pain Therapy: The Role of the Endocannabinoid System,” will focus on current research directions concerning the mechanisms underlying neuropathic and inflammatory pain, as well as potential therapeutic strategies.
Particular attention will be devoted to the endocannabinoid system—a widespread signaling network present throughout the body. Its receptors are located in the brain, lungs, bones, gastrointestinal tract, skeletal muscles, reproductive system, and in structures of both the central and peripheral nervous systems. This system is considered one of the fundamental physiological systems of the body, playing a key role in maintaining homeostasis, regulating inflammatory responses, and modulating pain signaling.
The OL-PAN seminar provides a platform for scientific exchange, presentation of current research directions, and discussion of the challenges facing contemporary medicine and biomedical sciences. The event is open to all interested participants.
Professor Katarzyna Starowicz, PhD, DSc, is Professor of Medical and Health Sciences and Director of the Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków. She has been affiliated with the Institute since 2007. She obtained her MSc from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and her PhD in Medical Sciences from Utrecht University, followed by habilitation in 2013 and the award of full professorship in 2021.
Professor Starowicz’s research focuses on the neurochemistry of chronic pain, with particular emphasis on neuropathic and osteoarthritis pain, the endogenous cannabinoid system, TRPV1 receptors, and inflammatory and regenerative mechanisms in joint disease. Following her doctorate, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (CNR), Italy, in the Endocannabinoid Research Group led by Professor Vincenzo Di Marzo.
She is an internationally recognised expert in cannabinoid research and pain pharmacology. Professor Starowicz is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) and served as its President in 2024–2025. She regularly lectures at international scientific meetings and serves on editorial boards, including the British Journal of Pharmacology. Her distinctions include the National Science Centre Award in Life Sciences (2016), the ICRS Mid-Career Award, and the L’Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science Award.
Can dominance in fish reproduction be controlled? How can egg quality be improved through the identification of molecular markers? In what ways do circadian rhythms influence organismal development, and how does gene expression dysregulation affect larval condition? These are just some of the key questions that will be addressed during the open Fish’n’Repro seminar, organized on 25 February 2026 by the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences.
The aim of the event is to facilitate the exchange of expertise, present current research findings, and identify common research areas that may serve as a foundation for further international scientific collaboration. The seminar is addressed to researchers working in the field of reproductive biology as well as professionals involved in fish farming and aquaculture.
Special Guests from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research
The event will feature lectures by researchers from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), one of Europe’s leading institutions in aquaculture research.
Prof. Constantinos (Dinos) C. Mylonas – Director of the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC) and a recognized expert in fish reproductive physiology and endocrinology. His research focuses on identifying reproductive dysfunctions in captive fish and developing environmental and pharmacological methods to control maturation and spawning.
Dr Ioannis (Yannis) Fakriadis – Research scientist specializing in fish reproductive physiology and practical approaches to controlling reproductive processes in aquaculture. His interests include selective breeding, assisted reproduction, gamete quality assessment, and reproductive behaviour analysis.
Programme:
Constantinos (Dinos) C. Mylonas, Professor (HCMR) Fish Reproduction in Mediterranean Aquaculture and its Control
Ioannis (Yannis) Fakriadis, PhD (HCMR) Dominance in fish reproduction: can we manipulate it?
Daniel Żarski, PhD (InLife) Fishing for molecular indicators of egg quality in pikeperch
Oliver Barić, PhD Student (InLife) Winding the clock: current knowledge on circadian rhythm development in Eurasian perch
Rossella Debernardis, PhD Student (InLife) Heart oedema in Eurasian perch larvae is associated with multi-tissue gene dysregulation
Fish’n’Repro has an interdisciplinary character, combining fundamental research with its potential applications in fish farming. The meeting will provide a platform for in-depth discussion, partnership building, and the initiation of joint research projects in the field of reproductive biology and aquaculture.
📍 Venue: InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Skanda Hall 📅 Date: 25 February 2026 🕘 Time: 9:00 AM
We warmly invite researchers and aquaculture professionals interested in the latest advances in fish reproductive biology to participate.
DIRECTOR and the SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL of the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn have the honor to invite you to the public defense of the doctoral dissertation for the degree of Ph.D. in agricultural sciences, discipline of animal science and fisheries:
Manohara Mahadeva, M.Tech
’Membrane Potential Sets the Tempo: Bioelectricity Controls the Rate of Somitogenesis in Chick Embryos through Mechanics’
The defense will take place on March 3, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. (CET) via ZOOM platform.
Supervisor:
Magdalena Kowacz,Ph.D. Dr. Sci. – InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences;
Reviewers:
Prof. Małgorzata Lekka, PhD, D.Sc – Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Science;
Magda Dubińska-Magiera, Ph.D., D.Sc. prof. UWr – Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław;
Przemysław Płonka, Ph.D., D.Sc – Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University;
The doctoral dissertation and the dissertation reviews can be found in the BIP Institute website. The doctoral dissertation is also available in the Director’s Office, InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research PAS in Olsztyn, Trylinskiego Str. 18.
Those wishing to participate in the public defense are asked to send an e-mail to the Secretary of the Doctoral Committee, Sebastian Niestępski, Ph.D., s.niestepski@pan.olsztyn.pl.
In the reply e-mail, you will receive an access link to the defense. Logging in to the meeting will be possible from 8:30 a.m., and the defense will start at 9:00 a.m.
Chair of the Scientific Council Prof. Urszula Gawlik
Every cell in our body generates an electrical voltage that influences whether it divides, migrates, and forms tissues. Researchers from the Polish Academy of Sciences demonstrate that by manipulating this parameter, cell behaviour can be controlled without interfering with DNA.
Every cell possesses a membrane potential — an electrical voltage generated across its membrane. This makes the interior of the cell negatively charged relative to the external environment. “Its value is not constant and depends both on the cell type and on its functional state,” explains Dr. habil. Magdalena Kowacz, assistant professor at the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences.
“Cells that readily divide and have migratory capacity are characterised by a less negative potential — they are depolarised,” the researcher explains. “In contrast, cells that stably perform their functions exhibit a more negative potential.”
This pattern recurs in many biological processes. “Depolarised cells include embryonic cells, cells involved in tissue regeneration, but also cancer cells,” says Kowacz. “All share common features: rapid proliferation, migration, and the ability to self-organise.”
This observation became the starting point for the research. “We use the cell’s natural membrane potential to control its behaviour,” the scientist emphasises. “If different functional states correspond to different potential values, we can deliberately modify this parameter.”
The study was conducted on chicken embryos, a classical model of vertebrate development. The team focused on a very early developmental stage. “We investigate somitogenesis — the stage at which characteristic body segments common to all vertebrates are formed,” the researcher explains. “At this stage, chicken, mouse, and human embryos develop in a highly similar manner.”
In chicken embryos, new segments form regularly, approximately every 90 minutes. Until now, altering the pace of this process required direct genetic intervention. “We show that this effect can be achieved differently. When cells are depolarised, they proliferate and migrate faster, and the embryo develops more rapidly. Increasing the negative potential, in turn, slows the process.”
Most intriguing is that altering electrical voltage affects genetically controlled processes. “We do not interfere with DNA, yet we regulate a process known to be genetically controlled,” Kowacz emphasises. “By changing the membrane potential, we also influence gene expression.”
Although the research is fundamental in nature, its significance extends beyond developmental biology. Cancer is only one example. “There are diseases of excessive proliferation, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, in which resting cells begin to divide again,” the researcher notes.
A similar mechanism appears in Alzheimer’s disease. In this case, cells attempt to re-enter the cell cycle, although the outcome is not proliferation but neurodegeneration.
Dr. Kowacz stresses that this is not a ready therapeutic proposal. “These are basic studies; we are not offering a new treatment method. However, we are adding an important piece of knowledge that may help build future medical solutions.”
Reprinted from Academia, the magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
DIRECTOR and the SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL of the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn have the honor to invite you to the public defense of the doctoral dissertation for the degree of Ph.D. in agricultural sciences, discipline of animal science and fisheries:
Abhipsa Panda, M.Sc.
’A Journey Towards Identification of Paternal-Effect Genes and Exploration of Their Roles During Early Life Stages in Eurasian Perch, Perca fluviatilis’
The defense will take place on February 23, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. (CET) via ZOOM platform.
Supervisor:
Daniel Żarski, Ph.D., D.Sc. – InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences;
Auxiliary supervisor:
Sylwia Wałdowska (family nameJudycka), Ph.D. – InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences;
Reviewers:
Prof. Vanesa Robles Rodriguez, Ph.D. – University of León, Spain;
Magdalena Socha, Ph.D., D.Sc. – University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland;
Doc. Ing. Martin Pšenička, Ph.D. – University of South Bohemia in České Budejovice, Czech Republic.
The doctoral dissertation and the dissertation reviews can be found in the BIP Institute website. The doctoral dissertation is also available in the Director’s Office, InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research PAS in Olsztyn, Trylinskiego Str. 18.
Those wishing to participate in the public defense are asked to send an e-mail to the Secretary of the Doctoral Committee, Agnieszka Mostek-Majewska, Ph.D., a.mostek@pan.olsztyn.pl
In the reply e-mail, you will receive an access link to the defense. Logging in to the meeting will be possible from 8:30 a.m., and the defense will start at 9:00 a.m.
Chair of the Scientific Council Prof. Urszula Gawlik
The development and implementation of innovative functional food products with high health-promoting potential is the main objective of a new research and development project carried out at the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The project adopts a comprehensive “from raw material to final product” approach, covering the entire process—from research on the composition and bioactive properties of raw materials to their application in finished food products.
Implemented under the acronym FISHBERRY, the project focuses on the use of rainbow trout as a raw material with high nutritional value. At the same time, it responds to current challenges related to sustainable development, the circular economy, and growing consumer expectations for foods with scientifically documented preventive health effects. The solutions being developed have the potential to provide tangible support for health prevention through diet and to be implemented within the agri-food sector.
The project entitled “Development and implementation of innovative functional products based on rainbow trout with high preventive potential against diet-related diseases” has received funding under the second call of the governmental NUTRITECH Programme – Nutrition in the context of improving societal well-being and climate change challenges. The total amount of funding awarded is PLN 6,929,173.32 (grant No. NUTRITECH-II/0006/2025, dated 25 July 2025). The project will be implemented in cooperation with the industrial partner GLOBIO FEED PIOTR DZIEWAŃSKI.
Securing the funding was the result of close collaboration between research teams and the Research Support Office and covered all stages of proposal preparation—from developing the research concept, through refining the project objectives and assumptions, to preparing the complete application documentation. The project preparation involved the following contributors: Wiesław Wiczkowski, Bartosz Fotschki, Radosław Kowalski, Beata Sarosiek, Michał Blitek, Katarzyna Gawdzińska-Duda, Anna Bednarska-Barcz, Anna Majkowska, Beata Szmatowicz, Dorota Szawara-Nowak, Jerzy Juśkiewicz, and Dorota Napiórkowska.
The FISHBERRY project strengthens InLife’s research capacity in the field of functional foods and represents another step toward effectively linking scientific research with implementations of social and economic relevance. Information on subsequent stages of the project will be published as the research progresses.
