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The InLife Institute has officially joined the European network of competent organizations cooperating with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The decision was formally adopted by the EFSA Management Board on October 14, 2026.

The Institute has been designated as an Article 36 Organization pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council. This status opens up new opportunities for international scientific cooperation, joint research projects, and the involvement of the Institute’s experts in risk assessment and food safety initiatives at the European level.

New Opportunities for Scientific Collaboration and Research Funding

Inclusion in the EFSA network enables the Institute to:

• Apply for grants and participate in research calls issued by EFSA;
• Conduct joint scientific ventures with research institutions across EU Member States;
• Engage experts in EFSA scientific panels and networks;
• Benefit from traineeship programs and secondments of national experts to EFSA;
• Participate in specialized training programs, webinars, and scientific conferences.

This cooperation will be coordinated with the support of the Polish Focal Point to EFSA (operating within the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate), which will inform the Institute about upcoming calls for proposals, research initiatives, and international networking opportunities.

Strengthening the European Dimension of Research Activities

Achieving the status of an EFSA Article 36 competent organization marks an important milestone in strengthening the international reach of the InLife Institute PAS. It allows the Institute to leverage its research capabilities within broader European initiatives focused on food safety, public health, and risk assessment.

Network membership also represents an expectation of active engagement from the Institute in EFSA’s scientific activities, knowledge sharing, and the continuous development of partnerships with leading European research centers.

About EFSA

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is an agency of the European Union that provides independent scientific advice on risk assessment regarding the food chain. The network of competent organizations designated under Article 36 assists EFSA in fulfilling its mission through scientific cooperation, data exchange, and expert collaboration.

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Turning agri-food by-products into valuable ingredients and new products was one of the main themes of the Bio-based Innovation Forum, held on 21 October 2026 at the Omega Hotel in Olsztyn, Poland. The event brought together 93 participants and was the final meeting of the international CROSSPATHS project, coordinated by the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences.

The Forum welcomed representatives of research, business, public institutions and innovation support organisations. Its programme brought together four perspectives: research capabilities, business experience, inclusive leadership, and the conditions for collaboration created by regions and European networks. The common theme was the bioeconomy: using biological resources, knowledge and technology to develop products and services while making better use of raw materials.

A key topic was the joint research and innovation support services developed by CROSSPATHS partners from Poland, Estonia and Portugal. Ana Paulo from Universidade Católica Portuguesa presented the offer. By combining the expertise and infrastructure of three institutions, the partners can support successive stages of development: from identifying the potential of a raw material, through extracting and characterising bioactive compounds, to assessing their properties and developing new food products.

“We form a consortium which gives the power of three institutions to provide a research service for other institutes in Europe,” says CROSSPATHS project coordinator.

Each institution contributes different expertise. The Estonian University of Life Sciences specialises in areas including raw material processing and by-product valorisation. Universidade Católica Portuguesa develops methods for extracting and studying bioactive compounds, including technologies that reduce the environmental impact of extraction processes. InLife complements these capabilities with research into the effects of food components on health. The joint offer aims to make this complementary expertise and infrastructure more accessible to companies and research teams.

The science session demonstrated the wide range of possible uses for materials left over from food production. Reelika Rätsep presented ways to use apple pomace, peels and seeds as sources of extracts, fibre, powders and oils. Manuela Pintado discussed examples including the recovery of bromelain from pineapple processing by-products and protein and fibre from cereal processing by-products. Bartosz Fotschki presented research into the health-promoting potential of raspberries. These examples illustrated different stages of working with biological resources, from characterisation and processing to studying the resulting ingredients.

“Through this CROSSPATHS project, we could organize our services, we could engage the companies and we could promote new activities with them that, in fact, are now very effective in their value creation in the market,” says Manuela Pintado from Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

Viinamärdi Talu from Estonia, Biorbis from Portugal and Bio Ice Cream Dots from Poland brought the business perspective. The session, moderated by Eduardo Costa, addressed product development, the commercialisation of research results, scaling up production and market entry. Business examples included using yeast biomass to obtain protein concentrates, yeast extract and beta-glucans, as well as applying cryogenic technology to produce frozen dairy, vegan and sorbet snacks. The discussion covered opportunities for collaboration with researchers and the challenges involved in bringing new solutions to market.

A separate session focused on the people who create innovations and make decisions about their development. Aleksandra Niżyńska from Gender Solution led the session on inclusive leadership. The panel featured Monika M. Kaczmarek, Director of InLife; Débora Campos from AgroGrIN Tech; Iwona Kieda from EGTC Euroregion Baltic; and Reelika Rätsep from the Estonian University of Life Sciences. They discussed women’s experiences in science and business, barriers to professional development, and ways to ensure that people with different backgrounds have a meaningful voice in decision-making.

“Innovations are all about people. We are designing innovations to make our lives easier. And this is why it is important that we ensure that diverse perspectives are taken into account when they are designed,” says Aleksandra Niżyńska.

The programme concluded with a session on the conditions that help partnerships develop. Peter Jongebloed from Wageningen University & Research discussed European collaboration, Piia Pääso from the Estonian University of Life Sciences addressed regional technology transfer and competence centres, and Marcin Szczepkowski from the Marshal’s Office of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship presented regional authorities’ support for businesses and innovation. This offered a broader view of science–business collaboration, highlighting the institutions that help connect partners and create the conditions for joint activities.

The Bio-based Innovation Forum was organised by the CROSSPATHS consortium: the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences; the Estonian University of Life Sciences; Universidade Católica Portuguesa; Wageningen Research; and Innotrope. Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, CROSSPATHS aims to develop international collaboration in food technology, health and the bioeconomy, and to make better use of research infrastructure financed through regional funding.

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New carrot varieties could become a valuable source of natural colourants and bioactive compounds for use in food products. Scientists from the InLife Institute have launched the Carrot4Health project to comprehensively assess the health-promoting potential of colourful carrot varieties.

Although carrots are most commonly associated with their orange roots, they also come in purple, red and yellow varieties. As part of the Carrot4Health project, researchers will assess the potential of innovative colourful carrot varieties as natural sources of anthocyanins – pigments and bioactive compounds with established health-promoting potential.

The project, “Carrot4Health: New Carrot Varieties as a Source of Natural Colourants and Bioactive Ingredients”, is being carried out under the Science for the Development of Society programme, funded by the state budget through the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The total budget for Carrot4Health is PLN 2 million.

Science addressing social and economic needs

The project responds to challenges related to nutrition and public health. Low vegetable consumption and the growing prevalence of diet-related diseases highlight the need to seek solutions that encourage healthier eating habits.

Carrot4Health also has an economic dimension. The project involves collaboration between researchers and a business partner, creating opportunities to better align research findings with the needs of the food industry. The industrial partner is Tymbark MWS Sp. z o.o., Olsztynek Branch.

Securing funding was made possible through collaboration between research teams and the Research Support Office. Their involvement covered every stage of the application process — from developing the research concept and refining the project objectives to preparing the complete application documentation.

The following individuals contributed to the project preparation: Wiesław Wiczkowski, Bartosz Fotschki, Jerzy Juśkiewicz, Joanna Fotschki, Dorota Szawara-Nowak, Dorota Napiórkowska, Katarzyna Capłap, Katarzyna Gawdzińska-Duda, Anna Bednarska-Barcz, Tomasz Molcan and Krzysztof Wilczek.

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Stanford University and Elsevier have released the latest edition of the prestigious Stanford Top 2% Scientists ranking. The ranking recognises researchers from around the world whose publications have made a significant impact on scientific progress. Once again, researchers from the InLife Institute have been included in the latest edition.

The ranking is based on an analysis of citations of scientific publications and covers 22 scientific fields and 174 subfields. It considers both researchers’ career-long scientific output and their achievements in the most recent calendar year. The evaluation takes into account factors such as the number of citations, co-authorship and the author’s position in the list of authors of a publication.

The ranking comprises two categories: “Single Year,” which reflects the impact of publications from the most recent year, and “Career,” which recognises researchers’ overall scientific achievements.

InLife scientists included in the “Single Year” ranking for 2025:

• Prof. Ryszard Amarowicz, Head of the Chemical and Physical Properties of Food Team,
• Prof. Carsten Carlberg, Head of the Nutrigenomics Team,
• Dr Małgorzata Starowicz, Head of the Food Chemistry and Biodynamics Team,
• Dr hab. inż. Magdalena Karamać, Chemical and Physical Properties of Food Team,
• Prof. Andrzej Ciereszko, Head of the Gamete Biology Team.

InLife scientists included in the “Career” ranking:

• Prof. Carsten Carlberg, Nutrigenomics Team,
• Prof. Ryszard Amarowicz, Chemical and Physical Properties of Food Team,
• Prof. Henryk Zieliński, Food Chemistry and Biodynamics Team,
• Prof. Mariusz Piskuła, Food Chemistry and Biodynamics Team,
• Dr hab. inż. Magdalena Karamać, Chemical and Physical Properties of Food Team,
• Prof. Adam Zięcik, Professor Emeritus,
• Prof. Wiesław Wiczkowski, Phytochemical Biotransformation and Bioavailability Team,
• Prof. Andrzej Ciereszko, Gamete Biology Team,
• Prof. Zenon Zduńczyk, Professor Emeritus,
• Prof. Jan Kotwica, Professor Emeritus,
• Prof. Jerzy Juśkiewicz, Biological Functions of Food Team.

The full Stanford–Elsevier Top 2% Scientists ranking is available HERE.

Congratulations to all the recognised researchers! We wish them continued success and further scientific achievements.

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The researcher will investigate the potential use of dairy industry by-products and bovine colostrum to produce valuable feed for cattle. The research is funded by the National Science Centre under the MINIATURA 10 call.

The aim of the project is to determine whether fermentation using lactic acid bacteria can enable the effective utilisation of dairy industry by-products, including milk permeate and bovine colostrum, to produce a valuable feed material for cattle.

The project, entitled “Targeted microbial fermentation of dairy industry by-products and bovine colostrum as a means of producing multifunctional feed for cows – characterisation of the physicochemical and microbiological properties of the products obtained”, is being carried out as part of the MINIATURA 10 call organised by the National Science Centre. Funding of PLN 49,944 has been awarded for the project.

Agnieszka Jończyk, PhD, Eng is a member of the Embryo Biology Team at the InLife Institute The MINIATURA competition is aimed at researchers at an early stage of their scientific careers and supports the implementation of individual research activities that may provide a basis for developing a future research project. Funding under the competition can be awarded only once.

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Professor at the InLife Institute and Head of the Fish Reproduction and Development Research Team at our Institute has been elected President-Elect of the European Aquaculture Society (EAS). In 2028, he will take office as President of EAS – one of the leading European organizations bringing together scientists, producers and representatives of the aquaculture sector.

The decision was approved during the EAS General Assembly, held in Ljubljana during the Aquaculture Europe 2026 conference.

The election of Dr. Daniel Żarski, DSc, is a recognition of his longstanding commitment to the aquaculture community, as well as his experience and scientific achievements. At the same time, his new role will create further opportunities to promote internationally the Institute’s research activities in the fields of aquaculture and fish biology.

– Being entrusted by the European aquaculture community with the future leadership of the organization is both a tremendous distinction and a great responsibility. It is a community that brings together science, industry, producers and the next generation of aquaculture professionals across Europe. The opportunity to help shape its future is extremely valuable to me – says Dr. Daniel Żarski, DSc.

Important challenges ahead for European aquaculture

The new role means not only prestige, but above all responsibility for further developing cooperation within the European aquaculture community.

– One of the most important tasks will be to support the development of the sector and seek answers to the challenges currently facing European aquaculture. These include, among others, public perception of aquaculture and an increasingly complex regulatory environment. We need a reliable, science-based narrative that demonstrates both the potential and the challenges facing modern aquaculture – says Daniel Żarski.

– Supporting the younger generation of scientists and professionals is also an important area. They will shape the future of European aquaculture. I would like EAS to provide a space not only for presenting research findings, but also for building connections, exchanging ideas and developing new initiatives – he adds.

The election of a representative of the InLife Institute as EAS President-Elect confirms the strong position of Polish science within the European aquaculture community and creates new opportunities for developing the Institute’s international cooperation.

About EAS

The European Aquaculture Society is a non-profit organization that has been operating since 1976. Its aim is to foster contacts between individuals and institutions involved in marine and freshwater aquaculture, facilitate the exchange of information, support interdisciplinary research, and strengthen cooperation between public authorities, the scientific community and the commercial sector.

Photo: Ana Visković, EAS (aquaeas.eu)

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The 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 food technology and nutrition:

Ranjini Ghosh Dastidar, M.Sc.

“A Dynamic Regulatory Model of In Vivo Vitamin D Responsiveness: From Transcriptomic Discovery to Systems Identification in Human Immune Cells”

The defense will take place on November 17th, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (CET) via ZOOM platform.

Supervisor:

Prof. Carsten Carlberg, ERA chair, Nutrigenomics Team, InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences.

Reviewers:

• Prof. dr hab. inż. Agata Urszula Chmurzyńska, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu;
• Dr hab. inż. Adam Kuzdraliński, Polsko-Japońska Akademia Technik Komputerowych w Warszawie;
• Dr hab. inż. Tomasz Sawicki, Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie.

The doctoral dissertation and dissertation reviews are available on the BIP Institute website. The doctoral dissertation is also available at the Director’s Office, InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research PAS, Trylinskiego Str. 18 in Olsztyn.

Those wishing to participate in the public defense are asked to send an email to the Secretary of the Doctoral Committee, Mariusz Jankowski, at: m.jankowski@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 9:30 a.m., and the defense will start at 10:00 a.m. CET.

Chair of the Scientific Council
Prof. Urszula Gawlik

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