News

Institute’s PhD students with PRELUDIUM 22 grants

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.

OPUS 25 is a competition of the National Science Centre aimed at financing basic research carried out as part of research projects by scientists at all stages of their scientific career. Among the grantees of the 25th edition of the competition are scientists of the IAR&FR PAS, who, thanks to the grants, will investigate the epigenetic memory of immune cells and the influence of diet on wound healing.

Grant-winning projects:

The effect of Western diet modified with vegetable oils on the healing process of skin wounds in mice

Poject Leader: dr Joanna Wiśniewska

Grant: PLN 3 495 898

The aim of the project is to show that changing eating habits by partial substitution of dietary animal fat by plant oils improves skin wound healing by reducing pro-inflammatory effect of WD and restoring skin ability to heal wounds via repair (scarring). Additionally, a comparative analysis of the effect on skin between diet rich in rapeseed and palm oil will be performed. To achieve our goal, experimental mice will be fed modified versions of laboratory animal WD in which 50% of the animal fat content will be replaced with rapeseed or palm oil, and standard WD (control). In post-injured skin samples collected from animals at the inflammatory and remodeling phase of wound healing, we will determine: (a) macrophage phenotype and their functional features, (b) inflammatory markers expression, (c) markers of reparative healing. In the in vitro experiments there will be investigated the mechanism underlying the effect of diet on interactions between macrophages and dermal fibroblasts, and the role of the CD36 (FA transporter) and Wnt/β-catenin pathway in establishing these interactions. Single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and chromatin profiling (scATACseq) will provide detailed molecular – level information on the impact of diet on intact and post-injured skin cell populations.

Investigating the mechanisms of epigenetic memory at the example of the responsiveness of human immune cells to vitamin D

Project leader: prof. Carsten Carlberg

Grant: PLN 3 371 280

The effects of vitamin D on the epigenome of immune cells and their functional response in terms of gene activity (transcriptome) will be measured by a series of so-called next generation sequencing methods. The data will be analyzed by bioinformatic methods and used to build mechanistic in silico models of vitamin D’s function in immune cells. We expect to observe responses of the epigenome and transcriptome of immune cells to vitamin D that are found in all study participants as well as individual-specific responses. This will allow us to understand the molecular basis of individual differences in the response to vitamin D, referred to as the vitamin D response index. As a consequence, we will be able to provide more personalized advices for vitamin D supplementation, in order to obtain optimized health benefits in terms of a well-functioning immune system.

Unknown parental influence on offspring quality in perch

Fish eggs are among the largest sex cells in the vertebrate world, but the processes and mechanisms within them are not yet fully known. In perch, one of the unknowns is the influence of factors from the parents on the quality of the offspring – the larvae. The answer is being sought by scientists from the Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology of our Institute.

– We know little about parental influence on offspring quality in most domesticated fish species. In the case of perch, no such data are available at all. Therefore, we are looking for an answer to the question of what factors on the part of the female and/or the male make one fish of their offspring qualitatively better and the other worse – explains study leader Dr Daniel Żarski from the Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology of the IAR&FR PAS in Olsztyn.

„PACKAGE” WITH A SET OF EXPERIENCES

Key to understanding these factors is the study of eggs and larvae at the molecular level. Fish eggs are some of the largest sex cells in the vertebrate world – they have a lot of different kinds of molecules in them, including a lot of spare material (mainly in the form of fats and proteins), which allows the fish larvae to continue to develop for some time after hatching. This is because fish in our climatic zone spawn and in most cases abandon their eggs (there is no gestation stage as in mammals or egg-laying as in birds), so such a cell, in order to develop on its own, must be adequately protected and supplied „for the immediate future”.

As in any other cell, there are a number of different molecules in the egg besides the DNA itself. – We looked specifically at the mRNA, where there is encoded information that the mother wants to pass on to her offspring – a set of experiences from a whole year, such as the stress she has experienced or interactions with other fish or predators. All this information is passed on by the mother to the egg so that the offspring, at least initially, are prepared for the problems they may encounter. We call this non-genetic inheritance – says the fish reproductive scientist.

This information is easily modifiable – the mother 'updates’ it every year on the occasion of each reproduction.
– Among other things, precisely because of the factors to which the female has been exposed recently, one year her offspring will be of better quality and the next year they may be of worse quality – adds Daniel Żarski.

Such factors that determine the quality of the offspring – here understood as the ability of the larvae to hatch and to adapt to the rearing conditions – are numerous. Not only on the part of the mother, but also on the part of the father, and they are still not fully known.

ON THE HALFWAY

Daniel Żarski’s team is working on solving this issue, conducting research as part of the project entitled 'Transcriptomic and zootechnical analysis of parental influence on offspring quality in perch, Perca fluviatilis’, funded by the National Science Centre (NCN).

We are halfway through the project. We have already carried out 4 of the 6 planned experiments (plus one additional one), and we have to remember that under our climate conditions we are able to carry out reproductive studies on perch only once a year – in spring, when the fish are spawning. One of the biggest challenges so far has been to carry out an experiment comparing two extremely different phenotypes, i.e. larvae from wild, domesticated fish and their crosses. We are now analysing the collected data, the preliminary results of which seem very promising – the scientist points out.

The researchers still have an experiment ahead of them which is expected to help decipher what causes twin offspring to have different growth potential and, as a result, to be of different sizes.

– Our project is not based on specific hypotheses, but is an exploratory project. In other words, we are trying to understand these mechanisms that we observe, rather than 'squeezing them’ into a top-down framework – emphasises Daniel Żarski.

The project started in 2021 and will last until 2026. The amount of funding is more than PLN 2.8 million. IAR&FR’s partner in the project is the Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn.

OBJECTIVE: TO SET THE STANDARDS

According to Daniel Żarski, the knowledge gained through the project’s research will not only contribute to the advancement of science on the topic of perch fish reproduction and larviculture, but may also find applications in aquaculture in the future.

– Perch are the right species to study for several reasons: they are much larger than typical model fish, they have high fecundity, they are a young species phylogenetically, and they have a large and growing breeding potential. Therefore, our overarching goal is to set some standards for creating selection criteria, always much needed by breeders,” explains Daniel Żarski.

New idea for research demonstrating effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation

A new idea for research demonstrating the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation has been developed by researchers from the ERA Chair WELCOME2 nutrigenomics team. They propose to divide patients into three groups according to the degree of response of the body to vitamin D, based on measuring the expression (response) of specific genes to the vitamin.

– Measuring vitamin D levels in the body alone is not an effective way to determine whether we have enough vitamin D. It is crucial to take into account the individual level of the body’s response to this vitamin by measuring the expression of specific genes. Only such an approach will give a reliable result as to whether vitamin D supplementation has the intended effect – explains Dr Emilia Gospodarska of the Nutrigenomics team of the IAR&FR PAS in Olsztyn.

Publication on this topic has just been published in the journal „Nutrients”.

Changing the approach

Emilia Gospodarska explains that current blood tests to determine the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation are not well designed.

– These tests are designed along the lines of therapeutic drug tests, not a nutritional compound such as vitamin D. Measuring the difference between a level of zero, that is, without administration of the drug, and then after a time when the drug has been taken, does not work for vitamin D. One reason for this is that, after all, everyone already has a certain level of this vitamin; it is never zero. Furthermore, people differ in their response to vitamin D. Our doubts have been confirmed by recent long-term studies (RCTs – randomised controlled trials) on a large scale (up to 25,000 participants) to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in preventing the development of a number of diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer, which did not provide any statistically significant results – the researcher emphasises.

A team of nutrigenomics experts from Olsztyn (nutrigenomics is the science that studies the effect of nutrients on the expression of genes, among others, responsible for health) has therefore proposed a paradigm shift.

The core of their idea is to move away from measuring vitamin D levels alone to studying the body’s response to the vitamin – based on the expression levels of specific genes, which are markers, or determinants, of this action.

Currently, scientists are looking for the best ones to study from a wide range of genes – potential markers. Bioinformaticians are involved in the work.

Crucial to this new approach described is the division of the population into three groups – in terms of their level of response to vitamin D: high responders, medium responders and low responders.

– This classification was proposed by our team leader Professor Carsten Carlberg, based on his research on the Finnish and Saudi Arabian populations. Based on this classification, we know, for example, that people with a high vitamin D response (i.e. when the body is able to maximise the effects of vitamin D) will need less vitamin D than those with low levels. Let me give an example to illustrate: the standard established vitamin D dose for an adult is 2000 units per day. However, it turns out that people in the low-response group need more of it. How much exactly – this will be determined on the basis of the studies we are developing – points out Emilia Gospodarska.

The research conducted by scientists from Olsztyn is basic level research. However, Emilia Gospodarska is convinced that the solution has a chance of commercialisation.

– Our proposal will make it possible not only to demonstrate the actual effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation, but also to personalise the therapy by determining the exact dose needed for a given patient – concludes the scientist.

Vitamin D – essential for our health

Vitamin D affects the functioning of the entire body. Its most well-known action is to maintain adequate calcium levels in the body to maintain proper bone structure. Vitamin D is also important for 'training’ our immune system so that it works effectively in the case of microbial infections, but also does not overreact in the case of possible autoimmune reactions.

Long-term vitamin D deficiency can lead to bone diseases – rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. It also causes a malfunction of the immune system, leading to, among other things, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases or autoimmune diseases.

For more information visit: https://welcome2.pan.olsztyn.pl/

In an early stage of pregnancy, the dialogue between the developing embryo and mother is one of the key factors determining the success of the embryo implantation process in the uterus. Scientists from the Molecular Biology Laboratory of IARFR PAS have discovered another relationship that helps to understand this complicated process.

The results of their research indicate the key role of extracellular vesicles, i.e. unique molecular cargo carriers, secreted by both the embryo and mother.

DIALOGUE – A WAY TO SUCCESS

The mechanisms determining the proper maintenance of pregnancy in various species of mammals and the process of communication between the embryo with the mother (how it takes place and with what factors) are the topics of the scientific interests of Prof. Monika Kaczmarek, who heads the Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn.

– In early pregnancy, when the embryo reaches the uterus, intense communication begins between the embryo and the uterus. The exchange of signals is one of the factors determining the successful implantation (nesting) of the embryo in the uterine wall. How does this dialogue go? The embryo sends the signal: „I am here” and the uterus „responds” with a readiness to accept the embryo and providing the factors and nutrients necessary for its further development. It is known that hundreds of particles are involved in this dialogue, but despite the identification of many of them, the full understanding of the complexity of this mechanism still remains a mystery – says Prof. Monika Kaczmarek.

Understanding the communication process between the embryo and mother will allow researchers to answer questions about the causes of pregnancy failure, which may depend, among others. from genetic defects of the embryos, lack of readiness of the uterus to accept the embryo (i.e. uterine receptivity) or disorders of the mentioned dialogue.

USEFUL VESICLES

Research by the team of Prof. Monika Kaczmarek has shown that the early stages of embryo implantation are regulated by the replacement of extracellular follicles between the embryo and the endometrial (mucosa lining the uterine cavity).

– Extracellular vesicles (EVS) are nanoparticles covered with a membrane, secreted by all types of cells in living organisms. Recently, they have gained recognition as an important element of intercellular communication. What’s more, over the past decade, their role has become particularly important in the area of mammal reproduction biology, attracting the attention of many scientific teams and researchers around the world – describes the researcher.

The conducted works used a model of a home pig (Sus Scrofa), which has an extended preimplantation period, which facilitates investigating the dialogue between the embryo and the mother. Scientists isolated extracellular bubbles from uterine fluid taken in various days of pregnancy, and then confirmed their participation in maintaining this key communication.

– We have shown that during early pregnancy, uterine light abounds in extracellular vesicles, which transfer many molecules of miRNA capable of expression (a process, during which specific genetic information is decoded and transferred to „protein production”) of genes involved in the development of the embryo and the organism. Vesicles, after delivering trophoblast to primary cells, affect genes regulating development, as well as signaling and interactions between cells, as a consequence affecting proliferation (cell ability to multiply), migration and invasive abilities of trophoblast cells – explains Prof. Monika Kaczmarek.

On this basis, scientists conclude that the replacement of the unique population of extracellular follicles and their molecular load between the embryo and mother is the key to the success of the implantation of the embryo and the success of pregnancy.

The results of the above research were published in The FASEB Journal. They constitute an important element of Dr. Joanna Szuszkiewicz’s doctoral thesis.

RESEARCH CONTINUED

The extracellular vesicles are also the subject of subsequent scientific publications of the team of researchers from IARFR PAS in Olsztyn, which have just appeared in the magazines: Cell Communication and Signaling and The FASEB Journal. They are part of the doctoral thesis of Maria Guzewska.

– We have shown that the synthesis of extracellular vesicles in the uterus is dependent on embryonic signals. In addition, we have shown that the miRNA embryo present in cells regulates the expression of genes that determine the formation of a specific EVs population secreted by the embryo. This groundbreaking discovery indicates the key role of the embryo and its signals in defining subsequent stages of pregnancy involving extracellular vesicles – emphasizes prof. Monika Kaczmarek

Invitation

We cordially invite PhD students, scientific supervisors and all Institute’s employees to the Oath of the PhD students of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School of Agricultural Sciences.

The inauguration of the academic year of will be honoured with the lecture of Dr. Bartosz Fotschki: „Super Raspberries – the hero that supports staying healthy”.

The event will take place October 2, 2023 at 9:00 am in the seminar room of IARFR PAS at Tuwima 10.

Ketogenic diet and health. Research by Dr. Natalia Drabińska

The increased popularity of the ketogenic diet is not followed by scientific knowledge on the safety of its use, points out Dr Natalia Drabińska from the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, who studies the effects of the ketogenic diet on metabolism, inflammation, selected nutritional parameters and oxidative stress in overweight and obese women.

The ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate diet that involves putting the body into a state of ketosis. – It is quite a demanding diet, but one that gives quick results and allows you to lose unwanted kilograms in a short period of time. This is why it has become so popular in recent years – emphasises Dr Natalia Drabińska from the Department of Chemistry and Biodynamics of Food at the IAR&FR PAS in Olsztyn.

However, this does not mean that the ketogenic diet is scientifically well understood; there is still a lot of information published on the internet about the effects of this diet on the human body that is not supported by scientific research. – Although the available scientific literature indicates that the use of the ketogenic diet may be beneficial in reducing body weight, comprehensive studies guaranteeing the safety of its use are not available – she adds.

Seeking to fill this gap, the researcher, as part of an NCN-funded project, is investigating how the ketogenic diet affects metabolism, inflammation, selected nutritional parameters and oxidative stress in overweight and obese women.

The first correlation studied is the effect of the ketogenic diet on metabolism, i.e. the total biochemical processes in the body that process the energy of nutrients from food.

The next step will be to investigate the effect of the ketogenic diet on inflammation – whether and how it can reduce it.

In the effects of the ketogenic diet on selected nutritional parameters, the researcher will examine the levels of fat-soluble vitamins, namely vitamins A, D, E and K; determine the amino acid profile and the fatty acid profile.

The effect of the ketogenic diet on oxidative stress, on the other hand, will be determined by the level of antioxidant activity – what from the diet increases it and how the body responds to it; the level of enzymes involved in neutralising free radicals; and the level of lipid and nucleic acid peroxidation products. – My previous animal research showed that the ketogenic diet, even in a fairly extreme form, did not induce oxidative stress, and in fact lowered it – says the researcher.

– We have now carried out most of the research and have begun to analyse the results. Thanks to them, we will be able to answer questions asked by many people struggling with obesity and overweight, wondering whether the ketogenic diet is a safe and effective way to lose extra kilograms – emphasises Natalia Drabińska.

The cohort included 80 women (72 completed) – healthy, slightly overweight (with a BMI of 25.5-35), with an average age of 35-40 years; they were volunteers from Olsztyn and the surrounding area. For 8 weeks, women received daily balanced meals, provided by a diet catering service, and attended regular check-ups. – All the ladies are satisfied with the results of this diet, as they have shed a total of 380 kg! – indicated the researcher, who also went on a diet.

THE KETOGENIC DIET – WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW?

The ketogenic diet involves balancing meals in such way that the main part of the calories comes from fats and the consumption of carbohydrates is maximally limited. Interestingly, the ketogenic diet was originally used to treat patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

After four to six weeks of adaptation to such a diet, a state of ketosis occurs in the body, i.e. the body 'switches’ so that it derives energy from ketone bodies (i.e. fat accumulated in the tissues) and not – as before – from sugars (glucose).

– Before this happens, however, you need patience and determination, because the ketogenic diet can make you feel worse in the first few weeks. This is because when your body runs out of glucose and is not yet able to use ketone bodies, you will lose strength and may experience flu-like symptoms. This is when it is especially important to remember to drink plenty of water and to keep an eye on electrolyte levels. As a start, I also recommend supplementation with MCT oil – this is an oil containing medium chain acids that go directly to the liver (without passing through the pancreas) and are converted into ketone bodies there, says the researcher.

The scientist reminds us that in following any diet, it is important to proceed with caution and awareness. – In some situations, it is necessary to consult a doctor, as a high-fat diet should not be followed by people with kidney or liver problems, for example. We must remember that it is a diet based mainly on fat, which is metabolised by the liver. Therefore, loading it with a high-fat diet in people who are ill can be dangerous to their health. It is therefore worth doing a liver panel (ALT, AST, GGTP) before starting the diet, as well as checking kidney parameters such as uric acid, the level of which increases especially at the beginning of a ketogenic diet – she points out.

The ketogenic diet is an elimination diet, so it is important to ensure that it is varied and balanced. – The ketogenic diet is not about meat dripping with fat, but, above all, about healthy fat from, for example, eggs, avocados, nuts, olive oil or selected fruit and vegetables,” emphasises Natalia Drabińska.

As the researcher points out, according to current scientific knowledge, there are no contraindications to prolonged/longed use of the ketogenic diet.

Dr Natalia Drabińska’s research is being conducted as part of a project entitled 'KETO-MINOX: Effects of an isocaloric, reducing ketogenic diet on metabolism, inflammation, selected nutritional parameters and oxidative stress in overweight and obese women’, funded by the National Science Centre (NCN). The project will last until 2025.

Check the response of your body to vitamin D supplementation

The Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research PAS in Olsztyn invites healthy (not smoking) women and men aged 18-65 with normal body weight (BMI 19-25) to participate in a scientific study on vitamin D.

The study will be conducted from November 2023 to February 2024 (7 meetings).

By taking part in this study, you will learn:

what is the level of vitamin D in your blood;
whether your body has a very good, average or poor response to vitamin D.

What do you need to do?

contact us to participate in the initial examination;
come to your appointment after overnight fasting and give your blood sample (approx. 20 mL);
take a personalized monthly dose of vitamin D (under the supervision of our doctor);
come the next day to give another blood sample (approx. 20 mL);
this procedure will be done once a month over a 3-month period.

In addition, by participating in the study, you will receive breakfast together with a dose of vitamin D, and get a chance to be selected for a long-term intervention study that will allow you to optimize the level of vitamin D in your body.

If you are interested in participating in the study, please contact us by phone or e-mail:

Dr. Marianna Raczyk (+48 790 567 861, m.raczyk@pan.olsztyn.pl)
Dr. Emilia Gospodarska (+48 793 929 156, e.gospodarska@pan.olsztyn.pl)

Project leader: prof. Carsten Carlberg, e-mail: c.carlberg@pan.olsztyn.pl, +48 604 336 461

The study is part of the Horizon Europe ERA Chairs WELCOME2 project.

#welcome2nutrigenomics

15 September – 'Packaging Day’

All you want to know about food packaging.

What the symbols on packaging mean, whether food packaging needs to be washed before throwing it away to make it recyclable and whether fresh fruit and vegetables need to be packaged – the answers to these questions are not obvious to consumers.

The European education campaign for responsible handling of food packaging, in which the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn participates, comes to help.

The EIT Food project 'InformPack’ is an international initiative of scientific and expert institutions from Denmark, the UK, Poland, Finland and Spain.

– The premise of the project is to investigate consumer behaviour, knowledge and attitudes towards food packaging. In the survey, we asked consumers, among other things, whether they pay attention to the material from which the packaging is made when buying food, whether they are able to resign from buying a product because of an excessive amount of plastic in the packaging or whether they find it difficult to segregate used packaging. On this basis, we develop educational materials to encourage consumers to behave responsibly with food packaging, both at home and outside – says Iwona Kieda of IAR&FR PAS in Olsztyn.

Analysis of the results so far has identified three key themes that consumers find most troubling and difficult. These are: lack of understanding of packaging symbols, misunderstandings about the need to clean food packaging before discarding and further recycling, over-packaging of fresh fruit and vegetables and handling of multi-material packaging.

On this basis, experts and researchers from the institutions involved in the project created educational campaigns with material in the form of infographics and animated videos.

Among other things, the materials provide information on whether food packaging should be washed, why manufacturers package fresh fruit and vegetables, what to do with multi-material juice packaging, where to dispose of bread packaging, what the triangles on packaging mean, which plastic packaging is most often recycled and the difference between compostable and biodegradable packaging

Materials on bioplastics and a campaign specifically aimed at children on good practice in the context of handling food packaging will also soon be available.

InformPack Infographics ca be found here.

InformPack Videos can be found here.

The InformPack project has also created a quiz (in adult and children’s versions) to test your knowledge. The quiz is available here.

Currently, project partners are disseminating the developed information on the Internet or in workshops in schools. In the process, they are measuring long-term changes in consumer behaviour.

– Next year, we plan to conduct consumer research in France, Italy, Germany, Denmark and Finland. In addition, in the coming months, we will continue to work on new materials, and we will also continue to hold workshops for schoolchildren and organise educational activities during science popularisation events in Poland – announces Dr Joanna Fotschki of IAR&FR PAS in Olsztyn.

EIT Food InformPack

The EIT Food InformPack project is an international initiative of scientific institutions from the University of Aarhus (Denmark), the University of Reading (UK), the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland), the VTT research network (Finland), manufacturers: Bioazul (Spain) and Maspex Group (Poland), and the Spanish supermarket chain Eroski.

The aim of the project’s activities is first and foremost to change consumer behaviour so that they deal with food packaging in a responsible and sustainable manner. It is also important to involve and raise awareness among food producers themselves, as well as local authorities, who are responsible, among other things, for the availability of recycling bins in the streets.

InformPack is funded by the EIT Food, the Knowledge and Innovation Community for Food of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, under the EU’s Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation.

For more information and free materials, visit: https://pan.olsztyn.pl/science-for-society/informpack/.

Fish semen banks – hedging against environmental disasters and supporting biodiversity conservation

Supporting the process of fish reproduction in the event of an environmental disaster, safeguarding the stability of breeding in fish hatcheries and protecting the gene pool – these are the main objectives of the fish semen banks that scientists from the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn are developing.

– Awareness of the need for fish semen banks continues to grow. Last year’s ecological catastrophe on the Oder River in Poland made us realise how important it is to have backup to be able to start the process of reproduction of native fish populations efficiently and effectively in such situations – emphasises Dr. Sylwia Judycka from the Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology of the IAR&FR PAS.

In addition to protecting endangered species or entire fish populations, semen banks also make it possible to safeguard the stability of breeding lines in fish hatcheries. Dr Sylwia Judycka worked on the creation of a fish semen bank for the largest facility of this type in Poland, located in Dąbie (Dąbie Fish Hatchery). The project was implemented as part of a project from the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR).

– Having frozen semen greatly improves breeding in various situations, e.g. when sexual maturity of females and males does not occur at the same time for various reasons, or when a breeding farm does not have sexually mature males in a certain year, making it impossible to obtain fresh semen for spawning – the scientist points out.

Supporting efficiency in breeding is not the only reason for having a fish semen bank. – Catastrophes can also occur in farms when a dangerous virus for fish is detected in the water. In such situations, unfortunately, the entire stock of the farm has to be disposed of. It can take years to rebuild it by natural means; using frozen semen of valuable breeding lines, the process will be much quicker – stresses Sylwia Judycka.

As the researcher points out, currently the main barrier against having a fish sperm bank is financial: the cost of creating such a base and maintaining it.

Fish semen is cryopreserved (stored at an ultra-low temperature of -196°C) before being deposited in the bank. – We fill thin straws, several centimetres long, with semen, which are frozen on special frames in liquid nitrogen vapour and then transferred to liquid nitrogen containers. Each straw with a sample of frozen semen is accurately labelled, which enables the frozen semen samples to be correctly identified and has a specific number of sperm per millilitre – the scientist explains.

The lifespan of semen frozen and stored in this way is calculated to be up to thousands of years. – So far, we have tested semen thawed after several years and it was still of high quality – Sylwia Judycka reports.

Dr. Sylwia Judycka’s research interests include studies of fish semen – its quality or learning about the mechanisms responsible for, e.g. the maturation of spermatozoa in rainbow trout neo-males (neo-males are sex-reversed fish). The main method used in Dr. Sylwia Judycka’s research is the aforementioned cryopreservation.

Dr Sylwia Judycka’s recent scientific publications have included the development of guidelines for improving the cryopreservation process and semen quality assessment of sex-reversed salmonids.

In September, the researcher starts a three-month research internship in France (at the Laboratory of Fish Physiology and Genomics of the INRAE in Rennes) to learn about a research technique called gene editing and be able to use it later in her further research.

For her scientific achievements, Dr. Sylwia Judycka was awarded the 'L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women and Science’ scholarship (2022).