Researchers from our Institute have won funding for research projects under the Opus 23 and Polonez Bis 2 competitions announced by the National Science Center (NCN). (więcej…)
Research on cryopreservation of fish semen of our scientists with award from PAS Division II
Scientists from our Institute have received an award from Division II of Biological and Agricultural Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Their contribution to developing and improving protocols for the cryopreservation of salmonid and perch fish semen was awarded.
On November 24, 2022, during the plenary meeting of Division II of Biological and Agricultural Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, it was decided to award the honor to the scientific team from the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, consisting of:
- Prof. Andrzej Ciereszko;
- Sylwia Judycka, Ph.D.;
- Joanna Nynca, Ph.D.;
- Mariola Dietrich, PhD.
The award was given to a series of works on the research issue about: „Development of a standardized method for cryopreservation of fish semen and its implementation in salmonid breeding improvement programs”.
Importance of the research work
Cryopreservation is the process of storing biological material (cells, tissues, embryos) at low temperatures (-196 ºC). Under such conditions, all biological activity stops. Theoretically, the viability of natural material stored in liquid nitrogen should be maintained for at least 3000 years. Cryopreserved semen is widely used in cattle breeding and assisting human reproduction, but the practice has not been introduced to fish breeding.
This study focused on developing a procedure for cryopreserving semen from salmonids (rainbow trout, alpine pilchards, grayling, rainbow trout, and brook trout) and perch (perch and zander), which can be used to create semen banks. Researchers from our Institute focused on learning about the changes in fish sperm that occur during cryopreservation. The study also showed that the following factors significantly affect the success of cryopreservation: the final concentration of sperm, the final concentrations of glucose and methanol in the diluent, and the time of equilibration of semen in the diluent before cryopreservation. The developed standardized semen cryopreservation procedure, once implemented in hatchery practice, should significantly improve selection work in fish farming.
At the plenary meeting of Division II of Biological and Agricultural Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, a total of one award and four honorable mentions were given to scientific teams from institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences and other units. The complete list of awardees can be found here.
Dr. Sylwia Judycka awarded the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women and Science scholarship
Dr. Sylwia Judycka, from the Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, has been awarded a scholarship in the 22nd edition of the prestigious „L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women and Science” program.
Each year, the „L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women and Science” program awards 6 outstanding Polish female researchers for their exceptional contributions to science and their passion and commitment to their work.
Dr. Sylwia Judycka was recognized for her research on developing and optimizing procedures for the cryopreservation of fish semen. The jury appreciated the level of her scientific achievements, the originality of her research, her innovative approach, and her ability to apply the results of her research in practice.
Dr. Judycka’s research concerns effective methods of preserving the biodiversity of native fish species, which is extremely important today in the face of climate catastrophes. In her research, she uses the cryopreservation technique, which involves storing fish semen at low temperatures, but ensuring that sperm remain viable after thawing. She and her team have demonstrated the effectiveness of this technique for salmonid and perch species. The point of the developed procedures has been confirmed by the high results of egg fertilization using cryopreserved semen.
I dream that the results of my research will be put into practice in the future and help fish reproduction. I am pleased that our standardized methodology for cryopreservation of rainbow trout semen has proved successful so that semen banks can be established, providing an unlimited amount of semen to support fish reproduction. This is important in increasing water pollution, habitat destruction, overfishing, and climate change. My research will help protect the gene pool of natural fish populations and preserve native species – Dr. Sylwia Judycka says about her research.
The goal of the L’Oréal-UNESCO Program for Women and Science, conducted since 2001, is to promote the scientific achievements of talented female researchers, encourage them to continue their work aimed at advancing science, and provide financial support. Partners of the program are the Polish Committee for UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and UNGC Network Poland.
The decision to award the scholarships is made annually by an independent Jury of 18 prominent scientists. Each of the jurors represents a different scientific field and research center across Poland. The jury is chaired by Prof. Ewa Łojkowska.
By 2022, 117 female scientists will have been awarded in Poland.
Dr. Judycka is the second finalist in the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women and Science program at our Institute. In 2017, this honor went to Anna Michalska-Ciechanowska.
More information about the competition is here.
AQUAENT – aquaculture in the age of global challenges – workshop report
On November 17, 2022, we held an online workshop „AQUAENT – aquaculture in the era of global challenges” as part of the EIT Food AQUAENT project – Support for small and medium enterprises in RIS regions in aquaculture. The topics of the workshop covered most burning topics from the pollution of the genetic environment and biotechnological methods of protecting wild-living fish gene pools, through multitrophic aquaculture, to the use of renewable and geothermal energy. We also had a chance to learn the outcomes of the innovative Salmocross project and its possible implementation in aquaculture.
Check out the lectures:
- Renewable energy and the potential of energy storage in aquaculture – futurology or activities necessary for the survival of the industry in times of energy crisis? Ziemowit Pirtań, The fishing farm „PSTRĄG TARNOWO”, Tarnowo, Poland;
- Salmocross – an innovative research and implementation project in aquaculture. Martyna Sas The fishing farm „PSTRĄG TARNOWO”, Tarnowo, Poland;
- Multitrophic aquaculture – possibilities of intensifying production in fresh and salt waters. Radosław Kowalski, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland;
- Genetic pollution of the environment and biotechnological methods of protecting gene pools of wild-living fish. Konrad Ocalewicz, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland;
- The use of enzymes and proteins in fish waste to create innovative medical products and dietary supplements. Margret Geirsdottir, Lysi-Life, Zymtech Enzymatica Aktieägare, Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D, Reykjavík, Iceland;
- The use of geothermal energy in fisheries and aquaculture. Saemundur Eliasson, HS Orka and Haustak, Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D, Reykjavík, Iceland.
Moms in Charge project, or when a mother’s experiences affect her child
Can a mother pass on information about past illnesses or natural predators to her child? The Moms in Charge project, carried out by scientists at our Institute, aims to study the extent to which non-genetic inheritance factors affect the adaptability of offspring. This knowledge could help improve fish breeding and gain a deeper understanding of fish resilience.
Moms in Charge is a project carried out by dr. Taina Rocha de Almeida, winner of the PASIFIC grant competition administered by the Polish Academy of Sciences and co-funded by the H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Co-funding of regional, national and international programs and the Ministry of Education and Science. Her scientific supervisor is dr. Daniel Żarski of the Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn.
The project aims to monitor so-called non-genetic inheritance factors in fish and determine to what extent they affect the adaptability of offspring (from embryo to juvenile stages) to breeding conditions. The research will be carried out on three Polish rainbow trout breeding lines from Poland’s largest fish hatchery, „Dąbie”.
- Our project is called Moms in Charge, freely translated as „mothers rule,” because it focuses on mothers’ role in young fish’s lives. According to the project’s main idea, the mother’s experience is passed on to her offspring using molecules (in our case, RNA) that the female builds into the eggs during the egg-forming process. We want to see what the mother can protect her children from in this way – says Taina Rocha de Almeida.
What are non-genetic inheritance factors?
Non-genetic inheritance (NGI) includes various mechanisms that are not directly related to genes but interact with or result from them. The contents of the egg cell are a consequence of NGI mechanisms, which will play an essential role in embryo and early larval development. They are a source of transcripts, proteins, and nutrients that will guide and support development even in later developmental stages.
- Fish accumulate „important” experiences from their lives. It is known that in fish, this most often refers to past diseases or thermal preferences, which determine the profile of specific information molecules – proteins or RNA – that it builds into the eggs, says Daniel Żarski.
The Moms in Charge project is to investigate to what extent maternal NGI factors (mRNAs, miRNAs, or proteins) affect the performance of offspring from embryos to juveniles.
- We want to check the molecular profile of eggs from three different breeding lines of rainbow trout from the „Dabie” hatchery near Bytów. We want to conduct research at the molecular and individual levels. The results can be used in the future in breeding different fish to obtain better individuals endowed with traits important for breeders – adds Taina Rocha de Almeida.
The research will be conducted on three strains of rainbow trout (phenotypically different) bred in Poland. Since the project will be carried out in cooperation with fish breeding, we expect that it will impact fish management and selection based on progeny performance, which can help increase fish production in the long term.
- A similar process also occurs along the father-offspring line, but we don’t intend to test it at this stage, as the mechanism for transmitting this information is somewhat different. For the moment, we are focusing on eggs – egg cells are larger and contain more molecules, and their influence on the development of offspring in fish is much more significant than that of sperm. In this regard, the mother’s influence on the offspring is more important than that of the father. We are also limited time, as the project will last only two years – explains Taina Rocha de Almeida.
Why rainbow trout?
The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), native to North America, is the most common trout species raised in European freshwater aquaculture. It prefers swiftly flowing waters with relatively stable thermal conditions and tolerates high densities. The optimal growth temperature for breeding is 8-18°C, with a maximum of 20°C. Rainbow trout is sold as a portion fish and a large fish, also known as salmon trout. Over the years, the rainbow trout sector has faced problems contributing to stagnant production. In this context, a clear and effective selective breeding program could greatly help.
- There is a great need to improve breeding protocols, for example, due to increased disease resistance or improved longevity. In the long run, the impact of the research on the fishing industry could be huge – says Daniel Żarski.
Taina Rocha de Almeida, Ph.D., came to the Institute from Brazil and received a prestigious scholarship from the PASIFIC MSCA COFUND program. The competition was fierce – there were about ten applicants per spot. To select the winning proposals, evaluators assessed them in three main categories – excellence, impact, and feasibility. Each project also had to pass an ethical evaluation. The fellowship will last 24 months, but as Taina admits: „she feels very comfortable in Poland,” so we are keeping our fingers crossed that her stay in our country will be extended.
Ewa Wasilewska Ph.D. with a prestigious award
Ewa Wasilewska, Ph.D. from the Department of Food Immunology and Microbiology at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, has received the prestigious JDS Highly Cited Award from American Dairy Science Association (ADSA).
The ADSA is an international organization of lecturers, scientists, and business representatives involved in developing the dairy industry. Members of ADSA has discovered methods and technologies that have revolutionized the dairy industry.
An official journal of ADSA, Journal of Dairy Science, is the leading general dairy research journal in the world. Highly Cited Award program was established to formally recognize JDS authors whose efforts significantly impact research and the dairy industry.
The JDS Highly Cited Award 2022 was awarded to Ewa Wasilewska and co-authors (Dagmara Zlotkowska and Barbara Wróblewska) for their paper entitled „Yogurt starter cultures of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus ameliorate symptoms and modulate the immune response in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis,” published in 2019.
The number of citations of the published study is an excellent indicator of its importance to the scientific community. Moreover, the highlighted work has been linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which can help address major global threats.
The success of our staff at the 3rd International Conference on Tissue Repair, Regeneration, and Fibrosis
Dr. Marta Kopcewicz and Dr. Joanna Wiśniewska from the Regenerative Biology Team were awarded the Aegean Conference Trainee Travel Award at the 3rd International Conference on Tissue Repair, Regeneration, and Fibrosis, held October 10 – 15, 2022, in Greece.
The 3rd International Conference on Tissue Repair, Regeneration, and Fibrosis is one of the most important scientific events bringing together scientists interested in various aspects of repairing and regenerating damaged tissues and organs. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the repair and regeneration of the liver, lungs, skin, kidneys, and bone marrow, among others, is key to the progress of modern medicine.
The winners of this year’s conference were Dr. Marta Kopcewicz and Dr. Joanna Wiśniewska from the Regenerative Biology Team led by Prof. Barbara Gawrońska-Kozak, MD. The Organizing Committee awarded the Trainee Travel Award ($1,000) to the oral presentations of our female scientists’ research results:
Sex, individual age and transcription factor Foxn1 affect the condition of healthy and post injured mice and human skin
Marta Kopcewicz, Sylwia Machcińska-Zielińska, Katarzyna Walendzik, Joanna Wiśniewska, Joanna Rutkowska, Piotr Malinowski, Tomasz Waśniewski, Justyna Drukała, and Barbara Gawrońska-Kozak
Pig adipose-derived stem cells (pASCs) pre-conditioned with hypoxia. Characterization and validation for wound healing therapy
Joanna Wiśniewska, Magda Słyszewska, Marta Kopcewicz, Katarzyna Walendzik, Sylwia Machcińska-Zielińska, Patrycja Dudek, Karolina Stałanowska, and Barbara Gawrońska-Kozak
The research presented at the conference was carried out as part of the following:
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- research projects funded by the National Science Center:
- Opus 14 no. 2017/27/b/nz5/02610,
- Sonata 13 nr 2017/26/D/NZ5/00556;
- the KNOW grant of the Scientific Consortium „Healthy Animal – Safe Food,”
Dec. No.: 05-1/KNOW2/2015; - own research fund 14/FBW/22.
- research projects funded by the National Science Center:
AQUAENT – aquaculture in the age of global challenges
AQUAENT – aquaculture in times of global challenges – under such a title, a workshop organized by our scientists within the framework of the EIT Food project AQUAENT- Support for small and medium enterprises in RIS regions in aquaculture, was held in Gdynia on October 12.
Go to AQUAENT website
The workshop topics touched on the most current issues related to the sustainable breeding of aquatic organisms. Konrad Ocalewicz from the University of Gdansk discussed the topic of genetic pollution of the environment and biotechnological methods of protecting gene pools of wild-living fish. Ziemowit Pirtań from the Trout-Tarnowo Fish Farm presented aspects of renewable energy and the possibility of energy storage in aquaculture – futurology or actions necessary for the industry’s survival in the energy crisis.
In turn, Radosław Kowalski of the Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research Polish Academy of Sciences focused on the issue of multitrophic aquaculture and the related possibility of intensifying production in fresh and salt waters. Tomasz Kolankowski of KOL-tech Solutions discussed the options of inlet water quality monitoring in fish farms, which protects farming from environmental disasters. Other speakers included scientists and experts from Iceland, including from the Matis research institute. Hildur Inga Sveinsdottir touched on using enzymes and proteins in fish waste to create innovative medicinal products and dietary supplements. Saemundur Eliasson, on the other hand, presented the possibilities of using geothermal energy in fisheries and aquaculture.
A discussion with the participants accompanied each presentation.
Thanking the experts and participants for their involvement, we already invite you to the next training, which will be held on November 17 in the online form (in English). We will touch on the topics discussed at the October 12 training. Still, we will also learn about the assumptions of the innovative Salmocross project and its potential for implementation in aquaculture, which Martyna Sas will present from the Tarnowo Trout Fish Farm. Registration link.
Program of the workshop on November 17, 2022
10.00 – 10.10 Welcoming the participants, Marek Bogacki, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
10.10 – 10.50 Renewable energy and the potential of energy storage in aquaculture – futurology or activities necessary for the industry’s survival in times of energy crisis? Ziemowit Pirtań, The fishing farm „PSTRĄG TARNOWO”, Tarnowo, Poland
10.50 – 11.30 Salmocross – an innovative research and implementation project in aquaculture. Martyna Sas The fishing farm „PSTRĄG TARNOWO”, Tarnowo, Poland
11.30 – 12.10 Multitrophic aquaculture – possibilities of intensifying production in fresh and salt waters. Radosław Kowalski, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
12.10 – 12.50 Genetic pollution of the environment and biotechnological methods of protecting gene pools of wild-living fish. Konrad Ocalewicz, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
12.50 – 13.30 The use of enzymes and proteins in fish waste to create innovative medical products and dietary supplements. Margret Geirsdottir, Lysi-Life, Zymtech Enzymatica Aktieägare, Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D, Reykjavík, Iceland
13.30 – 14.10 The use of geothermal energy in fisheries and aquaculture. Saemundur Eliasson, HS Orka and Haustak, Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D, Reykjavík, Iceland
