MINIATURA 7 for three scientists from UPWr

• Dr. Katarzyna Patejuk: Discovering new fungi is especially important in the context of climate change.
• Dr. Joanna Tunikowska: Nanocarriers enhanced with ECT can aid in the fight against cancer.
• Dr. Błażej Nowak: Do genes contribute to piglet mortality?

The MINIATURA 7 competition funds scientific activities that support the preparation of future research projects to be submitted in NCN competitions, and other national, or international contests. For scientists, this is an opportunity for development and to gain initial experience in grant implementation. This opportunity was seized by our scientists: Dr. Katarzyna Patejuk, Dr. Joanna Tunikowska, and Dr. Błażej Nowak.

New fungal species and climate change

Dr. Katarzyna Patejuk from the Department of Plant Protection received almost 40,000 PLN for research aimed at identifying and describing new, scientifically unknown species of phytopathogenic fungi from the genera Colletotrichum, Coniochaeta, and Plectosphaerella. As the UPWr scientist explains, despite years of research, the fungal kingdom remains one of the least explored. It is estimated that we have identified only 7% of the 2.2 - 3.8 million fungi globally, with just up to 120,000 species described.

– Understanding new fungi and highlighting groups previously beyond our reach is particularly important in the context of climate change, species extinction, and industrial development – says Dr. Patejuk. She emphasizes that microscopic fungi in petri dish cultures have been instrumental in developing many fields, including pharmacology (first antibiotics, intermediates for drug production), food technology (flavors and food colorings), and direct food production (blue cheeses, soy sauce, fermentation products).

Dr. Patejuk's research aims to describe three new species found during extensive environmental studies conducted from 2019-2022 in Polish national parks: Drawieński National Park, Wigierski National Park, and Stołowe Mountains National Park. These species were isolated from Impatiens parviflora, Solidago canadensis, and Pinus palustris.

– Preliminary taxonomic affiliation studies have indicated that they belong to previously unidentified species of the genera Colletotrichum, Coniochaeta, and Plectosphaerella. These identifications have been confirmed by the team of Dr. hab. Marcin Piątek from the W. Szafer Institute of Botany of the Polish Academy of Sciences – highlights Dr. Patejuk.

The research funded under the MINIATURA 7 competition will provide valuable information on Polish and European biological diversity and an essential element in understanding potential plant pathogens that may increase their significance in the country and the region due to climate change. The three genera being studied are important groups of plant pathogens, potentially causing damage in forestry, horticultural, and crops.

Nanocarriers enhanced with ECT in the fight against cancer

Dr. Joanna Tunikowska from the Department and Clinic of Surgery intends to delve into the combination of two technologies: intraoperative fluorescence imaging (FGS) and electrochemotherapy (ECT) - an innovative method for treating tumors, involving the use of short electrical pulses to increase the permeability of cell membranes to chemotherapeutics. She has received 48,750 PLN from the National Science Centre for the project "Nanoencapsulated Indocyanine Green with Bleomycin as a Potential Tool in Electrochemotherapy: Preliminary Studies."

As the UPWr scientist explains, ECT is used in the palliative treatment of primary tumors, distant metastases, and tumors showing multi-drug resistance characteristics, which continue to be a significant challenge in oncology. The success of such therapy depends, among other things, on the ability to effectively deliver the drug to the tumor and perform electroporation across the entire area of the tumor-affected tissue with an adequate margin.

The project's goal is to create a combined nanocarrier for bleomycin, a drug used in ECT, and indocyanine green (ICG), a marker used in intraoperative fluorescence imaging in near-infrared.

–I assume that encapsulating these substances will enhance the effectiveness of electrochemotherapy by allowing precise determination of when and where the drug is located in the tumor tissue – emphasizes Dr. Tunikowska. She adds that the research plans to produce modern and unique nanocarriers with a vesicular structure stabilized by biosurfactants.

– Nanocarriers loaded with indocyanine green and the chemotherapeutic will be created based on the green self-assembly methodology of the aforementioned biosurfactants, in collaboration with Prof. Urszula Bazylińska from the Laboratory of Nanocolloids and Dispersive Systems, Department of Physical and Quantum Chemistry of Wrocław University of Technology, who leads a team with extensive experience in producing nanocarriers for anti-cancer applications – explains the UPWr scientist. – The project's objectives include creating a stable, safe, and effective nanocarrier, so subsequently, along with the team of Prof. Julita Kulbacka from the Department and Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the Medical University, we will assess cell sensitivity and therapy effectiveness using an in vitro model – she adds.

The final stage of the planned experiment will be to assess the presence and intensity of fluorescence of the obtained nanocarrier in tissues. The studies will be conducted on an ex vivo model using an ICG imaging system, enabling intraoperative fluorescence visualization. – It is worth noting that in the field of veterinary sciences, we are pioneers in Poland in using FGS in veterinary surgery – says Dr. Tunikowska. Do

Do genes account for piglet mortality?

Dr. Błażej Nowak from the Department of Genetics will analyze the genetic basis of stillbirths in hyperprolific (producing very large litters) sows based on a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The UPWr scientist has received nearly 50,000 PLN for his research.

 – Breeding work aimed at increasing sow fertility is one of the main reasons for reduced piglet survival in the perinatal period and worsening reproductive health of sows. While in 1992 in Denmark, the average number of piglets born per litter was just under 12, by 2018, this had risen to almost 19 piglets – says Dr. Nowak.

Just ten years ago, the upper limit for the duration of a normal birth was not exceeding 4-5 hours, but now the average duration of birth in hyperprolific sows often exceeds 6-7 hours. The rapid increase in sow fertility is highly desired by breeders on one hand but is concerning on the other. Large litters (over 16 piglets) lead to prolonged labor and the risk of hypoxia and asphyxiation, especially among piglets born last. This not only causes significant economic losses but also affects the health and welfare of sows, including through the administration of hormonal agents or interventions in the reproductive tract to extract piglets.

– Nevertheless, even among hyperprolific sows, there are litters without stillborn piglets, so my research aims to determine the genetic basis of stillbirths in litters by excessively prolific sows based on a genome-wide association study (GWAS) – emphasizes the UPWr scientist.

For the study, hyperprolific sows, i.e., those giving birth to more than 16 piglets per litter, will be selected and divided into two groups: the first consisting of females giving birth exclusively to live piglets in the litter, and the second of sows that have had at least one stillborn piglet in their first and second litters.

Venous blood samples, from which genetic material will be isolated, will be used for laboratory tests. This will enable the genotyping of the animals using the PorcineSNP80k microarray from Illumina, covering nearly 80,000 SNP markers. The genotyping results will undergo statistical analysis, including data quality control and association analysis based on five models (dominant, codominant, overdominant, recessive, log-additive) of logistic regression with a single SNP marker as the explanatory variable.

– The results obtained will allow us to identify SNP markers differentiating the research groups, which in turn will enable the identification of genes associated with the birthing of stillborn piglets by hyperprolific sows – concludes Dr. Błażej Nowak.

• 

  The Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences has joined the Baltic University Programme (BUP)

  This integration into the network opens up new opportunities for cooperation and intercultural exchange for the university. It also provides access to a wide range of courses, educational and scientific programs, and projects for students and staff.

• 

  UPWr Scientists' Success in POLSA Contest

  In the latest edition of the Polish Space Agency POLSA contest, the doctoral dissertations of Dr. Dariusz Strugarek and Dr. Mateusz Drożdżewski were distinguished.