Over PLN 10 Million for UPWr Scientists

• Projects concerning the impact of pesticides on fertility, translational medicine and closed-loop waste management are among those being implemented under the Opus 22 programme.
• Projects concerning research on the use of white lupine and the impact of soundscapes on the importance of urban space received funding under the Sonata 17 programme.
• The Miniatura 6 competition, on the other hand, will enable the implementation of a project combining sewage treatment and agriculture.

The National Science Centre has just announced the list of projects that will receive funding under the Opus 22, Sonata 17 and Miniatura 6 competitions, which were announced in October 2021. Opus is a research competition for all scientists, while Sonata is intended for those who already have a doctoral degree, and Miniatura is open to scientific activities.

Under the recent Opus 22 competition the list of winning projects included those carried out by Prof. Agnieszka Partyka (PLN 958,704), Prof. Krzysztof Marycz (PLN 1,995,920), Prof. Magdalena Wołoszyńska (PLN 1,170,898), Prof. Andrzej Białowiec (PLN 2,045,147) and a consortium of the Włodzimierz Trzebiatowski Institute of Low Temperature and Structural Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the UPWr, represented by Prof. Agnieszka Smieszek (PLN 2,553,814 in total, with the UPWr receiving PLN 1,200,834). Under Sonata 17 two projects were chosen, of which the UPWr is the leader of one of them, implemented by Dr. Sandra Rychel-Bielska, with the Institute of Plant Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences acting as a partner. The grant amounts to PLN 2,785,829 in total, with the UPWr to receive PLN 2,460,089. The UPWr is also the leader in a project of Dr. Iga Solecka, who invited the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń to cooperate. Funding under this project amounts to PLN 588,662 in total, with PLN 404,407 for the UPWr. The last winning project – under the Miniatura 6 programme – will be implemented by Dr. Anna Jama-Rodzeńska, who will receive PLN 45,000 in funding.

Opus 22: veterinary medicine, life sciences, environmental engineering

Professor Agnieszka Partyka will carry out a research project on the mechanism of pesticide effects and their impact on cockerel fertility. Pesticides are a broad group of chemicals that benefit humans, but also have powerful and harmful effects on non-target organisms, so poultry may be exposed to these agents through feed containing pesticide residues. Furthermore, reports of the Regional Experimental Station of the Institute of Plant Protection in Bialystok indicate an increasing trend in the occurrence of residues of tested pesticides in grain.

The team of Prof. Partyka plans to monitor pesticide levels in commercial feed for chickens in Poland and France, as well as in the semen and blood of cockerels from several Polish and French farms. The scientists will analyse the semen of cockerels fed with properly prepared feed, but will also perform artificial insemination to test their fertility and investigate the effects of the tested substances on steroidogenesis, apoptosis and the antioxidant system in the cockerels testicles.

The project is groundbreaking - there is a research gap on the effects of low levels of pesticides, although in many types of grain eaten by poultry, on their fertility. The results may stimulate interest in revising the current standards for specific pesticides in grain used in animal feed and spark a debate on the purity of available feed. All the more so as the problem is confirmed by recent studies, which have found that poultry manure can accumulate large residues, for example, of glyphosate, reducing plant growth and reproduction.

'Mitotherapy as an innovative strategy for the regulation of the immunometabolome of fibroblast-like synoviocytes - a new perspective in the treatment of synovitis in horses' – is the name of a research project that will be carried out by Prof. Krzysztof Marycz.

Synovitis is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in horses, leading to the development of osteoarthritis (OA). It affects horses of different ages, sex and breeds, preventing them from being physically active, and often requires expensive treatment.

The current treatment methods for synovitis consist of intensive rinsing of the affected joint and anti-inflammatory treatment, both systemic and local. Hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma or stem cells can be administered locally as complementary therapies, but none of these methods can prevent the development of OA. At the molecular level, synovitis involves a loss of immunometabolic homeostasis between fibroblast-like synoviocytes and macrophages, resulting in the initiation of an inflammatory reaction leading to the development of osteoarthritis.

Professor Marycz's project is aimed at developing an innovative, effective method to restore the immunometabolic balance of joints for the prevention of osteoarthritis.

The research team led by Prof. Marycz has developed an innovative method of isolating mitochondria from peripheral blood, which will be administered into the affected joint. The project combines molecular biology, translational medicine and clinical aspects, and the scientists want to develop a new, previously unused method of treatment. If it proves effective in horses suffering from synovitis, it could be used in human medicine in the future to treat many other disease entities with mitochondrial defects.

Professor Magdalena Wołoszyńska will carry out a research project entitled 'Elongator protein complex integrates the regulation of transcription and translation during photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana'.

Arabidopsis thaliana is a very popular plant in research. The European Space Agency has studied the effect of weightlessness on its development, and the weed that grows in Europe, Asia and northern Africa is a model organism for biologists and geneticists because of its limited plant genome.  In the popular science description of his project, Prof. Wołoszyńska wrote: 'Protein blueprints are genes, i.e. DNA fragments in which the names of all amino acids of a given protein are written in the right order. It takes more players, called RNA - special molecules, similar to DNA, also made up of nucleotides - to read the blueprints correctly. One of these (mRNA) acts as a messenger - it takes the blueprint from DNA in a process called transcription. There are special proteins that specialise in deciding which blueprint to follow at any given time. A transcription and translation elongator is one such protein. It is particularly needed to modify tRNAs containing amino acids ending in AA. To recognise such names, tRNAs have an anticodon with a special U nucleotide in a wobbly position, where U has a lot of freedom of movement. When this wobbly U is not modified by the elongator and other proteins, it is unstable and tRNAs work less efficiently. The ribosomes are still working, but translation is slow and there are fewer important proteins. The consequences are serious, with people and animals in this state becoming sick, plants deformed, and leaves and roots cannot defend themselves against pathogens."

Geneticists know a lot about the elongator, but usually when they find anything out it is only about its role in transcription or translation. However, it is uncertain exactly what the elongator does, or how it does it. Until now researchers have focused on its role in transcription, but recently they noticed that a mutant of a plant called Arabidopsis, in which the elongator is damaged, is different than other plants - it has a longer stem and leaves rising upwards, and looks like it has problems finding light. This is called a 'photomorphogenesis defect'. This mutant was therefore compared to others in which other proteins cooperating with the elongator in the modification of tRNA were damaged. Such plants seemed to have upwardly rising leaves, but a normal stem, which means that what the elongator does in translation is only needed for leaves, and what it does during transcription is important for stem growth. Among other things the UPWr scientists will isolate and compare all the proteins of the mutant and normal plants using a technique called differential proteomics to find out which proteins are missing. 

Professor Andrzej Białowiec will study microbiological mechanisms of increasing the production of biomethane from bio-waste by typical carbon materials. One recent trend in methane fermentation (MF) is the addition of various carbon materials (MW), such as bio-carbon, hydrochar and activated carbon, to various methane fermentation substrates, including food waste.

The amount of food waste generated (FW) shows an exponential annual increase, becoming a significant global environmental problem. One way to solve this problem is with MF. There is a research niche in which the actual nature of the mechanism of CM effects on biomethane production and the contribution of each property to this microbial mechanism can be determined.

The scientific goal of the project is to discover the true nature of the mechanism of the impact of carbonaceous materials on the production of biomethane, as well as the possibility to modify the properties of CM in order to obtain the highest possible yield of biomethane. The research is divided into four main tasks. The first is the production and nature of carbon materials, where biocarbon, hydrochar and activated carbon will be produced from wheat straw through thermochemical treatment and the generated CM will be analysed with regards to a wide range of physical and chemical features. The second task is the production of biomethane from glucose using various carbon materials, in periodic and flow reactors, with the addition of the produced CM. The scientists will determine the potential of biomethane and the kinetics of its production, as well as the characteristics of substrates and digestate residues in a wide range of physical, chemical, microbiological and genetic parameters. The next task is analysing the mechanism of increasing the production of biomethane with carbon materials – here neural networks and fuzzy systems will be used. In addition, advanced multiomic analyses will be used to identify the microbiological mechanism of the CM impact on methane fermentation. The last task is to optimise the process of anaerobic fermentation through the use of carbon materials – the team of Prof. Białowiec will check the possibility of optimising the production of biomethane by using deliberately modified CM in both periodic and flow reactors on a laboratory scale with the use of FW.

This project is innovative in that it takes a systematic approach to identifying the mechanism of CM effects on biomethane production, identifying the key properties that increase MF efficiency and applying targeted modification of selected CM properties and its use to intensify the MF of food waste.

To date, no one has carried out such an experiment, and research into the possibility of deliberately modifying CM to increase the biomethane yield and kinetics may be relevant to optimising biogas plants and implementing a closed-loop approach.

A consortium formed by the Włodzimierz Trzebiatowski Institute of Low Temperature and Structural Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences will carry out a project entitled 'Biocompatible materials with theranostic properties for precise medical applications'. The project manager is Prof. Rafał Wiglusz, while the UPWr is represented by Prof. Agnieszka Smieszek.

The research of the Wrocław scientists is related to infectious diseases, or more specifically to ailments resulting from extensive damage to tissues and organs in the course of such diseases, as well as tissue engineering, which may be science's answer to finding new solutions related to the regeneration of organs and tissues. The basic elements used in tissue engineering are biomaterials, stem cells (progenitor cells) and bioactive molecules. These elements form the so-called triad of tissue engineering, conditioning (together or separately) the process of tissue regeneration and reconstruction. The creation of biomaterials that simultaneously act as carriers of stem cells and bioactive substances is important for the rebuilding of functional tissues and determines the therapeutic effectiveness.

The project envisages the creation and characterisation of a several-element system based on the use of nanostructured phosphate-silicate compounds of apatite structure doped with lithium ions and co-doped with rare earth ions for stem cell stimulation. The developed system will affect proliferation and the ability to differentiate stem cells, favouring regeneration processes.

Researchers want to find out how the obtained composites work; the main molecular pathways involved in the regeneration processes of bone, cartilage, fat and nerve tissues will be analysed. The research will include the preparation of nanocrystalline apatite-structured phosphate-silicate compounds modified with lithium and rare earth ions and chemically with medicine, determination of their structural and morphological properties, investigation of the interfacial bonding mechanisms with a biodegradable polymer, and determination of their ability to stimulate tissues and organs after being implanted into the body. The project is part of a stream of research activities related to the development of innovative biomaterials in personalised medicine to support the regeneration of difficult-to-heal tissue and organ defects at the place of the damage (in situ).

Sonata 17: Climate change and the soundscape

Dr. Sandra Rychel-Bielska will carry out a project entitled 'A short story of the great role of small RNA in the regulation of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) flowering’. Scientists involved in the research emphasise that climate change, together with continued population growth, requires continuous improvement of known crop varieties, but also requires the search for new, efficient sources of plant protein both to supplement the human diet and for animal husbandry. White lupine, on the other hand, is one of the most important sources of vegetable protein, an alternative to soya – it is rich in protein (34-45%) and seed oils (10-13%, mainly unsaturated fatty acids), it is a long-day plant, which, unlike soya, constitutes a significant adaptive advantage to the conditions prevailing in Poland. According to specialists and breeders, this could make it a key ingredient in food, animal feed and green manure in the next few years. At the same time, existing varieties require genetic improvement in order to maximise their agronomic potential and adapt to the short growing season. One of the main growing restrictions of white lupine is its long flowering and ripening time.

The main goal of the award-winning project is to identify known and novel non-coding RNAs involved in L. albus blooming induction and to develop a new comprehensive model of blooming induction not only for lupins, but also for the entire legume family. To achieve this, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the genomic sequence, transcriptome and degradome, as well as confirm the obtained results using the RT-qPCR technique.

White lupine has already been studied by Dr. Sandra Rychel-Bielska – in a project implemented in the Sonatina competition. It was then that the genetic diversity and genetic structure of the white lupine line collection was determined, and a set of subpopulations grouping genetically similar lines and varieties was created. A significant correlation between the phenotype and the distribution of lines in subpopulations was confirmed, but despite the determination of the genetic medium of flowering induction in L. albus, which is the main goal of the Sonatina project, additional variability within the subpopulations was also observed. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) also revealed several genetic markers correlated with the flowering time, located in intergenic regions where the presence of hypothetical miRNA clusters has been confirmed. This would suggest that an additional, equally important regulation is based on miRNA.

The research proposed in the new project is a continuation of previous research work, and the obtained data, together with previous results, will constitute the first comprehensive analysis of L. albus flowering induction mechanisms, taking into account the genetic background, regulations based on small RNA, as well as transcriptome sequences and degradome. This will enable the determination of the role of each layer regulations in the process of white lupine flowering induction and create a new, comprehensive model of flowering induction, not only for lupine, but also for the entire family of legumes. In addition, it will also make it easier to understand the mechanism of white lupine flowering induction and enable a conscious selection of genetic crossing components.

In her research project carried out in partnership with the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Dr Iga Solecka will address the soundscape and the importance of a given place in the planning context - as sound is an integral part of every landscape, both natural and man-made. However, most studies on landscape perception focus on perception through vision, which is the most important channel of incoming information (images can be used more easily in studies than sounds). Studies show that the effects of the interaction between vision and hearing depend on additional factors. However, there is no systematic theoretical framework that takes into account the potential effects of the interaction of vision and sound on the importance of a given place.

In the project led by Dr Solecka, the scientists will consider the landscape through the theory of the meaning of a place and adopt the theoretical perspective that there are two different types of meanings that can transform a physical location into a meaningful place: conservative and progressive. Conservative places promote a sense of 'being in a place' and rooted in it, and have a recognisable genius loci. In contrast, the progressive place concept is a product of social construction - they are places that are open and diverse, both socially and physically, dynamic rather than stable, and their identity is created through the repeated encounters of their users rather than drawn from their historical heritage.

The project aims to show how sound in an urban landscape affects the importance of the place, i.e. the way it is experienced and evaluated. The remaining two objectives concern the relationship between the features of an urban sound landscape and the regenerative potential of green areas and the willingness of residents to engage in activities for the environment as mediated by the way of experiencing a place. Three research stages are planned, covering various aspects of the studied phenomena and using the cities of Wrocław and Toruń as case studies.

The first stage will look at how various sounds (relaxing vs. exciting) presented in the context of progressive places (e.g. vibrant city squares or busy streets) vs. conservative ones (e.g. quiet housing estates or city parks) affect our perception and assessment of the environment. In addition, interactive image-sound effects will be studied in four experimental contexts: from passive observation of static spherical images to dynamic immersion using virtual reality in filmed spherical scenery, using experimental methods and online surveys. The second stage foresees developing the planning and designing of urban green areas in order to improve the acoustic environment, support their regenerative function and strengthen attachment to a given place, using location data from mobile phones and GPS data – the ability to rest is higher in audiovisual coherent environments. The provision of audiovisual coherent urban green areas should therefore support their leisure function, attracting users. This can be particularly important in cities where the sound environment is made up of high levels of noise pollution.

In the third stage of the project the researchers will assess the relationship between the city's sound landscape, attachment to a given place and environmental management through a PPGIS survey and a civic budget analysis. Research shows that there is a reciprocal relationship between the way a place is experienced and the willingness to engage with that place. Existing studies suggest a link between experiencing a place and managing the environment, but the exact nature of this link, such as whether people will be more likely to work for conservative or progressive places and how sound can affect bottom-up pro-environmental activities, remains unexplained.

The project crosses the boundaries between different scientific disciplines and brings together at least three different disciplines: landscape architecture and urban planning (studies of landscape perception), social geography (studies of human relations with the environment, participation of inhabitants in local communities) and social and environmental psychology (attachment to a place and experiencing a place studied in an experimental and participatory way).

Miniatura 6: Sewage and agriculture

The list of awarded projects under the NCN Miniatura 6 competition includes one proposed by a scientist from the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. Dr. Anna Jama-Rodzeńska will deal with a comprehensive assessment of the properties of struvite produced from sewage sludge as a source of phosphorus in agriculture. The project received financing to the amount of PLN 49,500.

Struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) is a naturally occurring mineral used to meet the phosphorus needs of plants. Obtained from municipal sewage treatment plants, it enables the recycling of phosphorus, necessary for plant growth – struvite sediments precipitate at sewage treatment plants, among others during the discharge of supernatant liquid from fermentation chambers, and contribute to the rapid overgrowth of pipelines and thus a decrease in the efficiency of the installation. Dr. Jama-Rodzeńska's research can therefore benefit both treatment plants and farmers.