POLONEZ BIS 1: over PLN 1.1 million in funding for UPWr scientists

• Professor Boratyński and Dr. El-Sayed Ali did not give up after two of their applications were rejected. They submitted a third one in the POLONEZ BIS competition, and this time they were successful.
• Endophytic fungi are a lucrative source of many bioactive compounds, including pigments or compounds with antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

The POLONEZ BIS 1 competition for 24-month research projects for foreign scientists coming to Poland in order to conduct research was launched by the National Science Centre (NSC). 

The competition helps develop the careers of scientists by supporting their international mobility and funding research projects carried out in the best Polish research facilities. PLN 48 million has been allocated for the implementation of research projects under the POLONEZ BIS 1 programme.

Third time lucky

– Dr. El-Sayed Ramadan El-Sayed Ali from the Plant Research Department at the Egyptian Nuclear Research Centre first contacted me at the end of April 2021. He wanted to join the BioActiv Leading Research Team and conduct joint research on the use of endophytic fungi to produce bioactive compounds. Seeing his potential, the coherence of his interests and determination to work with us, we agreed on a project topic and then submitted an application to the Ulam programme, funded by the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) – says Prof. Boratyński from the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis of the UPWr. 

Although the proposal did not receive funding, the scientists decided to revise it and apply for the European MSCA-PF programme, which is part of the HORIZON programme – the main funding programme for research and innovation in Europe. Unfortunately, this application also failed to receive funding. 

– Based on positive feedback, we refused to give up and hoping to be 'third time lucky'... we submitted another application, this time to the National Science Centre (NSC) in the POLONEZ BIS programme. Another funding agency, a different application procedure, numerous emails and meetings with the staff of the International Research Programs Unit to improve the application finally led to obtaining funding! The NCN awarded us more than PLN 1.1 million to carry out a project entitled BioExplor, concerning the unlocking of bioactivity of the mycobiome associated with forest plants as a source of new carotenoids and other biopigments – says Professor Filip Boratyński, emphasising that the success and high scores in the application were largely due to the dedication of Jowita Chojcan from the International Projects Department headed by Dr. Katarzyna Kopańczyk.

The scientist also adds that from November 2022 the University of Environmental and Life Sciences will host Dr. El-Sayed Ali, who will set up a research group within the BioActiv Leading Research Team on the microbial production of dyes involving endophytic fungi. 

Not only dyes

As emphasised by Prof. Boratyński, consumer interest in natural pigments is growing – although nature provides numerous sources of pigments, their insufficient quantity and the high cost of extraction and processing limit their industrial availability. There is also an urgent need to develop a safer and greener alternative to the production of synthetic dyes. 

An example of such a solution is the BioExplor project, which represents an innovative attempt to discover the untapped potential of endophytic fungi of certain plant species growing in Polish forests. – These fungi are a lucrative source of many bioactive compounds, including pigments. Endophytes spend part or all of their life cycle colonising the interior of healthy host plant tissues, usually without causing symptoms of disease. The BioExplor project involves isolating and screening endophytes in terms of their ability to produce carotenoids and other pigments. The project also focuses on isolating endophytic fungi as sources of new bioactive compounds with antifungal and antimicrobial properties – explains Prof. Boratynski, emphasising that the project also includes a one-month internship for Dr. El-Sayed Ali at the Instituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare in Milan, during which he will broaden his knowledge of biocatalysis and bioconversion techniques for waste plant materials.

International networking through participation in numerous training courses, including those on soft skills such as workshops on international projects or research team management, is an important element of the POLONEZ BIS project.

Dr. El-Sayed Ali has also been invited to join the BioActiv team for a two-week research internship for the time of submitting applications. Joint research on the use of agri-food waste for the production of secondary metabolites involving fungi has already lead to the preparation of a publication currently under review in the journal Scientific Reports. It was also an excellent opportunity for Dr. El-Sayed Ali to get to better know and establish contacts with other members of the Leading Research Team and the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, as well as intensify talks and work on further project applications.