Student-Inventor - another award for UPWr

The main prize in the 11th edition of the National Student-Inventor Competition was won by Mateusz Łużny and Dagmara Kaczanowska from the University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wrocław, and their supervisors: professor Tomasz Janeczko, professor Edyta Kostrzewa-Susłow, Ewa Kozłowska PhD, Monika Dymarska PhD, Jarosław Popłoński PhD, professor Aleksandra Pawlak and professor Bożena Obmińska-Mrukowicz from the University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wrocław, as well as professor Barbara Gawdzik and professor Alicja Wzorek from the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce. They were awarded for developing methods of obtaining dihydrochalcones – new potential sweeteners in the food industry.

Some of these compounds can be produced in small amounts by plants. They contain antioxidants along with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties which is why they are used in pharmacy as ingredients of many products, mainly dietary supplements or syrups

- In fact, a series of 24 inventions concerning the methods of obtaining dihydrochalcones were distinguished by the committee. Some of these compounds can be produced in small amounts by plants. They contain antioxidants along with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties which is why they are used in pharmacy as ingredients of many products, mainly dietary supplements or syrups – explains Mateusz Łużny and adds that dihydrochalcones, when consumed in small amounts, are an important factor responsible for preventing many lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and even depression.

- Our methods which use biotransformation, allow us to efficiently obtain these compounds at a significantly lower cost compared to extracting them from plants or from chemical synthesis. During the process we use yeast as a catalyst, which, thanks to the high activity of the enzymes they produce, are able to convert substrates into the expected product, even within one hour – says professor Tomasz Janeczko, the research supervisor of Mateusz Łużny, who is now completing his doctoral studies, and Dagmara Kaczanowska, who has already earned her master's degree at UPWr.

Dihydrochalcones are characterized primarily by tasting quite sweet, however, depending on the type of substituents and concentration, they can also be perceived by the receptors on our tongue as liquorice, umami or extremely sweet, even more so than sucrose. These properties can be used, for example, to produce low-calorie, healthier sweeteners.

- One example of this type of compound found in the food industry is neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, used in the production of syrups for children and diabetics. Professor Aleksandra Pawlak and professor Bożena Obmińska-Mrukowicz from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology of our university have demonstrated that the dihydrochalcones that are obtained are not toxic to normal cell lines, even in high concentrations – emphasizes professor Janeczko.

For the fourth year in a row, the main prize in this nationwide competition has been awarded to students and doctoral students from the UPWr Department of Chemistry. In 2018, the main prize was awarded to Joanna Kozłowska from UPWr and her supervisor professor Mirosław Anioł for a series of inventions concerning an efficient method of chemical synthesis aimed at obtaining new flavonoid derivatives. In 2019, the main prize went to Ewa Kozłowska, Monika Dymarska, Monika Urbaniak, Jakub Grzeszczuk, Jordan Sycz, Patryk Kownacki, Iga Franczak and Agata Matera from UPWr, and their tutors: professor Tomasz Janeczko, Anna Kancelista PhD, professor Łukasz Stępień, professor Edyta Kostrzewa-Susłow, Regina Stempniewicz PhD, Michał Oskiera PhD and professor Elżbieta Pląskowska – for a series of 26 inventions concerning the production of steroid compounds with high therapeutic potential as a result of biotransformation. In 2020, the main prize was won by Mateusz Łużny, Ewa Kozłowska, Monika Dymarska, Martyna Krzywda and their tutors: professor Tomasz Janeczko, professor Edyta Kostrzewa-Susłow, Marcelina Mazur PhD, Jarosław Popłoński PhD, Tomasz Tronina PhD and Sandra Sordon PhD – for a series of 45 inventions concerning the production of bioactive flavonoid compounds as a result of biotransformation.

- In the previous edition of the competition, we described the types of biotransformation in which the catalysts were mainly entomopathogenic filamentous fungi. This year we focused on the catalytic properties of unconventional yeast, including Yarrowia lipolytica yeast, which due to their GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status may be used as unconventional food. By combining them with our compounds, we can produce a product with both nutritional and health-promoting properties, contained in one product – explains professor Tomasz Janeczko.

Mateusz Łużny, who has won the award in the competition for the second time in a row, when asked whether such an award is another step in his research career, or a step towards landing a place on the corporate job market, replies: - Theoretically thanks to taking part in the competition and it being so publicised, we should be more recognizable, and the compounds we produce together with the methods we develop should be more accessible to external companies. But to tell you the truth, we haven't felt any changes, which may be due to the current situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the same reason, the trip to Geneva for the international exhibition, which has always been the main prize in the competition, was cancelled. The exhibition will be held in March, as planned, but entirely online.

Mateusz Łużny, who is currently in the fourth year of his doctoral studies, admits that the award in the competition is probably not a "step in his scientific career". However, it proves that the research we conduct is appreciated by competition committees. To promote our research in a way other than conferences or scientific publications is a new, interesting experience. And we can consider our participation and the prize in the competition as an interesting supplement to this publicising our research – says the doctoral student.

His supervisor, when asked if there was room for a student-master relation during scientific research, emphasizes: - In our department, students, both graduates  and members of the OrgChem research club, are involved in research conducted by employees. In the Department of Chemistry, a student-master relation is the basis for the entire didactic process and the development of young scientists preparing for their own independent scientific work.

The Student-Inventor competition organized by the Kielce University of Technology for the eleventh time is addressed to students, doctoral students and graduates who, during their studies, became creators or co-creators of an invention or a utility model/industrial design protected by exclusive rights or submitted for patent protection at the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland or a relevant industrial property office abroad. Inventions and utility models that were created internationally and co-created by foreign students may also be submitted to the competition. The five winners of the main prizes will take part in the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva in 2021.