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IDUB UMK / Teams / Emerging Fields

Physical Science and Engineering

Team leader – prof. dr hab. Katarzyna Hrynkiewicz

The main aim of the research priority area “Microbiology, Soil sciences, Food quality and agricultural genetics” is to gain knowledge about the complex relationships between the soil environment, microorganisms, and plants which are responsible for food production and food quality.

Research activities are focused around:

  • understanding the biodiversity of soil microorganisms and the impact of negative abiotic factors caused by changing climate or anthropogenic activities;
  • plant-associated microorganisms (e.g. rhizospheric and endophytic) that can significantly stimulate the growth of crops and increase their tolerance to adverse environmental conditions (e.g. drought, high soil salinity, nutrient deficiency);
  • understanding the genetic basis of interactions between plants and endophytes and their phenotypic plasticity;
  • improving the technologies used in food production. As a result of the conducted scientific research, new and unique bio-products will be developed, which will then be used in modern agriculture and new technologies applied in food production.

The research field is an interdisciplinary project bringing together scientists from three Faculties of the Nicolaus Copernicus University: Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences (Department of Microbiology, Department of Genetics, Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology), Faculty of Chemistry (Department of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy) and Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management (Department of Soil Science and Landscape Management). Priority research activities engage the following areas of science: microbiology, agricultural engineering, plant science and plant physiology, food science and food technology, and soil science. The scientific motivation of this interdisciplinary team is the broadly understood international cooperation and training of young staff open to working in scientific institutions and the private sector.


Prof. dr hab. Katarzyna Hrynkiewicz – head of the Department of Microbiology at the Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University. The main research interests of Prof. Hrynkiewicz focus on molecular analysis of mycorrhizal structures, the application of microorganisms in soil phytemediation processes and the use of endophytic microorganisms in promoting the growth of cultivated plants. Between 2002-2004, she completed a two-year postdoctoral internship (Marie Curie Fellowship) at the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition (University of Rostock, Germany) during which she participated in the project “Molecular and biological characterization of ectomycorrhizal strains for phytoremediation“. She was awarded the degree of doctor habilitated for her thesis entitled “The significance and performance of microorganisms associated with the rhizosphere of willows (Salix spp.) in unfavourable soil conditions.” in 2010. She has been collaborating for many years with foreign research centres from Germany, Sweden and Denmark, e.g. the University of Tübingen, the University of Rostock, Leibniz-Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crop, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences where she did numerous scientific internships, e.g. DAAD, STSM. Prof. Hrynkiewicz was the coordinator of the EU funded grant (Marie Curie Reintegration Grant), the leader of eight grants funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the National Science Centre. She was a scientific supervisor of two PRELUDIUM grants and a contractor in numerous projects implemented, among others, as part of international collaboration (e.g. ERA-NET, COST). Between 2015-2019, she was the contractor in the project “Boosting plant-Endophyte STability, compatibility and Performance Across ScaleS – BestPass” funded under the HORIZON2020 project and the coordinator of the international research team WP1: Endophyte-plant compatibility. Prof. K. Hrynkiewicz cooperates with foreign companies producing biopreparations. She has been the Director of the Doctoral School “Academia Copernicana” since 2019.

Staff

  • Marcin Gołębiewski
  • Agnieszka Kalwasińska
  • Edyta Deja-Sikora
  • Bliss Furtado
  • Sonia Szymańska
  • Agnieszka Zienkiewicz
  • Grażyna Dąbrowska
  • Krzysztof Jaworski
  • Agnieszka Mierek-Adamska
  • Aleksandra Szydłowska-Czerniak
  • Dobrochna Rabiej-Kozioł/Aneta Jastrzębska
  • Piotr Hulisz
  • Przemysław Charzyński
  • Marcin Świtoniak
  • Mateusz Kwiatkowski
  • Pattarapong Inchana
  • Jagoda Szydło
  • Matteo Marangi

Lider of the group – prof. dr hab Wojciech Kujawski

Emerging Field “Applied polymers, nanomaterials, membranes, and composites” team consists of the scientists at the different career stage, which is a perfect situation for the successful project accomplishment and further development of the younger staff members. The experience gained so far allows to plan the further career development of the group focusing both on the strong internal and international collaborations (sites.google.com/view/membranesncu/emerging-fields). The main scientific goal of our group is to launch new systems based on polymers and nanomaterials intended for the applications in modern technologies. The chosen systems are not described in the current literature, therefore, these new materials and their applications will potentially contribute to the innovation and competitiveness of the national and world’s economy. 

By merging the novel material and membrane science, the materials with adjusted morphology for the controlled separation can be prepared. It is essential to modify the both, surface nano-architecture and bulk membrane structure. Dense and porous polymeric membranes with commercial and synthesized nanofillers will be prepared and evaluated. Furthermore, membranes containing fillers will be tested in pervaporation (PV), thermopervaporation (TPV), gas separation (GS) and membrane distillation (MD). Nanofillers, both pristine and additionally functionalized (e.g., by introducing functional groups, desired pore size in a structure cave, changing ligands, and/or core element), from the group of MOFs and COFs, will be synthesized and used as nano-enhancers for separations. The goal of this functionalization is to improve the affinity between membrane and separating system in gas and liquid separations. Membrane modification will be done also with the naturally occurring molecules, e.g. meristic or tannic acid, to tune hydrophobicity and roughness of materials. The hydrophobicity tuning and adhesive features adjustment will be done with ceramic nanoparticles, i.e. rare earth oxides (REMOs). Introduction of REMOs to the polymeric dope will be done also during the formation of electrospun membranes. Moreover, the research will be done in a strong collaboration with leading groups in France, Italy, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. 

Synthesis and characterization of graphene (GR) and its hybrids with metal oxides (MeOx) to form carbon nanomaterials (CNM) are also planned. New catalysts containing GR and selected MeOx will be synthesized for water splitting and hydrogen generation. A synthesis strategy will be developed, concerning high variability of MeOx. The research will also focus on 3D structuring of GR flakes, previously exfoliated from commercial graphite powder. The research on GR and its hybrids with MeOx in oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction will be investigated. To confirm the applicability of the obtained catalysts in water splitting reactions, the electrochemical measurements are foreseen. New electrode materials not containing noble metals will be synthesized. 

The research on the application of CNM in biological uses and in anti-icing science will be also studied. The group showed for the first time the influence of airborne hydrocarbons on droplet freezing. The occurrence of this phenomenon on new superhydrophobic and superomniphobic CNM-containing surfaces will be evaluated under the controlled atmosphere. Considering the new anti-icing materials, fluorine containing carbon nanohorn-based superomniphobic surfaces using Tetrafluorethylene-Hexafluorpropylene-Vinylidenfluoride (THV terpolymer) will be obtained. THV has not been used in anti-icing science yet, and since it contains more fluorine than PVDF, it should possess better anti-icing properties. The new surfaces will be obtained based on maskless photolithography for THV/CNM mixtures. Carbon nanohorns, graphane (showing larger hydrophobicity than GR), and carbon nanoonions will be studied. Novel anti-icing solids will be obtained also by using electrospinning. THV polymer will be used to get new CNM-containing polymer mats by a combined electrospinning/spraying method. Mats should possess self-healing properties based on the reconstruction of van der Waals/π-π interactions between CNM. It is important because during freezing, due to low Young modulus of mats, they can be mechanically damaged by frozen droplets. Sponges obtained using THV and CNM will be a new group of anti-icing solids. Sponges will be obtained, based on mechanochemistry by a mechanochemical powdering of THV with ammonium carbonate and CNM, followed by heating. The application of CNM for improvement the properties of PVDF membrane is also an important topic of the research. Carbon nanohorns were used so far, however, a completely new carbon nanomaterial called nanographorn was just obtained and the application of this material in composites with PVDF is foreseen. The research will be done in a strong international collaboration with research groups from Spain (Oviedo), UK (Cambridge), and Japan (Chiba, Kyushu). 

The design of polymer films with biological or photosensitive properties for industrial, biomedical, and packaging applications is an example of preparation of active and/or intelligent materials. The research will focus mainly on biopolymers (ecological alternatives to synthetic polymers), such as starch, alginates, and chitosan. They are biodegradable, non-toxic, and biocompatible. Owing to the presence of functional groups in the structure of these macromolecules; they can be modified in various ways to get desired properties. These biopolymers will be modified by introducing various agents, such as aromatic-heterocyclic dyes (fluorescein, rhodamine, eosin, and rose bengal) which will result in the fluorescent properties. Photosensitive low molecular weight organic compounds are already used in photonics, lithography, solar cells, fluorescence imaging, and medicine; however, there are no such materials for low-cost disposable products. 

Another modification is the introduction of natural substances (caffeic acid, quinic acid, essential oils, polyphenols) to biopolymeric films aiming at producing materials with antimicrobial and/or antioxidant properties. Such films are used as packaging for perishable food and edible coatings covering the product with a thin layer, masks for skin disorders, scar dressings, and carriers of active substances. The nano/submicroscale coordination compounds (based on central ruthenium and manganese cations) will be also applied as polymer modifiers to generate biological activity of composites. The work will concern changing coordination compound structure and redox properties by a systematic replacement of coordinated ligands by stronger nucleophiles. The research will be done in collaboration with groups in India (University of Burdwan) and Germany (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg). 


Prof. dr hab. Wojciech Kujawski – was born in Ostróda. As a laureate of the Chemical Competition organized by prof. Antoni Swinarski, he began his studies at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry of the Nicolaus Copernicus University, majoring in applied chemistry. After graduation, he started a doctoral project related to non-equilibrium thermodynamics of ion exchange membranes, under the supervision of prof. Anna Narębska. He obtained the degree of DSc in Poland (in 2008 – for the research related to the separation of liquid mixtures using the vacuum pervaporation technique) and HDR degree in France (in 2011 – for the research describing the equilibrium and transport properties of ion-exchange membranes in contact with water-organic mixtures). In 2020, he obtained the title of full professor. Since 2017, he is the Head of the Department of Physical Chemistry and Physicochemistry of Polymers, Faculty of Chemistry, NCU in Toruń. Scientific activity of prof. Kujawski is related to the equilibrium, separation and transport properties of polymer and ceramic membranes, as well as the modification of polymer and ceramic membranes in order to obtain materials with new or improved properties. He has published over 190 scientific papers (Scopus), actively collaborating with many foreign centers, e.g. in France, Sweden, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and Ukraine. The results of the work have been cited in publications by other authors (CI>4500, h=42 – Scopus), as well as presented at national and international scientific conferences. Prof. Kujawski was awarded numerous times by the Rector of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń for his achievements in scientific research and organizational activities. In the period 2014-2020 he was the Chairman of the Council for Innovation and Implementation of the Nicolaus Copernicus University. He is a co-founder of the Polish Membrane Society, being its President in the terms of 2015-2019 and 2019-2023. It also belongs to the European Membrane Society. Prof. Wojciech Kujawski promoted 6 PhDs and supervises another 2 doctoral students. He also implements national and international grants from the National Science Centre, the National Center for Research and Development, SI (Swedish Institute), and NATO. During 2020-2022, he coordinated the EF “Polymer sciences and multifunctional nanomaterials”.

Staff

  • Joanna Kujawa
  • Stanisław Koter
  • Katarzyna Knozowska
  • Jolanta Kowalonek
  • Jacek Nowaczyk
  • Anna Katafias
  • Dagmara Bajer
  • Artur Terzyk
  • Anna Ilnicka
  • Emil Korczeniewski
  • Piotr Szczepański
  • Małgorzata Skorupska
  • Zuzanna Flanc
  • Sare Akkol
  • Abdellah Halloub

Nanoscale Biophysics covers the following research areas: biophysics, interdisciplinary application of computer science, biotechnology and microbiology, nanotechnology and nanoscience, as well as atomic, molecular and chemical physics.

Team leader – Karolina Mikulska-Ruminska, PhD

The scientific activities of the “Nanoscale Biophysics” research field focus on research concerning interdisciplinary biophysics at the molecular level and include three interlocking lines of research involving:

  • Development of computational methods and advanced data analysis – The project aims to develop new theories and methods, as well as data analysis algorithms related to computational biophysics. One of the subjects will be the identification of diffusion pathways of small molecules, i.e., ligands, in biophysical systems by enhanced sampling using machine learning. The goal is to observe energy transitions on a much shorter computational time scale than is possible with classical approaches. The method is being developed by team members, and the latest computer implementations are freely available to other researchers through the PLUMED package. Other research will involve advanced analysis of data from FRET non-radiative energy transfer spectroscopy experiments or the development of new methods related to modeling the dynamics of biological systems.
  • Application of molecular computational biophysics methods for biomedical and biotechnological research – This research involves two streams. The first aims to apply computational biophysics and bioinformatics methods to assess the role of different types of bioactive lipid mediators and their interactions with key proteins in regulated cell death processes, including apoptosis (cytochrome) and ferroptosis (lipoxygenase). The second stream will focus on studying bacterial enzymes used in the biotechnological processing of chemicals, cosmetic ingredients, and food additives. Computational biophysics methods will be used to improve such enzyme properties as activity, thermostability and selectivity. Both streams of research will work tightly with experimental groups (USA, China). The synergy of theoretical research made at our university and experiments performed in other laboratories will allow us to understand better the molecular basis of processes in living organisms at the nanoscale.
  • Biophysical and biochemical experiments for single biomolecules and selected cells – the aim of this research is to use available atomic force microscopes to image and study the nanomechanics of proteins essential for the nervous system. We will extend the measurement range of small forces for single molecules into the sub-100 pN region by building a new instrument based on the idea of magnetic tweezers. We will develop new biomaterials based on graphene oxide and asparaginase, an enzyme with potential applications in cancer therapy. Topics in the area (iii) are also related to new sensors. We will study experimentally and theoretically (computer modeling – docking and dynamics simulations) purinergic receptors (P2X7) as well as their interactions with ligands and mitotic factors (neuroligin 3). An important practical aspect of biophysical research in this area will be a deeper understanding of muscarinic receptors and insect sodium channels. We will look for neuroactive substances that can help fight malaria. Moreover, we will use advanced electrophysiological and computational methods. We plan to collaborate with experts from France and the US.

Research conducted within the “Nanoscale Biophysics” field uses a strongly interdisciplinary approach. The planned studies will develop new computational methods and new methods of data analysis (computational and experimental). The computational biophysics methods will help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of important biophysical processes involving small-molecule ligands. Research may contribute to the development of drugs for diseases associated with regulated cell death and to better biotechnological tools (improved techniques for obtaining natural sweeteners and antioxidants will emerge). In addition, experimental studies, supported by modeling, will provide insights into the function of membrane receptors important in neural processes and cancer development. We hope to develop new types of biosensors.

The research field includes close cooperation between scientists from the Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences and Faculty of Chemistry representing such scientific disciplines as physical sciences, chemical sciences, biological sciences and technical sciences (computer science), respectively.

The scientific team working within the emerging research field of “Nanoscale Biophysics” cooperates with foreign centers, including, among others, from the USA, China, Australia, Brazil or Europe (France, Finland). Further expansion of cooperation to other scientific centers (including Japan and the Netherlands) is planned.


Dr Karolina Mikulska-Rumińska is an employee of the Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Informatics (WFAiIS) at the Nicolaus Copernicus University. She was born in 1985 in Toruń. In 2009, she graduated in physics with a medical specialty at WFAiIS UMK and began her doctoral studies at the then Department of Biophysics and Medical Physics. In 2014, being among the top 5% of students, she defended with distinction her doctoral dissertation in biophysics entitled. “Use of computer simulation methods to interpret the results of force spectroscopy of single biomolecules,” written under the supervision of Prof. Wieslaw Nowak, PhD. She has completed two international research internships: (i) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland in the group of Prof. G. Dietler (6 months) and (ii) a postdoctoral fellowship at the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh (USA, 2.5 years) in the group of Prof. I. Bahar. She has participated in >10 grants (including National Science Center (NCN), Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MNiSW) or National Institutes of Health (NIH)), including eight as a leader/beneficiary. She has received National Science Center PRELUDIUM3 and SONATA15 grants. In addition, she also completed a research internship at the pharmaceutical company ADAMED (Poland) and was responsible as Project Manager for the computational part of a grant obtained from the pharmaceutical company Shire (USA). She is the recipient of >10 scholarships, including last year’s L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women and Science in the postdoctoral category (3 women per year in Poland), the Sciex-NMSch international scholarship, the scholarship of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for doctoral students, or the Marshall Scholarship. In 2022, she was the recipient of the prestigious L’Oréal-UNESCO International Rising Talents 2022 award, given annually to 15 “rising talents” of science – women whose research can change the world. To date, only four Polish women have received this award in 20 years. She has presented the results of her research at more than 30 national and international conferences, including papers in the US, Spain and Germany. She has spent the last six years intensively studying the process of ferroptosis occurring in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, asthma and sepsis, among others. Her publications containing breakthroughs on the phenomenon of ferroptosis have been published in Cell or Nature Chemical Biology, among others, and are widely cited around the world. In addition to the intensively studied process of ferroptosis, Dr. Mikulska-Ruminska is involved in several other scientific projects, including the creation of new computer tools available in the ProDy program (> 2.3 million downloads) for comprehensive analysis of sequences, protein structures and results of computer simulations. These tools are widely used by the scientific community. In 2021, she was included in the list of the 100 most inspiring Polish women of 2021 according to “Forbes Women,” and in 2022 she received the “Digital Republic” award (from the daily newspaper “Rzeczpospolita”) for her contribution to Poland’s digital transformation and implementation of new technologies.

Staff

  • Katarzyna Walczewska-Szewc
  • Jakub Rydzewski
  • Piotr Ablewski
  • Łukasz Pepłowski
  • Wiesław Nowak
  • Milena Jankowska
  • Katarzyna Roszek
  • Marek Wiśniewski
  • Joanna Czarnecka
  • James Mattock
  • Sylwia Czach
  • Beata Niklas
  • Tugce Gokdemir
  • Julia Duda

Materials Engineering and Technology – covers the following fields: multidisciplinary sciences, multidisciplinary materials science, applied physics, metallurgy & metallurgical engineering, nuclear science & technology.

Team leader: dr hab. Anna Zawadzka, prof. NCU.

The scientific activity of the Material Science and Technology research field focuses on thematic areas including:

  • fabrication and characterization of multifunctional materials in the form of thin films and nanostructures,
  • investigation of thermal properties of mixed crystals,
  • searching for scintillation materials,
  • development of vacuum technologies for the production of thin films and nanostructures as well as high-pressure methods of crystal growth.

The fabrication, characterization and development of new materials with original physical properties are key elements in the development of future technologies. The search of interesting multifunctional materials for applications in photovoltaics and non-linear optics is one of the most important topics of contemporary materials engineering and nanotechnology. The aim of the research is to optimize the physical and chemical parameters of thin films and nanostructures based on various materials with desirable properties for applications in photovoltaics, optoelectronics and nonlinear optics. Absorptive materials with a perovskite structure, organic materials (including supramolecules) and organic complexes with metals will be used as research materials.

Mixed crystals are currently used in the production of many optoelectronic components: high-energy radiation detectors, optoelectronic devices, electro-optical modulators, solar cells or crystalline substrates. Their physical properties can be significantly modified by selecting the appropriate material and/or its composition. The aim of the research is the application of various photothermal and optical methods to study mixed crystals based on CdTe, doped with Be, Mn, Se and Mg atoms. The crystals will be grown using the high-pressure Bridgman method in an argon atmosphere. As part of the research, a comprehensive characterization of the obtained crystals properties will be carried out. The obtained results will indicate potentially new materials for practical applications.

Scintillators are materials capable of converting high-energy radiation such as X-rays or gamma rays into visible or near-visible light. They are widely used as detectors in medical diagnostics, high energy physics and geophysical exploration. Testing of new scintillation materials will be based on samples obtained from partners involved in their production: IKZ (Berlin), NTU (Singapore), KMUTT (Bangkok) and Łukasiewicz PORT (Wrocław). Samples of semiconductor oxide crystals, lead and lead-free halide perovskites crystals and yttrium and lutetium garnets activated with rare earth ions will be tested. The characterization of materials with application potential in the detection of ionizing radiation will consist in measurements of pulse height spectra, scintillation time profiles, and radio- and thermoluminescence. It is planned to establish cooperation with groups from the USA and France.

Staff

  • Winicjusz Drozdowski
  • Karol Strzałkowski
  • Jacek Zakrzewski
  • Michał Makowski
  • Przemysław Płóciennik
  • Krzysztof Wiśniewski
  • Marcin E. Witkowski
  • Abdellah Bachiri
  • Diksha Singh
  • Agnieszka Marjanowska
  • Amina Laouid
  • Mohammed Boumhamdi
  • Ali Abouais
  • Konrad Jacek Drozdowski
  • Mohanad EID
  • Mateusz Mientki

Life Sciences

Team leader –  Wojciech Jozwicki, PhD, prof. NCU.

Technological progress in medicine means improving diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. However, it is also a source of a certain excess of information about the disease, from the point of view of perception even by a highly qualified employee of a medical unit. It cannot be ruled out that the acquired data contain important information that is not directly available to humans and requires the use of advanced IT tools. Similarly, the selection of new therapies requires the analysis of an increasing amount of data. The development of information technology enables the participation of systems based on artificial intelligence in the process of developing medical data, to an extent that was unattainable until recently. In the current scientific task, we will focus on assessing the susceptibility of cells, including cancer cells, to new substances from the group of phytochemicals, in particular polyphenols. The drugs obtained from this group of compounds are characterized by minimization, or even complete suppression, of side effects compared to conventional chemotherapy.

The innovative activities included in the project include: (i) purification techniques for compounds of natural origin; (ii) assessment of their bioavailability and natural activity; (iii) evaluation of their anticancer, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties in in vitro models; (iv) tools and techniques of data analysis using artificial intelligence (AI), in assessing the mechanism of action of the tested substances and their usefulness in new cancer therapies. In cooperation with colleagues from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering – University Rovira Virgili, Spain, it is planned to acquire technology for extracting substances from selected plants and to assess the effect of extracts on cancer cells. The development of artificial intelligence algorithms supporting the selection of extracts and consultations on the development of results will be carried out in cooperation with Animal and Human Health Engineering, Belgium, the University of Alabama in Birmingham, USA and the Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering of the Poznań University of Technology. Research tasks are carried out as part of the cooperation of two faculties: the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine of the Nicolaus Copernicus University. The search for oncological therapies alternative to population treatment is one of the priority tasks of science today. Our research also has a deep cognitive value, giving a better understanding of the cancer process – its formation, development and impact on a living organism. We believe that the obtained results will allow us to have an important voice in this field of medical science.


Dr. hab. Wojciech Jóźwicki, prof. NCU – ​​is the head of the Department of Cancer Pathology and Pathomorphology in the Department of Oncology at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the NCU Collegium Medicum. He graduated from the Medical Faculty of the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz in 1987. After the post-graduate internship, he started working at the Department of Clinical Pathomorphology of the Medical University of Bydgoszcz. He obtained his 1st and 2nd degree specialization in pathomorphology in 1991 and 1996, respectively. In 2005 he obtained the degree of doctor of medical sciences, and the degree of habilitated doctor in 2017. His main interests are related to the study of the formation of the biological malignancy of a cancerous tumor and the search for new prognostic and predictive factors. The subject of his scientific interest in recent years is the concept of inhibiting the development of the neoplastic process by modulation of fatty acid metabolism. He also undertook cooperation within other research programs, such as the role of the endocrine vitamin D system (vitamin D3 receptor, vitamin D metabolizing enzymes) and melanogenesis in the pathogenesis of malignant melanoma. The results of the conducted research are the subject of numerous publications. He participated in projects aimed at defining standards and strategies for determining somatic mutations in the KRAS, NRAS and EGFR genes in colorectal and lung cancers, as well as in several international scientific projects carried out in cooperation with the University of Alabama in Birmingham. In 2017-2019, he was the Chairman of the Council for Scientific Development and Improvement of Treatment Quality at the Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz. Since 2020, he has been the Provincial Consultant in the field of pathomorphology in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. In the years 2020-2022, he was the head of the NCU IDUB EF grant Profiling cancer.

Staff

  • Roszkowski Krzysztof
  • Borkowska Alina
  • Bajek Anna
  • Stadnicka Katarzyna
  • Bieliński Maciej
  • Winiecki Janusz
  • Jóźwicki Jakub
  • Roszkowski Szymon
  • Białczyk Katarzyna
  • Balik Karolina
  • Husejko Jakub
Ecology and biodiversity includes the areas: ecology, biodiversity conservation and evolutionary biology.

Team leader: prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Szpila

Ecology is a science that investigates processes affecting the distribution and quantity of organisms at different space and time scales. There are two essential concepts behind this definition. The first is that ecology is a scientific discipline and, therefore, subject to all critical, analytical, but also ethical standards of modern scientific research. Thus, scientists must try to explain the world around us and pass this knowledge to the next generations. In the case of ecology, taking care of the research object is also extremely important.

For this reason, nature conservation and ecology as a primary discipline are closely linked. The second important implication arising out of the definition is multidisciplinarity. The first scientists dealing with ecological issues were taxonomists, evolutionists, biogeographers. This approach is also visible in our emerging field. Research programs the team implements relate to taxonomy, biogeography, evolutionary biology, hydrobiology, macroecology, and applied statistics. At the basis of all this research, there still lies the question about ecological and evolutionary processes that lead to such a spectacular diversity of organisms as we see today. Our approach entails the implementation of large projects, which in modern science cannot be conducted without international collaboration. Members of the “ecology & biodiversity” team collaborate with numerous scientific institutions from almost all continents. We hope that this approach will bring us closer to answering the questions that have troubled scientists for centuries.

We apply many tools and concepts of modern biology in our work to explore biodiversity at different time and space scales and to explore interactions between organisms and the environment in which they occur and evolve. We research terrestrial and aquatic organisms, plants, and animals with the use of state-of-the-art research procedures, such as molecular, geographic (GIS), visual (SEM, 3D microscopy, AFM atomic force microscopy, digital image analysis), experimental, underwater, bioinformatic and statistical methods. The issues under research include behavioural ecology, molecular phylogenetics and its application in ecological and evolutionary research, classical and applied taxonomy of living organisms, hydrobiology, theoretical and evolutionary macroecology, ecological and evolutionary physiology, biological invasions, practical nature conservation.


Prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Szpila – Head of the Department of Ecology and Biogeography at the Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University. His research interests focus on the morphology, systematics and phylogeny of higher flies with particular emphasis on groups of medical and veterinary importance. The subject of morphology and evolution of larval stages has a particular place in his oeuvre. He has so far received funding for six national research projects (State Committeefor Scientific Research: 1999; Ministry of Science and Higher Education: 2005; National Science Centre: 2013, 2016, 2019) which he has implemented or continues to implement with excellent publication efficiency. He has repeatedly served as a panel member in competition proceedings organized by the National Science Centre. He has also worked on several international projects implemented together with a broad group of researchers and a range of scientific institutions. He collaborates on an ongoing basis with the University of Copenhagen (Natural History Museum of Denmark), Natural History Museum in London, North Carolina State University, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, the University of Wollongong. He is an active member of the European Association for Forensic Entomology in which he served as a board member between 2010-2013. He conducted field studies in Australia (x3), Spain, Iran (x4), Israel (x3), Namibia, Russia, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates and Ukraine (x2). For the last ten years, he has been the organizer of highly popular international workshops on the species identification of flies significant for medical and judicial purposes. Two doctors he promoted (Dr Andrzej Grzywacz, Dr Radosław Puchałka) continue their scientific careers with great success. Krzysztof Szpila is also Vice-President of the Autism Support Association in Toruń and has been a member of the Marathon Club at NCU for many years.

Staff

  • Jarosław Kobak
  • Werner Ulrich
  • Małgorzata Jefimow
  • Tomasz Kakareko
  • Agnieszka Piernik
  • Małgorzata Poznańska-Kakareko
  • Michał Wojciechowski
  • Stefany Cárdenas-Pérez
  • Magdalena Czarnecka
  • Andrzej Grzywacz
  • Łukasz Jermacz
  • Krzysztof Kowalski
  • Anna Przybylska-Piech
  • Radosław Puchałka
  • Mateusz Augustyniak
  • Sandra Lubińska-Mielińska
  • Piotr Kłosiński
  • Daniel Szarmach
  • Kinga Walczak

Team leader – Małgorzata Olejnik, PhD

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest challenges in healthcare in 21st century. Assuming the current trends continue, it could cost even 10 million lives a year already in 2050. Around 50% of antimicrobials are used unnecessarily in both human and veterinary medicine. It is therefore necessary to act holistically and reduce antimicrobial use for treatment of people and animals, according to One Health initiative.

The evidence-based medicine needs reliable data:, the susceptibility of local pathogens, pharmacokinetic profiles of antimicrobials, the influence of therapies on microbiome or end-points to end treatment, etc. Our team including microbiologists, pharmacologists, molecular biologists, and clinicians will provide some of that data. The team will exchange good practices and integrate research to include both human and veterinary medicine perspectives.

The research will be organized within the following areas:

  • AMR surveillance (leader: dr Katarzyna Grudlewska-Buda, Faculty of Pharmacy);
  • PK/PD of antimicrobials (leader: dr hab. Małgorzata Olejnik, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences);
  • Animal Microbiome (leader: dr hab. Anna Sławińska, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences);
  • Antimicrobial stewardship in practice (leader: dr hab. Aleksander Deptuła, Faculty of Pharmacy).

Dr. hab. Małgorzata Olejnik works at the Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences of the Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences of the Nicolaus Copernicus University. In 2005, she graduated from pharmacy at the Medical University of Lublin and began doctoral studies at National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy, where she obtained a doctoral degree in veterinary sciences in 2009. In 2010-2012, she completed a postdoctoral internship at the Laboratoire d’Etude des Residues et Contaminants dans les Aliments in Nantes (France). She received her habilitation degree in 2016. In 2020, she was employed at the Nicolaus Copernicus University as associate professor. Dr. hab. Małgorzata Olejnik is a researcher in veterinary pharmacology and toxicology. Her interests include in particular antimicrobial drugs and coccidiostats. She was the principal investigator, contractor and scientific supervisor in projects funded by National Science Centre and Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Currently, she is a principal investigator in two projects funded by the National Science Centre: “Mechanism of salinomycin toxicity – the reasons for the differences in chickens’ and turkeys’ species susceptibility” (SONATA BIS 10) and “Hazards related to cross-contamination of feed with antibiotics” (OPUS 21). She participates in the COST action European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Treatment (ENOVAT). She also has extensive organizational experience. She managed the work package of the VET-TWIN twinning project under the Horizon 2020. She was a co-author of NVRI restructuring program, which resulted in the creation of a core facility carrying out omics research.

Staff

  • Magdalena Buszewska-Forajta
  • Marcin Ciorga
  • Aleksander Deptuła
  • Katarzyna Grudlewska-Buda
  • Magdalena Herudzińska
  • Jędrzej M. Jaśkowski
  • Jakub Kulus
  • Monika Olszewska-Tomczyk
  • Viorica Railean-Plugaru
  • Anna Sławińska
  • Agnieszka Wichtowska
  • Natalia Wiktorczyk-Kapischke
  • Krzysztof Skowron
  • Agnieszka Chłodowska
  • Anna Biazik
  • Jan Tyc
  • Ilksen Berfin Ekinci
  • Klaudia Miętkiewska
  • Aleksander Butkiewicz
  • Małgorzata Duszyńska
  • Adrianna Iwan
  • Marianna Lech
  • Jakub Mencel
  • Weronika Mucha
  • Adrian Szwagrzyk
  • Emilia Szydło
  • Kacper Śróda
  • Maria Wiczarska
  • Marcin Wojtkowiak
  • Gracjan Woźniak
  • Natalia Ziółkowska
  • Szymon Graczyk
  • Arkadiusz Grzeczka

Leader: dr hab. Krzysztof Zienkiewicz, prof. UMK

The emerging field “Cells as experimental platforms and biofactories” represents the innovative multiple-way integration of research profiles carried out by the scientists of our University, where the central object of interest is the cell – the basic unit of life. The main goal of this integration is not only to decipher the key mechanisms regulating the functioning of cells at different levels of their organization, but also to develop effective strategies for using these structures as tools for solving current socio-economic problems. The latter cover such diverse challenges of the modern world as the development of new oncological therapies, unravel the mechanisms of plant and animal reproduction, increasing the energy density of crops or the production of renewable energy from biomass.

The implementation of the above goal is based on the potential, experience and close cooperation of our interdisciplinary consortium and includes five main lines of research:

  1. Development of new avenues in oncological therapy with the use of molecular biology
  2. Identification and characterization of molecular mechanisms governing the intercellular interactions in order to develop new methods of pharmacological therapies
  3. Deciphering cellular mechanisms of plant and animal reproduction
  4. Development of advanced analytical methods dedicated to the identification of diverse cellular biomolecules
  5. The use of plant cells and microorganisms as renewable sources of biofuels and bioproducts.

The scientists of our emerging field represent the key units for research in the field of life sciences, including the Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Collegium Medicum, the Centre for Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies and the Faculty of Chemistry. Importantly, more than half of our team is represented by young academic staff consisting of employees who obtained their doctoral degree less than 7 years ago, as well as of doctoral students who carry out their projects at Doctoral Schools. In addition to the scientific and research aspects, our interdisciplinary team also puts a great emphasis on strengthening the position of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń by:

  • increasing the competitiveness of our University by effective acquisition of funds for basic and applied research from external sources,
  • generating intellectual property of high commercialization potential, with a special emphasis on new solutions serving the society in the field of biomedicine, renewable energy and agriculture,
  • development of new cooperation networks in the frame of joint projects with domestic and foreign partners, representing both the academic sector and the broadly understood economic environment,
  • supporting young researchers by intensifying their mobility and promoting their scientific and research activity on the national and international arena,
  • promotion of scientific and research units of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń as leaders in specific areas of life sciences in the country and abroad.

dr hab. Krzysztof Zienkiewicz, prof. UMK – habilitation (DSc) in biological sciences, Associate Professor at the Centre for Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. In 2002 he obtained Master Degree in biological sciences and in 2006 he was awarded a PhD at the then faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (currently the Faculty of Biology and Veterinary Sciences). In 2008-2014 he completed his first of the three long-term postdoctoral internships at the Estación Experimental del Zaidín (EEZ) institute in Granada, which belongs to Spanish network of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). From 2014 to 2016, as a beneficiary of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, he completed two long-term scientific internships – the first, two year-long, at the Michigan State University (East Lansing, USA) in the group of prof. Christoph Benning, and the second one, one year-long, at the University of Göttingen (Germany) in the Department of Plant Biochemistry, headed by prof. Ivo Feussner. He continued his scientific work at this prestigious university until 2020, when he returned to his alma mater in Toruń. He is the author of over 50 scientific articles in high-rank scientific journals such as Science, eLife and New Phytologist. Currently, as the leader of two projects funded by the National Science Center of Poland (OPUS 18 and OPUS 19), he continues research on lipid metabolism in microalgae cells with a high potential for biofuel production.

Staff

  • Magdalena Izdebska
  • Marta Lenartowska
  • Robert Lenartowski
  • Janusz Niedojadło
  • Dariusz Jan Smoliński
  • Jarosław Tyburski
  • Agnieszka Kołowerzo-Lubnau
  • Ákos Nemecz
  • Dorota Nemecz
  • Tomasz Gulanicz
  • Anna Suwińska
  • Marta Michalska-Sionkowska
  • Wioletta Zielińska
  • Patrycja Golińska
  • Katarzyna Niedojadło
  • Vipul Swarup Bhatnagar
  • Tetiana Dyrda-Terniuk
  • Sebastian Burchardt
  • Kinga Robotnik
  • Anna Poray
  • Małgorzata Stociak
  • Karolina Ostrowska
  • Aleksandra Chrobot
  • Oliwia Gołębiewska
  • Zofia Borzyszkowska
  • Julia Nadrowska
  • Kamila Grygiel
  • Magda Tylenda
  • Marcelina Mikołajczyk
  • Kuba Woliński
  • Katarzyna Świstowska

Humanities, Social Sciences and arts

Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage including the areas of art and anthropology. Team leader: prof. dr hab. Elżbieta Basiul

The research conducted by the EF team, “Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage”, will be implemented in a comprehensive and interdisciplinary mode. Combining research methodologies from different disciplines enables to see a broader range of research issues and possible solutions as well as to recognize the value of the examined object due to all aspects of involvement in its creation and functioning: construction technology and types of construction, design, artistry, history of transformation and use, degree and causes of damage. The research will also facilitate the development of more innovative materials and methods for conservation and preservation purposes. Such research has been recommended for several years by the International Council on Monuments and Sites ICOMOS CHARTER – Principles for the Analysis, Conservation and Structural Restoration of Architectural Heritage. The research is standard in Western Europe, whereas in Poland it is still occasional.

The team will also research the composition, properties, and strength of new materials developed for the conservation of monuments and the needs of other branches of economy. The prospects for the scientific development of the team are part of the research activities carried out by the Centre for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage which is currently under construction. Additionally, the NCU is the leader of the Polish Consortium for Heritage Science (E-RIHS), and Professor T. Targowski is the Chair of its Scientific Council. After the transformation of the Polish Consortium into a Research Infrastructure, the next step will be to join E-RIHS ERIC: European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science.

Collaboration under E-RIHS ERIC and cooperation with existing and future, especially Asian, partners of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Nicolaus Copernicus University in research and conservation will provide the team with the possibility to research the most important and best world heritage works, including those on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Scientific as well as commercial cooperation will continue with foreign centres, such as Musée du Louvre, La direction générale des patrimoines of the French Ministry of Culture, the International Molinological Society, University of Amsterdam, Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes e.V., Technische Hochschule Köln, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (Cambodia), National Gallery in Singapore, National Museum in Beijing and others.


Prof. dr hab. Elżbieta Basiul – pursued university studies between 1979 – 1984 in the field of conservation and restoration of works of art, Faculty of Fine Arts, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Since 1984, she has been a research and teaching staff member in the Department of Painting Technologies and Techniques, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. She was awarded a degree of doctor in the field of art in 1997 from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń for the thesis entitled “The problem of colours in retouching easel paintings painted in multilayer technique” (supervisor: prof. dr art. kons. Józef Flik). She was awarded a degree of doctor habilitated in painting and conservation of works of art in 2005 for her conservation achievements and the thesis entitled “Painting workshop of the Gothic triptych with St. Mary of the Apocalypse from the cathedral basilica in Włocławek“. She has been Director of the Institute of Art Conservation Science, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń since 1 January 2007. She was awarded the position of professor at the Nicolaus Copernicus University In 2009 and has been Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Nicolaus Copernicus University since 2012 (second term). She was awarded the title of a full professor in 2016. She is an expert in conservation and restoration of works of art, a participant in national and international research programmes; a member of ZPAP (the Association of Polish Artists and Designers),anexpert in the field of conservation of painting and polychrome sculpture, the author of many publications and prestigious conservation projects. She has been involved in the creation and implementation of the concept of the Centre for the Study and Conservation of Cultural Heritage. She has been a member of numerous associations and expert bodies, including being an expert of the Polish Accreditation Committee since 2007, a member of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers of the Toruń District – Chair of the Section of Art Conservators from 2006 to 2011. Participation in major EU-funded projects: Participation in the project entitled “Implementation of cluster development strategy tasks GRUPA MEBLOWA HORECA” implemented under the Regional Operational Programme of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship for the years 2007-2013, Action 5.1 Development of business environment institutions – 2014. Multi-module interdisciplinary non-destructive research of architectural objects on the example of Gothic merchant houses in Toruń (three merchant houses, Mostowa 6 St.). Project No. RPKP.05.04.00-04-005/13, implemented under Action 5. Strengthening the regional potential of research and technology development under Priority Axis 5.4 Strengthening the competitiveness of enterprises, Regional Operational Programme of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship for 2007-2013, implementation in the years 2014- 2015. Monumentum Sonus Visio. Academic Centres of Creative Industries of Culture, Art and Monuments Conservation. The project is implemented as part of the consortium concluded between the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and WSG University in Bydgoszcz. Project leader – Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Faculty of Fine Arts, personally Prof. Elżbieta Basiul as Dean of Faculty of Fine Arts NCU. Project coordinator – dr Katarzyna Krynicka-Szroeder. The project has been implemented since 2018. Priority axis: 1. Strengthening innovation and competitiveness of the region’s economy. Action: 1.1 Public infrastructure for research and innovation of the Regional Operational Programme of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship for 2014-2020. The project will result in the establishment of the Centre for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, which will be located in Toruń at Sienkiewicza 30/32. Technical consultations during the conservation work of the frame ceiling The Fire of the Trinity Lavra (the works of Tomasz Dolabella, 17th century) in the Second Senatorial Room of the Former Cracow Bishops’ Palace in Kielce as part of the project “The Palace in the Museum, Museum in the Palace project. Protection, preservation and public access to movable and immovable monuments of national importance” being implemented since 2019 under the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment 2014-2020. International conservation and expert work: Determining the authenticity of five paintings in the collection of the National Gallery in Singapore commissioned as a result of winning by the Faculty of Fine Arts, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń of an international competition announced by the Heritage Conservation Centre in Singapore; participation in a joint team project under the leadership of dr hab. Jarosław Rogóż (Toruń 2014); Technological and conservation expertise of the painting “The scene of the martyrdom of the people of Cambodia during Pol Pot’s rule” by Vann Nath, 20.05.1988; Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Toruń 2014 (joint team project under the leadership of prof. dr hab. Elżbiety Basiul); Research and conservation and restoration of paintings by Juliusz, Wojciech and Jerzy Kossak from the Polish Museum in Rapperswil (Switzerland). The project was implemented under the programme of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage 2018: Protection of cultural heritage abroad, No-05415/18 entitled “Exhibition of paintings by Juliusz and Wojciech Kossak with the catalogue in the Polish Museum in Rapperswil and other places.” The project was implemented by the District Museum in Suwałki (joint team project under the leadership of prof. dr hab. Elżbiety Basiul).

Staff

  • Justyna Olszewska-Świetlik
  • Piotr Targowski
  • Tomasz Ważny
  • Joanna Karbowska-Berent
  • Magdalena Iwanicka
  • Mirosław Wachowiak
  • Elżbieta Szmit-Naud
  • Ulrich Schaaf
  • Maciej Prarat
  • Teresa Kurkiewicz
  • Michał Szumski
  • Ivona Jablonskaja
  • Jarosław Rogóż
  • Andrzej Podgórski
  • Szymon Bakalarczyk
  • Anna Cecylia Brzóstowicz
  • Solongo Gansukh
  • Paula Śwituszak

Team Leader – Bibianna Bałaj, PhD

Our Emerging Field: Culture, Development & Wellbeing (CD&We), focuses on cognitive psychology, lifelong development, and cultural differences. Access to modern tools allows us to conduct objective and reliable measurements of psychophysiological variables, resolve current issues related to experimental psychology and neuropsychology, and thus publish in major journals. The emerging team creates room for even better cooperation between cognitive scientists and psychologists. Thanks to the possibility of participating in research projects, our students can quickly develop their scientific careers.

The team consists of three research groups:

  1. Culture and Social Cognition (SC&C) Group (Leader: Dr hab. Arkadiusz Gut, professor of the Nicolaus Copernicus University)
    We undertake interdisiplinary research on the functioning of cognitive processes related to understanding mental states, emotions, and mentalization of other people from a developmental perspective, as well as the functioning of these cognitive processes throughout life, with particular emphasis on entering the senior period. We will also look for connections between imagination, especially mental rotations, and socially adopted ways of thinking from different people’s perspectives. We will also continue research on comparing the attributions of mental states and emotions to humans and hominoid robots.
  2. Development (Deve) Group (Leader: Prof. dr hab. Marta Białecka)
    Building key competencies, especially the ability to think scientifically and learning is a challenge for education in the 21st century. The aim of the project is to examine whether parents’ reflectiveness and their beliefs about science and knowledge about child development and upbringing are related to children’s cognitive and metacognitive development and, in particular to children’s sensitivity to knowledge.
  3. Wellbeing & Support (We&Su) Group (Leader: Dr hab. Rafał Milner)
    Psychosomatic disorders are a growing medical, social, and economic problem every year. However, the psychological and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the disorders are still not fully understood. What’s more, in the case of most psychosomatic diseases, there are still no fully effective methods of therapy. The aim of the project is to learn the pathomechanisms of the formation as well as to study the effectiveness and implementation of modern diagnostic and therapeutic methods of psychosomatic disorders.

Dr Bibianna Bałaj – Vice-Director of the Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Assistant Professor in the Department of Cognitive and Comparative Psychology at the Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences. Doctor of Humanities in psychology, a graduate of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin and the European PhD. College of Polish and Ukrainian Universities in Lublin. She is an experimental psychologist researching cognitive functioning daily and conducting experiments with the use of eye movement measurement as a diagnostic and training tool. The central areas of scientific interest include visual imagination, spatial orientation and disorientation, attention processes. She tests and develops methods of visual interaction with computers for people with motor disabilities: together with her team, she won an award for the OKOMUNIKACJA project. A co-author of several dozen scientific articles. The contractor of research grants (including a supervision grant) as well as projects that commercialize the results of scientific work. Vice-Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, a member of the Scientific and Ethical Council of the “Light” Foundation in Toruń.

Staff

  • Arkadiusz Gut
  • Marta Białecka
  • Rafał Milner
  • Monika Lewandowska
  • Joanna Dreszer
  • Paweł Gładziejewski
  • Tomasz Komendziński
  • Sławomir Czachowski
  • Joanna Ulatowska
  • Joanna Płotnikowska
  • Anna Karczmarczyk
  • Łukasz Miciuk
  • Kamila Łaszewska
  • Robert Mirski
  • Jakub Janczura
  • Sławomir Duda
  • Aidana Amangeldi
  • Magdalena Koprowska
  • Julia Zaborowska
  • Patrycja Misch
  • Marta Nowacka

Team leader dr hab. Andrzej Pydyn, prof. UMK

The research team “Interdisciplinary research of past cultural phenomena” emerged as result of natural development of group of NCU scholars that supported in 2019 IDUB Key Research Area (PZB) “Centre for Underwater Archaeology”. This cooperation, clearly visible during the research on Ostrów Lednicki, shows the need for interdisciplinary approach in study past cultural phenomena. On one hand archaeology itself is intensively supported by traditional “science” disciplines like physics (particularly for dating), hydrology, hydrography and other. On the other hand, archaeology of Middle Ages shows needs for comprehensive research that combine archaeological evidence and historical sources. Underwater excavation provides unique archaeological evidence but at the same time implement technologically advanced methods for exploration and documentation. 3D methods of visualisation open inaccessible submerged sites not only to other researchers but also to general public.


dr hab. Andrzej Pydyn, prof. UMK – graduated (MA in Archaeology) at NCU. Letter he completed his D.Phil at Oxford University. For many years he works for professional company the Oxford Archaeology. He also participated in many underwater archaeological projects in France, Holland, Sweden, Turkey and Croatia. Since 2000 he is working at Nicolaus Copernicus University as underwater archaeologist. He was a member and then head of the Department of Underwater Archaeology. Currently he is the Director of the Centre for Underwater Archaeology at NCU. His research interest includes apart of underwater archaeology, European prehistory and new technology in archaeology.

Staff

  • Alicja Chruścińska
  • Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcick
  • Mateusz Popek
  • Piotr Pranke
  • Radosław Biskup
  • Natalia Pawlak
  • Magdalena Biernacka
  • Piotr Palczewski
  • Konrad Lewek
  • Maria Lompe
  • Szymon Mosakowski

Team leader – Dr hab. Agnieszka Szpak, NCU professor

The emerging field research team within the Centre for Global & Multi-level Governance (CGMG) consists of 23 collaborating researchers. The team make-up is interdisciplinary as it includes employees as well as doctoral and master-level students of four NCU faculties: Political Science and Security Studies, Law and Administration, Economic Sciences and Management as well as Philosophy and Social Sciences. The team comprises three research groups, each of which will study global and multi-level governance from a different perspective – inter-governmental, non-governmental and corporate.

The analysis of global and multi-level governance aims at developing a new approach to solving universal problems. Traditionally, law and international relations focused on relations between states, considered as main actors, yet soon this paradigm became insufficient for explaining  relations in the international arena. This approach has been expanded by adding international organizations – first inter-governmental, then non-governmental ones – and presently new participants must be included as well, i.e. cities, regions and indigenous peoples. The inter-governmental, non-governmental and corporate perspectives are mutually complementary and allow building complex explanatory and predictive models.

The project is a response to the worldwide academic interest in the problem of global and multi-level governance. It facilitates cooperation among researchers who share the interdisciplinary, open approach to seeking new solutions together with partners from abroad. The team members have so far collaborated with researchers from such leading centers as Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University; University of Oxford; Altius Society at Oxford University; Harvard Law School, Institute of Global Law and Policy; Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; International Institute for Peace in Vienna; NATO Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, USA; Allied Command Transformation, ACT, NATO; Central European University; United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; United Nations Global Compact Network; Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank; King’s College London; RAND Corporation; and US War College. The project will develop the capability of building teams that will use the synergy of potentials of different academic disciplines.

A long-term result of the team’s operations will be establishing the innovative Centre for Global and Multi-level Governance, acting as a University think tank. It is our opinion that an interdisciplinary approach combining political sciences, security sciences, law, economy, management and philosophy and still remains open to other disciplines will allow analysing many interesting, significant phenomena, mechanisms and connections.


Dr hab. Agnieszka Szpak, NCU professor, is the head of the Department of International Security in the Institute of Security Studies (the Faculty of Political Science and Security Studies). She represents interdisciplinary approach to research, holds the degree of doctor habilitatus in political science, a PhD in law, and an MA in international relations. She specializes in international humanitarian law and human security issues. Recently, within an NCN OPUS project she and the project team have been focusing on cities’ cooperation at the international level. She has been running a project “The role of cities in multi-level governance” as part of the Disciplinas Excellentia program, and “The status of contemporary cities in international relations” within the THUS program. In her research she has also addressed the issues of indigenous peoples and their rights, particularly those in the Arctic region. She has participated in numerous training courses and study visits abroad, e.g. at the Hague Academy of International Law, International Institute of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo, and Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder). She has taken part in many international conferences and has published approximately 150 texts in Polish and English. Her achievements have received recognition in the form of multiple Rector’s awards and grants; she also won the second award in the 9th Prof Remigiusz Bierzanek’s competition for best doctoral dissertation.

Staff

  • Michał Balcerzak
  • Bartłomiej Michalak
  • Agnieszka Bryc
  • Katarzyna Kącka
  • Justyna Maliszewska-Nienartowicz
  • Joanna Modrzyńska
  • Ewa Bińczyk
  • Łukasz Dominiak
  • Janusz Grygieńć
  • Agnieszka Szpak
  • Maria Wincławska
  • Marcin Kilanowski
  • Karolina Gawron-Tabor
  • Andrzej Geise
  • Andrzej Lis
  • Joanna Piechowiak-Lamparska
  • Michał Piechowicz
  • Robert Reczkowski
  • Igor Wysocki
  • Szymon Ostrowski
  • Marcel Schulz
  • Mikołaj Słowiński
  • Oskar Stefański