IBCH PAS History

The origins of the Institute date back to the mid-1950s, when two specialized laboratories of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS) operated within the universities in Poznań: the Laboratory of Alkaloids led by Prof. Jerzy Suszko and the Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry headed by Prof. Stefan Barbacki. In 1969, both laboratories merged to form the Department of Stereochemistry of Natural Products PAS (hereinafter referred to as DSNP PAS), affiliated with the Institute of Organic Chemistry PAS in Warsaw. The head of the new department became Prof. Maciej Wiewiórowski.

Initially, the research conducted in the Department focused mainly on various aspects of the structural chemistry of alkaloids. However, shortly after its establishment, Prof. Wiewiórowski decided on a radical change in the research expertise, shifting towards more promising areas involving the chemistry and biology of nucleic acids. This has remained the Institute's primary research focus to this day. In 1974, the Department was moved from Collegium Chemicum of Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU) to a new location at Z. Noskowskiego Street. A group of doctoral students who gathered around Prof. Wiewiórowski became the stem of the scientific staff. The Department established extensive cooperation with renowned foreign institutions, where its employees undertook long-term scientific internships.

In 1980, DSNP PAS, still headed by Prof. Maciej Wiewiórowski, gained independence and was renamed the Department of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS. The newly formed institution employed 44 individuals, including 19 researchers. In recognition of the outstanding scientific and organizational achievements of the institution, on February 6, 1988, the Prime Minister decided to transform the Department into the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences (IBCH PAS). At that time, the scientific staff of the Institute numbered 54, including 10 professors and associate professors, and the Institute employed a total of 121 people. The Institute's structure comprised nine specialized research laboratories. Also in 1988, following Prof. Maciej Wiewiórowski's retirement, Prof. Andrzej B. Legocki was appointed as the Director of IBCH PAS. Prof. Jerzy Pawełkiewicz was elected as the first Chair of the IBCH PAS Scientific Council.

In the following years, the Institute experienced dynamic development. In 1992, a new building for the Poznań Science Center and a modern greenhouse were completed. The first investment was financed by the State Committee for Scientific Research, and the second by the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation. In 1993, the Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center (PSNC) was established as an affiliate of the Institute, led by Prof. Jan Węglarz and his deputy, Dr. Maciej Stroiński.

Since 1993, IBCH PAS has been entitled to confer doctoral and habilitation degrees in the field of chemistry, in the discipline of chemistry or biochemistry, which led to the introduction of the Partnership-based Doctoral Program of the IBCH PAS in 1994. By 1995, IBCH PAS employed 150 people, including 78 in scientific positions (among others, 10 professors and 6 associate professors) and 25 PSNC employees. The Doctoral Program enrolled 28 students.

In 2003, Prof. Andrzej B. Legocki was appointed as the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Prof. Wojciech T. Markiewicz became the new Director of IBCH PAS, holding this position for two four-year terms until November 30, 2011.

As a result of a joint initiative by IBCH PAS and the Poznań University of Technology, the European Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics was established in 2011. In the same year, Prof. Marek Figlerowicz was appointed as the new Director of IBCH PAS for three consecutive terms.

In 2014, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education awarded IBCH PAS the prestigious status of the Leading National Research Center (KNOW) in biological sciences.

In 2015, the new headquarters of PSNC were established. The Polish Optical Internet Research Center was located in a complex of buildings at Jana Pawła II Street no. 10 in Poznań. Additionally, IBCH PAS acquired a historic townhouse located in the neighborhood of the conference center at Wieniawskiego Street no. 21/23. According to the plan, the building will house the IBCH PAS Center for Innovation and Education (CIES).

In 2016, IBCH PAS received the European "HR Excellence in Research" award, and a year later, as part of the evaluation of scientific units conducted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for the years 2013-2016, it obtained the highest category A+.

In 2019, five units signed an agreement to establish the Poznań Doctoral School of the Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PDS IPAS). IBCH PAS became the leader of the consortium, which also included the Institute of Dendrology PAS, the Institute of Molecular Physics PAS, the Institute of Human Genetics PAS, and the Institute of Plant Genetics PAS. At the same time, recruitment to the Partnership-based Doctoral Program of the IBCH PAS was completed. In the same year, the Central Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles granted IBCH PAS the right to confer doctoral and habilitation degrees in the biological sciences. On July 1, 2019, Cezary Mazurek, PhD, Eng, was appointed as the Director’s Plenipotentiary for PSNC, and Krzysztof Kurowski, PhD, Dsc, Eng, was appointed as his deputy.

In 2020, a few days after the first case of COVID-19 appeared in Poland, the Viral Support Group was convened at IBCH PAS. The group provided comprehensive assistance to the Provincial Sanitary and Epidemiological Station in Poznań in performing diagnostic tests and subsequently began developing its own genetic tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thanks to collaboration with national companies, the production of MediPAN tests was quickly implemented, making our country independent of foreign supplies. The tests developed at IBCH PAS were among the most sensitive, cost-effective, and fastest tests available on the Polish market. All members of the Viral Group were honored with high state decorations bestowed upon them in an extraordinary manner.

In 2022, the Minister of Education and Science announced the results of the categorization of national scientific units for the years 2017–2021. IBCH PAS achieved the category A+ in the disciplines of biological sciences, A+ in the discipline of chemical sciences, and A in the discipline of information and communication technology. In the same year, IBCH PAS became the owner of the palace-park ensemble in Turew, which will serve as a branch of the IBCH PAS CIES. Additionally, an agreement was signed for PSNC to join the IBM Quantum Network, leading to the establishment of the first Central-Eastern European quantum computing hub in Poznań.

In 2023, PSNC won a competition to install one of the first six European quantum computers in Poznań.

At the end of 2023, the President of the PAS appointed Luiza Handschuh, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof., as the new Director of the IBCH PAS, for a four-year term from December 2023 to November 2027.

Currently, the IBCH PAS is one of the leading scientific institutions in Poland. Its distinctive feature, unique in Poland and Europe, is its interdisciplinary nature; the Institute is conducting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research in the fields of chemistry, biology, bioinformatics, and informatics. IBCH PAS employs almost 900 people, with an additional 70 doctoral students conducting their research as part of the Partnership-based Doctoral Program of IBCH PAS and the Poznań Doctoral School of IPAS. The Institute operates 28 scientific departments and 12 specialized laboratories. In the PSNC structure, there are 16 technical departments organized into 4 divisions. IBCH PAS is one of the national leaders in obtaining national and foreign grants, particularly from European sources. In 2004, 2010, 2016, 2018, and 2020, IBCH PAS was honored with the "Crystal Brussels" award for outstanding achievements in the implementation and promotion of research and innovation programs of the European Union.