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Funding awarded to the POL-OPENSCREEN – Polish Platform of Screening Infrastructure for Biological Chemistry
 
We are pleased to announce that, as part of action 2.4 Research Infrastructure for a Modern Economy (FENG), the research team consisting of:

• Dorota Jakubczyk, PhD
• Dorota Kwiatek, PhD
• Miłosz Ruszkowski, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof.
• Krzysztof Żukowski, PhD
• Maria Małecka, PhD, Eng.

has secured funding for the POL-OPENSCREEN – Polish Platform of Screening Infrastructure for Biological Chemistry.

The project is the result of collaboration with the Institute of Medical Biology PAS (the consortium leader) and the Center for Molecular and Macromolecular Studies PAS. The following units of the IBCH PAS are involved in the project: the ERIC Center for Chemical Biology, including the Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (headed by Dorota Jakubczyk, PhD) and the Laboratory of Molecular Assays and Imaging (headed by Dorota Kwiatek, PhD), and the Department of Structural Biology of Eukaryotes (headed by Miłosz Ruszkowski, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof.).

The aim of the project is to develop a unique-in-Poland and globally leading comprehensive infrastructure for the identification of molecular targets, screening, verification, and optimization of biologically active substances. The planned universal design of the platform will enable the discovery and development of substances with potential medical applications, particularly drugs, as well as chemical compounds and other substances for use in basic research (e.g., selective inhibitors) and in the agricultural, food, and cosmetic industries, in a high-throughput and efficient manner.

The project tasks include the creation and development of a unique high-throughput research infrastructure in the field of "drug discovery." These activities will focus on the development and optimization of screening protocols, measurement of interactions between molecular targets and bioactive compounds selected as “HITs,” as well as the synthesis and biosynthesis of these bioactive compounds. The project includes the purchase and installation of equipment, the development of intangible assets and intellectual property related to laboratory protocols, and training for personnel. Additionally, promotional activities are planned to encourage users to take advantage of the newly established infrastructure.

The target groups of the project include scientific institutions such as universities and institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as companies engaged in research in the broadly defined field of drug design and development of other biologically active substances. The interdisciplinary nature of the project and the use of state-of-the-art equipment will attract both domestic and international research units and companies.

Project value: PLN 34,698,325.61

Project funding: PLN 24,831,715.68 (including funding for ICHB PAN amounting to PLN 15,649,507.20). The project will be implemented between 2025 and 2027. 

Funding awarded to the ECBiG – MOSAIC 3D project

We are pleased to announce that, as part of the European Funds for a Modern Economy 2021-2027 Programme (FENG), Action 2.4 Research Infrastructure for a Modern Economy the team consisting of:

Prof. Marek Figlerowicz,
Natalia Koralewska, PhD
Ireneusz Stolarek, PhD
Robert Pękal, MSc, Eng.

has secured funding for the ECBG project – European Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics – MOSAIC 3D.

The aim of the project is to create a unique research infrastructure that enables the development of advanced 3D pre-clinical models (in vitro-3D) and their digital twins (in silico-3D), which will subsequently be used in translational research focused on oncological and cardiological diseases.

The project includes the acquisition of research equipment for cell culture, live-cell analysis, and biobanking, as well as expanding the ECBG resources with unique cell lines derived from biological material obtained from patients with selected cardiological and oncological diseases. Additionally, a service platform will be developed to support the creation and use of digital twins of cell and tissue models in biomedical research.

ECBG-MOSAIC 3D research infrastructure will integrate advanced technologies for 3D cell culturing, spatial analysis of gene expression at both the cellular and subcellular levels, and the creation of digital twins of biological systems using machine learning algorithms. The tools developed in this project will allow for multi-level modeling of the development of pathological states and therapy effects in live cells and their digital counterparts, opening new possibilities in biomedical research and supporting the development of personalized therapies. The users of the infrastructure developed in this project will include both national and international research institutions, healthcare units, and business entities from the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and biomedical sectors.

The total funding for the project amounts to PLN 52,746,351.03, including a grant amount of PLN 40,000,000. The project will be implemented from 2025 to 2028.

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