On the 28th of May, from the very morning, anarray of deck chairs, umbrellas and barbequesstarted to fill the scene at the Faculty of Bio-chemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology build-ing. This was the preparation for the 4th facultyPicnic under the Oak. At one o’clock when every-thing was already prepared – the food tabledecorated with napkins of a merry check andwicker baskets, while red balloons bobbed inthe air – the first guests arrived together withthe representatives of the teams which had putthemselves forward to participate in thetriathlon.

While an increasing number of May rev-ellers were refilling their plates with portions ofexquisite żurek, mouth watering salads, chee -ses and cakes, the teams of Administration, PhD

CONTENTSMSc examinations anddiploma presentation

Picnic under the Oak

Grants

VIII Workshop on EPRApplication in Biologyand Medicine

PhDs

Awardsand Scholarships

The ‘MolecularBiotechnologyfor Health’ Project

The MałopolskieBiotechnology Centre

The CytometryLaboratory

Mygen

Nobel

Visting Lecturers

It’s past belief!

Publications 2nd quar-ter 2010

The Quarterly of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, JU 3 / 2 0 1 0 ( 1 0 )

see p. 2 �

see p. 3 �

PICNIC UNDER THE OAK

MSC EXAMINATIONS AND DIPLOMA PRESENTATION

The tables were full … but soon that has changed Cooks were investing a lot of effort

The presentations of the scientific content ofMSc dissertations took place from Monday the14th to Friday the 18th of June, everyday in sev-eral thematic block sessions. The students ofthe final year of Biotechnology, Biophysics andBiology presented their results to younger andolder colleagues as well as lecturers and an-swered their questions. The presentationsshowed a high level of preparation on the partof the students and a most interesting subjectmatter for the works themselves. MSc exami-

nations started on the 21st of June with the ma-jority of students managing within thetimescale set. This year 87 students took theirMSc finals, of which 56 from Biotechnology, 19Biophysics and 12 extra mural students ofBiotechnology. Equally 18 students of Biologytook their MSc finals at our Faculty.

Within the framework of the Polish-FrenchDegree Programme for Biotechnology enablingthe obtainment of a dual degree diploma fromthe Jagiellonian University and the University

students, the Nobel Student Society, the De-partment of Analytical Biochemistry and theDepartment of Microbiology were engaging inheated competition. The contests in which theybattled covered barbequing, a Faculty historyknowledge quiz and darts.

All of the teams displayed a similar level ofknowledge on the 40-year history of the Insti-tute of Molecular Biology, the precursor of theFaculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics andBiotechnology. To nothing came the attempton the part of some to cunningly lead their op-ponents astray. Equally the darts, despite train-ing and ingenious strategies, was unable toshow a clear leader in the triathlon. It was to bethe dishes served up from the barbeque thatwere to determine victory.

The esteemed jury composed of Prof.Marta Dziedzicka-Wasylewska, Dr Justyna

Drukała and Dr Jacek Międzobrodzki debatedlong and hard over the verdict. For this was noeasy decision: the dishes submitted for ap-praisal mesmerised in their composition, aes-thetic qualities as well as terminology. Finallythe main prize together with the honour of or-ganising the next Picnic under the Oak ended upin the hands of the team from the Departmentof Analytical Biochemistry.

The picnic was honoured by a perform-ance of the Faculty Choir lead with bravado by

2

� Piknik…cont. from p. 1 M E N U

The Department of Analytical Biochemistrycordially invites you for the following

specialities:

Terribly yummy, terribly good, an aca-demic fright straight from the wood!

There’s nothing as hellish as mountaincheeses and cranberry relish!

Torun ginger bread may be swish butfirst do try Ms Ibeth’s kebabs so shish!

Time for change with Italian canary, inyour diet you have to vary!

Soup with rabid coyote meat and thework comes on a treat!

Forget about a seizure with lettuce andveg to ease yer!

Most uncultured fluids

“A” team at the barbecue

The victorius throwJury had their hands full

The winners – team from Analitical Bioche-mistry

Nobel team argues during thecompetition on history of theFaculty

Grilled snacks

Jadwiga Oczoś. The endless applause and ex-pressions of genuine admiration from the as-sembled public meant that the group decidedon an encore. Following the performance, as amark of gratitude for the enthusiasm shown informing and leading the choir, the young choirleader, and MSc in Biotechnology into the bar-gain, was presented by the vice-dean of theFaculty, Marta Dziedzicka-Wasylewska, with aprofessional baton. This was also a farewell gift,for with the beginning of June Jadzia was tostart work in her native Rzeszów.

As every year, as in this, the picnic was ac-companied by a sale of garden and houseplants. The money obtained from the sale of theplants (100.75 złoty) was presented to the Pol-ish Humanitarian Initiative for the flood victims.

This year’s picnic was entirely financed byfunds of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysicsand Biotechnology.

Hevidar Taha Effects of heme oxyge-nase-1 promoter polymorphism onhuman endothelial cells, supervisor:prof. Alicja Józkowicz, 9th of April 2010

Danuta Mizgalska MCPIP as RNAaseregulating mRNA stability for inter-leukin-1, supervisor: dr Jolanta Jura,9th of April 2010

Elżbieta Wiernasz Analysis of the re-cruitment process of heterochro-matynin proteins 1 (HP1) to areas ofdamaged chromatin, supervisor: prof.Jerzy Dobrucki, 13th of April 2010

Karol Szczepanek MCPIP Mitochondriaoverexpression of transcriptionally in-active STAT3 in the heart protects respi-ratory complex I against ischemia-in-

duced damage, supervisor: prof. JózefDulak, 8th of June 2010

Tomasz Kantyka Interaction of extra-cellular cysteine proteinases of Porphy-romonas gingivalis and Staphylococ-cus aureus with human epithelium-de-rived protease inhibitors, supervisor:prof Jan Potempa, 29th of June 2010

PhDs

icance of this process in the in vivo spreading ofstaphylococcus, dr Joanna Kozieł

The role of melanosomes of retinal pigmented ep-ithelium in oxidative stress in vitro: the influenceof aging on the antioxidating and pro-oxidativeproperties of granules, prof. Tadeusz Sarna

The characteristics of biogradation processes ofCyanobacteria toxins, dr Dariusz Dziga

The effect of reduced expression of PPARgammaon activities of endothelial progenitor cells in thecontext of antidiabetic therapy, prof. AlicjaJózkowicz, PhD project

A comprehensive proteomic analysis of changesinduced by clozapine and risperidone in the brainof a rat, dr Sylwia Kędracka-Krok

Grants obtained within the frame-work of the 39th editionof the Ministry of Science andHigher Education Competition:

The role of the Nrf2 transcriptional agent in pro-genitor endothelium cells as well as in the stimu-lation of revascularization processes in a modelof an ischaemic rear limb in a mouse, prof. JózefDulak, PhD project

The effect of change in the redox properties of theb-chain cofactors on distribution of electronsin cytochrome bc1, dr Artur Osyczka, PhD proj-ect

The mechanism of Staphylococcus aureus ‘es-cape’ from infected macrophages and the signif-

among them eminent authorities like: Prof.G. Eaton, Prof. S. Eaton of Denver University,Prof. J. Hyde and B. Kalyaraman of the MedicalCollege of Wisconsin, Prof. H. Halpern of theUniversity of Chicago, Prof. A. Vanin of MoscowUniversity, Prof. P. Kroneck of the University ofConstance, and many others. In accordancewith tradition we expect an excellent turn outof junior employees, PhD students and seniorstudents, for whom this constitute a unique op-portunity to obtain specialist knowledge firsthand.

The Kraków workshops from the ‘EPR Workshop’cycle, which this year will take place on the 4-6of October, has for years drawn specialists in thefield of the spectroscopy of Electron Paramag-netic Resonance and its biomedical applica-tions. Their aim has been the direct exchangeof information on the latest scientific achieve-ments in the field of EPR application within bi-ology and medicine as well as an enhancing ofcollaboration between the best world and Pol-ish specialists. We envisage the participation ofa dozen or so academics from European coun-tries, the USA, Japan and Australia. There will be

July 3

GRANTY

of Orleans, three students from Orleans pre-pared dissertations at the Faculty of Biochem-istry, Biophysics and Biotechnology: GeraldineBustin (at the Department of Analytical Bio-chemistry), Lamia Ghezali (at the Departmentof Medical Biotechnology) and Imene Henaoui(at the Department of Biophysics). The defenceof these dissertations took place in Orleans onthe 15th of June. Our faculty was represented byProf. Alicja Józkowicz. In turn 4 students of theFaculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics andBiotechnology prepared their dissertations atthe University of Orleans: Magdalena Filip,Agata Szade, Witold Nowak and KrzysztofSzade. The University of Orleans was repre-sented by Dr Claudine Kieda and Prof. ChantalPichon.

The degree diploma presentation cere-mony on the 25th of June started with the tra-ditional procession in gowns of the new MScgraduates and their tutors. Following thesinging of Gaude Mater Polonia by the FacultyChoir and short speeches by the dean, Prof. Wo-jciech Froncisz, the vice-rector for didactics,Prof. Andrzej Mania as well as the vice-deanProf. Marta Dziedzicka-Wasylewska, the formalpresentation of the diplomas took place. Thetutors praised the involvement and effort dis-played by their charges. To round proceedingsoff a champagne toast was raised by ProfessorMania. Then a group photograph and the mor-tar boards went flying skywards by way offarewell.

MSc examinations and diploma presentationcont. from p. 1

VIIIth IN TER NA TIO NAL WORK SHOP ON EPR AP PLI CA TIONIN BIO LO GY AND ME DI CI NE

4

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPSThe Polish Productof the Future CompetitionOn the 23rd of June this year the pres-

entation of prizes for the 13th competitionof Polish Product of the Future took place inWarsaw. Amongst the winners in the cate-gory of Technology of the future at the pre-implementation phase was the project enti-tled ‘Antineoplastic therapy based on amodified Salmonella strain’ submitted bythe Centre of Innovation, Techology Tranferand Development of the Jagiellonian Uni-versity. The organiser of the competition,under the honourable patronage of theMinistry of the Economy, is the PolishAgency for Entrepreneurial Development.

The originator and creator of the win-ning project was Dr Michał Bereta, who diedin 2008, of the Department of Immunologyof the Jagiellonian University’s CollegiumMedicum. The prize was collected by Pro-fessor Joanna Bereta of the Jagiellonian Uni-versity’s Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysicsand Biotechnology, who is coordinating fur-ther research work on the project.

The technology developed may in thefuture find an application in the treatmentof patients with tumours thanks to the factthat the modified bacteria are located in theneoplastic tissue and subsequently enter in-side the cells where they activate an apop-tosis process, simultaneously activating theimmune system.

The Tadeusz Browicz PolishAcademy of Art and Sciences(PAU) PrizeFor ‘original and innovative research

into the role of heme oxygenase in themechanisms of angiogenesis’ this year’sprize of the Tadeusz Browicz 5th Medical Fac-ulty of the Polish Academy of Learning wasreceived by Professor Józef Dulak and Pro-fessor Alicja Józkowicz of the JagiellonianUniversity’s Faculty of Biochemistry, Bio-physics and Biotechnology. The official pres-entation of the prize took place on the 19th

of June at the headquarters of PAU on Sław -kow ska 17. The endower of the prize is theJagiellonian University’s Collegium Medicum.

The Hasco-Lek FoundationCompetitionDr Sylwia Łukasiewicz of the Depart-

ment of Physical Biochemistry of the Jagiel-

lonian University’s Faculty of Biochemistry,Biophysics and Biotechnology has found her-self amongst the prize winners of the 4th

Hasco-Lek Foundation competition for thebest scientific works. For her doctorial disser-tation entitled ‘The fluorescent testing ofdimerization in the area of dopamine andserotonin receptors in an in vitro system’ sheobtained second place.70 people took part inthe competition. The competition aim is theselecting of the best MSc and PhD disserta-tions, as well as the promotion of their au-thors and their discoveries, in the field ofpharmacy, biotechnology, medicine andchemistry with regard to their application forthe pharmaceutical industry.

The Ministry of Educationand “Elle” Competition Agata Szade of the Department of Med-

ical Biotechnology of the Jagiellonian Uni-versity’s Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysicsand Biotechnology has been awarded a dis-tinction by the competition committee ofGirls of the Future. In the Footsteps of MariaSkłodowska-Curie organized for the first timethis year by the Ministry of Education and the‘Elle’ monthly magazine. 131 students frommathematics, nature, science and technicalfields took part in the competition. The dis-tinctions have been awarded to the authorswho received the highest notations for thehigh standard and ambitious choice of the re-search topics. In her home department AgataSzade is involved in the project ‘The Role ofHeme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the Inductionand Progression of Squamous Carcinoma’.

The Doctus Grant– The Małopolska Grant Programfor PhD StudentsMonika Rak of the Cell Biology Depart-

ment, Klaudia Skrzypek of the MedicalBiotechnology Department and ŁukaszSkalniak of the Cell Biochemistry Departmentare the recipients of the Doctus grant. It isawarded, for a period of up to three yearsmaximum, to second-year PhD students,whose research may be practically applied byenterprises working in the MałopolskieVoivodship area, contributing to the im-provement of their competitiveness and eco-nomic development. The project is being car-ried out by the Małopolska Centre for Entre-preneurship within the Human Capital Oper-ational Program 2007-2013.

From left: dr Dominik Czaplicki(CITTRU), Paulina Chorobik,prof. J. Bereta and MaciejCzarnik (CITTRU)

prof. Józef Dulak

prof. Alicja Józkowicz

dr Sylwia Łukasiewicz

Agata Szade

July 5

On the 1st of June the MałopolskieBiotechnology Centre (MBC) receivedpermission to construct the main build-ing, which will stand between the build-ing of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Bio-physics and Biotechnology and the In-stitute of Zoology currently under con-struction. The MBC will house 6 Centresof varied though thematically compli-mentary research disciplines. The aca-demic activities of the centres will takeplace in 14 laboratories including spe-cialist laboratories adapted for workwith dangerous biological class 3 agentssuch as: the Virology Laboratory, Micro-biological Laboratory, Cell Culture Labo-ratory, Isotopic Laboratory. The remain-ing laboratories are the Roentgeno-graphic Laboratory, the Laboratory forthe Sequencing and Synthesis ofPolypeptides, the Proteomic Laboratory,the Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, theBioremediation Laboratory, the FoodSafety Laboratory, the Bioreactors Labo-ratory with a semi-technological line forthe production of recombined proteins,the Laboratory of Genetic Material Isola-

THE MAŁOPOLSKIE BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTRE

tion with a DNA Bank, the Microar-ray Laboratory, the Magnetic Res-onance Laboratory for neurobiol-ogy purposes, the specialist Ani-mal Facility enabling work withtransgenetic animals as well as theExperimental Greenhouse. TheMBC laboratories, with a total floorarea of 3600 m2, will fulfill GLP/GMP standards.

In April and May of this yearthere took place, in the presence ofa committee, the handing over ofthe completed building work atthe Experimental Greenhouse,under the stewardship of Prof. drhab. Halina Gabryś and at the CellCulture Laboratory under the su-pervision of Dr Justyna Drukała.

At present work will be con-centrated on the realisation ofproject work on the main buildingso that at the turn of 2010-2011 acontractor may be selected for theconstruction of the MBC.

Justyna Supel

MCB builiding

Committee aproval of the worksin Experimental Greenhouse

Committee aproval of the works in CellCulture Lab

In June, two high quality cytome-ters were delivered to the Depart-ment of Medical Biotechnology.The first of these is a LSR II (BectonDickinson) flow cytometer, equip -ped with three lasers and allowingfor analysis based on 11 fluores-cent parameters, with the utiliza-tion of extremely varied fluo-rochromes. The second is the lat-est generation, something uniqueon a European scale, Image Stream(Amnis) image cytometer. This isalso equipped with three lasersand allows a quantitative photo-metrical and morphometricalanalysis of cell suspension, i.e. the

simultaneous obtainment of 10fluorescent images for eachanalysed cell as well as of an imagein a light and dark field. This in-strument is particularly useful inthe analyses of extremely rare pop-ulations, allowing, among otherthings, for a differentiation of realcells from artifacts. The purchaseddevices will equip the CytometricalLaboratory, which is a part of theLaboratory of Molecular Pharmo-cology of the Endothelium organ-ised within the framework of theconsortium the Jagiellonian Cen-tre for Drug Development (JCET)POIG.02.02.00-00-014/08.

THE CYTOMETER LABORATORY

6

10th Science Festiwal Foto J. Szybiński

In the second quarter of 2010, within theframework of the project ‘Molecular Biotech-nology for Health’ (Biotechnologia Molekularnadla Zdrowia - BMZ) financed from the EuropeanFund for Regional Development, within the Op-erational Programme Innovative Economy, ad-ditional purchases of scientific equipment forthe new laboratory were finalised. Moreover,executive project documentation for the ani-mal facility was finalized. Until June 2010 about50% of the funds (15,853,383.77 PLN) havebeen utilized.

In April, the Architecture Department ofKraków City Council gave permission for theconstruction of an animal facility, with the de-cision becoming operative at the end of April.As a consequence, work has begun on the ex-ecutive documentation for the future animal fa-cility, on the basis of which the tender applica-tion details will be drawn up for the construc-tion supervision and contractor for the con-struction work.

In the first quarter of the year two fluores-cent microscopes were purchased for the Cel-lular Biophysics Laboratory: an inverted micro-scope with a confocal module, module for stim-ulated emission depletion (STED) as well as an

THE ‘MOLECULAR BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR HEALTH’ PROJECT A SUMMING UP OF THE SECOND QUARTER 2010

inverted microscope with a confocal moduleand a fluorescence correlation spectroscopymodule (FCS/FLIM).

A training course took place in April inBrem on using the mass spectrometer with asource of ESI-HCTultra ionization, which wassupplied last year to the Department of Analyt-ical Biochemistry (The Proteomic and Tran-scriptomic Laboratory). Oliwia Bocheńska MScand Marta Kujda MSc, the PhD students fromthe Department of Analytical Biochemistry tookpart in the training.

In June a densitometer with a CCD scan-ning system for optical density measurementswas purchased for the Laboratory of PlantBiotechnology, supervised by Prof. HalinaGabryś. The laboratory was also supplied withtwo laminar chambers with a horizontal airflow.

In the past quarter there a team has beenformed, which will be responsible for databaseadministration for the biological sample stor-age system as well as the coordination of thework in this laboratory. The team comprises:Justyna Drukała, PhD (coordinator), AgnieszkaAndrychowicz-Róg MSc and Krystyna Stalińska,PhD.

Aneta Pazik

MYGEN THE 10th FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE IN KRAKÓW

From the 12th to the 15th of May there washeld, for the tenth time, on the Kraków MainMarket Square the Festival of Science; duringwhich academic institutes and Kraków institu-tions of tertiary education use the opportunityto prove that science does not have to be diffi-cult but interesting. On the last day of the fes-tival, the Saturday, the Faculty of Biochemistry,Biophysics and Biotechnology was given itsown tent. Individual stands were prepared bystudents of Biotechnology, members of theMygen Student Club and the Nobel StudentClub as well as by employees of the Depart-ment of Cellular Biology, under the supervi-sion of dr Zbigniew Madeja and dr Anna Wiś -niew ska.

Both Clubs already have experience of or-ganising similar undertakings. Those interested

July 7

had an opportunity to isolate DNA from anonion by means of a ‘kitchen sink method’,something which enjoyed great success de-spite competition from the Agricultural Univer-sity. Children could also place a sample with apipette for electrophoresis, prepare their ownplant culture in vitro or discover that the juice ofa red cabbage can have different colours. Mostpopular was also the tissue paper chromogra-phy, plasmolysis, and ‘light games’ prepared bythe students of Biophysics. First and foremost itfollows to mention the stands prepared by theDepartment of Cellular Biology – the fluores-cent microscope, under which cells with greenfluorescent protein could be observed, slimemoulds with fluorescein, as well as observa-tions of skin cells. The students of the first yearof biotechnology prepared a stall for the veryyoung, as well as bioethics posters under thesupervision of Dr Gregor Becker.

Our stall would not have been a successwithout the help of the employees of the vari-ous departments of our faculty, who lent us thenecessary reagents and equipment, none ofwhich, luckily, was damaged. We consider thisyear’s festival to be a great success, and the ex-perience gained will enable us to make nextyear’s even more successful.

Barbara Zięba

10th Science FestiwalFoto D. Giza

10th Science FestiwalFoto D. Giza

10th Science FestiwalFoto J. Szybiński

Editorial Board:Mar ty na ElasJó zef Du lakMag da le na Two rzy dło

Faculty of Biochemistry,Biophysics and BiotechnologyJagiellonian UniversityGronostajowa 730-387 Kraków

Lo go: Se ba stian Szy tu łaGraphic design: Kle mens KnapTypesetting and printing:Qu ar tisPrint: 200 copies

Contact address: mar ty na.elas@uj. edu. pl

The Editorial Board reserves the right toshorten and edit texts. Unaccredited textsare those of the Editorial Board.

The final part of the current academic year hasturned out to be the most important, but alsothe most pleasant one for the Biophysics Stu-dents’ Club.

The biggest event this year was the 1st Pol-ish Conference of Biophysics Students, whoseaim was to integrate student clubs from thewhole of Poland, discuss topics of particular in-terest to young scientists and exchange experi-

ence on the interdisciplinary field that is bio-physics.

During the last few days before the con-ference started most intensive preparationswere carried out by all the Club members. Or-dering, collecting, fetching, buying, delivering,etc. the final preparations, arranging of thebenches, checking the equipment, organizingthe sponsors’ and registration stalls, hangingthe posters and preparing the conference ma-terials for participants lasted almost into thesmall hours. The facial expression of the Janitorwhen asked, at 11.30 pm, to let us out, so thatwe could go and catch up on a few winks, andwho was astonished to release a 15 stronggroup at this unearthly hour, will remain for-ever.

On the 15th May the vast majority of the in-vited students, as well as Department employ-ees arrived at the registration desk. We wereparticularly overjoyed to see the arrival of theSpecial Guests, who had consented to giveshort lectures during the conference’s duration.These were: Prof. Grzegorz Bartosz of the Bio-physics Institute at the Department of Biologyand Environmental Protection of the Universityof Łodź, Prof. Wiesław Gruszecki of the Bio-physics Department at the Physics Institute ofthe Maria Curie-Skłodowska University inLublin, Prof. Wiesław Nowak of the Biophysicsand Medical Physics Department of the PhysicsInstitute of the Nicolaus Copernicus Universityin Toruń and Prof. Stanisław Przestalski of theWrocław University of Environmental and LifeSciences. They are, doubtlessly, the highest au-thorities in their field, so we felt we were par-ticularly honoured. The crowning of the busyday was a bit of fun in one of Cracow’s clubs.Due to the common spirit of the play thatevening student and professor integration wastotal.

Judging by the low activity rate at themorning lectures on the 16th May, Cracow “bynight” clearly had enchanted a large part of thestudents.

In the afternoon there was a poster ses-sion, during which intensive discussion tookplace, with the final event being the an-nouncement of the best poster and best pres-entation.The competition prizes were providedby the Polish Biophysics Society.

As this was the first such conference inPoland, the topic range of the presentations

8

Participants of the 1st

Polish Conferenceof Biophysics Students

1st Polish Conferenceof Biophysics Students

Nobel team has preparedgrilled "bombs"

and "dynamites" at thePicnic under the Oak

NOBEL

goals we set ourselves on activity and develop-ment have been achieved. We hope that, atleast to a small degree, our activity this year hashelped us to propagate the view of biophysicsas an interesting subject to study. We arecounting on next year to be as rich in experi-ence and one which will allow us to developboth the existing and future membership of theClub.

Agnieszka Pierzyńska-Mach

July 9

10th Science Festiwal, 2010

Nobel at Picnicunder the Oak

Nobel representativesamong the participantsof BIT 2010

was quite wide so as to encourage the broad-est group of students. In total 30 student pre-sentations were entered, 14 posters were pre-sented, and the number of visitors who cameon those two days amounted to 95. This beingvery optimistic for the future, which is particu-larly important, as the next edition of the Pol-ish Biophysics student conference is to takeplace this very academic year.We hope that forseveral years to follow Cracovian biophysicsstudents will continue to make our field famousthrough the organizing of subsequent editionsof the conference.

The weather is getting better, which doesnot make studying any easier, but facilitatespicnics, outings and trips. The Nobel membersconstituting the “N Team” took part in the Pic-nic under the Oak, competing in all threeevents. Through joint efforts, ours and those ofour academic supervisor prof. Jerzy Dobrucki,we succeded in coming second!

The Biophysics Student Club Nobel de-cided to combine what is pleasant with what isuseful and to go away on a scientific trip. Ourtravels began with participation in the V Col-legium Physicum Hike. The hike, which tookplace from 23rd to 25th April, was a mountaintrekking trip in the area of the Beskid Żywieckimountains. Worth mentioning is that so far onlyphysics and mathemathics students had gonewalking in the mountains together, but thisyear, we – biophysicists, were invited to jointhem for the first time.

The second mountain trip was the work-shop “Experimental Physics in a Natural Envi-ronment”. The trek along the Kościeliska Valleyto the Ornak Hostel allowed us to carry out var-ious experiments. The participants measuredthe air pressure at various heights above sealevel, observed osmosis, plasmolysis and the ef-fects of hypotension, which aroused great in-terest among the tourists we encountered onthe way.

Our most distant journey was to the Bioin-formatics in Toruń – BIT 10 conference. Thanks tothe invitation of Prof. dr hab. Wiesław Nowaksix-person group had an opportunity to attendthis international conference complete with aworkshops, something which broadened ourhorizons and allowed us to make new scientificcontacts.

All the Nobel Biophysics Student Club proj-ects have been a success this year, while the

10

Charmed by the performance of our choir atthe Department Graduation ceremony I woulddearly like to initiate a musical theme in ourcycle.

The last decade of the XX century was de-scribed in science as the decade of music. Manyresearchers have attempted to define musicand the work of music within the category ofphysical phenomena and phenomena from theborders of biology and psychology. It has be-come apparent, among other things, whatgreat an influence the performing of music hason active thinking. The performing of musicalphrases is probably a kind of imitating of thelogical thinking process of the Creator, follow-ing with sight the process of creating Some-thing. In other words – music is a reflection andit possesses a structure of more general pat-terns, by which reality is ruled; some think thatit is a side effect of acquiring the abilities for socalled “higher psychic activities”. This subjectmay be read about in several learned books re-cently published1. Also the workings of the “mu-sical mind”, which we all have and which hasdeep neurobiological roots, have been de-scribed. Our ancestors had an intuitive knowl-edge of this, paying for their offspring to obtain,a so deemed “proper” and sometimes in pointof fact singular (Paganini) education, one rely-ing on musical skills – playing an instrument,reading sheet music, singing (regardless of hav-ing a talent or not). If one thinks carefully aboutit, this is trivial – music has biological roots andis an adaptation, something undoubtedlyrecognised by any contemporary researcher. Ithas evolved with a certain “aim” and it servessome purpose. And it is a fact that our ances-tors also intuitively fed children and providedthem with an apt amount of sleep, with no un-derstanding of metabolism.

The researchers into the field of Polishtwentieth century cryptology, and here alsofrom the inception of the 2nd republic2, havedrawn attention to the fact that a cultural envi-ronment conducive to the development ofcryptology must possess three characteristics:a high level of mathematical education, multi-linguality and a high level of musical education.These, paradoxically, were guaranteed on thelands under partition, particularly that underRussian control, and subsequently in Poland ofthe interwar period. Cryptology, or as certain

linguists would have it, the most perfect mani-festation of abstract thought – the ability forthe reconstruction of texts and entire lan-guages.3 Without exaggeration one may hereadd the analylsis of the recording and func-tioning of genetic information – the geneticcode, the code of transcription factors and sig-nal transduction pathways.4 For musicality isthat very ability of the specific analysis and in-terpretation of the abstract sequencing of sym-bols or, as other musicologists would have it,the analogical ability for Fourier transforma-tions, thanks to which we recognize the melodyand perceive a musical work as an autonomicwhole.

Many eminent academics and thinkershave actively practiced music (although notnecessarily being virtuosos). For example, Ben-jamin Franklin was an instrument maker, I willalso add as examples a few nobel prize winners– Albert Schweitzer, physician, theologist andsocial activist, organist and authority on Bach,Manfred Eigen, practicing musician, chemistand biophysicist, the creator of the theory ofhypercycle and quasispecies, or Richard Feyn-man, a quantum physicist, a musician and ex-pert on the Tuvans, not to mention the unful-filled fiddler, Albert Einstein. As far as MariaSkłodowska-Curie is concerned, then for sureher daughter, Ewa, performed music, (equally anotable social activist and publicist) and shemust have got her talent from somewhere…And from our own Cracow backyard I can nameProfessor Władysław Stróżewski, and ontologist,musicologist and pianist, not forgetting Profes-sor Stanisław Łukiewicz, in whose flat there al-ways stood a piano, and who educated his chil-dren in the direction of his unfulfilled passion –music.

Therefore it’s very good we have a choir.Bravo!Encore!

Przemysław M. Płonka

1 Sacks O., Mu zy ko fi lia. Zysk i S-ka Wy daw -nic two, s. j., Po znań 2009.

2 No wik G., Za nim zła ma no ‘Enig mę’. Ofi cy -na Wy daw ni cza Rytm, War sza wa 2004.

3 Fro edrich J., Za po mnia ne pi sma i ję zy ki.PWN, War sza wa 1958.

4 Bod nar JW., Kil lian J., Na gle M., Ram chan -da ni S., De ci phe ring the lan gu age of the ge -no me. J The or Biol 1997, 189: 183-193.

IT’S PAST BELIEF! EN CO RE!

July 11

VISITING LECTURERS

Prof. Artur Schmidtchen Dr Marcela Manrique Moreno

• PProf. Artur Schmidtchen, Division of Derma-tology and Venereology, Department of Clin-ical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden,Antimicrobial peptides and infections, 5th ofFebruary, guest of the Department of Micro-biology

• Prof. Markus Bohm, Department of Derma-tology, University of Münster, Münster, Ger-many, α-MSH in cutaneous biology, 13th ofApril, guest of the Department of Biophysics

• Dr Jolanta Rędowicz, The Laboratory of Mo-lecular Bases for Cellular Movements The Marcel Nencki Institute of ExperimentalBiology, Warsaw, On myosins in a cell nucleus,11th of May, guest of the Laboratory of Cellu-lar Biophysics

• Prof. Janice Burke, Department of Ophthal-mology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Mil-waukee, WI, USA, RPE melanosomes in agingand disease, 14th of May, guest of the Depart-ment of Biophysics

• Dr Bill Ortyn, Amnis Corporation, Seattle, WA,USA, Principles and Applications of the ImageStream & Imaging Flow Cytometer, 2nd of June,guest of the Department of Medical Biotech-nology

• Dr Piotr Suder, Faculty of Material Engineer-ing and Ceramics, University of Science andTechnology (AGH), Proteom of cells of the cen-tral nervous system in morphine addiction in se-lected models, 15th of June

• Prof. Janusz Gębicki, Department of Biologi-cal Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney,Australia, Oxidized proteins as agents of bio-logical damage, 24th of June, guest of the De-partment of Biophysics

• Dr Jussi Meriluoto, Department of Bio-sciences, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Fin-land, Cyanobacterial hepatotoxins - analyticalaspects and occurrence in the Finnish water en-vironment, 28th of June, guest of the Depart-ment of Physiology and the Biology of PlantDevelopment

PUBLICATIONSPublications – 3rd and 4th quarter of 2009– cont.

Baran M, Mollers LN, Andersson S, Jonsson IM, Ek-wall AKH, Bjersing J, Tarkowski A, BokarewaM. Survivin is an essential mediator of arthri-tis interacting with urokinase signalling. J CellMol Med 2009 Sep;13(9B):3797-808.

Boros J, O’Donnell A, Donaldson IJ, Kasza A, Zeef L,Sharrocks AD. Overlapping promoter targe-ting by Elk-1 and other divergent ETS-domaintranscription factor family members. NucleicAcids Res 2009 Dec;37(22):7368-80.

Mizgalska D, Wegrzyn P, Murzyn K, Kasza A, Koj A,Jura J, Jarzab B, Jura J. Interleukin-1-indu cibleMCPIP protein has structural and functionalproperties of RNase and participates in de-gradation of IL-1beta mRNA. FEBS J 2009Dec;276(24):7386-99.

Publications – 1st quarter 2010 cont.

Kasza A, Wyrzykowska P, Horwacik I, Tymoszuk P,Mizgalska D, Palmer K, Rokita H, Sharrocks AD,Jura J. Transcription factors Elk-1 and SRF areengaged in IL1-dependent regulation ofZC3H12A expression. BMC Mol Biol 2010 Feb6;11:14. see p. 12 �

Szymanska R, Kruk J. Identification of hydroxy-plastochromanol in Arabidopsis leaves. ActaBiochim Pol 2010;57(1):105-8.

Publications – 2nd quarter 2010

Augustynowicz J, Grosicki M, Hanus-Fajerska E,Lekka M, Waloszek A, Koloczek H. Chro-mium(VI) bioremediation by aquatic macrop-hyte Callitriche cophocarpa Sendtn. Chemos-phere 2010 May;79(11):1077-83.

Banas AK, Krzeszowiec W, Dobrucki J, Gabrys H.Mannose, but not glucose or sucrose, disturbsactin cytoskeleton in Arabidopsis thaliana lea-ves. Acta Physiol Plant 2010 Jul;32(4):773-9.

Beaufort N, Plaza K, Utzschneider D, Schwarz A,Burkhart JM, Creutzburg S, Debela M, SchmittM, Ries C, Magdolen V. Interdependence ofkallikrein-related peptidases in proteolyticnetworks. Biol Chem 2010 May;391(5):581-7.

Bil J, Wlodarski P, Winiarska M, Kurzaj Z, Issat T, Joz-kowicz A, Wegiel B, Dulak J, Golab J. Photody-namic therapy-driven induction of suicide cy-tosine deaminase gene. Cancer Lett 2010 Apr28;290(2):216-22.

Ilik P, Kotabova E, Spundova M, Novak O, Kana R,Strzalka K. Low-light-induced violaxanthinde-epoxidation in shortly preheated leaves:uncoupling from delta pH-dependent non-photochemical quenching. Photochem Pho-tobiol 2010 May-Jun;86(3):722-6.

Kedracka-Krok S, Fic E, Jankowska U, Jaciuk M,Gruca P, Papp M, Kusmider M, Solich J, DebskiJ, Dadlez M, Dziedzicka-Wasylewska M. Effectof chronic mild stress and imipramine on theproteome of the rat dentate gyrus. J Neuro-chem 2010 May;113(4):848-59.

Koziel J, Karim AY, Przybyszewska K, Ksiazek M, Ra-pala-Kozik M, Nguyen KA, Potempa J. Proteo-lytic inactivation of LL-37 by karilysin, a novelvirulence mechanism of Tannerella forsythia.J Innate Immun 2010;2(3):288-93.

Lason W, Bechyne I. Nanotechnology perspectiveson epilepsy treatment. Pharmacol Rep 2010Mar-Apr;62(2):439-40.

Loboda A, Jozkowicz A, Dulak J. HIF-1 and HIF-2transcription factors - Similar but not identi-cal. Mol Cells 2010 May;29(5):435-42.

Niziolek-Kierecka M, Pilat A, Korytowski W, GirottiAW. Apoptosis-accommodating Effect of nit-ric oxide in photodynamically stressed tumorcells. Photochem Photobiol 2010 May-Jun;86(3):681-6.

Papareddy P, Rydengard V, Pasupuleti M, Walse B,Morgelin M, Chalupka A, Malmsten M,Schmidtchen A. Proteolysis of human throm-bin generates novel host defense peptides.Plos Pathog 2010 Apr;6(4):-.

Sozer O, Komenda J, Ughy B, Domonkos I, Laczko-Dobos H, Malec P, Gombos Z, Kis M. Involve-ment of carotenoids in the synthesis and as-sembly of protein subunits of photosyntheticreaction centers of Synechocystis sp PCC6803. Plant Cell Physiol 2010 May;51(5):823-35.

Surdacki A, Marewicz E, Rakowski T, Szumanska M,Szastak G, Pryjma J, Dubiel JS. Coincidence ofmoderately elevated N-terminal pro-B-typenatriuretic peptide, endothelial progenitorcells deficiency and propensity to exercise-in-duced myocardial ischemia in stable angina.Dis Markers 2010;28(2):101-14.

Sztatelman O, Waloszek A, Banas AK, Gabrys H.Photoprotective function of chloroplast avoi-dance movement: In vivo chlorophyll fluores-cence study. J Plant Physiol 2010;167(9):709-16.

Szymanska R, Kruk J. Plastoquinol is the main pre-nyllipid synthesized during acclimation tohigh light conditions in Arabidopsis and isconverted to plastochromanol by tocopherolcyclase. Plant Cell Physiol 2010 Apr;51(4):537-45.

Trembecka DO, Kuzak M, Dobrucki JW. Conditionsfor using FRAP as a quantitative technique-in-fluence of the bleaching protocol. Cytom PartA 2010 Apr;77A(4):366-70.

Wysoczynski M, Liu R, Kucia M, Drukala J, Rataj-czak MZ. Thrombin regulates the metastaticpotential of human rhabdomyosarcoma cells:distinct role of PAR1 and PAR3 signaling. MolCancer Res 2010 May;8(5):677-90.

Zhao H, Oczos J, Janowski P, Trembecka D, Do-brucki J, Darzynkiewicz Z, Wlodkowic D. Ra-tionale for the real-time and dynamic celldeath assays using propidium iodide. CytomPart A 2010 Apr;77A(4):399-405.

� Publicationscont. from p. 11