Education and Training
PhD in Chemical Sciences, Technical University of Lodz, Poland (1983).
Postdoctoral Fellow, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA (1985–1986; anticancer and antiviral nucleosides). Visiting researcher, University of Bayreuth, Germany (1994–1996; tRNA biochemistry, structure, and function in protein translation). JSPS Internship, Gene Discovery Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan (2000; therapeutic nucleic acids).
Habilitation, CBMM PAS (1999).
Key Achievements and Leadership
Established research on sulfur- and selenium-modified uridines in tRNA anticodons, advancing epitranscriptomics and tRNA modifications for oxidative stress and cancer biology. Led development of therapeutic nucleic acids, including modified catalytic RNAs, siRNAs, aptamers, and boron cluster conjugates for chemoradiotherapy in cancer. Coordinated 2 national consortia on nucleic acid therapeutics (2002–2005, 2007–2010) and 22 funded projects (EU, ICGEB, NCN, NCBiR). Currently directing industry-academia R&D project on therapeutic RNAs for cancer treatment. Supervised 12 PhD students and multiple Master’s students; built international teams in RNA modification chemistry.
Editorial and Advisory Roles
Editorial Board: New Journal of Chemistry (RSC, 2006–2011); Nucleic Acid Therapeutics (2009–present). Review Committee, Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP, 2012–2016), FWO (2019-2025)
Expert Evaluator: EU projects (since 2002); IUPAC Sub-Committee on Biotechnology (2008–2020), IUBMB representative (since 2024).
Publication and Patent Impact
180+ peer-reviewed publications in top journals on tRNA epitranscriptomics, nucleoside modifications, and RNA therapeutics. 19 granted patents (3 US, 4 European, 12 Polish) for innovative nucleoside analogs and RNA conjugates. >50 invited lectures.