MUG researchers among laureates of the 5th edition of the Walczak NAWA programme

2.07.2025

Magdalena Antoszewska, Ph.D. (Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology), Małgorzata Dobrzycka, M.D., Ph.D. (Department of Oncologic, Transplant and General Surgery) and Maksym Jopek, M.Sc. Eng. (Department of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG&MUG) have been named laureates of the prestigious 5th edition of the Prof. Franciszek Walczak Programme, established by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).

The Walczak NAWA Programme is an initiative supporting the development of Polish researchers and the advancement of medical care in Poland. In this year’s edition, selected fellows will travel to leading institutions including Harvard Medical School, Mayo Clinic Florida, University of Cambridge, Karolinska Institute and the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore.

The fellowships enable recipients to conduct research, acquire new skills, explore innovative methods and technologies, and lay the groundwork for future international collaboration.

– This year’s edition attracted significant interest – 125 applications were submitted. The success rate reached 25%, reflecting the high quality of the applicants. I extend my congratulations to all the awardees, said Wojciech Karczewski, Ph.D., Director of NAWA.

Fellowship projects by the MUG Awardees

Magdalena Antoszewska, M.D. affiliated with the Departmen of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology at the MUG, will complete a two-month fellowship at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (Los Angeles) under the supervision of Prof. David G. Armstrong, a world-renowned expert in chronic wound care, particularly diabetic foot management. In addition to clinical training, her project includes the development of educational materials – short films aimed at raising awareness and promoting best practices in diabetic foot care.

Małgorzata Dobrzycka, M.D., Ph.D. from the Department of Oncologic, Transplant and General Surgery, will undertake a fellowship at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York), a globally recognised centre of excellence in multimodal colorectal cancer treatment and one of the top-rated hospitals in the United States. Her fellowship will focus on comprehensive care strategies and minimally invasive robotic surgery for colorectal cancer patients.

Maksym Jopek, M.Sc. Eng., a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG&MUG, under the mentorship of Prof. Anna Żaczek and Anna Supernat, Ph.D., D.Sc. is engaged in research on the application of machine learning in translational oncology. His current focus includes developing RNA-based diagnostic models using platelet-derived RNA to enhance early cancer detection, with a particular emphasis on ovarian cancer.

As part of the Walczak NAWA Programme, he will conduct a research stay at the University of Utah’s Division of General Internal Medicine, led by Prof. Matthew Rondina. The fellowship will provide hands-on experience in platelet-focused research, including RNA extraction, quality control, and transcriptomic analysis. It also aims to strengthen ongoing collaboration with the University of Utah, especially in refining transcriptomic data analysis methods and optimizing machine learning models for clinical data classification, in cooperation with the institution’s bioinformatics team.

This research visit contributes to a broader initiative led by the MUG’s Department of Translational Oncology within the ABM KPO-funded project: A novel, multi-omic, cost-effective method for early cancer diagnosis based on liquid biopsy material, supported by advanced biostatistics, bioinformatics, and machine learning. The project aims to integrate experimental and computational tools to develop state-of-the-art and reliable diagnostic solutions in oncology.

The full list of laureates is available on the NAWA website.

The Prof. Franciszek Walczak Programme is funded by the Polish Ministry of Health and implemented in cooperation with the Medical Research Agency (ABM).