MUG researcher awarded in the OPUS 28 + LAP/Weave competition by the National Science Centre

18.07.2025

Michał Bieńkowski, Ph.D. from the Department of Pathomorphology at the MUG has been awarded funding for the implementation of the international research project RECIPRO-CRC under the OPUS 28 + LAP/Weave competition announced by the National Science Centre (NCN). The project will be conducted in collaboration with a Swiss research team from ETH Zürich. The Polish portion of the project’s budget amounts to PLN 2,654,110.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Its metastases – most frequently to the liver or lungs – are the primary cause of mortality associated with the disease. While the genetic differences between primary tumours and metastatic lesions are relatively minor, local tissue environments can significantly influence their behaviour.

The RECIPRO-CRC project focuses on investigating the interactions between metastatic colorectal cancer cells and the microenvironments of the liver and lungs. The aim is to understand how cancer cells adapt to the specific conditions of these organs and how they affect surrounding healthy tissues – particularly through the phenomenon known as reflected stemness, whereby cancer cells induce progenitor-like features in healthy cells, thereby facilitating metastasis development.

– Using advanced molecular techniques such as whole exome sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and single-nucleus transcriptomics, we will build a detailed molecular dataset from our unique clinical material. In the next phase, we plan to identify organ-specific metastatic factors. Our Swiss collaborators will study the mechanisms by which healthy cells are reprogrammed into progenitor cells, employing CRISPR screening, advanced murine models and in vitro systems. We will then validate the selected factors – particularly their roles in cancer progression and tissue microenvironments – using spatial biology tools, explains M. Bieńkowski, Ph.D. the project’s principal investigator.

RECIPRO-CRC may contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving colorectal cancer metastasis and the identification of new biomarkers or therapeutic targets that could improve treatment strategies.

The OPUS 28 + LAP/Weave competition supports bilateral or trilateral collaborations with research teams from Austria, Belgium-Flanders, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Germany, or Switzerland. A total of 31 projects have received funding exceeding PLN 58 million. More information, including ranking lists, is available on the NCN website.

Photo by P. Sudara / MUG