Patrycja Jakubek-Olszewska, BEng, MSc, PhD
My academic journey
I am a Biotechnologist dedicated to exploring the therapeutic properties of food bioactives, aiming to provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of diseases.
My academic journey began with a Bachelor of Engineering in Biotechnology at the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Lodz University of Technology. There, I built a strong foundation in food technology, biochemistry, and molecular biology and a keen interest in nutrigenomics. During a one-month internship at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdansk and the Medical University of Gdansk, I received additional training in molecular biology, which solidified my decision to pursue further studies in this field. This led me to move to Gdansk, where I completed my Master’s degree in Biotechnology at the Department of Food Chemistry, Technology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology. In my Master’s thesis I evaluated the impact of breastmilk processing on its microRNA profile.
Eager to further explore the relationship between food bioactives and human health I decided to continue my scientific path at GUT and pursue a PhD under the supervision of Prof. Agnieszka Bartoszek. My doctoral research focused on the chemical and biological evaluation of antioxidant activity of dietary bioactives produced endogenously in comparison to those of plant origin. After five years of research, challenges, and profound personal growth I was awarded a PhD in chemical sciences in 2022.
During my PhD I was actively participating in the NutRedOx COST Action 16112, which gathered scientists involved in the investigations of the impact of redox-active compounds in food on healthy ageing, chemoprevention and redox control in the context of major age-related diseases. As part of my involvement in this COST Action, in 2018 I had the opportunity to undertake two Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSM), during which I was trained in DNA methylation analysis under the supervision of Dr. Melita Vidaković at Institute for Biological Research „Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade (Serbia). Additionally, in the framework of the NutRedOx I was involved in the organization of COST Action meetings (Gdańsk 2018 and 2021) and the Comet assay workshops (Gdańsk 2019). In 2019, I had the opportunity to participate in workshops on cell migration, food metabolites, and gut microbiota at Lusófona University (Lisbon, Portugal). These experiences allowed me to build a network of professional contacts, which in 2021 ultimately led to a six-month research internship at University of Antwerp (Belgium), where I worked in the Protein Signaling, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signaling Group headed by Prof. Wim Vanden Berghe.
Currently I work as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the MitoLab group headed by Prof. Mariusz R. Więckowski at Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences (Warsaw, Poland). As a Post-doc I am leveraging my expertise in oxidative stress and antioxidants while exploring the role of mitochondrial and autophagy dysfunction in the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
In 2023 I joined the PRESTO COST Action 21130, which allowed me to undertake another STSM, this time at University of Ferrara in Italy. During this STSM, I received training in the investigation of P2X7 receptor expression and activity under the supervision of Dr. Elena Adinolfi in the research group headed by Prof. Francesco Di Virgilio.
PJO 