Department of Plant Ecophysiology

The Head of Department: prof. dr hab. Malgorzata M. Posmyk

Research topics

• Physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of plant resistance to abiotic environmental stresses: Induction of plant defense strategies (context: environmental pollution, climate change).

             - The influence of abiotic factors on plant growth and development – ​​ studies on model and crop plants cultivated in pots, hydroponic and in vitro cultures.

             - The regulation of the process of programmed plant cell death (PCD-like) in model suspension cultures of in vitro tobacco Nicotiana tabacum BY-2.

• Plant biostimulators (context: climate change, eco-cultivation, circular economy). Identification of new compounds – including non-toxic waste ones – that could reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers or chemical plant protection products, and at the same time improve the condition of crops and enrich plant-based food.

              - The role of melatonin in plants – melatonin as a phytobiostimulant.

             - Waste substance tests.

• Seed improuvement (context: improving the quality and size of the crop, eco-cultivation). In the changing environment and growing demand for crops/food, highly effective methods are quested, improving the vigour and vitality of seeds, supporting their germination, uniform seedling growth - especially under suboptimal conditions, which contributes to extending the time available for vegetation, to obtaining crops in good condition and high yields.

            - Seed quality assessment tests.

           -  Selection and implementation optimal for the species of seed conditioning treatments ( matri-, osmo- and hydropriming, steam humidification, with appropriate biologically active substances).

• Study on the health-promoting properties of plant derivative compounds/phytochemicals (context: obtaining new sources of functional food, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, cosmeceuticals, phytopharmaceuticals).

           - Tests of biochemical properties (including antioxidant potential) of phytochemicals and their in vitro interactions with normal and pathological/cancer cell lines.

           - Work on optimizing the phytochemicals application including through nanocarriers.

• New strategies for optimizing the cultivation of energy plants biomass (context: renewable energy sources) Innovative technology application using algae metabolites and Cyanobacteria to reduce artificial fertilizers in ecological production of energy plants.

• Phytoremediation - a new area of ​​ using energy plants and others in environmental renewal and water renaturation.

Scientific projects (since 2010)

• 2010-2013, Grant of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education NN304 385338 "Phytoremediation as a new area of ​​ using energy plants in the renewal of the environment and water renaturation" - supervisor dr hab. Zdzis ława Romanowska-Duda, prof. University of Lodz.
• 2011-2014, Grant of the National Science Center NN310 111940 "Proteomic analysis of protein changes in the embryonic axes of seeds conditioned with melatonin, exposed to chilling stress during germination" - supervisor prof. dr hab. Malgorzata M. Posmyk.
• 2016-2020 Project of the National Center for Research and Development BIOSTRATEG 2/296369/5/NCBR2016 "Processing of waste biomass in combined biological and chemical processes" - leader prof. dr hab. Eng. Piotr Kula (PŁ), consortium implementing: Lodz University of Technology, University of Lodz, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Institute of Biotechnology of Agricultural and Food Industry. prof. Wacław Dąbrowski, Institute of Horticulture, EKSPERT-SITR Sp. z o.o., District Center for Expertise and Technical Consultancy, Krajowa Spółka Cukrowa S. A. Representative of the University of Lodz and contractor - dr hab. Zdzis ława Romanowska-Duda prof. University of Lodz.
• Polish–Belgian Joint Research Project For Years 2017-1018 "Exploring melatonin beneficial effect in Arabidopsis”; under the agreement on cooperation between the Polish Academy of Science (PAN) and the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS). Cooperators: M. Juraniec* (leader), M.M. Posmyk*, N.Verbruggen**, Ch. Hermans** (*University of Lodz and **Universite Libre de Bruxelles).
• 2019-2020, Grant of the National Science Center 2018/02/X/NZ3/02767 "Exogenous melatonin as a factor modifying the response of BY-2 tobacco suspension cells to oxidative stress induced by lead" - supervisor dr. Eng. Agnieszka Kobylińska.
• 2020-2021 Grant of the National Science Center 2020/04/X/NZ3/016 05 "Study of the role of the COPPER MODIFIED RESISTANCE 1 protein in the regulation of the mitotic spindle formation checkpoint in Arabidopsis thaliana ". – supervisor Dr. Micha ł Juraniec.
• 2024-2026 Research project of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education NdS-II/SP/0390/2023/01 "Obtaining health-promoting phytochemicals to lifestyle diseases prevention and therapy support ’ " - supervisor dr hab. Katarzyna Szafrańska.

Cooperation with foreign and domestic partners

• Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratoire de Physiologie et de Genetique Moleculaire des Plantes (Bruxelles, Belgique)
• Universit é Pierre et Marie Curie (Sorbonne Universities; Paris VI) Physiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire des Plantes - Germination et Dormance des Semences (Paris, France)
• University of Texas, Health Science Center, Department of Cellular and Structural Biology (San Antonio TX, USA)
• Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University, Department of Horticulture, Kahramanmaraş (Turkey)
• Technical University of Lodz
• Warsaw University of Life Sciences
• University of A. Mickiewicz in Poznań
• University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn
• Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice
• ŁUKASIEWICZ – Lodz Institute of Technology

Didactics

KER employees co-implement didactic programs (lectures, seminars, seminars, classes, specialist laboratories) in full-time and part-time studies: 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree, in the field of broadly understood ecophysiology, physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of plants in the following fields of study:

- Biology,

- Biotechnology,

- Biomonitoring and ecological biotechnologies,

- Eco-city.

The topics of diploma theses (bachelor, master, PhD) are generally consistent with the Dept. specialization, however, they take into account the student's interests and choices, it is possible to suggest/delineate new research trends and work topics after prior consultation/discussion with the scientific supervisor/supervisor.