Scientists at the Life Sciences and Biotechnology Center at Łukasiewicz – PORT work every day on therapies that may contribute to breakthroughs in the treatment of severe disorders. On Rare Disease Day, observed annually on the last day of February, we present the latest approach to treating Huntington’s disease, which is the subject of research conducted by Dr. Agnieszka Krzyżosiak and the Neurodegeneration Mechanisms Research Group she leads at our Institute.

In Poland, according to data from the National Health Fund (NFZ), approximately 1.2 million people suffer from depression*. Worldwide, the number exceeds 280 million (WHO data**). Despite established treatment protocols, physicians and scientists continue to seek answers to the following questions.

In June 2023, the INDICATO project won one of the three main awards at the Łukasiewicz Accelerator Demo Day. A few months later, based on this project, a start-up of the same name was established. It is the first such venture at Łukasiewicz – PORT. Its goal is the commercialization of technology developed at Łukasiewicz – PORT by Dr. Eng. Magdalena Wilk-Kozubek and Dr. Eng. Bartłomiej Potańec.

The Foundation of the Polish Center for Technology Development was established in 2019 as an entity supporting scientific, educational, and science-popularization activities. In 2023, more than 2,600 children took part in free workshops held with the Foundation’s support. Every zloty donated to the Foundation in the annual tax return increases the opportunity to organize even more events and activities, allowing even more people to benefit from them.

Łukasiewicz – PORT has opened registration for a new series of educational workshops, which will be held from March to June by the Gardens of Experiences – the Technology Education Center at the institute. The offer includes six thematically diverse classes aimed at organized school groups and youth, providing an interactive introduction to topics in the exact sciences and experimentation.

We warmly invite you to a seminar organized as part of the SAME-NeuroID project, during which Prof. Bastian Hengerer, Director of Neuroscience Research at Boehringer Ingelheim, will deliver a lecture. Professor Hengerer will present key findings from his research.

On January 11, 2024, Łukasiewicz – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development will host Prof. Marco Rust from the Institute of Physiological Chemistry (Biochemical-Pharmacological Center) at the University of Marburg, who will deliver a lecture titled: “Cyclase-associated protein (CAP): a novel CAPt’n of neuronal actin dynamics.”

In 2023, Łukasiewicz – PORT secured 17 projects, launched four new research groups, and established its first start-up. It was also a year of numerous scientific events hosted at our Institute. Below, we recap the most significant developments of the past year.

May the Christmas season bring a moment of calm, may the presence and smiles of your loved ones bring peace and joy, and may the coming year be filled with inspiration, new discoveries, and exciting projects. Wishing you a healthy Christmas and a happy New Year!

From November to December 2023, the Gardens of Experience team organized a series of six workshops for representatives of educational institutions, local government units, and non-governmental organizations involved in active youth education. The training sessions were conducted as part of the project “Future Competencies as the Key to Poland’s Technological Development,” funded by the Ministry of Education and Science.