A funding agreement with the Research Team selected in the first call of the Virtual Research Institute (WIB) has been signed at the headquarters of Łukasiewicz – PORT. The scientists received nearly PLN 70 million to conduct research on new cancer therapy methods.
On 17 January 2022, an agreement was concluded between Łukasiewicz – PORT, the Managing Entity of the WIB programme, and the Research Team whose project “Horizon of Excellence in the Application of Messenger RNA in Immuno-Oncology (HERO)” was selected in the first WIB call. The project’s authors were awarded nearly PLN 70 million to carry out research on new cancer therapies using therapeutic mRNA technology. The event was attended by Wojciech Murdzek, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Education and Science.
The research task will be carried out by scientists from a consortium of four leading Polish research institutions: the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, the University of Warsaw, the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Medical University of Warsaw.
The leader of the Research Team is Prof. Dr hab. Andrzej Dziembowski from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw. The team also includes:
Prof. Dr hab. Marcin Nowotny (International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw),
Prof. Dr hab. Marta Miączyńska (International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw),
Prof. Dr hab. Jacek Jemielity (University of Warsaw),
Dr hab. Joanna Kowalska (University of Warsaw),
Prof. Dr hab. Robert Hołyst (Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences),
Prof. Dr hab. Jakub Gołąb (Medical University of Warsaw),
Prof. Dr hab. med. Dominika Nowis (Medical University of Warsaw).
The HERO project received the highest evaluation from experts due to both its high scientific merit and the commercialization potential of the expected research outcomes, i.e., the prospects for introducing them to the market. mRNA technology is currently one of the most innovative development directions in the pharmaceutical industry and is attracting significant interest.
During the implementation of the research project, Łukasiewicz – PORT, as the Managing Entity, will play a consultative and advisory role, primarily in the area of commercialization of research outcomes, and will also carry out evaluations of the scientists’ work.
More information about the WIB programme can be found on the programme’s Virtual Research Institute website.
