Preludium grant for our researcher from the Faculty of Chemistry.
Daria Wojtala is a doctoral student from the Magnetic Materials Group of the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Wrocław. Her research is carried out under the supervision of dr hab. Urszula Komarnicka (supervisor), dr inż. Sandra Kozieł (assistant supervisor), and prof. dr hab. Alina Bieńko (Head of the Group).
– My project, entitled “From simple alkaloids to potentially anticancer Ir(III) and Ru(II) complexes supported by the magnetic nanoparticles” („Od nieskomplikowanych alkaloidów do potencjalnie przeciwnowotworowych fosfinowych kompleksów Ir(III) oraz Ru(II) wspomaganychmagnetycznymi nanocząstkami”), has received funding of the Preludium grant from the NCN. The research, which is also the topic of my doctoral thesis, focuses on the synthetic pathway optimization, and the physicochemical and biological characterization of potentially anticancer metal-organic Ir(III) and Ru(II) compounds with phosphine derivatives of naturally occurring alkaloids. To ensure regulated supply of these compounds into dermatologic tumors, we intend to shape and receive magnetic nanoemulsions formed of systems with the best activity.
As part of her research, our doctoral student aims to obtain a library of various organic (phosphine-alkaloid conjugates) and coordination (phosphine Ir(III) and Ru(II) complexes) compounds. Their physicochemical properties will be partially assessed by our researcher under the supervision of prof. Stefano Caramori of the Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Ferrara. – I will analyze the anticancer potential of received compounds as part of my internships at the Coordination and Bioinorganic Physicochemistry Group (led by prof. dr hab. Grażyna Stochel) of the Faculty of Chemistry at the Jagiellonian University, and the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences at the University of Padua in Italy (under the supervision of prof. Valentina Gandin). It will help with the assessment of relations between the activity and structure of those systems. In addition, as part of my internship at the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at the Palacký University Olomouc in the Czech Republic (under the supervision of prof. Pavel Kopel), the most promising compounds will be incorporated into magnetic micelles or liposomes – she adds.
– My project is undoubtedly a significant extension to the topic that I have already researched as part of my theses and the NCN grants, such as Sonata 12 under the supervision of dr hab. Urszula Komarnicka, or Preludium 19 under the supervision of dr inż. Sandra Kozieł. I have been straddling between two worlds since my scientific journey started – the worlds of chemistry and biology. When I started my career, I already knew that there is only one approach, which is the interdisciplinary approach, that allows not only the complex comprehension, but also the attempt to solve the issue of cancer, cancer’s resistance to modern drugs, or their lack of selectivity. What is more, work conducted within the Magnetic Materials Group made me understand that brave ideas (such as using an internal magnetic field in anticancer therapy) lead to the obtainment of results which may have an actual impact on society – the researcher says.
Preludium is a unique competition of the NCN, which helps researchers during early stages of their careers (before doctoral degree) gain experience in realization of research projects even lasting up to three years.
Congratulations and we wish further success!
Who else from UWr has received the Preludium and Opus grants? See here.
Translated by Mateusz Czerwiński (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
