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Photo: Dominika Hull-Bruska

Scientific challenges for young researchers for the year 2025

In the PRELUDIUM 23 contest of the National Science Centre, decided in early December, grants were awarded to 13 of our researchers! Congratulations! Let’s take a look at what projects they will carry out.

From the last 2024 giveaway, the Preludes went to the following projects:

1.„Od spółdzielczych wspólnot po rynkowy indywidualizm – potencjał architektury postmodernistycznej na przykładzie Wrocławia” (From cooperative communities to market individualism – the potential of postmodern architecture on the example of Wrocław).

The originator of the project is Adam Pacholak (funding amount of PLN 139 500)

Adam Pacholak
Adam Pacholak, photo: private archive

About the project: A few years ago, after many protests, Solpol, an icon of Polish postmodern architecture, was demolished in Wrocław – says Adam Pacholak. – Interest in this style has grown in recent years. It reminds many of their youth or childhood, the 1990s kitsch and the first phase of Polish capitalism, full of stories about early businessmen and criminals. Such a nostalgic vision of postmodernism in Poland is linked to the neoliberal economic system, although this is not the only possible interpretation.

Postmodernism manifested itself among Polish architects as early as the second half of the 1970s, as a critique of the mass construction industry of the time and the pauperization of its modernist ideas. They were looking for different ways out of the architecture and construction crisis – not necessarily limited to free-market visions. Especially in Wrocław, the peculiar combination of top-down regulations, the legacy of a difficult history, an active counterculture scene, a huge gray area, and the residents’ own initiative resulted in a boom of church and building projects whose scale was unique compared to other major Polish cities. In its execution, the involvement of entire communities – parish or cooperative– rather than just “brilliant individuals” turned out to be crucial.

– After some initial research, the 1980s began to seem surprisingly familiar to me – the young generation of that time was entering adulthood in a country that was in an economic and political crisis, with an uncertain international situation and hopeless housing prospects. Many of them took matters into their own hands – together. Together building their places to live, to pray, to gather, to live. To these groups, architects had to offer postmodern architecture and urbanism exactly, radically breaking with the paradigms of the construction industry of the time and seeking to humanize space. Many of the postmodern buildings in Wrocław that were completed in the 1990s, had their origins in the previous decade and in the previous system, while their authors and users were backed by diverse opinions about the country’s reforms and models for its future. And although today, many of the representatives of that now older generation recall with a kind of shame the materials, methods of construction, cooperative forms, or architecture itself at the time, I see in these unusual and inspiring models for coping with difficult times.

– I would like to recognize the most important objects of postmodern architecture in Wrocław, the authors behind them (not just architects!) and their inspirations, and their subsequent history of clashing with the developing free market. As a result, there should be a consistent narrative about the architecture of the 1980s and 1990s in Wrocław, which can be compared to other cities in post-communist countries and perhaps break popular perceptions about the times of transformation – the historian adds.

2. „Weryfikacja obecności skrobi u orzęsków i badanie mechanizmów jej metabolizmu (Verification of starch presence in ciliates and examination of its metabolism mechanisms).

The initiator of the project is Kacper Ludwig (funding amount of PLN 197 030)

Kacper Ludwig
Kacper Ludwig, photo: private archive

– Since childhood, I have been interested in the systematics of living organisms, and at least since high school in evolutionary issues. During my undergraduate studies, I deepened my knowledge of protist diversity and endosymbiosis – the process by which free-living bacterial cells transformed into mitochondria and chloroplasts of eukaryotes. While researching the literature, I came across the topic of the evolution of starch and glycogen. It is often assumed that glycogen has been replaced by starch due to chloroplast endosymbiosis. However, I pointed out that in the case of ciliates, an ecologically important and diverse group of protists, no one has conducted an exhaustive discussion of the available data on their storage polysaccharides. Therefore, I dedicated my bachelor’s thesis to the preliminary identification of this topic. I managed to find many indications of starch production by ciliates despite the absence of chloroplasts. I am currently planning to definitively verify whether ciliates produce starch and to investigate what are the mechanisms of its metabolism in this group of organisms – the researcher explains.

3. „Sztuczna inteligencja i prawo do obrony – sprzymierzeńcy czy wrogowie? (AI and defence rights – friends or foes?).

This is Michalina Marcia’s project (funding amount of PLN 168 103)

MichalinaMarcia_zdj uwr uwr
Michalina Marcia, photo: Dominika Hull-Bruska

– The use of artificial intelligence has recently become the subject of growing interest, which is not without its effects on the criminal trial as well. The use of measures based on artificial intelligence in a trial can undoubtedly bring many benefits – it can reduce costs, workload, trial time, as well as standardize the practice of law enforcement, but at the same time it raises many questions from the point of respect for human rights in a criminal trial, including the right to a defense – the lawyer says.

The aim of the research is to determine how artificial intelligence can be used in a trial, whether such use can be compatible with the right to defense, and how particular solutions could be implemented to ensure their proportionality. To answer “how” is also intended to lead to the creation of certain common standards to be applied within the EU. Therefore, the research aims to construct a legal framework that minimizes existing risks, maximizes the use of the systems, and contributes to optimizing the use of artificial intelligence in criminal proceedings.

4. „Charakterystyka anty-lipidowych przeciwciał IgG u pacjentów z rzutowo-remisyjną postacią stwardnienia rozsianego: właściwości fizykochemiczne oraz aktywność biologiczna” (Characteristics of anti-lipid IgG antibodies in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: physico-chemical properties and biological activity).

The author of the project is Anna Jakubiak-Augustyn (funding amount of PLN 209 230)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic condition of the central nervous system (CNS) with a complex background. Multifocal damage to the CNS causes a variety of symptoms and increases disability for those affected. – The project aims to analyze antibodies against bioactive sphingolipids (Cer and C1P) in samples of serum and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis (RRMS) – the researcher explains. – The presence and physico-chemical and biological properties of these antibodies in RRMS patients will be compared with healthy participants and patients with other neurological diseases (OND). The research subject is a continuation of collaboration with dr hab. n.med. Maria Podbielska (IITD PAN), and is part of the current trend of research on the “lipid component” of MS pathogenesis. Its implementation will help clarify some of the unsolved issues in this area.

Despite progress in early diagnosis and the availability of several disease-modifying treatments, the course of multiple sclerosis and its response to treatment are still very difficult to predict and monitor. There is an ongoing search for reliable biomarkers – molecules that could be measured in body fluids to determine disease risk, and severity and/or predict the outcome. Antibodies against bioactive sphingolipids, major components of the myelin that protects and improves conduction in the brain and spinal cord’s neurons, appear to be a promising candidate for this role. It is presumed that antibodies against ceramides, which belong to bioactive sphingolipids, play an important role in damage to the myelin (severe inflammation), while those directed against ceramide-1-phosphate may be linked to chronic neuronal damage (neurodegeneration) – the main processes underlying disease progression.

– As a result, we expect to identify specific anti-lipid markers specific for multiple sclerosis associated with severe inflammatory damage to the myelin and/or chronic neuronal damage – the researcher adds. – The potential clinical application of anti-lipid biomarkers may influence improved diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (distinguishing multiple sclerosis from other neurological diseases, especially in atypical cases) and careful observation of the course of the disease (in order to accurately evaluate the disease and adjust treatment).

5. „Wzorce drapieżnictwa lęgowego w zmiennym środowisku szuwaru trzcinowego na przykładzie trzcinniczka Acrocephaplus scirpaceus” (Nest predation patterns in a highly variable habitat: the case of Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus)

Justyna Płóciennik will receive PLN 209 332. for the research.

Justyna Płóciennik uwr
Justyna Płóciennik, photo: private archive

– The aim of my project is a complex analysis of the phenomenon of predation, both in time and space, based on the case of a small passerine bird – the Eurasian Reed Warbler. The habitat of the reed warbler, which are reed rushes, changes significantly over the course of the species’ nesting season – the biologist says.

The project includes four main research tasks. The first is the identification of species responsible for nesting losses to reed warblers, which will be carried out with camera traps installed near the nests. Another aim is to analyze the distribution of predation over time, both by day, season, and between seasons. The third task is to analyze the distribution of nests plundered by predators in the area. The final task is to study the influence of vegetation structure, nest placement, and nesting location within a habitat patch on what predators plunder reed warbler nests. As the nesting season progresses, the reeds grow to a considerable height, and the water level drops rapidly. In most places, the water is drying up completely, which potentially opens up new pathways for predators that were previously unable to reach nests. Such rapid changes in habitat structure can affect which predator species plunder reed warbler nests, which in turn can significantly affect the patterns of predation observed in our population.

Obtained results will provide insights into the complex interactions between predators, prey, and the environment, at both spatial and temporal scales. – Without a doubt, the results will also allow us to understand changes in the number of predators and prey in a changing environment. Considering the pace of change under the influence of human activity around the world, this research will also help to understand the specifics of interspecies relationships in a rapidly changing environment, the biologist adds.

6. „Ekstrema fragmentacji ze wzrostem i pokrewnych procesów” (Extremes of Growth-Fragmentations and related processes).

Tamara Frączek (funding amount of PLN 138 194)

Tamara Frączek, fot. Paweł Piotrowski
Tamara Frączek, photo: Paweł Piotrowski

Tamara Frączek about the project: – Its aim is to analyze two types of processes that model phenomena in nature: fragmentation processes and branching walks. Fragmentation processes describe how an object breaks down into smaller fragments over time, such as the fracture of the earth’s crust caused by earthquakes. Branching walks, on the other hand, model population dynamics in which individuals can reproduce, die, and relocate, with the environment randomly influencing these activities, either facilitating or hindering them.

As it turns out, the two models are closely related, making them particularly interesting to study together. – The main questions I’m trying to answer in the project are about their long-term behavior. For example, I analyze the size of the fragments created by the fragmentation process and the speed at which the population is moving – the researcher explains.

7. „Wpływ obcego akcentu na decyzje. Badanie zachowań anglojęzycznych słuchaczy wobec dylematów moralnych przedstawionych z nienatywną wymową” (The Impact of a Foreign Accent on Decisions: Studying the Behavior of English-speaking Listeners in Response to Moral Dilemmas Presented with Non-native Pronunciation). Anna Borkowska will receive PLN 86 259 for this project.

8. „Telurany o strukturze podwójnego perowskitu: nowe transparentne polikrystaliczne spieki ceramiczne jako efektywne emitery w zakresie IR” (Double perovskite-type tellurates: new transparent, polycrystalline ceramics as efficient emitters in IR).

Kacper Prokop (funding amount of PLN 139 995)

KacperProkop-młodybadacz3 uwr
Kacper Prokop, photo: Katarzyna Górowicz-Maćkiewicz

Kacper Prokop about the project: – As part of my research project, I am challenging myself to create innovative transparent ceramic materials based on tellurates types BaLaLiTeO₆ and BaLaNaTeO₆. These compounds, being part of the versatile and widely researched perovskite group, have great potential to become the basis for new developments in optical and laser technologies.

I selected tellurates because of their unique physico-chemical properties, such as their high structural symmetry, their ability to easily incorporate rare earth ions (Nd³⁺, Yb³⁺), and their low phonon energies, which facilitate radiative transitions. Due to these features, I can see a wide range of possible applications for these materials in lasers emitting near-IR light, in modern LEDs, and in medical devices such as scintillators used in medical imaging.

The aim of the project is also to verify whether based on these tellurates it is possible to obtain transparent polycrystalline ceramics. These types of ceramics offer a number of advantages over traditional monocrystals, which are difficult to manufacture, expensive, and often limited in size and shape. Transparent ceramics are more mechanically resistant, can be made in any shape and size, and are cheaper to manufacture. Their applications can range from advanced wavelength-controlled lasers to ultrafast pulsed light sources, making them ideal for optoelectronic, medical, and military technologies.

– I hope that my research will result in the development of a new group of optical materials that will contribute to advances in fields such as optoelectronics and medical imaging, the researcher adds.

9.  „Problemy Decyzyjne dla Logik ze Słabymi Formami Rekurencji” (Decision Problems for Logics with Weak Forms of Recursion). The originator of the project is Bartosz Bednarczyk (funding amount of PLN 63 600).

Bartosz Bednarczyk uwr
Bartosz Bednarczyk, photo: private archive

– The aim of my year-long project is to examine the computational properties of certain logics ( that is, formalized languages for describing knowledge and for inferring it) that underlie standardized ontology languages, including for example OWL 2 – says the researcher. – I would like to solve some open problems in it, some of which were partially answered in my doctoral thesis.

10. „Rozwój bezsiatkowej metody gazu sieciowego Boltzmanna – dedykowane operatory adwekcji, warunki brzegowe i strategie dyskretyzacji” (The development of meshless Lattice Boltzmann Method – tailored streaming schemes, boundary conditions, and discretization strategies)

Dawid Strzelczyk (funding amount of PLN 166 689)

Dawit Strzelczyk UWr
Dawid Strzelczyk, photo: private archive

Dawid Strzelczyk about the project: – Its aim is the development and expansion of the current state of knowledge on the meshless Lattice Boltzmann Method (MLBM). It is a recent method of computational fluid dynamics, with the potential to make faster and more efficient calculations compared to the standard version of LBM. The research will focus on both the basic properties of the method and its application to particular physical problems. The idea for the project has been germinating over the past few years of working with LBM and MLBM methods in our group, during which we noticed the potential of meshless LBM and identified basic research problems related to understanding how it works and how applicable it is.

11. „Tempo subdukcji i ekshumacji skał ultra-wysokociśnieniowych odsłaniających się w Masywie Śnieżnika (Subduction and exhumation rates of ultrahigh-pressure rocks exposed in the Śnieżnik Massif)

This is Małgorzata Nowak’s project (funding amount of PLN 139 909).

Małgorzata Nowak uwr
Małgorzata Nowak, photo: private archive

Śnieżnik massif is an extremely diverse and geologically interesting area. Eclogites are being exposed here – not very common rocks, formed under high pressure conditions. – During the course of my research, conducted as part of my doctoral thesis, I managed to document the occurrence of coesite, an ultrahigh-pressure variety of quartz (stable at pressures >2.8 GPa at about 800°, which corresponds to being plunged to a depth of approximately 100 km). This discovery means that new research is necessary to better understand the processes that led to the formation of these rocks – the researcher says. – The main purpose of my project is to create a new geodynamic model of the development of rock complexes exposed in Śnieżnik massif. The model will depict the distinct stages of continental collision that resulted in burial, metamorphism, and exhumation of the rocks being researched.

The isotopic dating planned as part of the project will also provide insight into the timeframe of the described processes.

12. „Jakie są czasowe i przestrzenne trendy dla czynników naturalnych i antropogenicznych kształtujących stężenia PM2.5 w kontekście zmian klimatu i emisji w Europie? Interpretowalne podejście do uczenia maszynowego (What are spatial and temporal trends of natural and anthropogenic influences on PM2.5 concentrations in Europe under changing climate and emissions? An explainable machine learning approach)

The author of the project is Tetiana Vovk (funding amount of PLN 159 773).

Tatiana Vork uwr uwr
Tatiana Vork, photo: private archive

The idea for the research was derived from the necessity to better understand how climate changes and human actions have affected air quality in Europe over the past two decades. The dust particles of PM2.5 have a significant impact on human health, and their increased level is one of the leading causes of premature deaths worldwide, according to the WHO. Therefore, it is crucial to reveal how various natural and anthropogenic processes affect air pollution in the surrounding environment. Modern techniques of artificial intelligence (AI) provide broad opportunities for analyzing large data sets and finding hidden correlations in them. – As a result, this project aims to apply interpretable AI methods to find such complex correlations between changes in weather conditions, land use or emission of pollution, and the level of PM2.5 concentrations in European air – says the researcher. – The project aims to determine which factors play a crucial role depending on the region, as well as how their impact changes over time – daily, seasonally, and over the course of decades. The results will not only help to understand past trends but will also provide practical suggestions for environmental policies and public health efforts. The research has the potential to support more effective strategies to reduce air pollution in Europe and provide real benefits to society, decision-makers, and the environment.

13. „Automatyczna detekcja i modelowanie przestrzenne alergennego pyłku roślinnego w skali miejskiej” (Automatic detection and spatial modeling of allergenic pollen at urban scale)

The author of the project is Szymon Tomczyk (funding amount of PLN 198 799).

Szymon Tomczyk uwr
Szymon Tomczyk, photo: private archive

Human health is a particularly important research topic for researchers. The problem of allergies, including inhalant allergies, is being increasingly addressed in this context. Pollen present in the air, which is produced by trees during the blooming season, has a special role in causing allergies.

The analysis indicate that nowadays the problem of allergies is increasing, which is partly due to global warming. The project has two basic aims: improvement of allergenic pollen detection by developing machine learning algorithms in an automatic detector of bioaerosols, and development of spatial distributions of allergenic pollen concentrations for Wrocław using numerical modeling and measurements.

– The project involves two of the most allergy-causing plant taxa, which are birch and grasses – the researcher explains.

High-quality measurements are a key tool for evaluating the risk of allergy. As part of the project, it is planned to work with the Swisens Poleno Jupiter automatic pollen detector, which was purchased from the University of Wrocław’s Research Equipment Fund and has been operating for a year at the Department of Climatology and Atmosphere Protection. The second issue addressed in the project is the spatial modeling of allergenic pollen concentrations within the city of Wrocław. The plan is to use the ADMS-Urban pollution dispersion model, which will be adjusted to determine the variability of concentrations. The results will help to determine the dynamics of variations in pollen concentrations in the city based on specified meteorological conditions. The final part of the project will be to combine measurements and modeling to predict pollen concentrations in Wrocław.

Complied by Katarzyna Górowicz-Maćkiewicz

Date of publication: 30.12.2024.

Added by: M.J.

Translated by Emilia Bukieda (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.

The project “Integrated Program for the Development of the University of Wrocław 2018-2022” co-financed by the European Union from the European Social Fund

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