Dr Robert Zarnowski – invitation to a lecture
The staff of the Faculty of Biotechnology are pleased to invite you to a lecture by Robert Zarnowski, PhD (University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA), entitled “The Untold Story of eDNA in Candida Biofilm Extracellular Vesicles”. The lecture will take place on 24 February at 1.00 p.m. in Lecture Hall 1.05 of the Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław (ul. F. Joliot-Curie 14a). Dr Zarnowski is visiting the University of Wrocław under the “Visiting Professors” programme (IDUB).
The organiser is dr Anna Jaromin, Department of Lipids and Liposomes, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław.
Lecture topic:
The fungal pathogen Candida albicans forms highly structured biofilms that resist antifungal drugs and evade host immune responses, resulting in persistent and difficult-to-treat infections. Exosome-like extracellular vesicles produced by C. albicans biofilms carry a complex cargo of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Both exosomal proteins and carbohydrates are key matrix components that strongly shape biofilm biology and fungal–host interactions. In contrast, the role of extracellular DNA (eDNA) remains largely mysterious. What types of eDNA are present in biofilms? Could it serve as a scaffold for the matrix? Does it influence biofilm organization? Is it genetically functional? Can eDNA contribute to antifungal resistance? Can exosomal cargo modulate interactions with the host immune system? And finally, what do we actually know about C. albicans biofilm exosomes produced during infection? Can they be isolated directly from infection sites?
Each question opens a window of opportunity into the as-yet-unknown strategies that allow C. albicans biofilms to survive and thrive. To find answers to these intriguing questions and uncover the secrets of exosomes in fungal biofilm resilience, please join the lecture by Dr. Robert Zarnowski (University of Wisconsin–Madison).
Date of publication: 18.02.2026
Added by: M.J.
