Gala of Polish Science 2026 – MNiSW Award for prof. Jolanta Zakrzewska-Czerwińska
At the Gala of Polish Science 2026, prof. dr hab. Jolanta Zakrzewska-Czerwińska of the Faculty of Biotechnology at the University of Wrocław received the Award of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for lifetime scientific achievement.
The award ceremony took place on 20 February 2026 at the Polish Theatre in Warsaw. We warmly congratulate Professor Zakrzewska-Czerwińska on this prestigious distinction.
Prof. dr hab. Jolanta Zakrzewska-Czerwińska is an outstanding researcher of recognised authority in the field of bacterial molecular biology. Her discoveries have made a lasting contribution to understanding fundamental biological processes, in particular the mechanisms regulating the replication of genetic material and the organisation of chromosomes in pathogenic bacteria.
Prof. dr hab. Jolanta Zakrzewska-Czerwińska jest wybitną badaczką o uznanym autorytecie w dziedzinie biologii molekularnej bakterii. Jej odkrycia wniosły trwały wkład w zrozumienie podstawowych procesów biologicznych, w szczególności mechanizmów regulacji replikacji materiału genetycznego oraz organizacji chromosomu bakterii chorobotwórczych.
Major scientific achievements
Among the Professor’s most important scientific achievements are:
- demonstration that the predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, referred to as a “living antibiotic”, is the only bacterium known to date capable of dividing both in a binary and a non-binary manner.
- the discovery and description of a new species of staphylococcus;
- elucidation of the molecular basis of chromosome replication initiation and the regulation of these processes in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, illustrated by Streptomyces and Helicobacter pylori, respectively;
- characterisation of key stages of the mycobacterial cell cycle at the subcellular level;
- identification of the mechanisms of action of chromatin proteins in bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium;
Publications and teaching activity
Professor Zakrzewska-Czerwińska’s publication record includes more than 120 scientific articles published in leading journals such as Nature Communications, Nucleic Acids Research, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, FEMS Microbiology Reviews, mBio, Molecular Microbiology, PLoS Genetics, Journal of Biological Chemistry, and Journal of Bacteriology.
She has supervised 17 doctoral theses, including three carried out within international collaborations: at the John Innes Centre in Norwich (United Kingdom) as part of a Royal Society project (two doctorates) and at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biology in Berlin (Germany) within the DAAD programme (one doctorate).
Her doctoral graduates have received prestigious distinctions and fellowships, including START scholarships from the Foundation for Polish Science (three recipients), Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellowships (three recipients), and an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship (one recipient). Three of her former PhD students have obtained the degree of habilitated doctor, and two have been awarded the title of professor and currently head research units at the University of Wrocław and at the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Organisational activity
Professor Zakrzewska-Czerwińska’s most significant organisational achievements include:
- establishing the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Microorganisms at the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences (head, 1998–2014);
- founding the Doctoral School at the same Institute;
- creating the Department of Molecular Microbiology at the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Wrocław, and directing it from 2007 to 2024.
Professor Zakrzewska-Czerwińska has repeatedly served on key bodies of the Polish science and higher education system, including the Council of Scientific Excellence, the Committee for the Evaluation of Scientific Units of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and the Ministry’s Science Evaluation Committee. She is also a member of the scientific councils of the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy PAS and the Institute of Medical Biology PAS, the PAS Biotechnology Committee, a senator of the University of Wrocław, and a former member of the University Council.
The scientific, organisational, and teaching achievements of Professor Jolanta Zakrzewska-Czerwińska constitute an outstanding contribution to the development of Polish science. The fundamental research she has conducted significantly advances knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial function, while her commitment to educating and supporting young scientists ensures the continued growth of this field.
