Head
Joanna Sypecka, Prof, PhD, phone: +48 22 60 86 510; 60 86 508, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Secretariat
Krystyna Wasik, phone: +48 22 60 86 510, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Research staff
Barbara Lukomska, Prof. Ph.D.; D.Sc., phone: +48 22 60 86 448, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Malgorzata Nalecz, Ph.D., D.Sc., phone: +48 22 60 86 532, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Luiza Stanaszek, Ph.D., phone +48 22 60 86 532, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sylwia Dabrowska, Ph.D., phone +48 22 60 86 471, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Justyna Janowska, Ph.D., phone +48 22 60 86 618, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Justyna Gargas , Ph.D, phone +48 22 60 86 618, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Technical staff
Halina Zajac , phone + 48 22 60 86 531
PhD students
Michal Franczak, M. Sc., phone: +48 22 60 86 529, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Paulina Gebala, M.Sc., phone: + 48 22 60 86 471, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Weronika Maksymiuk, M.Sc., phone: +48 22 60 86 529, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Paulina Pawelec, M.Sc., phone +48 22 60 86 618, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Karolina Ziabska, M.Sc., phone +48 22 60 86 618, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Students
Almira Ibragimova, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw

Research profile
The research interest is focused on:
• human mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow and cell microvesicles in term of their isolation, identification, expansion, genetic modifications and therapeutic transplantation in animal models of brain ischemia
• interpretation of the role the histone acetylation/deacetylation play in stimulating the endogenous neurogenesis in rat model of perinatal asphyxia
• evaluation of the selected mechanisms of neuron-glia and glia-glia interactions during CNS neurodegeneration and neurorepair
• description of temporary ischemia-hypoxia influence on the oligodendrocyte progenitor maturation and process of CNS myelination
• effectiveness of glial progenitor transplantation in the treatment of ALS disease in the experimental models (rag2/shi; rag2/SOD1mice)

Grants

• Involvement of endo- and exogenous factors in neuroreparative processes evolved by the CNS damage (2020-2021), Statutory project no 6, Principal investigator - Joanna Sypecka, Assoc. Prof.
• Evaluation of immunomodulatory and neuroregenerative capacity of glial cell derived from human mesenchymal stem cells of Wharton's Jelly in the models of the selected neurodevelopmental diseases 2023 - 2027, projekt NCN PRELUDIUM BIS, Principincipal investigator: Joanna Sypecka, Assoc. Prof.
• OLIGOPHAGY: Investigating the role of autophagy in oligodendrocytes in hypoxic-ischemic perinatal brain injuries, (2022-2025), 2021/03/Y/NZ4/00214 (WEAVE UNISONO, Polish-Swiss cooperation), Principal investigator- Joanna Sypecka, Assoc. Prof.
• Innovative therapeutic strategies using extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. (2022-2023), NAWA project BPN/BKK/2021/1/00001, National Component Mieczyslaw Bekker 2021, Principal Investigator: Sylwia Dabrowska, Ph.D.
• Hypoxia-induced factors in altered oligodendrocyte differentiation in the in vitro model of neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (2019 – 2023), NCN project no 1494/NZ3/N/31/2018 (PRELUDIUM 16), Principal investigator - Justyna Janowska, Ph.D.
• Histone deacetylase inhibitors as potential modulatory factors of inflammatory response induced in the rat brain after neonatal asphyxia (2018 – 2023), NCN project no 00582/NZ3/B/27/2017 (OPUS 17), Principal investigator - Malgorzata Nalecz, Assoc. Prof.
• Overexpression of neuregulin-1 in glial restricted progenitors (GRPs) – an approach to increase the functional properties of GRPs (2018 – 2023), NCN project no 00721/NZ3/D/26/2017 (SONATA 13), Principal investigator - Luiza Stanaszek, Ph.D.
• The alterations in oligodendrocyte functioning in pathogenesisis of white matter injury resulting from neonatal asphyxia (2020-2023), NCN project no UMO-2020/36/T/N24/00144 (ETIUDA 8), Principal investigator - Justyna Janowska, Ph.D.
• “Analysis of interaction between mesenchymal stem cells and glioblastoma multiforme cancer stem cells (2020 – 2022), NCN project no 2020/04/X/NZ3/00008 (MINIATURA 4), Principal investigator - Anna Andrzejewska, PhD

Collaboration
Domestic
- University of Warsaw, Faculty of Biology, Warsaw
- University of Warsaw, Centre of New Technologies, Warsaw
- Warsaw University of Technology, Institute of Micromechanics and Photonics Engineering Division
- Warsaw Uniwersity of Life Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pre-clinical Sciences
- Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Department of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology

Foreign
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Département des Neurosciences Fondamentales, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland
- NeuroDiderot, Université de Paris, Inserm, Paris, France
- Perinatal Center, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
- 3B’s Group, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

Research equipment
• Gel doc system (G-Box Chemi XR5 Syngen)
• Termocycler vapo-protect (Eppendorf)
• StepOne Real time PCR System (Applied Biosystems)
• Spektrophotometer NanoDrop One (Termo-Scientific)
• Shandon Cytospin 4 (Thermo electron Corporation)
• Centrifuge (Eppendorf 5430R)
• Electroporator Bio-RAD CE Module + Gene Pulser Xcell
• Biological Safety Cabinets (MSC-Advantage Termo-Scientifix)
• Incubator CO2-O2 Incubator NU-5830E
• Incubator CO2-O2 Incubator NU-5831E
• Freezer - ultra-low temperature (Eppendorf U410)
• Apparatus for anesthesia(Matrx™ VIP 3000 Calibrated Vaporizer)
• Stereotaxic Instrument
• Gas scavenger (Stoelting)
• Surgical Microscope (Carl Zeiss OPMI pico)

Research methods
• in vitro primary cultures of human mesenchymal stem cells and animal glial cells
• Ex vivo cultures of organotypic hippocampal and brain slices
• in vivo studies on animal models, including cytotoxic brain injury (ouabain model), perinatal asphyxia, ALS (rag2/shi mice )
• intraparenchymal and systemic cell transplantation in animal models of neurological diseases
• microvesicles isolation from hBM-MSCs
• functionality assessment of cell adhesion using microfluidic devices
• cell tracing with different dyes (SPIO, GFP, PKH26, CMFDA)
• immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry
• advanced biochemical and molecular analyses, (e.g. electrophoresis, in situ zymography, Western Blotting, Sandwich ELISA tests, Luminex, cell transfection and GFP protein fusion, RT PCR, qRT PCR, methylation and acethylation of chromatine, etc)

Patents
• HYDROGEL COMPRISING MANGANES, METHODS AND USES THEREOF, No/Patent No 17209876.6 – 1109 (patent application)
• USE OF MICROVESICLES DERIVED FROM STEM CELLS IN TREATMENT OF ENCEPHALITIS, PARTICULARLY INDUCED

Selected publications

• Andrzejewska A, Grzela R, Stankiewicz-Drogon A, Rogujski P, Nagaraj S, Darzynkiewicz E, Lukomska B, Janowski M. Mesenchymal stem cell engineering by ARCA analog-capped mRNA. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2023 Jul 17;33:454-468. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.07.006
• Janowska J, Gargas J, Sypecka J. Pearls and Pitfalls of Isolating Rat OPCs for In Vitro Culture with Different Methods. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2023 Jul 5. doi: 10.1007/s10571-023-01380-2.  
  
• Palasz E, Wilkaniec A, Stanaszek L, Andrzejewska A, Adamczyk A. Glia-Neurotrophic Factor Relationships: Possible Role in Pathobiology of Neuroinflammation-Related Brain Disorders.  Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 28;24(7):6321. doi: 10.3390/ijms24076321.   
• Vieira S, Strymecka P.  Stanaszek L., Silva-Correia J., Drela K. , Fiedorowicz M. ,Malysz-Cymborska I. , Janowski M., Reis RL, Lukomska B., Walczak P.,  Oliveira JM.  Mn-Based Methacrylated Gellan Gum Hydrogels for MRI-Guided Cell Delivery and Imaging. Bioengineering 28 Mar 2023,10(4), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10040427
• Ziemka-Nalecz M., Pawelec P. Ziabska K, Zalewska T: Sex Differences in Brain Disorders Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14571; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914571
• Zajdel K, Janowska J, Frontczak-Baniewicz M, Sypecka J, Sikora B. Upconverting Nanoparticles as a New Bio-Imaging Strategy-Investigating Intracellular Trafficking of Endogenous Processes in Neural Tissue. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jan 6;24(2):1122. doi: 10.3390/ijms24021122.
• Zalewska, T.; Pawelec, P.; Ziabska, K.; Ziemka-Nalecz, M. Sexual Dimorphism in Neurodegenerative Diseases and in Brain Ischemia. Biomolecules 2023, 13, 26. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13010026           
• Gargas J, Janowska J, Ziabska K, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Sypecka J. Neonatal Rat Glia Cultured in Physiological Normoxia for Modeling Neuropathological Conditions In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 May 26;23(11):6000. doi: 10.3390/ijms23116000

• Araszkiewicz AM, Oliveira EP, Svendsen T, Drela K, Rogujski P, Malysz-Cymborska I, Fiedorowicz M, Reis RL, Oliveira JM, Walczak P, Janowski M, Lukomska B, Stanaszek L. Manganese-Labeled Alginate Hydrogels for Image-Guided Cell Transplantation. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Feb 23;23(5):2465

• Dabrowska S, Andrzejewska A, Janowski M, Lukomska B. Immunomodulatory and Regenerative Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Extracellular Vesicles: Therapeutic Outlook for Inflammatory and Degenerative Diseases. Front Immunol. 2021 Feb 5;11:591065. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.591065

• Dabrowska S, Andrzejewska A, Kozlowska H, Strzemecki D, Janowski M, Lukomska B. Neuroinflammation evoked by brain injury in a rat model of lacunar infarct. Exp Neurol. 2021 Feb;336:113531. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113531

• Stanaszek L, Majchrzak M, Drela K, Rogujski P, Sanford J, Fiedorowicz M, Gewartowska M, Frontczak-Baniewicz M, Walczak P, Lukomska B, Janowski M. Myelin-Independent Therapeutic Potential of Canine Glial-Restricted Progenitors Transplanted in Mouse Model of Dysmyelinating Disease. Cells. 2021 Nov 1;10(11):2968.

• Ziabska K, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Pawelec P, Sypecka J, Zalewska T. Aberrant Complement System Activation in Neurological Disorders. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 28;22(9):4675

• Nowak B, Rogujski P, Janowski M, Lukomska B, Andrzejewska A. Mesenchymal stem cells in glioblastoma therapy and progression: How one cell does it all. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2021 Aug;1876(1):188582.

• Andrzejewska A, Dabrowska S, Lukomska B, Janowski M. Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Neurological Disorders. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2021 Feb 24;8(7):2002944.

• Pawelec P, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Sypecka J, Zalewska T. The Impact of the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 Axis in Neurological Disorders.  Cells. 2020 Oct 13;9(10):2277.

• Janowska J, Gargas J, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Zalewska T, Sypecka J. Oligodendrocyte Response to Pathophysiological Conditions Triggered by Episode of Perinatal Hypoxia-Ischemia: Role of IGF-1 Secretion by Glial Cells. Mol Neurobiol. 2020;57(10):4250-4268 DOI:10.1007/s12035-020-02015-z.

• Drela K, Stanaszek L, Snioch K, Kuczynska Z, Wrobel M, Sarzynska S, Legosz P, Maldyk P, Lukomska B. Bone marrow-derived from the human femoral shaft as a new source of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells: an alternative cell material for banking and clinical transplantation. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2020;11(1):262. DOI:10.1186/s13287-020-01697-5.

• Zalewska T, Jaworska J, Sypecka J, Ziemka-Nalecz M. Impact of a Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor-Trichostatin A on Neurogenesis after Hypoxia-Ischemia in Immature Rats. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(11):3808. DOI:10.3390/ijms21113808.

• Andrzejewska A, Dabrowska S, Nowak B, Walczak P, Lukomska B, Janowski M. Mesenchymal stem cells injected into carotid artery to target focal brain injury home to perivascular space. Theranostics. 2020;10(15):6615-6628. DOI: 10.7150/thno.43169.

• Dabrowska S, Andrzejewska A, Strzemecki D, Muraca M, Janowski M, Lukomska B. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles attenuate neuroinflammation evoked by focal brain injury in rats. J Neuroinflammation. 2019 ;16(1):216. DOI:1186/s12974-019-1602-5.

• Andrzejewska A, Nowakowski A, Grygorowicz T, Dabrowska S, Orzel J, Walczak P, Lukomska B, Janowski M. Single-cell, high-throughput, real-time in vitro analysis of mRNA-ITGA4-engineered mesenchymal stem cell docking to inflamed endothelium in a microfluidic model with validation in animals with focal brain injury. JCBF&M. 2019; 39:11:2308-2320. DOI:10.1177/0271678X18805238.

• Andrzejewska A, Jablonska A, Podobinska M, Dabrowska S, Janowski M, Walczak P, Lukomska B. Labeling of human mesenchymal stem cells with different classes of vital stains: robustness and toxicity. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2019;10(1):187. DOI:10.1186/s13287-019-1296-8.

• Dabrowska S, Andrzejewska A, Lukomska B, Janowski M. Neuroinflammation as a target for treatment of stroke using mesenchymal stem cells and extracellular vesicles. J Neuroinflammation. 2019;16(1):178. DOI:10.1186/s12974-019-1571-8.

• Drela K, Nowakowski A, Stanaszek L, Kuczynska Z, Lukomska B. Experimental strategies of mesenchymal stem cells propagation - adverse events and potential risk of functional changes. Stem Cells Int. 2019;7012692. DOI:10.1155/2019/7012692.

• Lukomska B, Stanaszek L, Zuba-Surma EK, Legosz P, Sarzynska S, Drela K. Challenges and Controversies in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Therapy. Stem Cells Int. 2019;9628536.

• Andrzejewska A, Lukomska B, Janowski M. Mesenchymal stem cells: from roots to boost. Stem Cells. 2019; 37(7):855-864. DOI:10.1186/s13287-019-1296-8.

• Majchrzak M, Drela K, Andrzejewska A, Figurska S, Rogujski P, Fiedorowicz M, Walczak P, Janowski M, Lukomska B, Stanaszek L. A variable hSOD1 copy number influences the phenotypic outcome of SOD1/rag2 mice - immunocompetent model of ALS. Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):799. DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-37235-w.

• Janowska J, Gargas J, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Zalewska T, Buzanska L, Sypecka J. Directed glial differentiation and transdifferentiation for neural tissue regeneration. Exp Neurol. 2019; 319:112813. DOI:10.1016/j.expneurol.2018.08.010.

• Jaworska J, Zalewska Z, Sypecka J, Ziemka-Nalecz M. Effect of HDAC inhibitor, Sodium butyrate, on neurogenesis in a rat model of neonatal hypoxia-ischemia. Potential mechanism of action. Mol Neurobiol. 2019;56(9):6341-6370. DOI:10.1007/s12035-019-1518-1

• Dabrowska S, Sypecka J, Jablonska, Strojek L, Wielgos M, Domanska-Janik K, Sarnowska A. Neuroprotective Potential and Paracrine Activity of Stromal Vs. Culture-Expanded hMSC Derived from Wharton Jelly under Co-Cultured with Hippocampal Organotypic Slices. Mol Neurobiol. 2018;55(7):6021-6036.   

• Dabrowska  S, Del Fattore A, Karnas E, Frontczak-Baniewicz, Kozlowska H, Muraca M, Janowski M, Lukomska B. Imaging of extracellular vesicles derived from human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells using fluorescent and magnetic labels. Int J Nanomedicine. 2018;13:1653-1664.

• Janowska J, Sypecka J. Therapeutic Strategies for Leukodystrophic Disorders Resulting from Perinatal Asphyxia: Focus on Myelinating Oligodendrocytes. Mol Neurobiol. 2018;55(5):4388-4402.

• Janowska J, Gargas J, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Zalewska T, Buzanska L, Sypecka J. Directed glial differentiation and transdifferentiation for neural tissue regeneration. Exp Neurol. 2018.DOI:S0014-4886(18)30401-1.

• Ziemka-Nalecz M, Jaworska J, Sypecka J, Zalewska T. Histone deacetylase inhibitors: a therapeutic key in neurological disorders? J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2018;77(10):855-870.

• Ziemka-Nalecz M, Janowska J, Strojek L, Jaworska J, Zalewska T, Frontczak-Baniewicz M, Sypecka J. Impact of neonatal hypoxia-ischemia on oligodendrocyte survival, maturation and myelinating potential. J Cellular Mol Med. 2018;22(1):207-222.

• Janowska J, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Sypecka J. Differentiation of rat oligodendroglial cells is highly influenced by oxygen tension: in vitro model mimicking physiologically normoxic conditions. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;24:19(2):331.

• Nowakowski A,  Andrzejewska A, Boltze J, Nitzsche F, Cui L, Jolkkonen J, Walczak P, Lukomska B,  Janowski M. Translation, but not transfection limits clinically relevant, exogenous mRNA based induction of alpha-4 integrin expression on human mesenchymal stem cells. Sci Rep. 2017:7(1):1103.

• Ziemka-Nalecz M, Jaworska J, Zalewska T. Insights into the neuroinflammatory responces after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia.  J Neuropath Exp Neurology. 2017; 76(8):644-654.

• Ziemka-Nalecz M, Jaworska J, Sypecka J, Polowy R, Filipkowski R, Zalewska T. Sodium butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, exhibits  neuroprotective/neurogenic effects in a rat model of neonatal hypoxia –ischemia. Mol Neurobiol. 2017;54(7):5300-5318.

• Jaworska J, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Sypecka J, Zalewska T. The potential neuroprotective role of histone deacetylase inhibitor Sodium Butyrate after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia. J Neuroinflammation. 2017;14(1):34.

• Sypecka J, Ziemka-Nalecz M, Dragun -Szymczak P, Zalewska T. A simple, xeno-free method for oligodendrocyte derivation from human neural stem cells derived from umbilical cord: engagement of gelatinases in the cell commitment and differentiation. J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2017;11(5):1442-1455.