About the Project

Background and Project Objective

In Poland, there is a lack of infrastructure that would allow for an interdisciplinary and comprehensive process of searching for biologically active substances, which would be a response to the challenges of current times. The only possibility is the rather difficult process of establishing partnership cooperation between the sphere of science and industry, which involves extending the implementation time of such projects and organizational barriers.

The project’s task is to create research infrastructure for molecular target identification, screening, verification and optimization of biologically active substances, which will find application in medicine and many branches of industry, and to ensure effective access to this infrastructure for interested entities.

Infrastructure Vision

The constructed infrastructure will constitute a place of effective integration of science and industry through the combination of the latest and most advanced research equipment and expert knowledge. Its core will be a new laboratory base, which together with already existing infrastructure, will create a strengthened and consolidated structure. This will allow for full and comprehensive implementation of a research program in 4 panels corresponding to the innovative drug development process. Work in this area will be an important factor stimulating the undertaking of projects aimed at searching for and introducing new bioactive substances into medicine and industry.

EU-OPENSCREEN Integration

The project is part of EU-OPENSCREEN – a research infrastructure integrating high-throughput screening platforms throughout Europe. Thanks to the adopted research program, Poland will not only become an important link, but also one of the leaders of EU-OPENSCREEN, comparable to the most advanced units of this type in the world.

Target Groups

Non-commercial Target Group

Polish and neighboring countries’ scientists conducting basic scientific research in the field of protein biology, enzymology, microbiology, virology, pharmacology and related sciences, as well as scientists conducting applied research in the field of medical, industrial, pharmaceutical, environmental biotechnology, etc. These will be scientists employed in units forming the POL-OPENSCREEN consortium, other research institutes and universities.

Commercial Target Group

Research institutions and enterprises conducting applied, developmental and implementation research in the field of discovery, validation, pharmacodynamic testing and safety of new bioactive preparations with protein structure. These may include, for example:

• Proteins from previously unidentified environmental sources (viruses, bacteriophages, microorganisms, etc.)
• From known genetic resources of organisms with special ecological properties (extremophilic microorganisms, pest pathogens, etc.)
• From previously identified genetic libraries containing genes encoding proteins with desired properties

Protein Applications

These proteins may be intended for:

Therapeutic applications:

• Agents against pathogens causing infectious diseases
• Drugs against diseases related to chemical communication disorders between cells (e.g., cancer or metabolic diseases)
• Supplements supplementing missing enzymatic activities (e.g., nutraceuticals)
• Components of diagnostic tests, etc.

Industrial applications:

• Enzymes catalyzing specific reactions in industrial synthesis processes
• Components of industrial products with specific functions, etc.

Environmental applications:

• Tools for enzymatic bioremediation of degraded environmental elements
• Elements of enzymatic biomonitoring tools, etc.

Agricultural applications:

• Active factors of pest biocontrol agents
• Enzymes increasing bioavailability of nutritional factors in breeding environments, etc.

Project Tasks

1. Launch of bioactive protein identification and screening laboratories at IBM PAN

a) Laboratory for identification and selection of bioactive protein candidates b) Laboratory for high-throughput protein screening on micro scale c) Laboratory for recombinant protein screening, hit-to-lead optimization panel

2. Launch of laboratories at IChB PAN

a) Laboratory for molecular testing and screening technologies b) Laboratory for biophysical characterization of molecular interactions c) Laboratory for synthetic biology and chemical synthesis

3. Launch of Molecular Biospectroscopy Laboratory at CBMiM PAN

Equipment List

Equipment list for the laboratories being created: Excel (detailed list, expense name without description)