Polish molecular biology reaching international headlines
Scientists from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IIMCB) in Warsaw, which is often called the incubator of young talents, became famous for identifying one of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Now they are making the headlines again with their molecular scissors for cutting RNA.
The International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IIMCB) is often called the incubator of young talents.
One of IIMCB research teams is led by Professor Bujnicki, a bioinformatician whose recent discovery of the scissors for cutting double-stranded RNA made global headlines. An article on the discovery was published in the Nucleic Acid Research journal and has been hailed as groundbreaking. Combining computer modelling and experimental research, the scientists led by Professor Bujnicki identified an enzyme that can cut the molecules of double-stranded RNA at a place with a particular sequence. This discovery may contribute to developing new methods of studying RNA, in particular facilitate the generation of RNA particles that will be used in practice, e.g. to come up with new medicines, in the technology of gene expression regulation, and in nanotechnology.
Another notable achievement of the Institute is the discovery of one of the factors causing the hereditary form of Alzheimer’s disease, made by a team of Professor Jacek Kuźnicki, Director of IIMCB, together with a research group from Germany.
“Apart from studies of biological particles conducted by my team, the Institute also does analyses of RNA and DNA sequences, which require high computing power,” says Professor Bujnicki. “Of course, most research done in the Institute is experimental. We often welcome guests from abroad who are impressed by the resources we have in the Institute and by how much we manage to achieve.”
IIMCB was established in 1997 under an international agreement between UNESCO and the government of the Republic of Poland. It started its scientific activity in 1999.
Source and photo: Polska.pl