We are excited to share that our group leader, Dr hab. Michał R. Szymański, Professor at the University of Gdańsk, has been awarded a prestigious FIRST TEAM FENG grant from the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP).
The awarded project, entitled: Superpolymerase: Development and Application of a Novel Method for Isothermal DNA Amplification, received 3,999,601.60 PLN in funding and will be carried out over the next four years at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG & MUG.
The FIRST TEAM FENG programme supports cutting-edge research with high application potential, requiring close collaboration with both an international academic partner and an industrial partner based in Poland. In the highly competitive 1/2024 call, only 18 out of 174 submitted proposals were selected for funding.
In this project, we aim to develop an innovative DNA polymerase, a “superpolymerase”, that will enable rapid and accurate genetic testing under isothermal conditions, even at low temperatures and without the need for advanced laboratory equipment. This technology has the potential for broad applications, including medical diagnostics, food safety control, and field-based biological testing.
The project will be conducted in collaboration with:
– Prof. Ruben Galletto (Washington University in St. Louis, USA), an expert in DNA replication mechanisms,
– QIAGEN, a global leader in enzyme production and diagnostic solutions.
We will soon begin recruitment for motivated researchers and PhD students to join the project team.
