We are delighted to announce that Karolina Zdrojewska, our 3rd year Ph.D. student, has been awarded a prestigious stipend in the NAWA Bekker Program. This esteemed recognition will afford her the opportunity to conduct a significant portion of her groundbreaking research at Washington University in St. Louis, USA, at Roberto Galletto’s lab. https://gallettolab.wustl.edu/
Karolina’s exceptional dedication and scholarly achievements have been acknowledged by the NAWA (National Agency for Academic Exchange) through the Bekker Program, a testament to her outstanding contributions to our research community. Her research focuses on bacteriophages, the most abundant organisms on Earth, found in various environments, including human microbiomes. With advancements in molecular biology, her project aims to characterize unique DNA polymerases found in bacteriophages, exploring their unprecedented structures and functions. By conducting thorough physical and biochemical analyses, the research seeks to unveil the molecular diversity of phage enzymes, reflecting their morphological diversity. The project’s ultimate goal is to assess the potential biotechnological applications of these newly discovered DNA polymerases.