I have always been fascinated by scientific research in the field of life sciences, so I decided to pursue Bachelor degree in Biochemistry at the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University. From the first year of my studies, I was involved in the research conducted at the Department of Cell Biology, where I learnt tissue culture, fluorescence microscopy and molecular biology techniques. For my BA thesis entitled „Transforming growth factor β and intercellular communication with primary astrocytes in formation of invasive front of rat glioblastoma cell line F98” I used primary cell cultures of rat astrocytes to elucidate the role of these cells in the functioning of glioblastoma multiforme and the role of TGF-β in this process.

Then I continued my work at the Department of Cell Biology as a master’s student. In MA thesis entitled “Analyzes of the effects of O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) on the reactivity of glioblastoma multiforme cells to temozolomide” I focused on glioblastoma microevolution towards malignancy under chemotherapeutic stress.

As I believe it is of utmost importance to understand the functioning of organisms at the most basic level possible I have joined the Hypusination Team in Max Planck Research Group at Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology as a PhD student to continue scientific career path and enrich my skill set with methods used in structural biology. Currently my research focuses on a unique post-translational modification – hypusination. More precisely I am investigating the regulation of this interesting process.