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This year, the Research Support Team from the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science had the unique opportunity to participate in two job shadowing visits, hosted by the University of Rome Tor Vergata (UNITOV) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

The visit to our Italian partner institution took place in April. During five packed days, our team had the chance to delve into a wide range of topics, including best practices in research funding acquisition and proposal writing, practical aspects of laboratory management, support for international students and staff, and information and marketing processes. Particularly engaging discussions revolved around critical areas such as laboratory waste management, ordering reagents, managing reagents and consumables, and equipment booking systems. After full working days, we also had the chance to explore the historic spots of the beautiful and ever-vibrant city of Rome.

In October, we were delighted to join our French colleagues at CEA in Grenoble. The city welcomed us with stunning weather and breathtaking views of the Alpine mountains. During this inspiring three-day visit, we learned a great deal about CEA’s innovative work, visited impressive showrooms and laboratories, and connected with highly engaged professionals eager to share their knowledge. Key topics discussed included digital management of reagents, electronic lab books, intellectual property management, working hours declaration tools, and advocacy activities at the EU level.

These visits were part of the CANVAS project activity plan, providing a valuable opportunity for the entire project consortium (ICCVS, UNITOV, CEA and Real Research) to meet and plan the next steps for the near future.

We returned to our daily responsibilities with fresh ideas and solutions to address ongoing challenges.

Special thanks to Carla Montesano, Marina Potesta, and Elisabetta Russo from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, as well as to Haiyet Chebli and Christophe Battail from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission.

We are grateful to have been part of this inspiring journey!

On 18^th October 2024, the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science at the University of Gdańsk hosted the second episode of Science, Biotech and Beyond, season 2. This engaging session, titled Science Popularization: Why and How to Do It, provided two experienced speakers from the Experyment Science Center in Gdynia—Klaudia Tajthi and Magdalena Jaworska.

Klaudia Tajthi, a physicist and renowned science popularizer, shared her experience in organizing impactful science events. Magdalena Jaworska, a PR specialist, offered insights into promoting science to the broader public and her involvement with the European Network of Youth Cancer Survivors, where she advocates for the needs of cancer survivors.

Big thanks to our speakers, it was a great pleasure to learn from you!

The event, part of the CANVAS project, aimed to enhance science dissemination efforts, making them more effective and accessible. With a focus on science communication, this session provided valuable training for researchers and professionals interested in improving public engagement.

The ICCVS extends an open invitation to all willing to join future episodes of Science, Biotech and Beyond.

Why? How? When? These were just a few of the big questions tackled by scientists from the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science during this year’s exciting Researchers’ Night at the University of Gdańsk.

Visitors were treated with science at two stands: Neoantigen Discovery and Cellular Therapies – how the cells become medicine? Both stands attracted crowds with their cutting-edge research and hands-on activities.

Young scientists-in-the-making had the exciting opportunity ‘to step into the lab, sorting immune cells to create personalized T-cell therapies designed to fight cancer’. Meanwhile, parents engaged in stimulating discussions with ICCVS researchers about the future of personalized cancer therapies, sparking curiosity and hope for what’s to come.

Participants of all ages also dove into an interactive game, taking on the roles of immune system cells to learn how our body defends itself. From guardians to frauds to the innocents, the activity was a fun and educational trip into how our blood cells work together to protect us.

For those requiring more advanced knowledge, scientific posters and one-on-one chats with experts provided further insights into the properties of immune system power.

The presence of our scientists was possible as part of activities planned in the project CANVAS, financed by the European Union.

Check out the photo gallery to feel this inspiring atmosphere!

The University of Gdańsk continues to strengthen its position as a hub of innovative research for the benefit of society and the economy. During the 5th meeting of the Economic Convention at the Daniel Fahrenheit Association of Universities, held on 19 September at the Faculty of Biology, Tri-City entrepreneurs had the opportunity to learn about research conducted at the university.

Among the highlights was a presentation by Prof. Natalia Marek-Trzonkowska, PhD, Director of the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS). She presented the Center’s pioneering work on personalized cell therapy for lung cancer. Over the past four years, the ICCVS has filed nine patent applications and collaborated with world-renowned institutions. “We are currently conducting research on animals using the PDX model, where we transplant tumors from patients into animals, allowing us to test the efficacy of therapeutic cells,” Prof. Marek-Trzonkowska explained.

The event highlighted a diverse range of innovative initiatives from quantum cryptography to Arctic research. UG Rector and Chairman of the Fahrenheit Universities, Prof. Piotr Stepnowski, PhD, emphasized the university’s growing role in connecting science with business. “Our university builds its reputation not only through education but also by working closely with the business sector. This synergy creates new paths for scientific research and helps shape the modern knowledge economy,” he said.

The convention reinforced the University of Gdańsk’s commitment to fostering collaborations that drive scientific developments with real-world applications.

The University of Gdańsk and the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science recently welcomed the team from the Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University, Ukraine. Prof. Oksana Zinchenko, prof. Mariia Rusakova, prof. Nataliia Vasylieva and prof. Nataliia Tesliuk are experts from the Faculty of Biology, Department of Microbiology, Virology, and Biotechnology, engaged in productive discussions during the visit.

This collaborative meeting (held on 18th September) provided an excellent opportunity to expand the network between the two institutions, explore project ideas, and foster potential future collaborations in the field of biotechnology.

In a landmark event, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first official visit to Poland in 45 years, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Poland and India. Dr  Sachin Kote from ICCVS witnessed this historic occasion.

A lesser-known chapter of Polish-Indian history was highlighted during the visit. In 1942, Digvijaysinghji Ranjitsinghji Jadeja established the Polish Children’s Camp in Jamnagar, Gujarat, providing refuge to Polish children escaping the USSR during World War II. This camp operated until 1945, when the children were relocated to Valivade, Maharashtra.

During his visit on 21-22 August, Prime Minister Modi honored this shared history by laying wreaths at the Memorial of ‘Good Maharaja’s Square’ and ‘Kolhapur Memorial’ in Warsaw.

To learn more about Dr  Kote’s reflections on this significant event, read the full interview here.

The Summer Holidays are coming to an end, still, some of the high school students were thinking about science and development during this wonderful time. In the frame of CANVAS project, three talented students took the opportunity to attend a Molecular and cellular biology workshop in the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science. Thanks to the engagement of the Immune Memory and Cell Reprogramming Team led by dr Wojciech Siwek, students have learned a lot about biology and the work of scientists. They had the opportunity to visit the center and its laboratories. After safety and regulation training, participants tried to prepare material for laboratory work and samples for sequencing, or to isolate the plasmids in theory and practice. They were also offered some practical classes on the preparation of plasmids for cloning and electrophoresis. Additionally, the attendants found information about European Union funds, projects and values. We hope to see more students next summer!

On the 29th of April 2024, ICCVS successfully conducted two seminars as part of the Science, Biotech & Beyond series. The first seminar was delivered by Dr. Stefano Persano, an Assistant Professor at the Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology of the University of Milan Statale and an Affiliated Researcher at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Milan, Italy. The talk was titled “Design and Development of mRNA-based Therapeutics for Cancer Treatment”. Dr. Persano discussed the manufacturing procedure of mRNA therapeutics, emphasizing how sequence design, purification, and formulation can be tailored to ensure better therapeutic outcomes, particularly for cancer vaccines. Additionally, he presented preliminary data on Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) formulation refinement aimed at improving the spleen-tropism of LNPs upon systemic administration.

The second seminar featured Dr. Maria Guevara Lopez from the University of Genoa, Department of Experimental Medicine. Ms. Lopez discussed the advantages of Natural Killer (NK) cell-based therapies for cancer treatment. The focused was put on how memory-like NK cells can overcome significant barriers that limit the full implementation of NK cells as cellular therapies, focusing on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Following the seminars, Dr. Persano and Dr. Lopez enjoyed a tour of ICCVS facilities. We discussed how their expertise could be integrated into ICCVS’s ongoing projects and research interests and vice versa. Our guests were particularly impressed by the translatability of ICCVS’s laboratory research.

On 12th of June prof. Natalia  Marek-Trzonkowska, Director of ICCVS was a speaker at EuroScience Open Forum panel on how to build capacity in Research Excellence. This year, an 11th edition of ESOF took place in Poland, in Katowice. ESOF2024 is one of the most significant international conferences, having an impact on the science and world transformation. During the event, scientists, entrepreneurs, politicians, journalists and inhabitants discuss the latest scientific achievements, the arts and their impact on society.
The main topics discussed by us during the panel were:
-> Defining Research Excellence
-> How can institutions maximise the benefits of the ERA widening program in tandem with their institutional strategies?
-> Considering successful investment strategies in other countries, like Singapore or China, focussing on building research excellence, what lessons can Europe learn from these approaches? Are similar strategies applicable in the European context?
-> What are the key components of a unified ‘Team Europe’ approach to research excellence, and how can this be achieved? What regulatory and infrastructural frameworks are necessary to support this vision?

Thanks to the distinguished panellists Anna Plater-Zyberk Head of Office of International Cooperation at Polish Academy of Sciences and Marta Agostinho an Executive Director at EU-LIFE, as well as valuable chair of the session Michiel Kolman a Senior Vice President at Elsevier, chair of the Inclusive Publishing & Literacy committee the session engaged the audience in very lively discussion.

The main conclusions were:
-> The excellent research pushes the boundaries of knowledge by generating new insides, theories and approaches out of the box.
-> The excellent research is done by talented researchers. Therefore, the Team is the first crucial element of excellent research. Creating the team should go first before investments in infrastructure.
-> Research programmes for widening countries should be continued, however more focus should be put on joint research of the partners.
-> To be successful, the solutions for building research and innovation capacity initiated by the widening programmes, need to be supported by the following actions of the national governments.

Thanks to ALL PARTICIPANTS for your contribution!