JOANNA KOWALSKA

 

 

Employment

2011present

Faculty of Physics University of Warsaw, assistant professor

2010-2011

Faculty of Physics University of Warsaw, researchteaching assistant

Research Experience

August 2012

Training in prof. Roger Stromberg Group at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Swedensynthesis of linkers for nucleic acids bioconjugation and chemoenzymatic synthesis of protected nucleosides (two weeks)

AugustSeptember 2013

Training in prof. John D. Gross group at University of California, San Francisco, United Statesstudying ligand proteininteractions using STD NMR (2 months)

Education

Ph.D., Biophysics

2010

University of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics (with distinction)

Ph.D. Studies at the Faculty of Physics

20062010

University of Warsaw, Ph.D. research project carried out in the group of prof. Edward Darżynkiewicz

M.Sc., Organic Chemistry

2006

University of Warsaw, Faculty of Chemistry (with distinction)

B.Sc., Biotechnology

2005

University of Warsaw, Faculty of Biology (with distinction)

Studies at the College of InterFaculty

20022006

Faculty of Chemistry (20022006) and studies at the Faculty of Biology (20022005)

Research Intrests

Design and synthesis of mRNA 5′ end (cap) analogs as reagents formRNAmodificationor smallmoleculeinhibitors of capspecific enzymes.

Chemical synthesis and studying properties of biologically important nucleotides, oligonucleotides, nucleicacids and their analogues.

Cellular delivery of nucleotidesand nucleic acids.

Analysis of nucleotides and nucleic acids by NMR and mass spectrometry

Publications

Co-author of >80 publications
H-index: 21
Number of citations: 1500

Complete bibliographic data available with ORCID number: 0000-0002-9174-7999

 

 

Patents

Jemielity J., Grudzien-Nogalska E., Kowalska J., Darzynkiewicz E., Rhoads R.E “Synthesis and use of anti-
reverse phosphorothioate analogs of the messenger RNA cap” – patent family including patents issued in
the US (2012), Poland (2013), Eurasia, Australia, and China. Licensed to BioNTech AG in 2010 and applied
in several clinical trials (mRNA based anticancer vaccines).

• Kowalska J. Jemielity J., Darżynkiewicz E., Rhoads R.E., Lukaszewicz M., Zuberek J. “mRNA Cap Analogs” US
patent family including patents issued in the US (2013), Poland (2013), Eurasia, and Australia. Licensed to
BioNTech AG in 2010.
4 other international patents
3 filled PCT patent applications

 

 

Research support

2016-2021 UMO-2015/18/E/ST5/00555 PI: Kowalska
Synthesis and evaluation of a novel toolkit for biology and biotechnology based on adenine nucleotides
analogs. Project supported by the National Science Center (Poland)

2014-2017 LIDER/000/14003/L-5/12/NCBR/2013 PI: Kowalska
New high throughput methods for screening for inhibitors of therapeutically relevant pyrophosphatases
based on fluorophosphate analogs of nucleotides. Project supported by the National Centre of Science and Development

2011- 2016 UMO-2011/01/D/ST5/05869 PI: Kowalska
Conjugates of analogs of mRNA 5′ end with nanomaterials and biomolecules of a potential application in
pharmacology or diagnostics. Project supported by the National Science Center (Poland)

Awards and Distinctions

•Nomination to European Inventor Award (2018, together with Jacek Jemielity and Edward
Darżynkiewicz)
• Emerging Young Investigator invited speaker at XVIIth Symposium on Chemistry of Nucleic Acid
Components, Český Krumlov, Czech Republic, 2017
• A. Holy IRT Poster Award at the “21st International Round Table on Nucleosides, Nucleotides and
Nucleic Acids, Chemical Biology of Nucleic Acids” , Poznań, Poland (2014)
• University of Warsaw Rector’s Second Degree Award (2014)
• Prof. Stefan Pienkowski Award for scientific achievements (2013)
• START Fellowship for Young Scientists of the Foundation for Polish Science (2008 and 2009)
• L’Oreal for Women in Science Fellowship (Polish Edition, 2009)
• Rector Grzegorz Białkowski Award from Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw (shared with dr
Joanna Żuberek and dr Jacek Jemielity) for “Design and chemical synthesis of mRNA cap analogues
and biophysical studies of their interaction with protein factors” – (2008)