NCN Generation comprises researchers making a significant contribution to the advancement of science. The guest of the third episode is Małgorzata Kot — an archaeologist specialising in the Palaeolithic, lithic technologies and early human migrations. She conducts fieldwork in caves in Poland and Central Asia, combining excavations with advanced laboratory analyses. Her research is funded by NCN and the European Research Council. The interview is conducted by Anna Korzekwa-Józefowicz.

When did we stop being alone?

For decades, human evolution was presented as a sequence of species that appeared one after another. That changed with palaeogenetics — the ability to read DNA from remains tens of thousands of years old. In 2022, Svante Pääbo was awarded the Nobel Prize, among other things for the discovery of Denisovans and for sequencing the Neanderthal genome. It turned out that both of these species and modern humans coexisted for a long time and interbred.

“At that point, we realised that our way of thinking about human evolution had to change, because we were never alone. Until now, evolution was understood in a way that had us searching for links in a chain, one after another. And it turns out that we are no longer looking for missing links. I do not think there was ever a moment in human evolution when we were alone as just one human population. There was always another one — genetically different and following a completely different evolutionary path. Only today — for roughly the past 40,000 years — have we been alone as a single species on Earth. This is the first time in the history of our evolution,” says Małgorzata Kot in the recording.

The researcher is looking for an answer to the question of what these encounters meant for modern humans. To what extent did contact with Neanderthals and Denisovans — and perhaps the adoption of some of their knowledge of the environment — make it possible to settle Europe and Asia, continents evolutionarily foreign to a species originating in Africa? She conducts fieldwork in high-mountain caves in Uzbekistan, reaching places several days’ walk from the nearest settlements. She identifies sites on the basis of Soviet speleological publications, information from local shepherds and hunters, and sometimes photographs from Uzbek climbers’ blogs.

In parallel, she conducts research in Poland. In the caves of the Sąspowska Valley in Ojców National Park, she discovered, among other things, the oldest traces of human presence in what is now Poland — dating back 450,000–600,000 years and attributed to Homo heidelbergensis.

Selected quotes

Fieldwork:

We have undertaken a three-day expedition to find a cave I had spotted in three photographs on the internet. I was genuinely delighted when I found it after those three days, because there was a very real chance it simply would not be where I had plotted it on the map.

I met a shepherd in the mountains and began telling him what I was researching — that people had been here, that they had walked these paths. He sat there, looking out at those mountains, and said: "I thought there had never been anything here."

The Role of NCN

I would not have received the ERC grant had I not previously done NCN grants. Thanks to the perspective of those eight years of fieldwork through the OPUS grants we had a full picture of the situation and could formulate our research questions very clearly. We knew what was missing. And when ERC evaluation forms ask whether a given researcher is the right person to carry out that particular grant, we were able to knock down all the counterarguments straight away, because we were already there, we have been doing research for years.

Just as MINIATURA is a pilot study for an NCN grant, one might say that an NCN grant is a pilot study towards writing an ERC grant.

Revising applications

How many times should one revise a grant application?

- I think twice.

- But you did far more than that.

- I believe I received only the thirteenth grant I applied for. The earlier ones were not selected for funding. (…) I was simply changing ideas. We write an application, we have a concept, and then we come up against the reviewers. If we do not receive the grant, that is genuinely the moment to reflect, to refine the application, to perhaps adjust it slightly, perhaps to conduct some pilot studies. Upon a second rejection, that is the moment to take stock. If we truly believe in the project, then I believe it is worth submitting once more. But no more than that, probably.

The Polish research team from the Silesian University of Technology, in collaboration with German partners, will investigate the accelerated fatigue performance of materials used, inter alia, in aviation.

The Polish research team headed by Dr hab. inż. Andrzej Katunin from the Silesian University of Technology, in collaboration with partners from the University in Freiburg, will aim to develop a new method of accelerated fatigue performance of materials used, inter alia, in aviation under the project: “Methodology for adaptive accelerated fatigue testing of thermoplastic composites considering the self-heating effect”. Researchers will investigate lightweight but durable thermoplastic composites reinforced with carbon fibre which, despite numerous advantages, are susceptible to degradation under long-term mechanical loading. They will study the impact of the self-heating effect that may affect test results, and will develop a fatigue degradation model combining various loading regimes, eventually creating a tool for a faster and yet credible evaluation of composite durability. The Polish project budget is over PLN 720,000. The proposal was evaluated by the German agency DFG and the evaluation results were approved by NCN under the Weave Programme.

Weave-UNISONO and Lead Agency Procedure 

Weave-UNISONO is a result of multilateral cooperation between the research-funding agencies associated in Science Europe and aims at simplifying the submission and selection procedures in all academic disciplines, involving researchers from two or three European countries.

The winning applicants are selected pursuant to the Lead Agency Procedure according to which one partner institution performs a complete merit-based evaluation of proposals, the results of which are subsequently approved by the other partners.

Under the Weave Programme, partner research teams apply for parallel funding to the Lead Agency and their respective institutions participating in the Programme. Joint research projects must include a coherent research program with the added value of the international cooperation clearly identified.

Weave-UNISONO is carried out on an ongoing basis. Research teams intending to cooperate with partners from Austria, Czechia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium-Flanders are urged to read the call text and apply for funding.

“High-quality research is a matter of national interest. We need to simplify the procedures, integrate institutions into a coherent system, and bridge the gap between research and global innovations.” Six research institutions have made recommendations for the state authorities on research funding and commercialisation in Poland.

“High-quality research is a matter of national interest. We need to simplify the procedures, integrate institutions into a coherent system, and bridge the gap between research and global innovations to make sure that public funding will have a faster impact on health, safety and workplaces.”

The Polish system of research funding and commercialisation of research deliverables must be completely transformed, instead of relying on ad hoc modifications by individual agencies. This diagnosis was delivered to the top state authorities by the heads of six public research institutions. Their joint request was sent to the President of Poland, the Prime Minister and the Marshalls of the Polish Sejm and Senate. The document was drafted following a debate organised at the Jagiellonian University on 17 February during the conference “Science for Society and Economy: Public Funding of R&I in Poland.”  

New quality of evaluation

The authors jointly urge that research institutions be evaluated based on the actual quality of the research track record and its impact on the society and economy rather than on other aspects, such as the number of patents, publications or citations, which must not be the main basis for evaluation. Evaluators should be foreign experts independent of the Polish science system.

Ecosystems instead of silos

The main request is to discontinue fragmented approach to research funding. Technological innovations are created in a functional ecosystem, where high-quality basic research evolves into applications, commercialisation, and scaling. Basic research funding must not be regarded in isolation, as basic research is an indispensable element of the overall innovation process.  

Commercialisation and risk 

The authors point out the importance of closing the gap between research findings and the market, requiring such measures as the proof-of-concept, better coordination of basic research with mentoring, and funds for the development using the resources secured by universities, institutions and venture capital funds. Special attention was given to high-risk research projects. According to the signatories, such projects should not involve the obligation to reimburse funding if the intended technological parameters are not achieved but the project is carried out with due care. 

Stability and HR

A multi-annual funding system is indispensable for the development of high-quality research and talent attraction. No reform can be effective without limited administrative burden; excessive control and oversight stifle creativity, and extensive bureaucracy promotes compliance over measurable research outcomes.  

As regards HR, the document promotes talent circulation to ensure that the top researchers choose to pursue their careers in Poland, and supports increased female participation in the research system, particularly in managerial and strategic roles. 

Social communication 

The document concludes with a call for reliable social communication. The authors underline that research and innovation-related advantages must be real and measurable: promotion alone cannot replace the actual value of the end product.   

The joint request was signed by the heads of the following institutions: the Foundation for Polish Science, the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, the National Science Centre, National Centre for Research and Development, the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange and PFR Ventures.

The full text is available on the website of the Foundation for Polish Science.

In the second episode of the #NCNGeneration series, we speak with Prof. Michał Tomza from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw. The scientist discusses ultralow temperatures, precision measurements, and the asymmetry between matter and antimatter, as well as an experiment designed to measure the asymmetry of the electron – a phenomenon that may explain why matter prevails over antimatter in the universe.

NCN Generation comprises researchers making a significant contribution to the advancement of science. The second episode features Michał Tomza – a scientist dedicated to describing matter at ultralow temperatures, exploring the foundations of the quantum world, and contributing to the debate on the future of Polish science. The interview is conducted by Anna Korzekwa-Józefowicz.

Understanding why we exist

Michał Tomza focuses on one of the central problems of contemporary physics – explaining the origin of the difference between the amount of matter and antimatter in the universe. ‘One of the questions that interests us greatly at the moment is how to use our measurements and experimental systems to understand the difference between the amount of matter and antimatter in the universe,’ the scientist explains. ‘Current laws of physics cannot account for this.’

Michał Tomza’s team proposes an approach based on ultracold molecules, which allow exceptionally precise measurements to be carried out. The aim is to determine whether the electron exhibits a subtle asymmetry – a hypothesis that has not yet been confirmed experimentally. Such an effect could indicate an asymmetry in the laws of physics that explains why matter predominates over antimatter. ‘We have demonstrated that, using appropriately prepared ultracold molecules, it is possible to measure the electron’s “shape” with great precision,’ says Michał Tomza. ‘If this asymmetry can be observed, it would be an important step towards understanding why we exist at all.’

The scientist’s team has developed the theoretical concept for the experiment. On the basis of this work, a collaborating researcher from Florence secured nearly €2 million in funding for its implementation. ‘If the asymmetry can be observed within the next few years, the colleague conducting the experiment will have a strong chance of winning the Nobel Prize,’ says Michał Tomza.

The accuracy of one second against the age of the Universe

The research is conducted under conditions of extreme vacuum and ultralow temperatures, which simultaneously ‘silence’ the surroundings and amplify quantum effects. ‘Inside, there are fewer atoms than in interstellar space. We are simply trying to obtain nothing – perfect nothingness,’ the physicist describes. These conditions make it possible to achieve extreme measurement precision – of the order of one second relative to the age of the universe.

Michał Tomza is a theoretical physicist – his primary tools are mathematical models and calculations performed on supercomputers. On the basis of these, he describes possible phenomena and identifies what can be measured and how. He works closely with experimental teams in Poland and abroad, who verify these predictions in laboratories using sophisticated apparatus, including laser and optical systems. He brought an element of such apparatus to the studio – a vacuum chamber, that is, a component of the experimental system from which nearly all particles are removed in order to create conditions resembling interstellar space. In an environment prepared in this way, highly precise measurements and the study of quantum phenomena become possible.

Science is an investment that transforms the economy

When asked about the impact of basic research on economic development, Michał Tomza emphasises the need for broad funding of science. ‘We try to understand in order to learn to control. And once we learn to control, applications emerge,’ he explains. The history of science provides examples: the laser, the transistor, electrical current – each of these discoveries grew out of basic research before becoming a technology. ‘Even if just one in a hundred scientists discovers something that becomes a breakthrough technology – that will already change the economy,’ he adds. Equally important, in his view, is the indirect contribution of science: educating students, building intellectual attitudes, and developing the humanities as a tool for understanding the relationship between society and technology.

The path to independence with NCN

NCN funding enabled the scientist to return to Poland after a period abroad and to begin independent research. ‘Thanks to this funding, I was able to build my own team,’ he says. The results obtained from the first NCN grants, supplemented by funding from the Foundation for Polish Science, became the strongest part of the application for a European Research Council grant – and it was these results that, in Tomza’s view, determined his success. What advice does he have for young researchers? He points to the importance of ambition and consistency. ‘I see a far weaker link between intellect and ability on the one hand and outcomes on the other than between hard work, motivation, and passion,’ he says. ‘Consistency is what yields the best results.’

DAINA is a call for research projects carried out by Polish–Lithuanian research teams, jointly announced by the Research Council of Lithuania (Lietuvos mokslo taryba, LMT) and the National Science Centre, Poland (NCN).

Applications may be submitted for funding of research in any scientific discipline specified in one of the 26 NCN panels.

Under the DAINA 4 call, NCN and LMT will fund only proposals that meet the criterion of basic research.

The merit-based evaluation of proposals will be carried out by LMT in accordance with the rules applicable at this agency.

• Announcement of the call: 15 June 2026
• Deadline for joint proposals submission to LMT: 15 September 2026
• Deadline for national proposals submission in the OSF system: 22 September 2026, 14:00 CET
• Call results: March 2027
• Start date of funded research projects: June 2027

Eligibility requirements:

• Proposals must involve basic research and include joint Polish–Lithuanian research plan. Research equipment or networking activities can only be funded within projects with a basic research focus. Projects consisting solely of the purchase or development of equipment or solely of activities within scientific networks do not meet the funding criteria and will be rejected.
• State aid cannot be applied for under DAINA 4.
• A person may be indicated as the Principal Investigator in only one proposal submitted in the given edition of the call.
• Under DAINA 4, research projects may be planned for a period of 36 months.
• Entities eligible to apply for NCN funding for the Polish part of the research project must be those specified in Article 27(1), points 1–2, 4–5 and 7–8 of the Act on the National Science Centre of 30 April 2010 (Journal of Laws of 2026, item 101).
• The list of Lithuanian institutions included in the Register of Research and Study Institutions that may participate in the call is available at: http://www.aikos.smm.lt/en/Pages/Default.aspx, under Registers in the Education providers category.
• At the time of submission, the Polish Principal Investigator must be at least PhD holder. The Lithuanian Principal Investigator must be a scientist (at least PhD holder).

Information on requirements for Lithuanian teams is available on the LMT website.

This announcement is for information purposes only. Detailed conditions will be set out in the official call text.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Polish side: NCN

Coordinators:

• Life Sciences: Grzegorz Sowa, PhD
• Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences: Oskar Wolski, PhD
• Physical Sciences and Engineering: Anna Koteja, PhD Eng.

General enquiries: Jadwiga Spyrka, PhD

Lithuanian side: LMT

Miglė Palujanskaitė

The National Science Centre invites for the fifth time Polish research institutions to declare commitment as potential Host Institutions to Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence.

The deadline for submissions is 11 May 2026.

Webinars

Registering your institution as a potential host for an interdisciplinary Dioscuri Centre through this invitation will greatly increase your visibility and give foreign applicants the opportunity to get to know your institution. To support you in preparing your registration as a potential host institution and to give you a comprehensive overview of the Dioscuri Programme funding and application procedures, we will offer webinars during that period. We kindly invite you to take part in one of our three webinars (all webinars will contain the same presentation) scheduled for:

• 31.03.2026, 14-16 (in Polish)
• 08.04.2026, 10-12 (in English)
• 22.04.2026, 10-12 (in Polish)
• 06.05.2026 14-16 (in English)

To register for one of our webinars, please send an e-mail to malgorzata.jacobs-kozyra(at)ncn.gov.pl indicating your name, institution and preferred date. After successful registration via e-mail, you will receive a link to the event.

Contact

Małgorzata Jacobs-Kozyra

Researchers from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, in cooperation with partners from Croatia and Slovenia, will investigate how the HPV virus affects protein trafficking in cells, whilst a research team from the University of Wrocław, in cooperation with German partners, will conduct comparative research on winged altarpieces from Upper Lusatia, Silesia, and Franconia.

Dr hab. Justyna Broniarczyk will lead the Polish part of the research in the project entitled "Alterations in Host Protein Trafficking during Human Papillomavirus Infection and Oncogenesis." The Polish team will receive nearly PLN 1.5 million for its implementation. On the Slovenian side, the research will be led by Martina Bergant Marušič from the University of Nova Gorica, whilst on the Croatian side the team will be headed by Vjekoslav Tomaić from the Ruđer Bošković Institute.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for nearly 5% of malignant tumours, including cervical cancer and head and neck cancers. The viral proteins E6 and E7 play a key role in the process of cellular transformation. Recent studies show that HPV may disrupt protein trafficking within the cell – previous analyses have demonstrated that the E6 and L2 proteins interact with the sorting nexins SNX27 and SNX17, which affects protein localisation and cell function. The aim of the project is to understand the mechanism of these disruptions and their significance in tumour development. The researchers will employ biochemical methods, in vivo imaging, 3D organotypic raft cultures, and clinical sample analysis. The results may assist in identifying new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and point to potential therapeutic targets in HPV-related diseases, particularly in head and neck cancers, for which an increase in incidence is projected. The roposal was reviewed by the Slovenian agency ARIS (Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency), whilst NCN and the Croatian agency HRZZ (Croatian Science Foundation) accepted the results of this review as part of the collaboration under the Weave funding scheme.

In the second of the awarded projects, entitled "Retabulum:  An Interdisciplinary Comparative Research on Winged Altarpieces from Upper Lusatia, Silesia, and Franconia – Examining Joining Techniques, Materiality, and (Inter)mediality of Wooden Altar Shrines with the Assistance of Dendrochronology," the Polish part of the research will be led by Dr Agnieszka Patała from the University of Wrocław, whilst on the German cooperation partners' side the team will be managed by Dr  Thomas Eißing from the University of Bamberg.

The project focuses on the study of late Gothic winged altarpieces (known as retabula), which are complex works of art combining painting and sculpture. Retabula, placed above or behind a Christian altar, enjoyed a period of particular flourishing in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries in Central and Western Europe, frequently taking the form of monumental triptychs or pentaptychs with closing wings. They also served an important religious, didactic, and decorative function within church interiors. The researchers will analyse 34 examples from Upper Lusatia, Silesia, and Franconia dating from approximately 1450 to 1530. Combining methods from art history, the natural sciences, and conservation studies, they will examine previously less well-understood technological aspects of these objects, such as the construction of wooden shrines and wings, the materials used, carpentry techniques, metal fittings, and the origin of the wood, which will be established through dendrochronological research. The analysis will enable more accurate dating of the retabula, the identification of material sources and craft standards, and an understanding of the transfer of technology between regions. The research will also help assess the role of carpenters in the creation of winged altarpieces and the functioning of these works in religious practice on the eve of the Reformation. The application was evaluated by the German agency DFG (German Research Foundation), whilst NCN accepted the results of this evaluation as part of the collaboration under the Weave programme. The Polish budget for the project amounts to nearly PLN 300,000.

Weave-UNISONO and Lead Agency Procedure 

Weave-UNISONO is a result of multilateral cooperation between the research-funding agencies associated in Science Europe and aims at simplifying the submission and selection procedures in all academic disciplines, involving researchers from two or three European countries.

The winning applicants are selected pursuant to the Lead Agency Procedure according to which one partner institution performs a complete merit-based evaluation of proposals, the results of which are subsequently approved by the other partners.

Under the Weave Programme, partner research teams apply for parallel funding to the Lead Agency and their respective institutions participating in the Programme. Joint research projects must include a coherent research program with the added value of the international cooperation clearly identified.

Weave-UNISONO is carried out on an ongoing basis. Research teams intending to cooperate with partners from Austria, Czechia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium-Flanders are urged to read the call text and apply for funding.

Four research teams involving scientists from Poland have been awarded NCN funding to carry out projects in the field of materials science and materials engineering. The call was organised by the international M-ERA.NET network.

In this edition of the call, a total of 28 projects involving 135 teams will receive funding.  Four grants totalling over PLN 4.2 million will be financed by the National Science Centre. The planned start of research is between April and September 2026.

In the first of the projects, SmartSens:  Advanced Materials for Sustainable Nucleic Acid Biosensing, the Polish team leader is dr inż.  Magdalena Ewa Olak-Kucharczyk from the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Lodz Institute of Technology. The project focuses on the development of innovative screen-printed biosensors that will enable the detection of genetic mutations associated with breast cancer in circulating tumour DNA present in the blood, which may support diagnostics within the framework of so-called liquid biopsy. The research will cover new, more environmentally friendly materials, including biopolymer-based microfluidics, stimuli-responsive cellulose materials for DNA purification, copper nanowire screen-printing pastes, and thin-film materials for label-free DNA detection. The aim of the project is to advance these technologies from an early readiness level (TRL 2) to a demonstration level (TRL 4), while simultaneously assessing their environmental impact across the full product life cycle, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and the circular economy. Over PLN 600,000 has been awarded for the Polish part of the research.

In the ReOil:  Repurposing, Reuse and Recycling of Used Lubricant and Waste Oils project, the Polish team will be led by prof. dr hab.  Wojciech Maciej Kujawski from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The aim of the research is to develop a new, more environmentally friendly method of recycling used lubricating oils, which are widely used in industry but often end up in the environment or are incinerated after use. Scientists from Norway, Poland, and the Czech Republic are working on the use of advanced polymer membranes acting as highly precise filters, which will allow contaminants and degradation products to be separated from the oil, making it possible to recover a pure oil base for the renewed production of lubricants. If the technology proves effective, used oil will no longer be treated as waste but will become a valuable raw material, reducing CO₂ emissions, limiting environmental pollution, and supporting the development of the circular economy. Nearly PLN 900,000 has been awarded for the Polish part of the research.

Machine Learning Platform for Personalized Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Therapy Using Drug-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles is the next of the awarded projects. Dr inż. Marcin Krzysztof Heljak from Warsaw University of Technology serves as the Polish team leader and coordinator of the international consortium. The aim of the research is to develop a modern method of treating retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, which are among the leading causes of vision loss. The scientists are working on a controlled-release system for the drug bevacizumab from biodegradable polymeric microparticles, which, following injection into the eye, would gradually release the drug, reducing the need for frequent and uncomfortable injections. Through the modification of particles using plasma and the use of artificial intelligence to optimise the process, more precise and personalised treatment will be possible, and the developed laboratory model of the eye will allow new solutions to be tested without the need for extensive animal studies. Nearly PLN 1.5 million has been awarded for the Polish part of the research.

Dr inż. Anna Danuta Dettlaff from Gdańsk University of Technology is the Polish team leader and coordinator of the international consortium in the CARBONEX-S:  Sustainable Nanocellulose-Carbon Hybrid Electrodes for Advanced Flexible Supercapacitors project. The project aims to develop a new generation of environmentally friendly electrochemical capacitors – devices for the very rapid storage and delivery of energy that can stabilise electricity production from wind and solar sources. The scientists are working on replacing traditional materials that are difficult to recycle with environmentally friendly solutions such as boron-doped carbon nanostructures, cellulose nanofibrils, and activated carbon derived from agricultural waste. The project will also produce flexible, metal-free current collectors and safe aqueous electrolytes, making it possible to create efficient yet more sustainable energy storage systems useful in, among others, wearable electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy grids. Nearly PLN 1.3 million has been awarded for the Polish part of the research.

Grants in the M-ERA.NET Call 2025 were open to international consortia consisting of at least three research teams from different countries participating in the call: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Spain, Israel, Canada, South Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Germany, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Hungary, and Italy.

Pre-announcement of the long-awaited fifth call for two interdisciplinary Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence for outstanding researchers from around the world up to 15 years after their PhD.

The Dioscuri Programme aims to strengthen international standards of scientific excellence in Central and Eastern Europe and to support the on-going scientific transformation processes in the EU-13 countries. The person-centered programme was initiated by the Max Planck Society (MPS) and is jointly managed MPS and the National Science Centre Poland (NCN). Funding for the programme is provided by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), funding for the Centres of the 5th call is provided by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MNiSW) through the National Science Centre Poland.

Eligible applicants

The 5th Call for two interdisciplinary Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence in Poland is directed at internationally competitive and scientifically outstanding scientists from all scientific disciplines and all nationalities, who have proven their ability to conduct innovative research independently, who:

• completed their PhD no longer than 15 years prior to the application deadline;
• have proven international mobility over the course of their scientific career;
• pursued their PhD and Post-doc(s) at different research institutions;
• who have not been employed at the Host Institution during the last three years prior to the application deadline;
• is able to propose excellent interdisciplinary proposal (10 pages excl. references and budget plan) with significant impact on two out of the three domains:
  • Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences (HS)
  • Life Sciences (NZ)
  • Physical Sciences and Engineering (ST)
• will closely cooperate with a scientific partner from Germany of its choice from a German research institution;
• will establish an international Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to his or her Dioscuri Centre.

Funding and structure of the Dioscuri Centres

Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence in Poland established under the 5th call are funded with up to € 300,000 p.a. each for an initial five years and can be extended for another five years after successful external evaluation.

Dioscuri Centres will be embedded within the structures of the Polish Host Institution (HI), which will contribute to the Centre both financially and infrastructurally by

• providing additional funding of EUR 25,000 per annum;
• providing administrative support, and access to the necessary research equipment;
• providing necessary office and/or lab space;
• providing additional full-time employment for a program coordinator with administrative and research management responsibilities.

No overheads costs are foreseen for HI under the programme. An invitation for Polish research institutions to submit proposals for the establishment of Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence will be launched in mid-March 2026, accompanied by a series of informational meetings.      

Important dates

• The 5th Call for two interdisciplinary Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence in Poland with its full documentation will be published mid-April 2026.

• The application must be submitted until 15 September 2026.
• The invitation for Polish research institutions to submit proposals for the establishment of Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence will be launched in mid-March 2026.
• A series of online information meetings will be organized from mid-April to mid-June 2026.

Dioscuri Leaders of the Polish and Czech Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence

Dioscuri Leaders

• Dioscuri Centre for RNA-Protein Interactions in Human Health and Diseases: Prof. Gracjan Michlewski
• Dioscuri Centre for Modelling of Posttranslational Modifications: Dr. Mateusz Sikora
• Dioscuri Centre for Metabolic Diseases: Dr. Grzegorz Sumara
• Dioscuri Centre in Topological Data Analysis: Dr. hab. Paweł Dłotko
• Dioscuri Centre for Stem Cell Biology and Metabolic Diseases: Dr. Peter Fabian
• Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics: Dr. Aleksandra Pękowska
• Dioscuri Centre for Single-Molecule Optics: Dr. Barbora Špačková
• Dioscuri Centre for Structural Dynamics of Receptors: Dr. Przemysław Nogły

Not in the picture:

• Dioscuri Centre in Random Walks in Geometry and Topology: Dr. Mikołaj Frączyk
• Dioscuri Centre for Spin-Caloritronics and Magnonics: Dr. Helena Reichlová

In multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks the myelin sheaths surrounding neurons, disrupting the transmission of nerve signals. Existing therapies suppress inflammation but do not restore damaged myelin. Dr hab. Aleksandra Rutkowska from the Medical University of Gdańsk studies the mechanisms of remyelination – a repair process that the brain can initiate on its own, although its efficiency declines over time.

Immune system disease

In multiple sclerosis, the immune system mistakenly recognises myelin – the substance forming neuronal sheaths – as a threat and destroys it. Myelin acts as insulation, allowing electrical impulses to travel properly between nerve cells. Without it, nerve signal transmission becomes disrupted. Chronic demyelination eventually leads to axonal damage and neurodegeneration.

"Myelin sheaths work like insulation on electrical wiring: once it is lost, electrical impulses escape and information fails to reach its target,” explains the researcher. This mechanism is responsible for symptoms such as visual impairment, sensory disturbances, and mobility problems. Around 50,000 people in Poland live with multiple sclerosis. Globally, the number is about 3 million. The disease affects women aged 25–40 more frequently.

What works, what is still missing

Nearly 30 therapies are currently available that modify the course of the disease. They target the immune system: reducing inflammation, limiting the entry of immune cells into the brain and lowering the number of relapses. However, they do not regenerate damaged myelin sheaths. “These therapies are excellent at extending life and improving its quality, but they do not support regeneration. The disease process continues – just more slowly”, says Aleksandra Rutkowska. Her team aims to develop a therapy that will not only stop disease progression but also actively promote regeneration within the nervous system.

From basic research to clinical practice

The work carried out so far has already resulted in a new therapeutic strategy based on both in vitro and in vivo data. The Polish Patent Office has granted a patent for this solution, and proceedings are currently underway at the European Patent Office. An international investment fund is conducting advanced negotiations on a licence to complete preclinical studies and carry out the first phase of clinical trials involving patients. "A basic research project fully funded by the National Science Centre is entering the implementation phase," says Aleksandra Rutkowska. “There would be no me in science, there would be no team of mine, there would be no patent,” she adds, referring to the role NCN grants have played in her career.

After many years of working in Ireland and Switzerland, Aleksandra Rutkowska returned to Poland thanks to the POLONEZ NCN call, which enabled her to establish an independent research group. She is currently carrying out further NCN projects. She is also a laureate of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science scholarship programme, and her profile has been featured in UNESCO's virtual science museum – as the only Polish woman included alongside Maria Skłodowska-Curie.

#pokolenieNCN

Aleksandra Rutkowska is the first guest in the #pokolenieNCN series – video interviews with NCN laureates, prepared to celebrate the 15th anniversary of NCN.

Since 2011, NCN has funded more than 34,000 research projects with a total value exceeding PLN 19.7 billion and has selected around 24,000 laureates. Each project involves an average four-person team. Altogether, the community around NCN includes tens of thousands of researchers who develop their careers and help integrate Polish science into the international research landscape.

The first episode is available on the NCN YouTube channel. Future episodes will feature archaeologist Małgorzata Kot and physicist Michał Tomza. New interviews in the series will be published every three weeks until the end of the year.