On 12 and 13 May, the academic community from Podkarpacie discussed the trends in science, AI’s impact on research, global approach to research, mobility, and interinstitutional and international collaboration. The NCN Days in Rzeszów are now over.

Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, prof. Adam Reich, Prof. Jolanta Szempruch podczas konferencji prasowej otwierającej Dni NCN 2025 w Rzeszowie The NCN Days are held on an annual basis, each time in a different academic city in Poland. The science festival features a great many inspiring meetings, interesting lectures, lively discussions, courses and workshops due to which researchers can improve their application skills. Why is basic research so important? How does it help us address challenges facing the contemporary world? These issues were addressed in discussions with researchers from Rzeszów, representatives of regional and local governments, professionals from the academic research centres in charge of project administration and officers in charge of research data management.

The NCN Days were opened by the Rector of the University of Rzeszów Prof. Adam Reich who co-organised and hosted the event. Prof. Reich held that the during the NCN Days researchers and research-funding institutions could exchange experiences. He emphasised the importance of research for teaching and pointed out that science had to break out of university walls, be interdisciplinary and international. The Minister of Science Marcin Kulasek addressed the audience in a letter read out by Kinga Kurowska-Wilczyńska, Deputy Director of the Science Department at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The letter included appreciation of NCN’s support for Polish science around the world.

“Basic research is the essence of science. Fundamental research fuels discoveries that give rise to future innovations and social changes, operation of the state and the world, and influences our future,” underlined the NCN Director Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak.

AI in Science

The programme included discussions on new technologies in research. The first part of the event was devoted to the use of AI in science and how it changes research performance. The lecture “AI and science: Are the new technologies bringing us closer to the truth?” was delivered by Prof. Katarzyna Budzyńska from the Warsaw University of Technology.

Panel dyskusyjny: Sztuczna inteligencja w nauce The panellists reflected on the current use of AI in research, as well as current and potential opportunities and threats of AI in science.

The NCN Council member Prof. Anna Gambin from the University of Warsaw emphasised that quantity and quality of input data was critical to AI which handled large dataset analysis well and could effectively support various processes but fell short when analysing rare or single cases, e.g. to support diagnosis of rare diseases. Prof. Krzysztof Okarma from the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, NCN Council member and representative of physical sciences and engineering, spoke about large language models (LLMs) and their industrial applications, and emphasised explainability for LLMs: AI users wanted to know the operational mechanisms of the algorithm and the source of its input data to understand how the neural network generated its outputs. Dr hab. Jan Bazan, professor at the University of Rzeszów referred to the legal aspect of AI in research and Prof. Katarzyna Budzyńska stressed the need to create legal and methodological standards in this area. The discussions were moderated by the NCN Director Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak.

International Aspect of Science and Open Research Data

In the second part, the international aspect of research was discussed, as well as open research data. The opening lecture by Dr hab. Anna Siewierska from the University of Rzeszów addressed the global approach to research and its rationale, as well as cultural, disciplinary, political and ideological impact on the global approach.

Dr hab. Anna Siewierska, prof UR, prof. Tomasz Dietl

The panel discussion moderated by Prof. Małgorzata Kossowska from the Jagiellonian University addressed the need to create long-term strategies for international science and open science support.

Prof. Tomasz Dietl from the Institute of Physics of the Polish Academy of Science, Chair of the NCN Council, said that global approach to research enhanced its quality and visibility and pointed out the importance of Polish researchers’ participation in European programmes. Prof. Jarosław Sęp from the Rzeszów University of Technology joined the discussion with insights from the managerial perspective and underlined the importance of developing institutional mechanisms to support international collaboration, e.g. project support offices. Prof. Przemysław Marciniak from the University of Silesia (NCN Council member) stated that the global approach to research must not be merely about Polish scientists going abroad but also about attracting foreign researchers to Poland. Dr Aneta Pazik-Aybar from the Open Science Team at the NCN discussed the NCN’s role in promotion of open access to publications and research data, and pointed out challenges facing implementation of open science policy in the Polish research practice.

The panellists agreed that not only research infrastructure was needed to enhance the international landscape of Polish science but researchers’ mobility, competencies to cooperate with foreign partners and international partnerships. Open access to research data and data transparency were mentioned as foundations for trust and progress in science.

NCN Grants for Research: Procedures and Tips

On 12 May, an open meeting with the NCN Council (NCN Grants: Facts and Myths) was held to discuss the NCN grant application process and the most common concerns and problems reported by researchers working in Poland.

The panel discussion was hosted by the NCN Council members Prof. Bogumił Szady, Mariola Łaguna, Piotr Skarżyński and Renata Ciereszko. The scientific community from the Podkarpacie region was represented by Prof. Monika Stompor-Gorący and Dr hab. Tomasz Piechowiak from the University of Rzeszów.

The panellists addressed questions about the most important aspects of grant proposals, positive approach to the unsuccessful applications and procedural changes with regard to project performance expected by the scientific community.

Prof. Bogumił Szady from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Chair of the NCN Council’s Committee for Regulations and Procedures emphasised the value of team work in the development of proposals. “It is a big mistake to write proposals individually. They should be consulted with other researchers and team work in the application process is essential, especially if researches from other research centres were also involved.”

According to Prof. Szady, writing a proposal could be an intellectual adventure worth undertaking, no matter what the outcome is. “I can say from experience that writing a proposal, preparing a project, cooperating on key theses, ideas and literature search alone can add to an intellectual adventure worth undertaking, even if one fails,” he said and added that “good projects should result in a publication even if they are refused funding.”

Prof. Mariola Łaguna from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin said that scientists’ decision not to apply was often due to their fear of being judged by colleagues from other domestic research institutions which was unreasonable in the context of NCN calls. “Funding proposals are usually evaluated by foreign experts and reviewers (…) This is an opportunity to be evaluated by foreign scientists working in a similar research domain and have one’s achievements and activity promoted,” Prof. Łaguna emphasised and encouraged researchers to apply early enough, as doctoral students. Prof. Monika Stompor-Gorący said that it was vital to encourage early career researchers. “I was lucky enough to grow in a grant culture, having joint a team funded by the National Science Centre almost from the very beginning of its formation,” she said and added that mentors and grant winners were crucial for the promotion of grant culture and should include young people - grantees and doctoral students - in their projects.

Prof. Piotr Skarżyński from the Medical University of Warsaw and the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing underlined that valid career planning had to acknowledge both achievements and failures as integral parts of professional growth. “It is good to learn from your own mistakes but learning from somebody else’s mistakes is even better. I often meet people who apply and fail, just to learn from their mistakes,” he emphasised and highlighted the importance of team work. “It is great if you have someone to review your proposal. Proposals should be written together with other researchers to make sure they are valid,” he said.

The panellists discussed deregulation and flexibility of project implementation, especially in terms of project budget management, as well as support for smaller research centres where the NCN Days could level the playing field.

Workshops 

The NCN Days included workshops during which nearly 150 researchers and administrative professionals could improve their project planning skills and learn how to draft proposals, budgets and data management plans.

The National Science Centre organises regular online info meetings, courses and workshops for applicants, data management courses and workshops, and workshops for researchers  operating research projects. Please follow us on our website.  

MAPS Multilateral Academic Projects is a multilateral funding scheme of the Swiss National Science Federation (SNSF) that promotes multilateral collaborative research projects between researchers in Switzerland and their colleagues in Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. Projects will receive funding from the Swiss Funds under which Switzerland supports the development of several EU Member States (including Poland) based on arrangements with the European Union.

Under the MAPS Programme, researchers could apply for funding of multilateral basic research projects in all research domains. Apart from Switzerland (project leader), the international consortium had to include at least two teams from the other participating countries. MAPS projects can be carried out for a period of 36 - 48 months. A research team from each country could apply for a maximum funding of CHF 350,000 under the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme. The call is not co-funded by the National Science Centre or any other Polish institution. 

The SNSF received 334 proposals under the MAPS Programme, of which 16 were not eligible. 318 eligible proposals were subject to a merit-based evaluation (140 in Physical Sciences and Engineering (ST), 111 in Life Sciences (NZ) and 67 in Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences (HS)). 29 research projects received funding (8 in Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences, 8 in Technical Sciences and Engineering and 13 in Life Sciences). 11 projects involve Polish participation. The successful projects received a total funding of over CHF 29,000,000.

List of funded project

Proposal Evaluation Procedure

Proposals submitted to the MAPS Programme were subject to a multi-stage merit-based evaluation. Firstly, proposals were reviewed by two reviewers acting individually, after which they were evaluated by three expert teams (in Physical Sciences and Engineering, Life Sciences, and Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences) that compiled ranking lists. Then, the Funders Forum compiled a list of proposals recommended for funding, based on the available funding in the budget of each participating country. Finally, an official decision was taken by the Steering Committee of the MAPS Programme.

In an interview published by Gazeta Wyborcza on 3 May, Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, NCN Director talks about the shift in perception of the National Science Centre, need for stable research funding and strength of the grant system community. “This active group already decides on the Polish science system. Their future influence will be even more profound,” says Prof. Jóźwiak.

Financial stability indispensable for effective research 

Prof. Jóźwiak emphasises that the 2023 threats of suspending NCN calls are now long gone, and the success rate went up to 16-17 %. “It is still not ideal. We should aim at 25%, even 30% in the calls for early career researchers,” he says.

The Director recalls that the grant funding limits have not been altered for a long time. “Funds for scholarships or salaries for researchers or even purchase of research equipment have been the same for years. We are all well aware that they do to meet the current needs. The allocation of PLN 500,000 per unit of equipment, for example, has been the same since 2011,” he notices.

Prof. Jóźwiak highlights that on top of funding, science needs predictability. “When it comes to science, one cannot plan a year ahead, but at least three or four years ahead,” he says.

NCN Generation 

The role of the community around the National Science Centre was also discussed. “Over fourteen years of its operation, the National Science Centre has spent nearly 17 billion zlotys for research projects. Totally worth every penny for science in Poland. Although we are most proud of the people,” says the NCN Director. 

“There is a decent number of researchers who affirm to have received NCN support at every stage of their research career, when pursuing a PhD degree, returning from other countries or forming their research teams. (…)  “This active group already decides on the Polish science system. Their future influence will be even more profound,” says Prof. Jóźwiak.

The interview was conducted by Alicja Gardulska. You can read it on the website of Gazeta Wyborcza.

Prof. Justyna Olko, former NCN Council member (2018-2022) and Prof. Michał Tomza, NCN Award winner, are among 32 Ambassadors for the European Research Council (ERC).

This joint initiative of the ERC and the Association of ERC Grantees aims to promote investment in frontier research and highlight the importance of research by explaining how it benefits the economy and society.

Prof. Justyna Olko, historian, sociolinguist and ethnologist, heads the Centre for Research and Practice in Culture Continuity at the Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, University of Warsaw. She is an ERC Starting Grant recipient (2012) and Consolidator Grant recipient (2020), as well as former NCN Council member.

Prof. Michał Tomza specialises in the quantum description of matter at ultralow temperatures, including interactions and collisions between ultracold atoms, ions and molecules. He works at the Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw. Prof. Tomza is a former NCN Award winner (2020) and ERC Starting Grant recipient (2022).

The two scientists have pursued NCN-funded projects.

Promote Research and Enhance ERC Presence

The ERC project initiators aim to enhance ERC presence in Europe and beyond, promote importance of basic and frontier research, and explain how they impact the technology, economy and society.

The Ambassadors will also promote better understanding of how science can prevent global threats, such as climate change, threats to demography or public health. The initiative fosters communication with the public, countering misinformation, and strengthening the quality of research evaluation and transparency of research funding.

“We wish to increase Polish researchers’ ERC grant funding success, provide more efficient support for the application and project implementation processes, and identify barriers that continue to impede the process. The ERC expects their Ambassadors to be actively supported by their universities, National Contact Points, science ministries and other institutions in their Member States,” emphasize the Polish Ambassadors.

European Representation

The newly appointed Ambassadors include 17 women and 15 men from 21 Member States as well as five associated countries (Israel, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK). They work across various domains, from life sciences to social sciences and humanities, to physical sciences and engineering.

“This network has great potential to advocate effectively for frontier research across Europe. Together, we must keep reminding our fellow citizens why funding frontier research is not optional, and why it is essential for Europe's long-term health and prosperity,” said Maria Leptin, President of the ERC at the launch of the initiative.

ERC Ambassadors, photo ERC

News on the ERC website.

Last March, three strategic events shaping the future of the European Open Science Cloud were held in Krakow. The meeting of the EOSC Steering Board and the EOSC European Tripartite Event (EOSC Tripartite Governance meeting) were held on 24 and 25 May, respectively, under the auspices of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Among the participants were experts of the EOSC Partnership, the European Comision and the EOSC Association, representing 42 Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe. They met to discuss the most pressing issues related to the release of research data and digital resources in Europe, and measures to reach a consensus on the operation and sustainability of EOSC post-2027. On 25 March, the third EOSC National Tripartite Event Poland 2025 (NTE Poland 2025) was held, with the participation of 24 experts representing 14 research institutions, 4 research funding agencies and 6 research infrastructures.

EOSC Steering Board’s Opinion Paper on the Tenth EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10)

At a meeting on 24 March, the EOSC Steering Board enhanced the importance of EOSC as a cornerstone of research and innovation on the Single European Market. In the opinion paper “The European Open Science Cloud As A Cornerstone Of A “Fifth Freedom” In Research And Innovation,” the Board refers to the impact of EOSC on innovation, economic growth and enhancement of Europe’s competitiveness. The opinion paper lays down the recommendations for the development and implementation of EOSC under the Tenth Framework Programme.

EOSC as a Key Player for European Research, Competitiveness and Innovation  

On 25 March, at the European Tripartite Event (ETE), the Tripartite Governance discussed an accessible narrative on EOSC, aimed to support policymakers and stakeholders in contextualising the role of EOSC within the European and national agendas, including the current strategies, policies and initiatives.

The document “Why EOSC is Pivotal to European Competitiveness” highlights the central role of EOSC in Europe’s research and innovation strategy, contributing to key priorities, such as enhancing capacity for innovation, research productivity, and scientific and technological leadership, digital and data sovereignty, and research security. It was emphasised that by fostering a collaborative, secure, efficient and trusted research environment, EOSC drives breakthrough innovation, while advancing the Open Science movement.

The EOSC Federation Handbook presented at the ETE in Krakow, is a key document for organisations interested in joining the Federation. The handbook contains information on the architecture, governance and operations of the Federation. It was drafted by over 40 volunteers representing the EOSC community which makes it a complex and representative source of knowledge for future Nods and service providers.

EOSC National Tripartite Event Poland 2025 in Krakow

EOSC National Tripartite Event Poland 2025 (NTE Poland 2025) was the third open science event in March. It was opened by Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, NCN Director and Michał Goszczyński, Deputy Director of the Department of Innovation and Development at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. They both emphasised EOSC’s strategic importance for an increased innovation, competitiveness and effectiveness of Polish science. The success of the Polish scientific community was addressed, i.e. admission of the EOSC-PL* National Node [supported by the National Science (NCN), Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, University of Warsaw (ICM UW), Gdańsk University of Technology and PLGrid Consortium, comprising ACK Cyfronet AGH (representative), ICM UW, Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Centre (PCSS), CI TASK, Wrocławskie Centre for Networking and Supercomputing (WCSS) and the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ)] to the group of 13 organisations composing the EOSC Federation.

The representatives of the EOSC Tripartite Governance laid down the priorities for the EOSC Federation, emphasising the need for more transparency and use of the EOSC EU Nod and increased involvement in the federal structures. The need for EOSC’s stable post-2027 modus operandi was also called for, and alignment with initiatives like EuroHPC and European Data Spaces.

Panel sessions were held to discuss national initiatives to support EOSC, such as measures to create trusted environment to collect data on Polish science and funding opportunities for research infrastructure development under OPI PIB’s calls for proposals. The panel discussions addressed challenges in the field of domain data, underlining its heterogeneity, e.g. restrictions to the CERN data, as opposed to the astrophysical data, and technological, legal and social restrictions to medical data, including public trust issues. At the closing session, the practical aspects of interoperability were discussed, as well as sustainability of solutions, implementation of FAIR principles, and use of knowledge graphs. The meeting agenda is available here.

It is worth mentioning that the events took place at a pivotal phase of development of the future EOSC Federation, a system to enable transnational distribution of digital scientific resources. The meetings pinpointed past achievements, current challenges and the importance of EOSC for the future of European research, competitiveness and innovation.

More information:

• European Open Science Cloud - EU Node
• EOSC Steering Board’s Opinion Paper
• Why EOSC is Pivotal to European Competitiveness

Registration for the international conference “Europe and Mobilities: Challenges and Opportunities for Socio-Economic Transformations” is now open. The conference will be held at the University of Warsaw, on 4 - 6 June 2025. The conference is supported by the National Science Centre which will organise two thematic sessions.  

Registration for the international conference “Europe and Mobilities: Challenges and Opportunities for Socio-Economic Transformations” is now open. The conference is organised as part of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council. The event will bring together leading academics, policymakers, and representatives of international and non-governmental organisations who will discuss the most pressing social and economic challenges in Europe. The conference will feature expert keynote speeches and seven thematic sessions addressing, inter alia, demography, migration, digital transformation, energy transition, and future of democracy.  

The National Science Centre will co-organise two sessions. The first session (“European Economic Area potential in the Social Sciences & Humanities,” held on 5 June, 3 pm – 4:30 pm) will explore the Europe’s role in digital platforms and their impact on human and planetary well-being. The discussion, organised under the CHANSE programme and coordinated by the NCN, will examine concepts like universality, 'public good', equality, and sovereignty in digital infrastructure development. Participants will also address the lived experiences of those affected by algorithmic systems and platform economies, and the complex roles of regulators, businesses, and other actors in shaping digital development.

The second panel discussion (“Navigating opportunities and challenges: Early Career Researchers in transnational projects,” held on 6 June, 10 am – 11:30 am) will focus on early career researchers involved in transnational projects. The session will delve into key issues including research topic selection, career trajectories, job security, access to funding, as well as the role of mentors and agencies supporting the development of early career researchers.

Furthermore, the National Contact Point at the National Centre for Research and Development will organise an international info day and brokerage events as part of the conference. More information and registration form are available on the conference website.

The conference is organised by the Centre of Excellence in Social Sciences and Centre of Migration Research, with the support of the National Science Centre, National Centre for Research and Development, and Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The conference is funded by the European Union.

Over 250 guests from across Europe, discussions on the development of QT and new research funding opportunities in one of the fastest growing research areas. On 7 May 2025, the Quantum Horizons Conference: Science – Policy – Society on QT, scientific collaboration and related public policies, will be held at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk.

The conference is organised by the QuantERA Network and the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, in collaboration with the European Quantum Flagship, under the Polish Presidency of the EU Council.

Leading European Network to Support Quantum Research  

QuantERA is a multinational network composed of 41 research funding agencies from 31 European states, Israel and Turkey. It has supported the development of QT and technological innovations since 2016 (first as QuantERA I and then QuantERA II), by funding international research projects. Furthermore, QuantERA fosters international collaboration, monitors European strategies in that area and develops responsible research guidelines. The Network is coordinated by the National Science Centre.

Science, Public Policies and Innovations 

The Gdańsk Conference will bring together representatives of academia, companies involved in the development of QT, research funding agencies and other entities. “For the general public, tracing the development of QT can be fascinating, from very abstract and apparently unpractical original research ideas to the development of tangible technologies that can transform the future. The conference will give an insight into that process,” says Prof. Konrad Banaszek from the University of Warsaw who is the scientific coordinator in charge of the QuantERA Network at the National Science Centre. 

The agenda includes three main panel discussions:  

• “In the beginning was the Science” on basic research, moderated by Prof. Artur Ekert from the University of Oxford and Centre for Quantum Technologies Singapore; featuring Prof. Elisabeth Giacobino from the French Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) and Prof. Gerd Leuchs from the QuantERA Strategic Advisory Board and Max Planck Society),
• “Quantum Coherence: The Art of Coordination” on science policy and coordination, moderated by Prof. Tommaso Calarco, member of the QuantERA Strategic Advisory Board and Chair of the European Quantum Community Network,
• “Quantum Interactions: The Joy of Collaboration” on international cooperation and experience of research teams.

“We wish to emphasise that quantum technologies stem from basic research. We will also discuss how best to support innovations, use the European QT potential efficiently, and create the best organisational framework for the potential to be fully developed and turned into real-world solutions,” says Prof. Banaszek.

New Edition of QuantERA

Presentation of the new QuantERA III programme, set to launch in the nearest future, will be an important highlight of the conference. South Korea will join the programme, highlighting its growing global reach.

The participants will be able to engage in a diverse array of supporting events, including:

• poster session of research projects funded under the current QuantERA
• workshop on best practices for research teams performing projects selected under QuantERA Call 2023
• networking poster sessions with the representatives of research funding organisations, an opportunity for discussions with the representatives of domestic agencies, exchange of experiences, discussions on project funding and strengthening cooperation between institutions.

The agenda is available on the website QuantERA website.

The conference will be followed by the 16th KCIK-ICTQT Symposium on Quantum Information (7-10 May 2025).

Science published an article on cold super-Earths which are common, low-mass exoplanets orbiting their host stars at large distances, written by a team of astronomers, including scientists from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) led by Prof. Andrzej Udalski. Polish team’s research is co-funded by the National Science Centre. 

In a recent paper published in the prestigious journal Science, an international team of astronomers – including scientists from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) led by Prof. Andrzej Udalski at the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw – presents a detailed study of low-mass exoplanets orbiting their host stars at large distances. The study shows that so-called "cold super-Earths" are a common component of planetary systems: on average, they are found in every third system around stars in the Milky Way.

Artist’s impression on how common planets are around the stars in the Milky Way planetary systems in the Milky Way. Just 30 years ago, no planets had yet been discovered orbiting stars similar to our Sun. Since then, the field of exoplanet research has undergone a revolution. From the first discoveries in the 1990s, astronomers have progressed to routinely identifying distant planetary systems, thanks to the development of new detection techniques such as the transit and gravitational microlensing methods. OGLE, one of the pioneers of these methods, has been conducting one of the largest photometric sky surveys for over 33 years.

A major breakthrough came with the launch of planet-hunting space telescopes like Kepler and TESS, which dramatically increased the number of known exoplanets. With this vast dataset, astronomers can now study planetary systems using statistical methods. Distributions of planet masses and their distances from host stars carry crucial information about how such systems form and evolve.

However, all current planet detection techniques have limitations. Most are especially sensitive to planets orbiting close to their stars, meaning the majority of known exoplanets are those with orbital periods shorter than one year. Among them, "super-Earths" – planets with masses between that of Earth and Neptune (~17 Earth masses) – are particularly abundant and well-characterized.

Much less is known about distant regions of planetary systems, located beyond the so-called snow line (1–2 astronomical units from the star), where water is present as ice and giant gas planets like Jupiter or Saturn are believed to form. Only gravitational microlensing enables the detection of planets in these remote regions. However, such events are rare, and the number of planets discovered via microlensing is significantly lower than by other methods.

Microlensing has already revealed how often massive, Jupiter-like planets occur on wide orbits. But whether smaller, lower-mass planets – like super-Earths – are also present there, and how frequently, has remained unclear.

In the Science study, astronomers tackled this question by analyzing distant, low-mass planets discovered through microlensing. A key part of the work is the analysis of a planet observed during the microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-0007, discovered in February 2016 by the OGLE team. The data show that this planet has a mass similar to Earth and orbits a 0.6-solar-mass star at a distance of about 10 astronomical units.

This is a typical, very low-mass super-Earth on an orbit similar to Saturn’s in our Solar System. A new record-holder in this category, says Prof. Andrzej Udalski, OGLE's principal investigator.

Microlensing anomalies caused by such low-mass planets are extremely brief – often lasting only a day – and require continuous, round-the-clock observations. For a broader statistical analysis, the study includes data on 64 low-mass microlensing planets: the newly described one and 63 others discovered between 2016 and 2019, which were observed by the Korean KMTNet project, capable of 24-hour sky monitoring. Thirty-eight of these events were discovered by the OGLE team.

After correcting for the detection sensitivity, the team derived the distribution of planet frequency as a function of mass. The results show that low-mass, cold super-Earths are very common, typically found around one in every three stars in the Milky Way.

Interestingly, the frequency of planet occurrence does not follow a simple power-law function of planetary mass. Instead, the observed distribution is best described by a combination of two components resembling Gaussian curves. This may point to distinct processes for forming planets of different masses – or a single process in which gas giants form only above a certain core mass threshold, while lower-mass planets remain as super-Earths.

The study represents a major advance in our understanding of planetary system architecture. Ongoing and future microlensing surveys are expected to increase the number of known planets of this type and help refine the results reported in Science.

We have high hopes for NASA’s Roman Space Telescope mission, planned for launch in 2027. It could revolutionize the field of microlensing-based exoplanet discovery – much like Kepler did for transitbased searches, says Dr. Przemek Mróz, OGLE team member, co-author of the Science paper, and discoverer of many exoplanets.

The OGLE project is one of the largest and longest-running sky surveys in the world. For over 33 years, it has been conducting regular photometric monitoring of vast regions of the sky from Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. OGLE has contributed to many areas of modern astrophysics, including the search for exoplanets, studies of the structure and evolution of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, variable stars, quasars, transient phenomena such as novae and supernovae and studies of dark matter.

The OGLE project is co-funded by Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, National Science Centre (MAESTRO, OPUS, HARMONIA, SONATA and SYMFONIA grants) and Foundation for Polish Science.

Paper presenting results of these studies appeared on April 25, 2025 in Science.

Poland is the first EU state to sign a MoU for the fourth round of the EEA and Norway Grants. The funds will support, inter alia, basic research, applied research and innovations, as well as green transition. 

At an event in Warsaw on 23 April 2025, it was announced that Poland will receive EUR 925 million (nearly PLN 4 billion), the largest amount allocated among the 15 countries covered by the programme. 

Ceremony of signing intergovernmental agreements, April 23 The event featured Crown Prince Haakon of Norway as a special guest. Memoranda of Understanding were signed by Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Martin Eyjólfsson, Secretary of State of Iceland, and Pascal Schafhauser, Ambassador of Liechtenstein to the European Union. Other participants included representatives of the National Science Centre.  

The NCN will once again lead the Basic Research programme. The new edition will have a budget of EUR 70.6 million (23 percent more than last time) of which EUR 60 million will be provided by the EEA Financial Mechanism and EUR 10.6 million covered by national co-funding. The NCN will also have access to a bilateral fund of EUR 0.5 million to support research and institutional collaboration with Norway and Iceland.

NCN’s preliminary plans include new GRIEG calls to support bottom-up projects and a new interdisciplinary call to address subjects covered by the Blue Book, such as digital and ecological transition, rule of law, human rights and social resistance. 

We wish to continue support for polar research initiated under the third round of the programme. The subject of a new predefined project will be chosen in consultations with researchers from Poland, Norway and Iceland, in anticipation of the upcoming International Polar Year 2032–2033.

In the round of the Basic Research programme, we will continue to promote gender equality in research and support early-career researchers.

In the latest round of the EEA and Norway Grants, we have funded 76 research projects, completed 2 bilateral initiatives and awarded 36 scholarships for students and early-career researchers from Ukraine. We have used 99.3% of available funds. 

The first life sciences publication in Nature in the 21st century produced entirely by Polish research institutions explains the enhanced efficacy of mRNA-based drugs and paves the way to new therapies.

On 17 April 2025, Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski and Dr. hab. Seweryn Mroczek, corresponding authors and a team of researchers from several Polish institutions, published an article in Nature. The project brought together academics from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB), University of Warsaw, Medical University of Warsaw and Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, PAS. It is the first life sciences publication in Nature in the 21st century produced entirely by Polish researcher institutions. Their research was funded by (inter alia) the National Science Centre.

The authors described a previously unknown principle for enhancing the efficacy of therapeutic mRNAs. They identified the stabilising effect of TENT5A on mRNAs by extending their poly(A) tails.

“The stabilising effect of TENT5A on mRNAs is little known, yet universal. It has a great value for medicine where a broad range of mRNA applications is currently researched,” says Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski in a press release by the IIMCB in Warsaw.

Nanopore sequencing was used in research as well as tools developed by the team to measure poly(A) tail lengths. The researchers focused on, inter alia, Comirnaty and Spikevax vaccines that were widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. They noticed that the poly(A) tails are extended in the immune cells, in particular in macrophages, which may affect the efficacy of the vaccine.

“Our road to have an article published in Nature was long and bumpy. We started to work on the project during the pandemic, in the middle of 2021. After the first draft was submitted, we were often asked for new information and amendments. We are particularly proud of the fact that it is the first life science publication in Nature in the 21st century produced entirely by Polish research institutions,” says Prof. Dziembowski.

He promises to use the latest discoveries to develop even more efficacious mRNA-based drugs.  

The research described in the article was co-funded by the National Science Centre under projects performed by Seweryn Mroczek (SONATA BIS 10), Andrzej Dziembowski (OPUS 17), Agnieszka Tudek (SONATA 16), Monika Kusio-Kobiałka (SONATA 15) and Aleksandra Brouze (PRELUDIUM 19).

The researchers used the IN-MOL-CELL research infrastructure funded under the National Reconstruction Plan.