About the conference
MycoRise Up! is a mycological student conference. Its main goal is to exchange mycological knowledge between young researchers such as undergraduate and PhD students.
The idea of the meetings of students interested in fungi had initially sprouted in the mind of Sebastian Piskorski, then mycology student. Together with his teacher, dr. hab. Małgorzata Ruszkiewicz-Michalska (both from the Department of Algology and Mycology of University of Lodz, Poland), he developed the conference idea under the auspices of the Polish Mycological Society. The name he gave the conference - MycoRise Up! - meant mycological growing up. The first edition of the conference in 2019 was to be available to every student from the very beginning, no matter the level of studies or involvement in the scientific research. Most importantly, the organizers decided that there could be no financial barrier for attending the conference. Thus, the fee must have been as minimal as possible, and the main financing burden must be shifted to the sponsors. The conference was aimed to be organized by students for students, with the support of the scientific committee.
Edition 2021 was held online on April 23-25 and was organized by the Institute of Plant Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznan and co-organized by the Polish Mycological Society, with Monika Urbaniak as the head of the organizing committee.
Edition 2022 was organized on May 27-29 by the University of Warsaw and the Polish Mycological Society. This was the first time the conference was open for participants worldwide, with young mycologists arriving (in addition to the whole of Poland) from Macedonia, Germany, China, and Czech Republic.
Organising Committee
About us
Dominika Siegieda
Yet-to-PhD, waiting for my doctorate defense. I conducted the research concerning developing detection methods for fungal pathogens of strawberry and characterization of micro- and mycobiomes accompanying strawberry and potato in the Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences. I just obtained funding in the PRELUDIUM call to genomically and transcriptomically characterize Pilidium lythri - spreading fungal pathogen.
ORCID: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dominika-Siegieda
twitter: https://twitter.com/D_Siegieda
Mateusz Mącik
4th year PhD student at the Institute of Agrophysics Polish Academy of Sciences at the Department of Plant and Soil System. I study the effect of microbiologically enriched biofertilizers on the activity and biodiversity of microorganisms inhabiting degraded soils. My scientific interests concern environmental microbiology, sustainable and regenerative agriculture and the use of beneficial microorganisms to improve soil quality.
Michał Pylak
4th year PhD student at the Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences. My research is focused on the interactions between soil and plant microbiota and the effect they can have on plant growth. I'm also interested in studying the effect of phytopathogenic fungi and beneficial microorganisms on microbial communities inhabiting both natural grounds and farming areas.
Klaudia Szpilska
1st year PhD student at the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School of Agricultural Sciences. My research is based on the development of a biopreparation preventing the development of Pezicula spp. in apples and methods of its detection. My scientific interests include research on the activity and biodiversity of microorganisms and methods of molecular biology.
Wiktoria Maj
2nd year PhD student at the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School of Agricultural Sciences. Currently studying the role of metabolic, morphological and genetic properties of Neosartorya spp. fungi in shaping their resistance to preservatives, chemicals and natural plant extracts. My scientific interests include mycology, genetics, bioinformatics, soil remediation and the study of climate change influence on microbial communities and their metabolism.
Sylwia Stefanek
Second year PhD student at the Doctoral School of Quantitative and Natural Sciences at UMCS in Lublin. I conduct my research at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University. I study the properties of enzymes obtained from the Cerrena unicolor fungus. I focus my attention on the enzymes that are involved in the process of lignocellulose decomposition. Currently, I also deal with the heterologous expression of C. unicolor enzymes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Wiktoria Piątek-Gołda
2nd year PhD student at the Doctoral School of Quantitative and Natural Sciences at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin. The current area of my research is focused on the production of lactobionic acid and its biotechnological properties. I am keen to develop a multi-cascade enzyme system in the near future to exploit the amazing properties of LBA on a larger scale.
Sebastian Piskorski
My research includes taxonomy, ecology, and distribution of parasitic and endophytic fungi of semi-parasitic plants. Currently, I also work on fungi trophically associated with tropical plants and insects. In addition, I study the diversity and ecology of arboreal and perennial fungi in Poland.
Marcin Kotowski
Assistant professor at the Botanical Garden Center for Biological Diversity Conservation in Powsin, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
My field of study is ethnomycology. My research focuses on the practical and cultural connections between humans and fungi. In particular, I am interested in the possibility of using the traditional knowledge on fungal use as a source of new research hypotheses, and thus analyzing the observed benefits of human-fungus relationships.
Currently, I am the coordinator of ethnobiological research on behalf of the Botanical Garden of the Polish Academy of Sciences in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan.
Ondřej Koukol
Associate Professor at the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Prague, Charles University, Czech Republic
Scientific Committee
Prof. dr hab. Magdalena Frąc
Institute of Agrophysics, PAS, Lublin, Poland
Chair holder of Molecular and Environmental Microbiology group with >15 years of experience in research in the area of microbial activity and biochemical properties, including functional and genetic diversity of soil microbial communities. She is also focused on agricultural organic waste utilization, bioproducts and biofertilizers for agroecology, microbial indicators of soil quality and microbiological markers of ecological soil status and soil health. Her interests concern plant-soil microbiome interactions as well as biotechnological solutions for diagnostics, control and monitoring of key fungal pathogens in sustainable organic agriculture. Soil mycology, phytopathogenic fungi and heat-resistant fungi are also of her interest. Other relevant experiences include coordination and implementation of national and international research and infrastructure projects (~8 Mio €) and publication >120 scientific articles in international journals in Scopus database (h-index: 22, cited: >2100 times). She has completed several post-graduate studies and training on microbiology and molecular biology, but also on leadership and management skills. She is Head of Department of Soil and Plant System and Supervisor of Laboratory of Molecular and Environmental Microbiology in Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences in Lublin in Poland.
Dr hab. Magdalena Jaszek, prof. UMCS
Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland
Biotechnologist, biochemist, mycologist, Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin. She is the Chairman of the Mushroom Biotechnology section of the Polish Mycological Society. The area of her scientific activities includes, among others: research on the mechanisms of the response of white rot fungi to stress conditions, including oxidative and thermal stress, assessment of the impact of stress conditions on the biodegradation potential of white rot fungi, modification of enzyme activity by the use of low- and high-molecular preparations isolated from fungi, modification of laccase properties by proteolytic digestion, isolation, characterization and testing of biomedical properties of natural bioactive substances (e.g. mushroom preparations, preparations isolated from ant nests), verification of antimicrobial, anticancer, immunostimulating, antiparasitic, pro- and anticoagulant properties of the obtained preparations and testing the possibility of biodegradation of polymer composites by fungi. A large part of the research results obtained is covered by patent protection (anti-cancer, anti-parasitic activity, modification of the properties of lipases produced by fungi). Her experience includes publication of 61 scientific articles in international journals in Scopus database (h-index: 15, cited: 787 times).
Dr hab. Sylwia Różalska, prof. UŁ
University of Łódź, Poland
Biotechnologist, mycologist and microbiologist, Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź. She is the chairwoman of the Audit Committee of the Polish Mycological Society with which she has been involved since 2013. Her research includes the potential for using microscopic fungi in biotechnological processes with particular emphasis on their ability to degrade toxic substances. She is currently focusing on the degradation and biotransformation potential of entomopathogenic fungi and also on the possibilities of their unconventional application in biotechnology. Her research also concerns the effects of toxic substances on the production of secondary metabolites by fungi. She is also interested in the influence of external factors on fungal-plant interactions.
Dr Urszula Świderska
Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland
Mycologist, botanist, Assistant Professor at the Department of Botany, Mycology and Ecology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. The area of her scientific activities includes research on microscopic parasitic fungi, primarily of the cercosporoid fungi group - their taxonomy, biology and biochemistry, due to their great importance to useful and ornamental plants. The area of her scientific activity includes research on the participation and role of parasitic fungi in the structure of natural plant communities, mainly in the mountains (microfungi of the Tatra Mountains). Her scientific activities also include research on species richness, taxonomy, biology and ecology of microscopic plant parasitic fungi. She is currently focusing on the microscopic phytopathogenic fungi (from powdery mildews, rust fungi, and downy mildews) that affect the development of allergies in humans.
Dr Wojciech Radzki
University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
Food technologist and biotechnologist at the Sub-department of Fruits, Vegetables and Mushrooms Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin. His scientific interests focuses on health-promoting properties of various species of edible and medicinal mushrooms. He examines how different processing methods affects bioactive compounds present in fruiting bodies such as antioxidants or high molecular weight glucans. Currently his research focuses on isolation of fungi-derived bioactive compounds (e.g. glucans possessing immunomodulating activities) and using them as novel health-promoting food additives. He is a member of Polish Association of Food Technologists.
Dr hab. Małgorzata Ruszkiewicz-Michalska
University of Łódź, Poland
Mycologist, ecologist, from the very beginning of her scientific journey, she is associated with the Department of Algology and Mycology of the University of Łódź. She started with mycocoenological studies of the ecology of microfungi in plant communities and continued as a fungal taxonomist interested in ascomycetous anamorphs (mainly plant pathogens and endophytes). Her scientific interest includes plant- and arthropod-associated fungi (parasites, symbionts, pathogens), alien/invasive fungi, an adaptation of native fungi to alien/invasive hosts, host-jumping and enemy-release hypotheses, and the role of fungi in sustainable agriculture. She focuses on researching fungi in tropical, mostly unexplored, and insufficiently studied areas (Sudan, Philippines, Venezuela, Thailand), including her scientific expedition to Sudan, co-organized in 2023. She authored 2 monographs, 56 scientific papers, 2 chapters in academic handbooks, and descriptions of 5 species new to science. She was the scientific co-editor of A Preliminary Checklist of Micromycetes in Poland and, recently - Protected fungi of Poland. Distribution, threats, conservation recommendations. She has been involved in the Polish Mycological Society (Main Board member) activity since its establishment in 2011, currently as Vice-president.
Prof. dr hab. Adam Waśko
University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
Prof. dr hab. Adam Waśko is a graduate of the Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (currently the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology), where he obtained further doctoral degrees in 2004 and habilitation in 2018. In 1996, he began his scientific work at the Agricultural University in Lublin (currently the University of Life Sciences), where he continued the development of his scientific career. The main scientific interests are currently broadly understood issues related mainly to the biotechnological use of microorganisms. The second research trend includes the analysis of biologically active food ingredients confirmed in studies on cell models of human tissues. Author and co-author of 93 original and review papers in journals from the JCR list, 17 international and national patents and several dozen other publications and scientific reports. He developed his scientific career in renowned research centers in the country, mainly in the Polish Academy of Sciences and on scientific internships in the European Union countries (Germany, Austria, Italy, Finland, Switzerland). He participated in the implementation of 11 research projects financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the National Science Center and the National Center for Research and Development, acting as the manager, main contractor and contractor, including one funded by the European Union.
Dr hab. Julia Pawłowska
University of Warsaw, Poland
Associate Professor at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland. I am interested in the evolution of one of the most ancient groups of land fungi – Mucoromycota, and their interactions with bacteria. In our team, we are particularly focused on their adaptations to extreme environments (including soil-community studies from polar regions or post-industrial sites). Our research includes not only the taxonomy, ecology, and physiology of early diverged fungal lineages but also focuses on their potential biotechnological applications.
A significant part of my academic activity is also focused on teaching and outreach. At the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, I’m teaching biodiversity, mycology, eukaryotic microbiology, and statistics. Since 2012, I’ve been involved in the development, and activity of the Polish Mycological Society (www.ptmyk.pl).
https://ibe.biol.uw.edu.pl/en/people/pawlowska/
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4914-5182
Dr hab. Marta Wrzosek, prof. UW
University of Warsaw, Poland
Biologist, mycologist, an employee of the University of Warsaw, Botanic Garden, lecturer at the Faculty of Biology, previously also at the Faculty of Artes Liberales UW. Co-founder, and first president of the Polish Mycological Society. Author of popular science books. Involved in the work of the mycological educational center "MYKOTEKA". Honored in the 2019 Popularizer of Science competition by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. Scientifically interested in the interactions of fungi with other organisms. Collaborates occasionally with cultural institutions (e.g. National Museum in Warsaw, TR Warsaw, Powszechny Theatre Warsaw), performs expert reports for the court, is a certified building mycologist and fresh fungi classifier.