Head: Adam Szewczyk

Degrees:

2004 Professor of Biological Sciences, nomination by the President of the Republic of Poland, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS

1998 DSc Habil, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS

1989 PhD in Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS

1984 MSc in Chemistry, Chemical Faculty, University of Warsaw

Research trainings:

1997-1998 Visiting Scientists, Eduardo Marban Lab, Johns Hopkins University, USA

1990-1991 Postdoctoral Fellow, Michel Lazdunski Lab, University of Nice, Sophia Antipolis, France

1989-1990 Postdoctoral Fellow, Angelo Azzi Lab, Bern University, Switzerland

Professional employments:

2008-2018 Director of the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS

2004-2008 Deputy Director of the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS

2001-present Head of the Laboratory of Intracellular Ion Channels, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS

1998-2004 Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS

1992-1998 Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS

Honors and fellowships:

2008-present Deputy President of Biochemical Society

2008-2011 Deputy Head, Division of Biological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences

2006-2009 Director of Polish Mitochondrial Network MitoNet.pl

2006-2014 Congress Counselor at Executive Committee of Federation of European Biochemical Societies

2001-2004 Secretary of Polish Biochemical Society

2001 Roche Organ Transplantation Research Foundation Grant

1989 PhD thesis Cum Laude

Staff: Justyna Kalisz, Piotr Koprowski, Bogusz Kulawiak, Antoni Wrzosek, Monika Żochowska

PhD students: Aleksandra Buta, Rafał Kampa, Shur Kucman, Daria Rotko Agnieszka Walewska Aleksandra Sęk Milena Krajewska, Aleksandra Stefanowska

Graduate students: Olga Lempke, Andrzej Galuba

Research profile:

Intracellular ion channels regulate many key cellular functions by controlling the ion fluxes across different intracellular compartments. Our laboratory is particular inter- ested in potassium channels found in inner mitochondrial membrane. We focus on pharmacology of intracellular potassium channels, interaction of potassium channel openers with mitochondria and the role of mitochondria in cytoprotection. Our overall objective is to study the role of intracellular potassium channels in cellular function during health and disease.

Current research activities:

The laboratory, established in June 1999 is focused on mitochondrial potassium channels. We study the following topics:

• interaction of mitochondrial potassium channels with regulatory proteins,
• mechanism of (neuro) cytoprotective action of potassium channel openers,
• functional role of mitochondrial ATP-regulated and BK-types potassium channels,
• regulation of mitochondrial potassium channels by plant derived substances such as flavonoids, and gaseous signaling molecules,
• role of mitochondrial potassium channels in skin physiology.

Selected publications:

Laskowski M, Augustynek B, Bednarczyk P, Żochowska M, Kalisz J, O'Rourke B, Szewczyk A, Kulawiak B. (2019) Single-Channel Properties of the ROMK-Pore-Forming Subunit of the Mitochondrial ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel. Int J Mol Sci. 20, pii: E5323, doi:10.3390/ijms20215323.

Kampa RP, Kicinska A, Jarmuszkiewicz W, Pasikowska-Piwko M, Dolegowska B, Debowska R, Szewczyk A, Bednarczyk P. (2019) Naringenin as an opener of mitochondrial potassium channels in dermal fibroblasts. Exp Dermatol. 28, 543-550. doi:10.1111/exd.13903.

Jarmuszkiewicz W, Szewczyk A. (2019 Energy-dissipating hub in muscle mitochondria: Potassium channels and uncoupling proteins. Arch Biochem Biophys. 664, 102-109. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2019.01.036.

Walewska A, Szewczyk A, Koprowski P. (2018) Gas Signaling Molecules and Mitochondrial Potassium Channels. Int J Mol Sci. 19, pii: E3227. doi: 10.3390/ijms19103227.

Walewska A, Kulawiak B, Szewczyk A, Koprowski P. (2018) Mechanosensitivity of mitochondrial large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels. Biochim Biophys Acta Bioenerg. 1859, 797-805. doi: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2018.05.006.

Bednarczyk P, Kicinska A, Laskowski M, Kulawiak B, Kampa R, Walewska A, Krajewska M, Jarmuszkiewicz W, Szewczyk A. (2018) Evidence for a mitochondrial ATP-regulated potassium channel in human dermal fibroblasts. Biochim Biophys Acta Bioenerg. 1859, 309-318. doi: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2018.02.005.

Frankenreiter S, Bednarczyk P, Kniess A, Bork NI, Straubinger J, Koprowski P, Wrzosek A, Mohr E, Logan A, Murphy MP, Gawaz M, Krieg T, Szewczyk A, Nikolaev VO, Ruth P, Lukowski R. (2017) cGMP-Elevating Compounds and Ischemic Conditioning Provide Cardioprotection Against Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury via Cardiomyocyte-Specific BK Channels. Circulation. 136, 2337-2355. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.028723.

Kicinska A, Augustynek B, Kulawiak B, Jarmuszkiewicz W, Szewczyk A, Bednarczyk P. (2016) A large-conductance calcium-regulated K⁺ channel in human dermal fibroblast mitochondria. Biochem J. 473, 4457-4471.