Our research covers the following issues:
1. The mechanism of root hair elongation, in particular the role of phytohormones: ethylene, auxin and strigolactone in microorganism-activated hair elongation,
2. Role of symbiotic and soil microorganisms in the uptake and distribution of nutrients and metals by plants,
3. The role of microbiota in plant adaptation to toxic metal polluted environments,
4. Intergenerational transmission of microbiota by plants, and the role of this phenomenon in the colonization of metal enriched environments by plants,
5. The role of environmental factors in shaping plant symbiotic microorganism community structure,
6. Plant symbiotic microorganisms dependent mechanisms of P mobility in the soil and plant P uptake,
7. Utilization of microorganisms for improving plant growth and the production of dietary metabolites
Projects Current
1. "Mobilization of nickel by hyperaccumulating plants" financed by the Austrian Science Funding Agency FWF (cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna) P 34719-B
2. "A method of activating the production of health-promoting metabolites in plants of the Cabbage genus" financed by CTT CITTRU, the Jagiellonian University as part of activities aimed at creating innovations and commercialization of scientific research results
3. "Is the plant's loss of toxic metal resistance related to the seed microbiome?" NCN OPUS 22 2021/43 / B / NZ9 / 03034
4. "The mechanism of interaction of endophytic plant fungi. The role of endosymbiont in phosphorus metabolism in plants "NCN OPUS 17 2019/33 / B / NZ9 / 01372
Projects-Finished
1. "Development of agricultural Ni sourcing in ultramafic areas of Europe (AGRONICKEL)", ERA-NET FACCE SURPLUS, UMO - FACCE SURPLUS / I / AGRONICKEL / 02/2016,
2. "Development of a technology for commercial, ecological production of berry fruits", TANGO1 / 269101 / NCBR / 2015,
3. "Nanocomposite materials with microbiological properties based on immobilized layers of metal oxide deposited on a metallic substrate", Innovation Incubator + - Jagiellonian University, contract no. MNISW / 2017 / DIR / II +,
4. "Plant endophytes as a new phytoremediation tool", MAESTRO, UMO - 2011/02 / A / NZ9 / 00137,
5. "The role of endophytic yeast Sporobolomyces ruberrimus in the plant response to iron excess and deficiency", NCN MINIATURA 4,, 2020/04 / X / NZ9 / 003103,
6. "The role of endophytic fungi in the resistance of Arabidopsis arenosa to high levels of toxic metals", NCN OPUS 14, 2017/27 / B / NZ8 / 0119,
7. "Microbiome of plants of xerothermic grasslands of the Miechów Upland protected by the Natura 2000 program", POB BioS Individual Research Minigrants for Scientists, Implementation period: 1.03.2021 - 31.12.2021,
8. "The method of biotization of fast growing crops" financed by CTT CITTRU, the Jagiellonian University as part of activities aimed at creating innovation and commercialization of scientific research results, Implementation period: 1.09.2020-30.062021
Publications TO BE COMPLETED
Team
leader dr hab. Piotr Rozpądek Group leader He graduated from the Faculty of Biology and Sciences of the Jagiellonian University. Doctorate obtained at the International Doctoral Studies of Natural Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow. He is a specialist in plant physiology. Research interests include: interactions of plants with endosymbiotic microorganisms, biodiversity of plant endosymbionts and the role of the microbiome in the adaptation of plants to the living environment.
 dr inż. Rafał Ważny adjunct He completed doctoral studies in forestry sciences at the University of Agriculture in Krakow, where he specialized in forest phytopathology and ectomycorrhizae of forest trees. Then he worked at the Forest Research Institute and the Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Jagiellonian University. He started his work at MCB as a technology broker, dealing mainly with application projects carried out by our team. Currently, he is responsible for the microbiological aspects of ongoing research projects. His research interests concern the role of plant endophytes and mycorrhizal fungi in bioremediation and agriculture.
dr inż. Roman Jędrzejczyk adjunct Former participant of doctoral studies as part of the Society - Technologies - Environment project at the Jagiellonian University and doctoral studies at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University. A graduate of the Faculty of Energy and Fuels of the AGH University of Science and Technology in the field of catalysis and environmental protection and the Faculty of Chemistry and the Jagiellonian University in the field of environmental analytics. He is a specialist in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, analytical and conservation chemistry. He specializes in a number of analytical methods, including XRF, IR, UV-Vis, Raman, MS, XRD, XPS, AAS, HPLC, microscopic and hyperspectral imaging. Currently involved in research on the interaction of plants with microorganisms and the biosynthesis of nanoparticles and carotenoids.
dr Agnieszka Domka research assistant A graduate of the Faculty of Biology at the Jagiellonian University in the field of environmental biology. Her research interests include molecular mechanisms shaping plant interactions with symbiotic microorganisms (mainly endophytic fungi), the impact of endophytic fungi on the mineral balance of plants and the participation of endophytes in the plant's response to stress (e.g. contamination with toxic metals). Currently, she is involved in research aimed at determining the plant response to biotic (microorganisms) and abiotic (toxic metals) factors at the transcriptome level using qRT-PCR. He also conducts research on the process of plant tissue colonization with the use of genetically transformed strains of fungi using confocal microscopy. He participates in the implementation of a project on the importance of endophytic fungi in the plant response to the toxic effects of heavy metals.
dr hab Michał Nosek A graduate of the Faculty of Geography and Biology of the Pedagogical Academy in Krakow. He specializes in plant physiology, with particular emphasis on interactions with abiotic and biotic stress factors. It is responsible for the determination of the components shaping the redox homeostasis of plant cells, including fine and high molecular antioxidants and reactive oxygen species. His current research interests focus on the plasticity of carbon metabolism in a model plant with optional CAM photosynthesis (Crassulacean acid metabolism).
Maciej Gustab, Msc PhD student A graduate of biological studies at the Faculty of Biology of the Jagiellonian University. So far, he has dealt with the optimization of the conditions for the regeneration of specific plant species in in vitro cultures. Currently a PhD student at the Doctoral School of Exact and Biomedical Sciences at the Małopolska Center of Biotechnology of the Jagiellonian University. Scientific interests mainly concern botany, useful plants and the effective use of their hidden potential by humans. As part of her doctoral dissertation, she deals with the influence of fungal endophytes on phosphorus uptake by plants.
Weronika Kosowicz Msc, PhD student Student of molecular biotechnology at the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology of the Jagiellonian University. A graduate of undergraduate studies at the same faculty. As part of her BA thesis, she investigated the mechanisms of resistance to arsenic found in soil bacteria isolated from industrial areas contaminated with this element. Research interests mainly concern bacterial mechanisms of the stress response.
Magdalena Zyzik Msc, PhD student She completed BA studies in biotechnology at the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology of the Jagiellonian University. As part of her BA thesis, she investigated the antioxidant response of photosynthetic organisms on the example of the model Chlamydomonas reinhardtii on heavy metals. Currently, he is pursuing a master's degree in molecular biotechnology at the same faculty. As part of her thesis, she investigates the molecular basis of the plant-endophyte interaction on the plant root system, with particular emphasis on the hair zone. Scientific interests mainly concern plant physiology and, as a hobby, epigenetics.
Colaboration
As part of the research, our group cooperates with numerous centers both in Poland and abroad. This includes:
1. Plant-Microbes Interactions Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, prof. dr hab. Katarzyna Turnau, Jagiellonian University
2. Department of Botany and Plant Physiology Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Agriculture in Krakow  
3. Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Krakow - prof. Piotr Gruba
4. Institute of Plant Physiology F. Górski PAS
5. Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, department of horticulture Warsaw University of Life Sciences – prof. dr hab. Andrzej Kalisz
6. Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University
7. Cell Imaging Lab and Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Irene Lichtscheidl-Schultz
8. Institute for Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna - Markus Puschenreiter, Priv.-Doz. Dr.
9. Department of Plant Physiology, Comenius University in Bratislava - Dr. Marek Vaculik
10. Heterogeneous Reaction Kinetics Group, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University
11. Department of Chemistry of Silicates and Macromolecular Compounds, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology cha them. Stanisław Staszic in Krakow
12. Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Cracow University of Technology
Equipment
The most important techniques
1. Liquid and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection
2. Measurement of the concentration of heavy metals and nutrients in environmental samples
3. Molecular cloning
4. Quantitative analysis of gene expression
5. In-vitro cultivation of fungi
6. Confocal microscopy
7. Gas exchange analysis by infrared spectroscopy
8. Measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence
9. Assessment of the plant microbiota