My thesis in 180 seconds’ - doctoral student is the winner of the competition | Gdańsk University of Technology

MSc Justyna Górska is currently at the first year of the Doctoral School, studying chemical sciences. The area of her research interest are aromatic polyene macrolides (AMP), antifungal antibiotics.

The mechanism of aromatic polyene macrolides functioning has not been fully understood yet. It is presumed that they would be used in the effective treatment of various types of systemic mycoses occurring in humans, as a result of impaired immunity, for example after chemotherapy, transplantology. However, it should be noted that they are very toxic to humans.

- Understanding the mechanism of action of macrolides at the molecular level will open the way to rational chemical modifications of their structures, in such a way that they become lethal to fungi, without harming the human body - explains the doctoral student.

Currently, she is conducting research on the isolation of aromatic polyene macrolides of the highest possible purity and quantity, as they are not commercially available. She uses the rarely used technique of centrifugal countercurrent chromatography, CPC. The doctoral student's supervisor is PhD, DSc, Eng. Piotr Szweda, and the auxiliary supervisor - PhD, Eng. Paweł Szczeblewski.

Justyna Górska presented the purpose of her research work in the competition within 180 seconds and in French. She managed to do it in an accessible and clear way, and thus won the third place receiving a cash prize. The PhD student's speech entitled "Macrolides d’heptaène aromatique - le mécanisme d’action au niveau moléculaire" ("Heptaen aromatic macrolides - mechanism of action at the molecular level") can be viewed [HERE]