Professor Grzegorz Wegrzyn

Scientific Advisory Board Member

Grzegorz Wegrzyn has graduated from University of Gdansk, Poland. In 1987 he obtained Msc degree in biology, and in 1991 PhD degree in molecular genetics. His PhD thesis was focused on the regulation of DNA replication in starved cells. Then (in 1991), he was a research fellow at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Nottingham Medical School (UK), where he worked on the mechanisms of gene expression regulation in bacteria. In 1992 he was a post-doctoral researcher at Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California at San Diego (USA), where he investigated regulation of viral DNA replication. Since 1996 he is a head of Department of Molecular Biology at the University of Gdansk (Poland). In his laboratory, several projects are conducted, which are focused mainly on regulation of gene expression and DNA replication, role of oxidative stress in bacterial virulence, and mechanisms and new treatment methods of human genetic diseases. Grzegorz Wegrzyn is a co-author of over 350 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and over 400 communications on scientific conferences. He is a member of American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and International Society for Plasmid Biology, and a President of Central and Eastern European Genetic Network. He is an editor of several scientific journals, including FEMS Microbiology Reviews, Microbial Cell Factories, Metabolic Brain Disease, Plasmid, and Editor-in-Chief of Acta Biochimica Polonica.

Date and place of birth: 27 June, 1963; Gdansk (Poland)

Current affiliation and official address:
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
Tel. +48 58 523 6024
Fax: +48 58 523 5501

Education (degrees, dates, universities)
MSc, 1987, University of Gdansk (Poland)
PhD, 1991, University of Gdansk (Poland)
Habilitation, 1995, University of Gdansk (Poland)
Professor (title), 1998

Career/Employment (employers, positions and dates)
University of Gdansk (Poland), Research Assistant, 1987-1991
University of Nottingham Medical School (UK), Research Fellow, 1991
University of California at San Diego (USA), Post-doctoral Fellow, 1992
University of Gdansk (Poland), Lecturer, 1992-1996
University of Gdansk (Poland), Assistant Professor, 1996-1998
University of Gdansk (Poland), Associate Professor, 1998-1999
University of Gdansk (Poland), Professor, 1999 – present

Scientific interests:
Regulation of DNA replication in bacteria, plasmids and bacteriophages
Control of gene expression in prokaryotes
Human genetic diseases, particularly neurodegenerative inherited metabolic diseases
Biological functions of natural products, particularly flavonoids
Biological tests for detection of mutagenic pollution in marine environment
Biological role of bacterial bioluminescence

Academic Functions:
Vice-Dean of Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk – 1993-1996
Head of Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of University of Gdansk – since 1996
Head of Department of Molecular Biology of University of Gdansk – since 1996
Dean of Faculty of Biology, Geography and Oceanology of University of Gdansk, 2002-2008
Vice-President (for Research affairs) of University of Gdansk, 2008-2016

Honors and Awards:
1993 – Award of the Foundation for Polish Science for Outstanding Young Scientists
1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2014 – Prizes of the Polish Biochemical Society for the best
experimental work in the field of biochemistry performed in Polish laboratories and
published in particular year
1995 – Award of the Minister of National Education for scientific achievements
1997 – Award of the Prime Minister for scientific achievements
1999, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 – Prizes of the Polish Genetic Society for the best publications
in the field of genetics, based on work performed in Polish laboratories
2000 – Professor Subsidy of the Foundation for Polish Science
2001 – Medal of the Committee for National Education
2004 – Jan Hevelius Award – Scientific Award of the City of Gdańsk
2007 – Award for the best communication presented during Fourth Symposium on Lysosomal
Storage Disorders, Vienna (Austria)
2010 – Award of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for scientific achievements
2010, 2012, 2014, 2015 – Recognitions/Prizes of the Committee for Microbiology of Polish
Academy of Sciences for the best publications in the field of microbiology, based on
work performed in Polish laboratories
2013 – Award for the best communication presented during 5th FEMS Congress, Leipzig
(Germany)
2015 – Leon Marchlewski Medal of the Committee for Biochemistry and Biophysics of
Polish Academy of Sciences for scientific achievements

Membership and Functions in Professional Organizations:
From 1991 – Member of the Polish Biochemical Society
From 1991 – Member of Polish Genetic Society (1996-2001 – President of the Gdansk
Branch; 2001-2004 Member of the Main Council; 2004-2007 President)
From 2003 – Member of American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
From 2004 – Member of International Society for Plasmid Biology
From 2013 – Member of American Society for Microbiology
From 2014 – Member of the European Huntington’s Disease Network

Membership in Academies:
From 2010 – Polish Academy of Sciences
From 2015 – Polish Academy of Learning

Editor of Scientific Journals:
Acta Biochimica Polonica (Editor-in-Chief since 2009)
FEMS Microbiology Reviews
Metabolic Brain Disease (Deputy Chief Editor since 2014)
Microbial Cell Factories (Editor-in-Chief since 2016/2017)
Plasmid

Member of Editorial Boards:
Journal of Applied Genetics
Journal of Biomolecular Screening
Oceanologia

Supervisor:
PhD theses: 43

Reviewer:
PhD theses: 103
Habilitation (DSc) theses: 54
Professorship applications: 45
Manuscripts submitted to journals: >400

Publications (summary):
Number of articles published in peer-reviewed journals: 353
Number of communications at scientific meetings: 480
Number of written books: 2
Number of edited books: 1
Number of patents
Poland: 3
USA: 1

Citations: 4,360
Hirsch Index: 32

Grants (as Principal Investigator, summary):
International: 11 (including: The Welcome Trust, National Institutes of Health – USA, Volkswagen Foundation, European Commission, UK Society for Mucopolysaccharide Diseases, NATO Science Foundation)
National (Poland): 26

grzegorz.wegrzyn@biol.ug.edu.pl