Research topics:

1. Mechanisms of insect innate immunity the honeybee Apis mellifera.

2. Search for substances to fight pathogenic fungi of the genus Nosema.

3. Research of physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of bee products.

Awards and distinctions:

1. Anna Siedlecka Award for the best graduate in 2018 from grade II biology course for outstanding academic performance as well as scientific and organisational activities during studies (2018).

Selected scientific publications:

1. M. Kunat, G. K. Wagner, B. Staniec, M. Jaszek, A. Matuszewska, D. Stefaniuk & A. A. Ptaszyńska (2020) Aqueous extracts of jet-black ant Lasius fuliginosus nests for controlling nosemosis, a disease of honeybees caused by fungi of the genus Nosema, The European Zoological Journal, 87:1, 770-780, DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1845405

2. A. Pachla, A.A. Ptaszyńska, M. Wicha, M. Kunat, J. Wydrych, E. Oleńska, W. Małek (2020) Insight into probiotic properties of lactic acid bacterial endosymbionts of Apis mellifera L. derived from the Polish apiary, Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.12.040

Patent applications:

1. Patent application no. P.432228 (Urząd Patentowy Rzeczpospolitej Polskiej); 2019. „Wodny ekstrakt z gniazd mrówek Lasius fuliginosus do zastosowania w zwalczaniu nosemozy pszczoło miodnej” [Water extract from the nest of Lasius fuliginosus ants for application in control of honeybee nosemosis]. Inventors: Bernard Staniec, Karol Wagner, Aneta Ptaszyńska, Magdalena Kunat, Magdalena Jaszek, Dawid Stefaniuk, Anna Matuszewska