Research focus

natural compounds-flavonoids and their derivatives, TEM, SEM,  membranes,  cancer and normal cells, NMR, FTIR, EPR, liposomes

Scientific interests

 As part of the biology discipline, I study the interactions of natural compounds and their derivatives with model and cell membranes, taking into account their interactions at the molecular level, structural and dynamic changes, and the orientation of the tested compounds in the membrane. Correlations of biophysical effects with biological effects on normal and cancer  cells, I investigate with application of : electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) and light techniques, immunocytochemistry at the level of cell ultrastructure, biophysical techniques, i.e. Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) ) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR).

Professional education

Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry,  Department of Functional Anatomy and Cytobiology, field: cell biology

•    Assistant  Professor in biological sciences (2019)

Research projects

1. Team Grant of the Vice-Rector of UMCS for Science Nr NB-14/2008 (2008) - project manager: Studies on the effects of apigenin and heat shock on human cervical cancer cells
2. Project NCN No. 2014/13/B/ NZ/ 02106 (2015-2018) - main investigator: Characterization and significance of the novel oxalic acid oxidase (OXOAb) in Abortiporus biennis in response to the presence of heavy metals in the growth environment.

3. Project financed by the Ministry of Education and Science No. 7230/IA/SP/2021. The investment concerns the purchase of scientific and research equipment entitled "Transmission electron microscope for the Institute of Biological Sciences of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin" Project implementation period: 2021-2022; Co-financing from the Ministry of Education and Science: PLN 2,900,000. - project manager

4. UMB-UMCS project No. SUB/2/DN/21/001/2212, financed by the Medical University of Bialystok, entitled "Interactions of selected flavonoid derivatives with model lipid membranes". Grant implementation period - 01.01-31.12.2021. - investigator

5. UMB-UMCS project No. B.SUB.23.391, financed by the Medical University of Bialystok, entitled "Evaluation of the interaction of selected polyphenols with model lipid membranes". Grant implementation period - 01.01-31.12.2023.- investigator

Awards  for scientific activity

• UMCS Rector’s individual  award; 1999, 2001
• UMCS Rector’s team award; 2010, 2014
• UMCS Rector's awards for high - score article (3): 2020
• UMCS Rector's awards for high - score article (1): 2022
• UMCS Rector’s individual  award;2022

Foreign and domestic  internships

1. Plant Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 16.11.1992-29.11.1992

2. Institute of Physics, Lublin, Poland, Department of Biophysics, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 1.09 2009-30.09.2009

3. Institute of Physics, Lublin, Poland, Department of Biophysics, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University,  1.09 2009-30.09.2011

 Recent papers

1. Pawlikowska-Pawlęga B., Dziubinska H., Król E., Trębacz K., Jarosz-Wilkołazka A., Paduch R., Gawron A., Gruszecki W.I.: Characteristics of quercetin interactions with liposomal and vacuolar membranes. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Biomembranes, 2014, 1838, 254-265 
2. Pawlikowska-Pawlęga B., Misiak L.E., Jarosz-Wilkołazka A., Zarzyka B., Paduch R., Gawron A., Gruszecki W.I.: Biophysical characterization of genistein-membrane interaction and its correlation with biological effecet on cells – The case of EYPC liposomes and human erythrocyte membranes. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Biomembranes, 1838, 2014, 2127-2138
3. Grąz M., Pawlikowska-Pawlega B., Jarosz-Wilkołazka A.: Intracellular distribution of cadmium during the growth of Abortiporus biennis on cadmium-amended media.  Canadian Journal of Microbiology, (2015), 61: 545-554
4. Hułas-Stasiak M, Dobrowolski P, Pawlikowska-Pawlęga B, Tomaszewska E, Muszyński S  (2017). The effects of dexamethasone administered duringpregnancy on the postpartum spiny mouse ovary. PLoS One. 2017 Aug 21;12(8):e0183528. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183528. eCollection 201     
5. Bożena Pawlikowska-Pawlega,  Justyna Kapral,  Antoni Gawron, Anna Stochmal, Jerzy Zuchowski, Lukasz Pecio, Rafal Luchowski,  Wojciech Grudzinski, Wieslaw I. Gruszecki. (2018).  Interaction of a quercetin derivative - lensoside Aβ with liposomal membranes.  BBA -  Biomembranes 1860 (2018) 292-299
6. Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas,  SylwiaStączek S.,BożenaPawlikowska-Pawlęga, Paweł Mak, Rafał Luchowski, Krzysztof Skrzypiec, Ewaryst Mendyk, Jerzy Wydrych, Wiesław I. Gruszecki, Małgorzata Cytryńska. (2019). Studies on the interactions of neutral Galleria mellonella cecropin D with living bacterial cells. Amino Acids 51: 175-191   
7. Chudzik. B., Bonio K., Dąbrowski W., Pietrzak D., Niewiadomy A., Olender A., Pawlikowska-Pawlęga B., Gagoś M. Antifungal effects of a 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivative determined by cytochemical and vibrational spectroscopic studies. PLoS ONE, 14,9,2019, Article number e0222775
8. Grela E., Zdybicka-Barabas A., Pawlikowska-Pawlęga B., Cytryńska M., Wlodarczyk M., Grudzinski W., Luchowski R., Gruszecki W.I. Modes of the antibiotic activity of amphotericin B against Candida albicans.Scientific Reports9,1, 2019, Article number 17029
9. Grąz M., Jarosz-Wilkołazka A., Pawlikowska-Pawlega B., Janusz G., Kapral -Piotrowska J., Ruminowicz-Stefaniuk M., Skrzypek T., Zieba E. Oxalate oxidase from Abortiporus biennis – protein localisation and gene sequence analysis. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules  2020 Apr 1;148:1307-1315. 
10. Szałapata, K., Osińska -Jaroszuk M., Kapral-Piotrowska J., Pawlikowska-Pawlęga B., Łopucki R., Mroczka R., Jarosz-Wilkolazka A. Serine protease inhibitors-new molecules for modification of polymeric biomaterials. Biomolecules, 10,1, 2020, Article number 82
11.  J. Polak, K. Wlizlo,R.Pogni, E. Petrici, M.Graz, K.Szalapata,  M. Osinska-Jaroszuk, J. Kapral-Piotrowska, B. Pawlikowska-Pawlega, A. Jarosz-Wilkolazka. Structurte and biaoctive properties of novel textile dyes synthesissed by fungal laccase. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Mar; 21(6): 2052.
13. Sowa-Jasiłek, A., Zdybicka-Barabas, A., Stączek,  Bożena Pawlikowska-Pawlęga Katarzyna Grygorczuk-Płaneta, Krzysztof Skrzypiec, Wiesław I. Gruszecki, Paweł Mak  and Małgorzata Cytryńska Antifungal activity of anionic defense peptides: Insight into the action of galleria mellonella anionic  peptide 2. 2020 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21(6):2052
13. Baranowska-Wójcik, E., Szwajgier, D., Jośko, I., Pawlikowska-Pawlęga, B., Gustaw, K. Smoothies Reduce the “Bioaccessibility” of TiO2 (E 171) in the Model of the In Vitro Gastrointestinal Tract Nutrients, 2022, 14(17), 3503
14. Grela, E., Stączek, S., Nowak, M., Pawlikowska-Pawlęga B., Zdybicka-Barabas A., Janik S, Cytryńska M, Grudziński W.,  Gruszecki, W.I., Luchowski, R.Enhanced Antifungal Activity of Amphotericin B Bound to Albumin: A “Trojan Horse” Effect of the Protein’’Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2023, 127(16), pp. 3632–3640
15. Strawa, J.W., Jakimiuk, K., Pawlikowska-Pawlęga, B., Gruszecki W.I, Kapral-Piotrowska J, Wiater, A., Tomczyk, M. Polar localization of new flavonoids from aerial parts of Scleranthus perennis and Hottonia palustris and their modulatory action on lipid membranes properties  Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes, 2023, 1865(4), 18414
16. J. Kapral-Piotrowska, A. Jarosz-Wilkołazka, , B. Chudzik, R. Paduch, J. Jakubowicz-Gil, A. Wawrzyniak, I. Łuszczewska-Sierakowska, A. Sławińska-Brych, B. Zdzisińska, E. Reszczyńska, K. Trębacz, W.I. Gruszecki, B. Pawlikowska-Pawlęga. Apigenin targets proteins and lipids og HeLa cells and exhibits protective efficacy against oxidative stress. Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica – Drug Research 80 (1): 109-127, 2023