The Foundation for Polish Science has announced the conclusion of the last, 8th contest in the Homing Plus programme, the aim of which was to encourage young Polish scholars conducting their research abroad to continue their academic career in Poland. There were 39 contestants, out of whom the board of the Foundation have selected 14 winners based on the recommendation of the reviewing committee. The Foundation will grant a grand total of nearly 3,8 million PLN to the laureates, who will conduct research in the fields of biological, technological and computer sciences. Each of them will receive a subsidy for their research project (up to 80,000 PLN a year) and a scholarship (5,000 PLN a month). The programme also awards a 1,000 PLN scholarship for up to two students writing their MA theses under the supervision of the laureate.

One of the contest's winners is Dr Robert Ekiert from the Department of Molecular Biophysics of the JU Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology. His research is devoted to the influence of mitochondrial disease-causing mutations on functioning and properties of the cytochrome bc1 complex.

"An innovative, experimental approach will allow me to use simple and well-known purple bacteria to analyse complex problems occurring in human mitochondria. Dr hab Artur Osyczka, Dr Marcin Sarewicz and two MA students will also be involved in the project," said Dr Ekiert.

Dr Robert Ekiert is a JU biotechnology graduate. He continued his career at the University of Edinburgh. He received his doctoral degree in molecular and cellular biology in Scotland. During his doctoral studies he researched the epigenetic mechanisms that cause a neurological disease – Rett syndrome – under the supervision of Professor Adrian Bird. After his return to the country, he became a part of Dr hab. Artur Osyczka's research team in the Department of Molecular Biophysics thanks to the Młodzi doktorzy (Young PhDs) programme of the JU Society–Technology–Environment project.

The grant in the Homing Plus programme, amounting to a total of 300,330 PLN, was awarded for 23 months.