Prof. Krzysztof Pyrć from the JU Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology and Prof. Marek Sanak from the JU MC Faculty of Medicine have been recruited to an interdisciplinary team of researchers that will advise the Minister of Science and Higher Education on matters related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team will be supervised by the President of the Foundation for Polish Science Prof. Maciej Żylicz.
The team will comprise 15 scientists. Its task is to monitor and report on the current status of the pandemic. Additionally, the members will collect information on research projects related to combating the SARS-CoV-2 and suggest ways to aid and further them. The experts will also give recommendations on funding for such projects.
The team will analyse and assess different strategies of fighting the pandemic, ranging from lack of social distancing (Sweden) to complete isolation of the population (Germany). The results of that analysis will help prepare a plan for any actions that might have to be taken in the future. The researchers will also investigate the developments in relevant academic areas (e.g. virology) in order to prevent similar situations happening from this point forward.
Aside from the two JU researchers, the interdisciplinary team will consist of: Dr Aneta Afelt (University of Warsaw), Prof. Krystyna Bieńkowska-Szewczyk (University of Gdańsk), Prof. Janusz Bujnicki (International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology), Prof. Jerzy Duszyński and Prof. Paweł Grieb (Polish Academy of Sciences), Prof. Piotr Fiedor and Prof. Jakub Gołąb (Medical University of Warsaw), Dr hab. Małgorzata Kęsik-Brodacka (Institute of Biotechnology and Antibiotics), Prof. Jacek Klawe (Nicolaus Copernicus University), Prof. Radosław Owczuk and Prof. Tomasz Smiatacz (Medical University of Gdańsk), Prof. Miłosz Parczewski (Pomeranian Medical University) and Dr hab. Anna Szerlig (Institute of Electron Technology).
