On 13 June 2026, our group took part in the Science Picnic of Polish Radio and the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, co-organizing the stand of the Faculty of Biology. This year’s event gathered many visitors interested in exploring science through hands-on activities, demonstrations, and direct conversations with researchers.

At our stand, the miniature model of a constructed wetland helped us explain how microorganisms support natural water purification and ecosystem functioning. We also presented agar plates with colorful bacterial cultures, including strains with unusual features that helped us tell stories about microbial diversity and adaptation. One of the highlights was Serratia marcescens, a true queen of science outreach. These examples opened the way to conversations about bacteria living in lakes and other freshwater ecosystems, their role in nutrient cycling, and their importance as indicators of environmental change.

The event was a great opportunity to share topics related to our research projects, including the role of microorganisms in urban water reservoirs, the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment, and the use of microbial communities in nature-based solutions. We also showed how bacteria and fungi can be useful in agriculture, environmental management, and industry, especially food production. Visitors could test their knowledge in a quiz about microorganisms involved in producing different foods and learn which microbial properties make these processes possible.

On 7 June 2026, Dr. Przemysław Decewicz completed the 1/2 Ironman race in Warsaw. Przemek swam 1.9 km, cycled 90 km, and ran 21.1 km, finishing with an outstanding time of 4:36:02.

Huge congratulations on this amazing achievement!

From 1 to 3 March, our PhD students visited AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow with Prof. Tomasz Bajda’s team. During the visit, they discussed ongoing joint projects and ideas for future collaboration with the AGH team. They also organized a scientific seminar and, after hours, tested their knowledge and teamwork skills in a pub quiz, proudly finishing in second place.

In February 2026, we had the pleasure of hosting Sara Ribeirinho Soares (PhD student) from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.

Sara’s research focuses on understanding how operational conditions in conventional activated sludge (CAS) wastewater treatment systems shape microbial community dynamics and the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Working with lab-scale reactors operating continuously, like within a full-scale wastewater treatment plant, fed with real wastewater, she investigates the impact of sludge retention time (SRT) and temperature on bacterial community structure, as well as on the abundance and dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) by combining physicochemical monitoring with molecular and bioinformatics approaches.

During her stay, Sara took training in DNA sequencing techniques, bioinformatics, and metagenomic data analysis. It was nice to host Sara in our group, and we hope to see her soon!