Group of Biotechnology, Biomaterials And Microbiology

Team leader
Assoc. Prof. Małgorzata Kus-Liśkiewicz; mkus@ur.edu.pl, ORCID 0000-0003-2564-6820

Małgorzata conducted research for her doctoral dissertation, titled “Molecular mechanism of apoptosis induction with HSF1”, at the Oncology Center in Gliwice and was awarded her PhD by the University of Rzeszów in 2011. She completed her habilitation at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin in 2019 with the work “Synthesis and characterization of properties of nanomaterials based on biological systems.” She has been a Deputy Dean for Student Affairs and Education, and she is a team leader of the Biotechnology, Biomaterials and Microbiology. Her primary scientific interests focus on the design, synthesis, and characterization of functional, novel bionanomaterials with potential applications in medicine and biomedical engineering.
 Members of research group

Bartosz Jasusztyn, Małgorzata Kus-Liśkiewicz, Justyna Gaweł, Leszek Potocki
 
Research
The research activities of the team are conducted at the intersection of biotechnology, nanotechnology, and materials science, with a strong emphasis on developing innovative solutions for biomedical and environmental applications. The team’s work integrates fundamental studies on bionanomaterials with applied research focused on antimicrobial strategies, the design of functional biomaterials, and the development of sustainable polymers. Currently, team’s scientific activities include:
  • Synthesis and characterization of active biomaterials and composite scaffolds based on chitosan, fluorapatite, and hydroxyapatite, which are further incorporated with biocompounds. The obtained materials exhibit enhanced bactericidal and fungicidal activity against clinically relevant pathogens while maintaining low cytotoxicity. The research is also focused on the optimization of scaffold fabrication processes to achieve specific and desirable porosity ranges, aimed at promoting cell adhesion for applications in regenerative medicine.
  • Design and functionalization of titanium dioxide-based nanomaterials and surface-modified biomaterials with enhanced antimicrobial and photocatalytic properties. The work integrates various approaches: the incorporation of doped TiO₂ nanoparticles into polymeric matrices, and the engineering of titanium surfaces. Together, these efforts represent a cohesive strategy to create functional biomaterials and coatings for biomedical and environmental applications.
  • Evaluation of the antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and health-promoting properties of naturally derived compounds to identify natural modulators of microbial growth and potential anticancer compounds.
  • Development of specific bacteriophage formulations as an alternative to antibiotics for controlling Enterobacteriaceae infections, leading to the isolation of phages effective against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
  • Studies on the clonal dynamics of hospital-derived Enterobacteriaceae strains focus on determining whether the prevalence of ESBL-producing strains is driven by the clonal expansion or by horizontal gene transfer of resistance determinants.
 
 By bridging fundamental nanoscience with practical applications and cooperation with the industry, the team addresses key challenges in healthcare, environmental protection, and sustainable material development, contributing both to scientific knowledge and to potential technological innovations.
 
Selected 5 publications (2023-2025)
  • Golovchak, R., Mahlovanyi, B., Shpotyuk, Y., Kus-Liskiewicz, M., Kozianska, J., Zadrag-Tecza, R., zagula, G., Trzyna-Sowa, M., Kovalskiy, A., Gala-Bladzinska, A.,. Cebulski, J., Copper strontium phosphate glasses with high antimicrobial efficacy. Sci Rep 15, 4677 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88781-z
  • Dziedzic, A., Augustowski, D., Kwaśnicki, P., Adamiak, S., Bochnowski, W., Zaczek, A., Skala, P., Cieniek, B., Potera, P., Dziedzic, J.,  Kus-Liskiewicz, M , Ploch, D., Structure and Properties of Silver-Platinum-Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposite Coating. Coatings (2025), 15, 587. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15050587
  • Książek-Trela, P., Potocki, L. & Szpyrka, E. The impact of novel bacterial strains and their consortium on diflufenican degradation in the mineral medium and soil. Sci Rep 15, 18051 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02696-3
  • Barylyak, A., Kisała, J., Fornal, P., Bobitski, Y., Dziedzic, A., Kus-Liskiewicz, M., Physical, mechanical and antibacterial properties of the orthodontic adhesive doped with S-TiO2. Sci Rep 14, 17862 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-68975-7
  • Gaweł, J., Milan, J., Żebrowski, J., Ploch, D., Stefaniuk, I., Kus-Liskiewicz, M., Biomaterial composed of chitosan, riboflavin, and hydroxyapatite for bone tissue regeneration. Sci Rep 13, 17004 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-44225-0

 

Projects
  • Integration of UA–PL–USA students and researchers with advanced science and technology of amorphous materials. The National Academic Exchange Agency and the U.S. National Science Foundation, NAWA - IMPRESS-U, NSF PROJECT OISE – 2106457; M. Kus-Liśkiewicz, co-investigator
  • Programme Regional Initiative of Excellence. Agreement No. RID/SP/0010/2024/1, Minister of Science of the Republic of Poland, M. Kus-Liśkiewicz, coordinator and co-investigator

 

Patents
  • PL248496 Method of obtaining a nanocomposite based on polysaccharide - chitosan, nanocomposite obtained by the method and use of the nanocomposite.
  • PL442951 New yeast strain Debaryomyces hansenii and its use for production of oleamide.
  • PL442387. New strains of bacteriophages specific to bacteria of the Klebsiella pneumoniae species and their use in the production of preparations against bacterial infections.
  • PL441040 The non-conventional yeast strain Aureobasidium pullulans URC2 capable of efficient linoleic acid production in standard YPD medium.

 

Scientific collaboration
  • Politechnica de Guarda, Dpt. Biomedical and Bioanalytical Sciences, Portugal
  • University of Liege - Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Belgium
  • Lviv Politechnic National University, Ukraine
  • Austin Peay State University, USA
  • Gdansk University, Biology Department, Poland
  • Rzeszow University of Technology, Poland
  • Podkarpackie Innovation Center, Poland