The Faces Behind INBIOWAL: Visionaries in Waste Valorization
Project Coordinator & Managment Support
PhD.
Filip Boratyński
Project Coordinator
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Filip Boratyński is an Associate Professor at the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis at UPWr and the leader of the BioActiv Leading Research Group. His scientific interests focus on the development of efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective methods for obtaining chiral biologically active compounds. He combines basic research—screening microorganisms with specific biocatalytic properties—with applied studies, particularly in the sustainable management of agri-food by-products.
He is the author of 39 scientific publications and co-inventor of 11 patents. Dr. Boratyński has completed research internships at leading institutions in the USA, Italy, and Germany. He is a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Committee on Chemistry and Physics in Biology and Medicine, Wrocław Branch), the Polish Chemical Society, and the Polish Society of Food Technologists.
PhD.
Maria Sobota
INBIOWAL Project Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Maria Sobota is a Senior Specialist in the International Relations Department at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr). Her responsibilities include coordinating international academic partnerships and mobility programs—supporting both staff and student exchange initiatives.
Dr. Sobota holds an engineering doctorate and plays a key role in facilitating UPWr’s global collaborations, ensuring smooth administration and development of joint research and educational projects. She is actively engaged in building institutional ties and fostering international cooperation across Europe and beyond.
WORK PACKAGE 4
Development of innovative methods for isolating bioactive compounds from by-products and waste of the oil industry using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES).
Professor
Ivana Redovniković
Partner’s Institiution Coordinator of WP4
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb (UniZg)
Resume
Ivana Radojčić Redovniković is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology. She has over 15 years of experience in the preparation, characterization and implementation of green solvents in food technology, biotechnology and chemical technology biocatalytic reactions, fine-tuning of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) composition for extraction of various biologically active molecules, as well as stabilisation of target compounds in DESs. She has actively participated in several national and bilateral projects. she has published over 95 scientific papers (h-index 30) and supervised 3 PhD.
PhD.
Marcelina Mazur
WP4 Research Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Marcelina Mazur is an Associate Professor at Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis at UPWr. Her scientific interests lie at the intersection of chemistry and biotechnology. In her research, she focuses on biocatalysis and its applications for obtaining biologically active compounds. In particular, she is interested in halogenated organic compounds and those containing a lactone ring in their structure. Currently, green solvents are also within her scope of interest, especially deep eutectic solvents (DES). She is a co-author of 29 peer-reviewed publications and over 30 patents.
PhD.
Aleksandra Grudniewska
WP4 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Aleksandra Grudniewska is an Associate Professor at the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis at UPWr and a member of the BioActiv Research Group. Her work focuses on using deep eutectic solvents to extract natural compounds from agro-food by-products. She is a co-author of 29 publications and 26 patents. She completed research internships at Tokushima Bunri University (Japan), studying bioactive compounds from fungi and liverworts.
PhD.
Monika Dymarska
WP4 Research Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Monika Dymarska is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis at UPWr and a member of the Leading Research Group BioActiv – Biocatalysis and Biological Activity. She specializes in food biotechnology, focusing on microbial functionalisation of flavonoids and research on lactic acid bacteria. She completed a research internship at the University of Alberta and is a co-author of over 35 JCR publications and more than 130 patents.
Professor
Višnja Gaurina Srček
WP4 Researcher from Partners Institiutions
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb (UniZg)
Resume
Prof. Visnja Gaurina Srcek’s research focuses on animal cell technology for producing biologically active compounds, in vitro systems to assess bioactive substances, and using proteins and peptides from food industry by-products in cell culture media and scaffolds. She was also the principal investigator of a project funded by the Croatian Science Foundation, she published over 60 papers, and teaches intellectual property rights to graduate and doctoral students.
PhD.
Marina Cvjetko Bubalo
WP4 Researcher from Partners Institiutions
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb (UniZg)
Resume
Dr Marina Cvjetko Bubalo specializes in DESs preparation, characterization, and application in food and biotechnology. Her work emphasizes the use of DESs in biocatalytic reactions, optimization for bioactive molecule extraction, and stabilization of target compounds. She is a co-author of 50+ publications, she was ranked among Stanford’s top 2% of scientists in Biotechnology (2021–2023). She teaches Biotransformation and Cell Technology and Application.
Professor
Kristina Radošević
WP4 Researcher from Partners Institiutions
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb (UniZg)
Resume
Prof. Kristina Radošević focuses on factors influencing animal cell proliferation, optimizing production cell lines, and studying the impact of plant protein hydrolysates. Her research explores DESs, their environmental impact, and applications in extraction and pharmaceuticals. She received a European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) fellowship. She was ranked among Stanford’s top 2% of scientists (2022–2023), she teaches Biotransformation and Cell Technology and Application.
PhD.
Marijan Logarušić
WP4 Researcher from Partners Institiutions
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb (UniZg)
Resume
Dr. Marijan Logarušić focuses on mammalian cell cultures, optimizing nutrient media with plant-based protein isolates to improve growth and productivity. His current research includes the preparation and application of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for biocatalytic waste valorization. He has presented at 13 conferences, published 12 papers, and is a member of the Croatian Society for Biotechnology. He actively contributes to international collaborations and innovative biotechnological solutions.
Eng.
Weronika Rogowska
WP4 Researcher from Partners Institiutions
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Weronika Rogowska is a biotechnology student at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. She conducts research on isolating proteins and phenolic compounds from oil industry by-products.
WORK PACKAGE 5
Biotechnological valorization of oil industry by-products for the production of valuable microbial biomass and products of their metabolism.
Professor
Mohammad J. Taherzadeh
Partner’s Institiution Coordinator of WP5
Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery (SCRR) at University of Borås (UB)
Resume
Dr. Mohammad J. Taherzadeh is professor in Bioprocess Technology since 2004 at University of Borås in Sweden and chairman of Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery. Prof. Taherzadeh has PhD in Bioscience, and MSc and BSc in Chemical Engineering. He is developing processes to convert wastes and residuals to value added products with focus on pretreatment and fermentation using anaerobic bacteria and filamentous fungi. He has more than 500 publications, and also developed several bioprocesses in industrial scales.
PhD.
Witold Pietrzak
WP5 Research Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Witold Pietrzak is Assistant Professor at the Department of Fermentation and Cereals Technology UPWr. His research centers on microbial biotechnology and fermentation engineering, particularly the conversion of biomass residues into valuable products like ethanol and edible fungal biomass. He is contributed significantly to studies on fermentation of waste substrates such as bread and cereals, optimizing enzymatic pre-treatment for bioethanol. He has authored 24 publications with over 600 citations.
PhD.
Ewa Szczepańska
WP5 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr Ewa Szczepańska is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, UPWr. Her research focuses on the biotransformation of natural compounds, particularly lactones, using filamentous fungi, including solid-state fermentation systems. She holds a NAWA Wilhelmina Ivanowska scholarship, enabling research internships in Italy at CNR and POLIMI. Currently she supervises vanillin bioproduction from agro-industrial residues under an NCBR-funded project. Dr Szczepańska has authored 29 peer-reviewed publications.
PhD.
Patrik R. Lennartsson
WP5 Researcher from Partner Institution
Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery (SCRR) at University of Borås (UB)
Resume
Dr. Patrik R. Lennartsson as a member of the Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, his research has been focused mainly on converting organic residues into value-added materials using biotechnology, especially using filamentous fungi and other microorganisms. He has been a member of the Editorial Board of both Bioengineered and Processes. Dr Lennartsson also has a strong interest in university education on all levels and university quality. As such, he is a member of the Research and Education Board and is the chairman of the Education Committee in Engineering, both at the UB.
PhD.
Amir Mahboubi Soufiani
WP4 Researcher from Partners Institiutions
Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery (SCRR) at University of Borås (UB)
Resume
Dr. Amir Mahboubi Soufiani is an Associate Professor in Industrial Biotechnology. His research focuses on the sustainable conversion of waste and residues into value-added bioproducts.. His key areas of interest include waste-based biorefinery and fermentation-based production processes. Additionally, he explores acidogenic fermentation for platform chemical production and the cultivation of filamentous fungi for various applications. He utilizes membrane technology, including membrane bioreactors, to enhance bioprocess efficiency and sustainability.
PhD.
Swarnima Agnihotri
WP5 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery (SCRR) at University of Borås (UB)
Resume
Dr. Swarnima Agnihotri is an Assistant Professor at SCRR, University of Borås. She has over 15 years of experience in lignocellulosic chemistry and bioprocessing, focusing on converting wood, non-wood, and waste biomass into biofuels, bioplastics, and high-value biomaterials. Her research includes lignin valorization, organosolv and alkaline extraction, and fungal fermentation for sustainable food and feed production. She earned her Ph.D. in Industrial Biotechnology and Pulp & Paper Technology in India and completed postdoctoral work in Norway. She collaborates with international partners on biorefinery innovations and teaches to promote circular economy solutions.
WORK PACKAGE 6
The use of biocatalytic processes to transform lipids isolated from oil industry waste into high-value products for industrial use.
PhD.
Stefano Serra
Partner’s Institiution Coordinator of WP6
Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council (SCITEC-CNR)
Resume
Dr. Stefano Serra is a Senior Researcher at SCITEC-CNR in Milan. His work focuses on the stereoselective synthesis of biologically active compounds—including natural products, APIs, flavours, and fragrances. His group combines classical organic synthesis with biocatalytic methods using enzymes and whole-cell systems. He is the author of 137 JCR-listed publications. including recent work on one‑pot biotransformation of vegetable oils into natural lactones.
PhD.
Witold Gładkowski
WP6 Research Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Witold Gładkowski is is an Associate Professor at the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis at UPWr and a member of the BioActiv Research Group. His research focuses on chemoenzymatic synthesis of bioactive lactones, microbial biotransformations, enzymatic asymmetric synthesis, and structural modifications of phopholipids and sterol derivatives. He has authored over 70 JCR publications, 8 book chapters, and holds more than 80 patents.
PhD.
Anna Chojnacka
WP6 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Anna Chojnacka is an Associate Professor at the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis at UPWr. Her scientific interests focus on enzymatic and chemo-enzymatic modifications of phospholipids, especially from egg yolk. She is a co-author of over 30 JCR-listed publications, holds 10 patents, and is a member of the Polish Society of Food Technologists (PTTŻ). She has been involved in numerous national and international research projects.
PhD.
Natalia Niezgoda
WP6 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr. Natalia Niezgoda is an Assistant Professor at UPWr’s Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis. Her work focuses on enzymatic and chemo-enzymatic modifications of phospholipids, including lipase-catalysed synthesis of bioactive derivatives, as well as methods for the separation of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers. She is a co-author of 22 JCR-listed publications and holds 38 patents. She completed a six-month postdoctoral internship at the University of Coimbra, Portugal.
MSc Eng.
Anna Dunal
WP6 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Anna Dunal is a PhD candidate at the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis at UPWr. She has participated in research on the synthesis and characterization of acylglycerol–sterol conjugates and their interactions with lipid bilayers, as well as on the bioprospecting of endophytic fungi for bioactive metabolites. She was also involved in the BioExplor project, focused on unlocking the bioactivity of forest plant mycobiomes as a source of new carotenoids and biopigments. She is a co-author of 3 JCR-listed publications.
Professor
Francesco Secundo
WP6 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche National Research Council (SCITEC-CNR)
Resume
Dr. Francesco Secundo is Research Director at the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). His research focuses on enzymology, enzyme applications in organic synthesis and biotechnology, enzyme formulation effects on activity, and the analysis of proteins, lipids, and antibiotics in food. Recently, he has investigated the potential of microalgae in biorefinery applications. He has authored over 135 publications (H-index 35) and holds editorial roles with BioTech, Biocatalysis and Biotransformation, Catalysts, Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, and Marine Life Science & Technology
WORK PACKAGE 7
Biocatalytic transformations of phenolic compounds obtained from by-products of the oil industry to obtain compounds with added value.
Professor
Elisabetta Brenna
Partner’s Institiution Coordinator of WP7
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
Prof. Maria Elisabetta Brenna is an Associate Professor at the Politecnico di Milano with expertise in organic synthesis and biocatalysis. Her research focuses on enantioselective synthesis of chiral drugs and fragrances, flow biocatalysis, flavour biogeneration, and SNIF-NMR for origin authentication. She is the author of over 130 WoS-indexed publications, two patents, and the editor of a Wiley-VCH volume on bioreductions.
PhD.
Filip Boratyński
WP7 Research Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr Filip Boratyński is an Associate Professor at the Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis at UPWr and leader of the BioActiv Research Group. His research focuses on eco-friendly, cost-effective methods for obtaining chiral biologically active compounds. He combines microbial screening with applied work on sustainable use of agri-food by-products. He has authored 39 publications, co-invented 11 patents, and completed internships in the USA, Italy, and Germany.
PhD.
Fabio Parmeggiani
WP7 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
Fabio Parmeggiani is an Associate Professor of Chemical Technologies at Politecnico di Milano. His research focuses on biocatalytic methods for synthesizing high-value organic molecules, including chiral drug intermediates, amino acids, flavours, and fragrances. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and holds one international patent. He previously worked at the University of Manchester’s MIB for over six years.
PhD.
Francesco Gatti
WP7 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
Dr. Francesco G. Gatti is an Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry at Politecnico di Milano. His research focuses on biocatalytic stereoselective synthesis of fragrances, flavours, APIs, and natural products using multi-enzymatic systems. He earned his PhD from the University of Warwick and has been involved in EU-funded projects like INTENANT and VIPCAT, collaborating with both academic and industrial partners.
PhD.
Davide Tessaro
WP7 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
Dr Davide Tessaro is an Assistant Professor at Politecnico di Milano. He earned his M.Sci. in Chemistry from the University of Milano (2001) and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry from Politecnico di Milano (2005). His research focuses on organic synthesis through enzymes, biocatalysis, and chiral synthesis.
PhD.
Paola D’Arrigo
WP7 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
Prof. Paola D’Arrigo is an Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano. She teaches chemistry in the Bioengineering program and supervises theses in bioengineering, chemistry, and biotechnology. She holds a PhD in Industrial Chemistry and has authored 67 peer-reviewed articles. Her research focuses on biocatalysis, green chemistry, biomass valorization, phospholipids, enzyme immobilization, and non-conventional solvents.
MSc.
Abirami Baskaran
WP7 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Abirami Baskaran is a PhD candidate in Biotechnology at UPWr. Her research interests include microbial bioprospecting, enzymatic biotransformations of phenolic compounds, marine and polar microbiology, and the search for natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents. She co-authored several scientific papers and participated in the international project BIOEXPLOR (NCN, 2022–2024).
Eng.
Oliwia Pomarańska
WP7 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Oliwia Pomarańska, a biotechnology student at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, is participating in a research project on forest endophytic fungi. The project “Bioprospecting Endophytic Fungi of Forest Plants” focuses on identifying bioactive metabolites with antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties.
WORK PACKAGE 8
The use of ASR, molecular and synthetic engineering to optimize selected enzymes used in biocatalytic transformations of lipid and phenolic compounds obtained from oil industry waste
Professor
Elizabeth Gillam
Partner’s Institiution Coordinator of WP8
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
Elizabeth Gillam is a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Queensland, specialising in biocatalysis and molecular toxicology. Her research focuses on cytochrome P450 enzymes, their catalytic diversity, and engineering via directed evolution for applications in drug discovery and bioremediation. She collaborates with industry and academia, including AstraZeneca and CSIRO. Author of numerous publications and software tools for enzyme design, she also serves on multiple international advisory and editorial boards.
PhD.
Ewa Kozłowska
WP8 Research Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
Dr inż. Ewa Kozłowska is a researcher at the Department of Chemistry at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. Her work focuses on enzymatic biotransformations of steroid compounds using entomopathogenic filamentous fungi. She has discovered novel transformation pathways, yielding steroid derivatives with high therapeutic potential. She is the co-author of over 80 patents and multiple scientific publications. She received international recognition at the Geneva Invention Expo for a series of steroid-related innovations.
PhD.
Gabriel Foley
WP8 Researcher from Partner Institiution
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
Dr. Gabriel Foley focuses on ancestral sequence reconstruction, protein engineering, and the computational analysis of evolution. He currently works as a Bioinformatic Research Fellow in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology and the Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy where he predicts, optimizes, and expresses proteins for high-value industrial applications.
PhD.
Connie Petroeschevsky
WP8 Researcher from Partner Institiution
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
Dr Connie Ross is a biochemist with expertise in ancestral sequence reconstruction, enzyme engineering, and inflammasome biology. She completed her PhD at The University of Queensland, focusing on cytochrome P450 enzymes. Her work has contributed to tools for protein design and to understanding caspase activation. She is the author of several peer-reviewed publications in top journals, including Angewandte Chemie and Science Signaling.
PhD.
Birgitta Ebert
WP8 Researcher from Partner Institiution
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
Dr Birgitta Ebert develops microbial cell factories to convert renewable resources and waste into valuable chemicals and materials. Her work combines metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and systems modeling for sustainable bioproduction. She is based at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (UQ) and previously led a research group at RWTH Aachen University.
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Anthony Bengochea
WP8 Researcher from Partner Institiution
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
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