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.
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
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PhD.
Filip Boratyński
WP7 Research Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
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PhD.
Fabio Parmeggiani
WP7 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
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PhD.
Francesco Gatti
WP7 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
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PhD.
Davide Tessaro
WP7 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
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PhD.
Paola D’Arrigo
WP7 Researcher from Partner Institiution
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Resume
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MSc.
Abirami Baskaran
WP7 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
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Eng.
Oliwia Pomarańska
WP7 Researcher
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
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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
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PhD.
Ewa Kozłowska
WP8 Research Manager
Wrocław University of Environmental
and Life Sciences (UPWr)
Resume
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PhD.
Gabriel Foley
WP8 Researcher from Partner Institiution
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
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PhD.
Connie Petroeschevsky
WP8 Researcher from Partner Institiution
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
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PhD.
Birgitta Ebert
WP8 Researcher from Partner Institiution
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
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Anthony Bengochea
WP8 Researcher from Partner Institiution
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Resume
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