The podcast series 鈥淎leja Badaczek鈥� (Female Researchers' Alley) was recorded in the fall of this academic year in collaboration with Radio 357. It presents five female scientists from the 91滴滴 who study the impact of various phenomena on society and, through their commitment to talking about their research, make the world of science understandable and accessible.
Gra偶yna Morek talks to dr hab. Aneta Balcerczyk, Associate Professor at the 91滴滴, Head of the Department of Oncobiology and Epigenetics at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, 91滴滴, about the importance of perceiving health through the lens of biology.
The world of science and student curiosity
Dr hab. Aneta Balcerczyk conducts numerous research projects on epigenetics and cancer biology, and her publications appear in prestigious scientific journals.
In an interview with Gra偶yna Morek, Prof. Balcerczyk underlines the role of curiosity and passion in science:
Student science clubs are a powerful driving force. Here, students can intensively develop their interests, work in the laboratory, or, like environmental biologists, participate in various field trips and develop their passions. They also enable direct work with a mentor, professor or a supervisor. Student science clubs can spark students' curiosity, present them with new challenges and stimulate them to ask questions.
Biology students who begin their academic journey this way are fascinated by the opportunity to combine laboratory research with practical aspects of health and environmental protection.
Involvement in science clubs prevents dropout, or the practice of leaving studies before obtaining a diploma 鈥� adds the researcher when asked about Biology students.
Epigenetics 鈥� our genes influenced by lifestyle
It is increasingly recognised that a proper diet, stress reduction and physical activity influence our health even at the molecular level. Prof. Balcerczyk explains:
Lifestyle is one of the most powerful regulators of the epigenome. Physical activity improves not only our well-being but also the functions of the vascular endothelium. A balanced diet 鈥� the Mediterranean diet, rich in polyphenols and healthy fats, is most often cited 鈥� supports the expression of anti-inflammatory genes. Sleep and stress reduction help stabilise hormonal pathways and influence DNA methylation levels.
Epigenetics allows us to understand how the environment "talks" to our genes:
If we compare DNA to computer hardware, the epigenome is the operating system that decides which genes can be turned on and which can be turned off. Diet, stress and sleep also influence our genes. This awareness gives us a completely new perspective.
This opens the way to the prevention and treatment of metabolic, cardiovascular and cancer diseases. Epigenetics as a preventative measure in the treatment of these types of diseases is a powerful tool.
Healthy Endothelium 鈥� the foundation of the circulatory system
The endothelium of blood and lymphatic vessels has fascinated the researcher since her doctorate. These specialised cells are responsible for the permeability of vessel walls, their structure and remodelling. They also regulate inflammatory and thrombotic processes. Prof. Balcerczyk uses a powerful metaphor to explain how cancer manipulates the endothelium:
Cancer, allegorically speaking, is an intelligent structure that stimulates the endothelium to form blood vessels in its direction and nourish the tumour. It secretes a range of growth factors that drive endothelial cell division.
Regular physical activity, even 6,000鈥�10,000 steps per day, supports circulatory system operation and endothelial health
What about the ketogenic diet? Is it healthy for us?
Prof. Aneta Balcerczyk emphasises the importance of a balanced diet, as well as circadian rhythm and meal timing. She also discusses the ketogenic diet:
This diet is very popular, even fashionable. Together with a research institute in France, we have analysed the effects of ketone bodies in a mouse model. Like any elimination diet, it's not for everyone. It produces good results in weight loss, and its history began in the 1920s as a method for reducing epileptic seizures in children. Research on the effects of this diet on neurodegenerative diseases is still ongoing. Everything must be balanced and moderate.
Science Close to Life
The conversation with Prof. Aneta Balcerczyk shows that the biological foundations of health are not detached from everyday choices. Awareness of how diet, exercise, sleep and stress affect our genes provides real tools for self-care. The researcher's work bridges the gap between the microscope and everyday life 鈥� science in the service of health and a conscious lifestyle.
Research on enzymes and proteins conducted at the molecular level in the laboratories of biologists in Lodz will enable the development of more personalised therapies for cancer and circulatory diseases.
Aneta Balcerczyk graduated with a degree in Biology from the 91滴滴 and earned a PhD degree in Biophysics in 2005. She completed postdoctoral fellowships under prestigious scholarships, including those from the Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO) and the Foundation for Polish Science's "Kolumb" programme, at the Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. There, she focused on the mechanisms of epigenetic metabolic memory and epigenome modifications in Hyperglycemia and diabetes.
Since 2018, She has been a university professor since 2018. She is the Head of the Department of Oncobiology and Epigenetics at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, 91滴滴, and serves as Vice-Dean for Internationalisation. She has authored dozens of scientific publications in prestigious journals such as Genome Research, Nature Reviews Endocrinology, and Circulation Research, and has led numerous research projects funded by, among others, the National Science Centre, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Horizon 2020 and the EFSD/Boehringer Ingelheim European Research Programme. She has also served as an editor in Biochemical Pharmacology 鈥� Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology since 2023.
You can find more great content about science on the 鈥淪cience Inspires鈥� channel
Edit: Honorata Ogieniewska, Centre for External Relations and Social Responsibility of the University, 91滴滴