key personnel

Head of Biology Department Magdalena Spólnicka graduated from Collegium Medicum at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Bydgoszcz and completed a post-graduate Officer’s Study for forensic experts at Police Academy in Szczytno. In 2003 she completed a post-graduate course in molecular biology at Biotechnology Faculty in Jagiellonian University of Cracow. Later, in 2006, she received a PhD title in medical sciences for her dissertation “STR polymorphism of the non-coding human growth hormone gene and its use in personal identification” in Łódź Medical University. The thesis was financed by State Committee for Scientific Research from scientific funds as a research project – supervisor’s grant no 2 P05A03129. As a result of 18-year work practice in Central Forensic Laboratory of the Police, Magdalena Spolnicka is experienced in all key aspects of CFLP Biology Department duties, including the performance of highly complicated forensic examinations, completing analytical and statistical documentation as a part of her work routine, running implementation and adaptation activities. Moreover, she participated in implementation and improvement of Quality Management System in Biology Department of CFLP. She supervised the education of candidates for experts in the field of forensic genetics. Her contribution to scientific development includes also co-authorship of numerous publications and presentations at various national and international conferences. Since 2014 she had occupied the position of Deputy Head of CFLP Biology Department. In July 2015 she was appointed Main Technical-Research Specialist of the Biology Department and since 1st April she has held the position of the Director of CFLP Biology Department. In september 2019 she obtained post-doctoral degree.

MSc Bożena Wysocka is a forensic genetics expert at the Department of Biology of the Central Forensic Laboratory of the Police in Warsaw. She has many years of forensic experience including laboratory work, which she has acquired in the course of issuing forensic opinions, including many expert opinions of a complex nature. She graduated from the Faculty of Molecular Biology of the Gdansk University. In her daily routine she uses her molecular biologist’s experience, actively involving in the development and implementation of new research methods. She constantly upgrades her skills by participating in domestic and international conferences, workshops and sharing her knowledge during professional workshops. Additionally, she actively engages in various international undertakings, such as the participation as a short-term expert in TAIEX and Twinning Light Project expert missions or taking part in scientific projects.

MSc Michał Boroń. Graduated from Jagiellonian Uniwersity. Since 2015 works in CFLP, currently as technical-research specialist. He is interested in forensic DNA sequencing techniques and forensic DNA phenotyping. In 2018 he started doctoral program on Medical University of Bialystok.

key personnel

Ewelina Pośpiech, PhD, is a leader of the Jagiellonian University team in the EPIGENOME project. Ewelina is a postdoctoral researcher in the Human Genome Variation Research Group of the Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology JU. She graduated in 2010 in biotechnology and received her Ph.D. in 2013 from the Jagiellonian University for research on the genetics of human pigmentation. During 2010-2012 she was involved in routine forensic casework at the Institute of Forensic Research in Krakow. She is interested in developing new methods that would extend the use of massive parallel sequencing technology in forensic genetics and focuses on predictive DNA analysis. Currently she is working on the development of prediction methods for various human appearance traits and is investigating a link between epigenetic age and progressive appearance traits. She has participated in 9 research projects, is a first author or co-author of 32 peer-review articles. She participated in many conferences, including several oral and invited speaker presentations. She was involved in co-organization of several workshops on predictive DNA analysis during large international conferences. She is a member of the International Society for Forensic Genetics. In 2014 the Japan Society of Human Genetics awarded her a Young Scientist Award and in 2017 she was granted an award for outstanding young scientists by the Foundation for Polish Science within the programme START 2017. Recently she was awarded Young Scientist award by the Polish Society of Forensic Medicine and Criminology.

Wojciech Branicki, Prof., is a full professor at Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology of Jagiellonian University. He is a forensic expert with specialization in forensic genetics. For many years he has combined work of a DNA expert with researching in the field of forensic genetics in the Institute of Forensic Research in Krakow. Now he is involved in research and education in the genetics and forensic genetics at Jagiellonian University and is a leader of Human Genome Variation Research Group at Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology. He has a position of DNA expert in the Central Forensic Laboratory in Warsaw. Prof. Branicki is also a teacher at the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution in Poland. He graduated for his PhD in 2001 from the Medical Academy in Gdansk and habilitation from JU in 2009, both based on work in the field of forensic genetics. He is experienced in leading research projects and has a good record of publications in forensic genetics, especially in the field of DNA-based prediction of appearance traits and age estimation. Prof. Branicki is a member of scientific organizations, International Society for Forensic Genetics, Polish Society of Legal Medicine and Criminology and Polish Society of Human Genetics. He is a chairman of the Polish Speaking Working Group of the International Society for Forensic Genetics. Currently his research group continues to work on discovering new markers and developing new tools in the field of predictive DNA analysis in forensics.

Aleksandra Pisarek, MSc, PhD Student, is a technician in Human Genome Variation Research Group of the Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology JU. In 2017 she obtained master’s degree in biochemistry at the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology of the Jagiellonian University. She was responsible for the tasks in the H2020 project VISAGE. She is interested in DNA methylation analysis and epigenetic age prediction in different tissue types. Aleksandra is responsible for testing and developing new methods for assesing the DNA methylation level in the EPIGENOME project and investigating epigenetic age prediction in semen samples.

Joanna Rudnicka, MSc, PhD student, is a PhD student in the field of Biomedical Sciences at the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences of the Jagiellonian University. In 2018 she completed a Master's degree in Biology with a specialization in Genetics and reproductive biology at the Department of Genetics and Evolutionism, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research JU. Her main area of interest is crosstalk between the genome and the environment, including research on how lifestyle affects the genetic record, as well as the possibilities of using this information in forensic genetics. Joanna is responsible for testing and developing new methods for assesing the DNA methylation level in the EPIGENOME project.

Rezvan Noroozi, MsC, PhD Student, is a human geneticist and molecular biologist. In 2012 she graduated from the Science Faculty of Chamran University in Iran and in 2016 she defended her master’s degree in Human Genetics and graduated from Beheshti University of Medical Science, Iran. During this time, she participated in several research projects regarding the investigation of the genetic basis of rare familial or multifactorial disorders. Also, she worked as a bioscience researcher in the Faculty of Pharmacy, Central Research Laboratories for two years where she focused on the pharmacogenetics and the efficacy of drug responsiveness in MS patients. She is now a member of the EPIGENOME project and working to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenotypic ageing features.

key personnel

Andrzej Ossowski, PhD with Habilitation, Assistant professor of Medical Sciences, a biologist by education, forensic expert practicing forensic genetics, anthropology, and criminalistics. Graduate of Faculty of Science and Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Szczecin, doctoral studies on the Pomeranian Medical Academy in Szczecin. He began his career in 2002 in the Department of Forensic Medicine of the PMA in Szczecin. Currently, head of the Department of Forensic Genetics of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. Author and co-author of several dozen scientific papers. He has issued over a thousand expert’s legal reports in the fields of forensic genetics, forensic medicine, anthropology, and criminalistics. The originator and co-creator of the Polish Genetic Database of Totalitarianisms’ Victims project, thanks to which identity is being brought back to the victims of totalitarian systems. He has worked on finding more than 10000 victims of the Second World War and the post-war period all over Europe and identified over 1000 of them. Within his scientific research, he takes part in projects in areas of forensic genetics, forensic anthropology, archaeology, criminalistics, and history.

key personnel

Aneta Sitek, is a graduate of biology at the Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences of the University of Łódź. In 2002 she obtained a PhD title and in 2014 a habilitation at her home university. Currently, she is a researcher and teaching working as an Associate Professor at the Department of Anthropology at the University of Łódź. Her research interests include issues in the field of medical anthropology and human genetics, with particular emphasis on the prediction of human pigmentation based on DNA. She is the co-author of the patent entitled “Method and a set for the detection of genetic predisposition to having a certain hair colour (Poland patent P. 403 360. 2016.), has an experience in managing research projects (managing the Ministry of Science and Higher Education project "Range of variability of population pigmentation features as an important element among genetic and environmental risk factors of skin cancers " (No. 0754 / B / P01 / 2011/40, 2011-2014). She is a long-standing practitioner in the organization and conduction of research on the human phenotype. Her contribution to scientific development includes the co-authorship of numerous publications and conference presentations. She is a member of the Polish Anthropological Society.

Magdalena Kobus MSc - PhD student, with an experience in studying human phenotype.

Paulina Pruszkowska-Przybylska MSc - PhD, student with an experience in the study of human phenotype and DNA methylation analysis.

key personnel

Romuald Dąbrowski, founder and President of the Board of AIS.PL. A graduate of the Institute of Basic Problems of Technology at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, with the M.Sc. Degree in Mathematics. He then received a PhD in Mathematics from the State University of New York in the USA, and for several years continued his academic career in the US, first at the Columbia University in New York City and later in the Indiana University in Bloomington. Returned to Poland in 1997 and became a faculty member at the Mathematics and Computer Science Department of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. During his academic career he wrote several papers on algebra and number theory, which are being referenced until this day. Since 2000 he has concentrated on leading AIS.PL.