Laboratory of Human Biological Development and Disease

Meet out team!

Team


Research area

We conduct research in the field of broadly understood human development, both in health and disease. The main research areas focus on:

  • Gut microbiota and its impact on human growth and development in the first three years of life;
  • The relationship between the composition of the gut microbiota and the physical development of healthy children and those born as small for gestational age (SGA);
  • The relationship of selected polymorphisms of the GH and IGF-1 receptor genes with the development of SGA children;
  • Factors affecting the life expectancy of adults with cystic fibrosis;
  • Relationship between body composition and physical development of children and adolescents.

Research topics

  • Composition of the gut microbiota in children born small for gestational age (SGA).
  • Association of selected polymorphisms of the GH and IGF-1 receptor genes with the lack of catch-up growth in children born small for gestational age (SGA).
  • Nutritional status and its relationship to life expectancy in adults with cystic fibrosis.
  • Impact of gut microbiota on human physical development in the first years of life.
  • Factors shaping the development of the human intestinal microbiota.
  • Physical development of girls and boys with excessive body weight.
  • Investigation of the impact of gut microbiota metabolites on the development and progression of gynecological diseases.

Grants

  • Title: Condition-dependent mechanisms of gamete-level mate choice (postmating sexual selection) in humans
    • Principal investigator: dr Aleksandra Łukasiewicz
    • Call: OPUS 24, National Science Centre
    • Implementation period: 2023-2026
    • Granted funds: 1 851 838 PLN
  • Title: The impact of feeding type on intestinal microbiota development in children born small for gestational age (SGA)
    • Principal investigator: dr Magdalena Durda-Masny
    • Call: MINIATURA 4, National Science Centre
    • Implementation period: 2020-2021
    • Granted funds: 49 995 PLN
  • Title: [Czynniki wpływające na intensywność konfliktu płciowego u roztoczy z rodziny Acaridae]
    • Principal investigator: dr Aleksandra Łukasiewicz
    • Call: ETIUDA 7, National Science Centre
    • Project: 2019/32/T/NZ8/00112
    • Implementation period: 2019-2020
    • Granted funds: 156 656 PLN
    • Project description: NCN
  • Title: Environmental quality and intensity of sexual conflict
    • Principal investigator: Aleksandra Łukasiewicz
    • Call: PRELUDIUM 12, National Science Centre
    • Project: 2016/23/N/NZ8/00287
    • Implementation period: 2017-2020
    • Granted funds: 95 800 PLN
    • Project description: NCN

Publications

Durda-Masny, M., J. Ciomborowska-Basheer, N. Grundmann, M. Szymankiewicz-Bręborowicz, M. Englert-Golon, J. Mazela, K. Morańska, I. Makałowska, W. Makałowski, A. Szwed. 2026. “Catch-Up Weight Gain and Gut Microbiota Development in Full-Term Small for Gestational Age Children During the First Year of Life—A Prospective Cohort Study.” American Journal of Human Biology 38(1): e70202. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70202.

Kaja, E., J. Grupińska, M. Budzyń, J. Ciomborowska-Basheer, A. Szwed, I. Makałowska, Z. Papadovasilakis, D. Formanowicz. 2026. “Disease- and Chemotherapy-Associated Salivary Microbiome Changes in Breast Cancer Patients.” Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 216(1): 2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-026-07902-y.

Spochacz-Santoro, M., A. Szeliga, M. Durda-Masny, K. Morańska, M. Englert-Golon, W. Sadowski, M. Bocheńska, S. Doijad, B. E. Dutilh, R. Brouns, M. Grabowska, S. Sajdak, B. Męczekalski, A. Szwed. 2026. “Higher BMI Is Associated with Vaginal Microbiome Alterations in Women with PCOS.” Reproduction and Fertility 7(2): RAF260051. https://doi.org/10.1530/RAF-26-0051.

Englert-Golon, M., S. Sajdak, K. M. Plagens-Rotman, P. Merks, W. Kędzia, A. Szwed, M. Durda-Masny. 2025. “Potential Role of Microbiota in Ovarian Cancer Treatment.” Archives of Medical Science 21(6): 2267–2273. https://doi.org/10.5114/aoms/209544.

Manske, F., M. Durda-Masny, N. Grundmann, J. Mazela, M. Englert-Golon, M. Szymankiewicz-Bręborowicz, J. Ciomborowska-Basheer, I. Makałowska, A. Szwed, W. Makałowski. 2025. “Development of a New Data Management System for the Study of the Gut Microbiome of Children Who Are Small for Their Gestational Age.” Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal 27: 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csbj.2024.12.031.

Pawłowska, N., M. Durda-Masny, S. Cofta, D. Springer, A. Szwed. 2025. “Gut Dysbiosis Driven by CFTR Gene Mutations in Cystic Fibrosis Patients: From Genetic Disruption to Multisystem Consequences and Microbiota Modulation.” Genes 16(9): 1049. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes16091049.

Durda-Masny, M., J. Goździk-Spychalska, K. Morańska, N. Pawłowska, M. Mazurkiewicz, I. Skrzypczak, S. Cofta, A. Szwed. 2024. “Gut Microbiota in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: Implications for the Severity of the CFTR Gene Mutation and Nutritional Status.” Journal of Cystic Fibrosis 23(5): 977–983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2024.06.016.

Morańska, K., M. Englert-Golon, M. Durda-Masny, S. Sajdak, M. Grabowska, A. Szwed. 2023. “Why Does Your Uterus Become Malignant? The Impact of the Microbiome on Endometrial Carcinogenesis.” Life 13(12): 2269. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13122269.