Education and Employment

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2018 – now - associate professor, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw.

2018 – habilitation (DSc), University of Wroclaw, Faculty of Chemistry.

2011 – 2018 - assistant professor, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw.

2012 – 2015 - post doctoral researcher, Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich .(financed by Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (1.10.2013-30.03.2015) and by Sciex (1.06.2012-30.09.2013)).

2011 – PhD in chemistry, University of Wroclaw, Faculty of Chemistry.

2008 –  2011 - PhD student at the Bioinorganic and Biomedical Chemistry Group, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, under the supervision of Prof. Henryk Kozłowski.

2008 M.Sc. Eng. in biotechnology at Wroclaw University of Technology (WUT), Faculty of Chemistry.

2008 M.Sc. in physics at École Normale Supérieure de Cachan, Laboratoire de photonique quantique et moléculaire (LPQM).

60 published papers with a total impact factor of over 240 and four book chapters; Hirsch index 17, cited more than 800 times

Supervisor of 27 master students and (current) supervisor of 5 outstanding PhD students: Dorota Dudek, Denise Bellotti, Adriana Miller, Emilia Dzień and Kinga Garstka.

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Research grants/awards:

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1. Ministry of Science Scholarship for Outstanding Young Researchers, 2015-2018.

2. National Science Centre SONATA BIS (PI; amount of funding: 450 000 €), 2018-2023.

3. National Science Centre MAESTRO (main contractor; amount of funding: 880 000 €), 2018-2023.

4. National Science Centre SONATA (PI; amount of funding: 115 000 €) 2015-2018.

5. Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2013-2015.

6. Sciex-NMSch Fellowship, 2012–2013.

7. Award for the best oral presentation at ISABC12, Guangzhou, China, 3-6.12.2013.

8. Polish Foundation of Science Award for Young Scientist 'START' (twice: in 2012 and 2013).

9. Member of the Young Academy of Scholars and Artists, in the scope of which science is disseminated to society.

 

More than 30 presentations at international conferences; 19 of them were oral presentations, including a keynote lecture at 18th International Conference on Biological Inorganic Chemistry (ICBIC18), and 10 invited lectures at renowned international conferences (such as e.g. ICBIC 2019, ISABC 2019, EUROBIC 2018, PPS 2017, MMC-16 2015 or AsBIC7 2014).

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Scientific experience/training:

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1. post doctoral stay at the Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich .(financed by Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (1.10.2013-30.03.2015) and by Sciex (1.06.2012-30.09.2013)).

2. EMBO Paramagnetic NMR summer school, Florence, Italy, 14-19.07.2014.

3. FEBS/EU Practical Training Course 'Chemistry of Metals in Biological Systems', University of Louvain la Neuve, Belgium, 05.2011.

4. Short-term scientific missions, University of Siena, Italy, one to two month stays in 2009, 2010 and 2011, the results showed metal binding sites in the studied peptides.

5. Student internship project in 2 companies: Thermometric AB (TA Instruments, ITC instruments manufacturer) and Inovacia AB (pharmaceutic company); both in Stockholm, Sweden, 07-11.2007, project focused on vaccine adjuvants and their membrane permeability; main technique- calorimetry (ITC).

6. Undergraduate research project in biophysics under the supervision of prof. M. Langner, Wrocław University of Technology, 01.2007- 07.2008, work focused on ITC of biomolecules.

7. Biochemical and biophysical ‘Molecular Nano Biophotonics Summer School’, Porquerolles, France, 06.2007.

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List of papers:

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• Sykuła Anna, Nowak Adriana, Garribba Eugenio, Dzeikala Aliaksandr, Rowińska-Żyrek Magdalena, Czerwińska Justyna, Maniukiewicz Waldemar, Łodyga-Chruścińska Elżbieta
  Spectroscopic Characterization and Biological Activity of Hesperetin Schiff Bases and Their Cu(II) Complexes
  International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023, 24, 761/1-761/21

• Wątły Joanna, Hecel Aleksandra, Wieczorek Robert, Rowińska-Żyrek Magdalena, Kozłowski Henryk
  Poly-Gly Region Regulates the Accessibility of Metal Binding Sites in Snake Venom Peptides
  Inorganic Chemistry, 2022, 61, 14247-14251

• Dudek D., Garstka K., Miller A., Dzień E., Wątły J., Hecel A., Kozłowski H., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Oddziaływanie przeciwdrobnoustrojowych peptydów z jonami metali - Relacja między chemią koordynacyjną, strukturą, termodynamiką a sposobem działania = The interaction of antimicrobial peptides with metal ions - The realationship between coordination chemistry, structure, termodynamics and mode of action. Wiadomości Chemiczne, 2022, 76, 365-391

• Garstka K., Hecel A., Kozłowski H., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Specific Zn(II)-binding site in the C-terminus of Aspf2, a zincophore from Aspergillus fumigatus Metallomics, 2022, 14, mfac042

• Dzień E., Dudek D., Witkowska D., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Thermodynamic surprises of Cu(II)-amylin analogue complexes in membrane mimicking solutions. Scientific Reports, 2022, 12, 425/1-425/9

• Dudek Dorota, Dzień Emilia, Wątły Joanna, Matera-Witkiewicz Agnieszka, Mikołajczyk Aleksandra, Hajda Agata, Olesiak-Bańska Joanna, Rowińska-Żyrek Magdalena
  Zn(II) binding to pramlintide results in a structural kink, fibril formation and antifungal activity
  Scientific Reports, 2022, 12, 20543/1-20543/8

• Bellotti D., Miller A., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Remelli M. Zn2+ and Cu2+ binding to the extramembrane loop of Zrt2, a zinc transporter of Candida albicans. Biomolecules, 2022, 12, 121/1-121/16

• Witkowska D., Szebesczyk A., Wątły J., Braczkowski M., Rowińska-Żyrek M. A comparative study on nickel binding to Hpn-like polypeptides from two Helicobacter pylori strains. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021, 22, 13210/1-13210/15

• Miller A., Matera-Witkiewicz A., Mikołajczyk A., Wieczorek R., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Chemical “butterfly effect” explaining the coordination chemistry and antimicrobial properties of clavanin complexes. Inorganic Chemistry, 2021, 60, 12730-12734

• Bellotti D, Rowińska-Żyrek M., Remelli M. How Zinc-Binding Systems, Expressed by Human Pathogens, Acquire Zinc from the Colonized Host Environment: A Critical Review on Zincophores. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 2021, 28, 7312-7338

• Hecel A., Kola A., Valensin D., Kozłowski H., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Metal specificity of the Ni(II) and Zn(II) binding sites of the N-terminal and G-domain of E. coli HypB. Dalton Transactions, 2021, 50, 12635-12647

• Wątły J., Miller A., Kozłowski H., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Peptidomimetics – An infinite reservoir of metal binding motifs in metabolically stable and biologically active molecules.
  Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2021, 217, 111386/1-111386/17

• Bellotti D., Sinigaglia A., Guerrini R., Marzola E., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Remelli M. The N-terminal domain of Helicobacter pylori's Hpn protein: The role of multiple histidine residues. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2021, 214, 111304/1-111304/12

• Alghrably M., Dudek D., Emwas A-H., Jaremko Ł., Jaremko M., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Copper(II) and amylin analogues: a complicated relationship. Inorganic Chemistry, 2020, 59, 2527-2535

• Hecel A., Kola A., Valensin D., Kozłowski H., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Metal complexes of two specific regions of ZnuA, a periplasmic zinc(II) transporter from Escherichia coli. Inorganic Chemistry, 2020, 59, 1947-1958

• Bellotti D. Rowińska-Żyrek M., Remelli M. Novel insights into the metal binding ability of ZinT periplasmic protein from Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica.
  Dalton Transactions, 2020, 49, 9393-9403

• Ben-Shushan S., Hecel A., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Kozłowski H., Miller Y. Zinc binding sites conserved in short neuropeptides containing a diphenylalanine motif.  Inorganic Chemistry, 2020, 59, 925-929

• Hecel A., Ostrowska M., Stokowa-Sołtys K., Wątły J., Dudek D., Miller A., Potocki S. Matera-Witkiewicz A., Domínguez-Martín A., Kozłowski H., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Zinc(II)—the overlooked éminence grise of chloroquine’s fight against COVID-19?
  Pharmaceuticals, 2020, 13, 228/1-228/29

• Dudek D., Miller A., Draghi S., Valensin D., Mikołajczyk A., Matera-Witkiewicz A., Witkowska D., Stokowa-Sołtys K., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Zn(II)-alloferon complexes - similar sequence, different coordination modes, no antibacterial activity. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2020, 213, 111275/1-111275/9

• Hecel A.*, Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Kozłowski H., Copper(II)-induced restructuring of ZnuD, a Zinc(II) transporter from Neisseria meningitides, Inorganic Chemistry, 2019, 58, 5932-5942.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Więch A., Wątły J., Wieczorek R., Witkowska D., Ożyhar A., Orłowski M.*, Copper(II)-binding induces a unique polyproline type II helical structure within the ion-binding segment in the intrinsically disordered F-domain of ecdysteroid receptor from Aedes aegypti., Inorganic Chemistry, 2019, 58, 11782-11792.

• Więch A., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Wątły J., Czarnota A., Hołubowicz R., Szewczuk Z., Ożyhar A., Orłowski M.*, The intrinsically disordered C-terminal F domain of the ecdysteroid receptor from Aedes aegypti exhibits metal ion-binding ability., Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2019, 186, 42-55 

• Bellotti D., Toniolo M., Dudek D., Mikolajczyk A., Guerrini R., Matera-Witkiewicz A., Remelli M.*, Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Bioinorganic chemistry of calcitermin–the picklock of its antimicrobial activity, Dalton trans., 2019, 48, 13740-13752

• Wątły J., Hecel A., Wieczorek R., Świątek-Kozłowska J., Kozłowski H., M Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Uncapping the N-terminus of a ubiquitous His-tag peptide enhances its Cu(II) binding affinity, Dalton trans, 2019, 48, 13567-13579

• Hecel A., Kolkowska P., Krzywoszynska K., Szebesczyk A., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Kozlowski H., Ag+ complexes as potential therapeutic agents in medicine and pharmacy, Curr. Med. Chem., accepted.

• Remelli M., Guerrini R., Pontecchiani F., Potocki S., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Watly J., Kozlowski H., Zn(II) and Ni(II) complexes with poly-histidyl peptides derived from a snake venom Inorg. Chim. Acta, 2017, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ica.2017.05.070 (invited paper).

• Wątły J., Hecel A., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Kozlowski H., Impact of histidine spacing on modified polyhistidine tag – metal ion interactions, Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2017, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ica.2017.06.053 (invited paper).

• Łoboda D., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Candida albicans zincophore and zinc transporter interactions with Zn(II) and Ni(II), Dalton Transactions, 2018, DOI: 10.1039/C7DT04403H.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Metal interactions with the transmembrane region of HupE Ni2+ transporter explain its efficiency. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2018, 180, 33-38.

• Hecel A., Wątły J., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Świątek-Kozłowska J., Kozłowski H., Histidine tracts in human transcription factors: insight into metal ion coordination ability, Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry, 2018, 23, 81-90.

• Łodyga-Chruścińska E., Pilo M., Zucca A., Garribba E., Klewicka E., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Symonowicz M., Chruściński L., Cheshchevik V.T., Physicochemical, antioxidant, DNA cleaving properties and antimicrobial activity of fisetin-copper chelates, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2018, 180, 101-118.

• Łoboda D., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Zn(II) - pramlintide: stability, binding sites and unexpected aggregation, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2017, J Inorg Biochem. 2017, 174, 150-155.

• Łoboda D., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Zinc binding sites in Pra1, a zincophore from Candida albicans, Dalton Trans, 2017, 46, 13695-13703 (front cover article).

• Wątły J., Hecel A., Kołkowska P., Kozłowski H., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Poly-Xaa Sequences in Proteins – Biological Role and Interactions with Metal Ions. Chemical and Medical Aspects , Current Medicinal Chemistry, 2017, 24, 1-27.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Periplasmic HupE region-Ni(II) interactions: thermodynamics, binding mode and competition with Cu(II) and Zn(II). (invited paper for a special issue ‘‘Bioinorganic Chemistry – the next generation’), Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2017, 460, 141-147.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Kozłowski H., ‘Nickel binding sites – coordination modes and thermodynamics’ in ‘Biological Inorganic Chemistry of Nickel / ed. by Zamble D., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Kozłowski H., Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017, 4, 43-59.

• Wątły J., Potocki S., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Zinc homeostasis at the bacteria/host interface—from coordination chemistry to nutritional immunity, Chem. Eur. J., 2016, 22, 15992-16010.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, ‘Coordination of Zn2+ and Cu2+ to the membrane disrupting fragment of amylin’, Dalton Trans., 2016, 45, 8099-8106.

• Walencik P., Wątły J., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, ‘Fungal zinc homeostasis - a tug of war between the pathogen and host.’, Curr. Med. Chem., 2016, 23, 3717-3729.

• Kołkowska P., Hecel A., Kędzierska D., Ostrowska M., Walencik P., Wątły J., Zdyb K., Spodzieja M., Rodziewicz-Motowidło S., Potocki S., Łuczkowski M., Gumienna-Kontecka E., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, ‘HENRYK – an endless source of metal coordination surprises’, J. Inorg. Biochem., 2016, 163, 258-265.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M., Skilandat M., Sigel RKO., ‘NMR insight into structure and metal ion binding sites of the mammalian CPEB3 ribozyme’, RNA journal, 2016, 22, 750-763.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Salerno Milena., Kozłowski H. ‘Neurodegenerative diseases – understanding their molecular bases and progress in the development of potential treatments.’, Coord. Chem. Rev., 2015, 284, 298-312.

• Lodyga-Chruscinska E., Symonowicz M., Sykula A., Bujacz A., Garribba E., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Oldziej S., Klewicka E., Janicka M., Krolewska K., Cieslak M., Brodowska K., Chruściński L., ‘Chelating ability and biological activity of hesperetin Schiff base.’, J. Inorg. Biochem., 2015, 143, 34-47.

• Musiari A., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Gallo S., Sigel R.K.O., ‘Metal ions in ribozymes and riboswitches’ in: DNA in supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology / ed. by Eugen Stulz and Guido H. Clever. - Chichester : John Wiley & Sons, 2015, 412-433.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Zakrzewska-Czerwińska J., Zawilak-Pawlik A., Kozłowski H., ‘Ni2+ chemistry in pathogens - a possible target for eradication’, Dalton Trans., 2014, 43, 8976-8989.

• Pontecchiani F., Simonovsky E., Wieczorek R., Barbosa N.A., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Potocki S., Remelli M., Miller Y., Kozłowski H., ‘The unusual binding mechanism of Cu(II) ions to the poly-histidyl domain of a peptide found in the venom of an African viper’, Dalton Trans., 2014, 43, 16680-16689.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M., Skilandat M., Sigel R.K.O., ‘Solution structure and metal ion binding sites of the human CPEB3 ribozyme's P4 domain’, J. Biol. Inorg. Chem., 2014, 19, 903-912.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M., Skilandat M., Sigel RKO., Hexaamminecobalt(III) – Probing Metal Ion Binding Sites in Nucleic Acids by NMR Z. Anorg. Allg. Chemie, 2013, 639. 1313.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Witkowska D., Potocki S., Remelli M., Kozłowski H. His-rich sequences- is plagiarism from nature a good idea? New J. Chem., 2013, 37, 58-70.

• Chiera N. M., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Wieczorek R., Guerrini R., Witkowska D., Remelli M., Kozłowski H. Unexpected impact of the number of glutamine residues on metal complex stability. Metallomics, 2013, 5, 214-221.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M., Potocki S., Witkowska D., Valensin D., Kozłowski H. The zinc-binding fragment of HypA from Helicobacter pylori: a tempting site also for nickel ions. Dalton Trans., 2013, 42, 6012-6020.

• Kozłowski H., Potocki S., Remelli M., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Valensin D. Specific metal ion binding sites in unstructured regions of proteins. Coord. Chem. Rev., 2013, 257, 2625-2638.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M., Valensin D., Łuczkowski M., Kozłowski H. Prion disease. in: RSC Metallobiology Series. No. 1 : Mechanisms and metal involvement in neurodegenerative diseases / ed. by Roberta Ward and Robert Crichton, David Dexter. - Cambridge : RSC Publishing, 2013, 118-162.

• Witkowska D., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Valensin G., Kozłowski H. Specific poly-histidyl and poly-cysteil protein sites involved in Ni2+ homeostasis in Helicobacter pylori. Impact of Bi3+ ions on Ni2+ binding to proteins. Structural and thermodynamic aspects. Coord. Chem. Rev., 2012, 256, 133-148.

• Witkowska D., Valensin D., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Karafova A., Kamysz W., Kozłowski H. Coordination of Ni2+ and Cu2+ to metal ion binding domains of E.coli SlyD protein. J. Inorg. Biochem., 2012, 107, 73-81.

• Potocki S., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Witkowska D., Pyrkosz M. J., Szebesczyk A., Krzywoszyńska K., Kozłowski H. Metal transport and homeostasis within the human body : toxicity associated with transport abnormalities. Curr. Med. Chem., 2012, 19, 2738-2759.

• Witkowska D., Politano R., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Guerrini R., Remelli M., Kozłowski H. The coordination of NiII nad CuII ions to the polyhistidyl motif of Hpn protein: is it as strong as we think?. Chem. Eur. J., 2012, 18, 11088-11099.

• Pap J. S., Szyrwiel Ł., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Nikitin K., Fritsky I. O., Kozłowski H. An efficient copper(III) catalyst in the four electron reduction of molecular oxygen by L-ascorbic acid. J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem., 2011, 334, 77-82.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M., Witkowska D., Bielińska S., Kamysz W., Kozłowski H. The -Cys-Cys-motif in Helicobacter pylori's Hpn and HspA proteins is an essential anchoring site for metal jons. Dalton Trans., 2011, 40, 5604-5610.

• Potocki S., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Valensin D., Krzywoszyńska K., Witkowska D., Łuczkowski M., Kozłowski H. Metal binding ability of cysteine-rich peptide domain of ZIP13 Zn2+ ions transporter. Inorg. Chem., 2011, 50, 6135-6145.

• Krzywoszyńska K., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Witkowska D., Potocki S., Łuczkowski M., Kozłowski H. Polythiol binding to biologically relevant metal ions. Dalton Trans., 2011, 40, 10434-10439.

• Kozłowski H., Witkowska D., Rowińska-Żyrek M. Chemia nieorganiczna i medycyna. in: Misja nauk chemicznych / pod red. Bogdana Marcińca. Wydawnictwo Nauka i Innowacje, 2011, 141-151.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M., Witkowska D., Valensin D., Kamysz W., Kozłowski H. The C terminus of HspA–a potential target for native Ni(II) and Bi(III) anti-ulcer drugs. Dalton Trans., 2010, 39, 5814-5826.

• Rowińska-Żyrek M., Valensin D., Szyrwiel Ł., Grzonka Z., Kozłowski H. Specific interactions of Bi(III) with the Cys-Xaa-Cys unit of a peptide sequence. Dalton Trans., 2009, 9131-9140.

• Valensin D., Szyrwiel Ł., Camponeschi F., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Molteni E., Jankowska E., Szymańska A., Gaggelli E., Valensin G., Kozłowski H. Heteronuclear and homonuclear Cu2+ and Zn2+ complexes with multihistidine peptides based on zebrafish prion-like protein. Inorg. Chem., 2009, 48, 7330-7340.

• Żyrek M., Gumienna-Kontecka E., Szewczuk Z., Fritsky I. O., Kozłowski H. Cu(II)-aminohydroxamate complexes evidenced by mass spectrometry. Arkivoc, 2009, Pt. 3, 145-157.

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Book chapters:

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1. Gumienna-Kontecka E., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Łuczkowski M.,* The role of trace elements in living organisms.

Recent advances in trace elements, Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons , 2018, 177-206, ISBN 9781119133773.

2. Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Kozłowski H., Nickel binding sites : coordination modes and thermodynamics / The biological chemistry of nickel., Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017, 43-59 , ISBN 978-1-78262-498-1 10.1039/9781788010580-00043.

3. Musiari A., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Gallo S., Sigel R. K. O.*, Metal ions in ribozymes and riboswitches / DNA in supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology., Chichester: John Wiley and Sons, 2015, 412-433, ISBN 978-1-118-69686-6, 10.1002/9781118696880.ch5

4. Rowińska-Żyrek M., Valensin D., Łuczkowski M., Kozłowski H.*, Prion disease / RSC Metallobiology Series. No. 1, Mechanisms and metal involvement in neurodegenerative diseases., Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013, 118-162, ISBN 978-1-84973-588-9, 10.1039/9781849735896-00118.

5. Kozłowski H., Witkowska D., Rowińska-Żyrek M.*, Chemia nieorganiczna i medycyna / Misja nauk chemicznych., Poznań: Wydawnictwo Nauka i Innowacje, 2011, 141-151, ISBN 978-83-934106-0-6.

 

 

Edited book:

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1. Zamble D., Rowińska-Żyrek M., Kozłowski H., The biological chemistry of nickel., Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017, 1-380, ISBN 978-1-78262-498-1, 10.1039/9781788010580.