Highlights from the 2nd Polish RNA Biology Meeting in Poznań
From June 24–27, 2025, researchers from the RNA Biology Lab at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), Warsaw, joined the vibrant RNA science community at the 2nd Polish RNA Biology Meeting in Poznań, Poland. The event brought together RNA scientists at all career stages to share new insights, spark collaborations, and explore the frontiers of RNA research.
Among the attendees was Giulia Santonoceto (DC05 of MITGEST), accompanied by postdoctoral researchers Dr. Anna Paszek and Dr. Angshumi Dutta, PhD student Marta Dilling, and BSc student Samantha Pinkas — all active members of the RNA Biology Lab led by Dr. Roman J. Szczęsny.
Following the successful launch of the first Polish RNA Biology Meeting in Warsaw (2023), this year’s event marked the continuation of what is planned to become a biannual international conference series. The mission? To foster exchange between researchers working on diverse aspects of RNA biology — from fundamental mechanisms to therapeutic applications.
Over the course of four days, attendees immersed themselves in a scientifically intense but inspiring program, with daily schedules combining keynote lectures and thematic short talk sessions.
Each day began and ended with a 45-minute keynote lecture, featuring prominent voices in RNA biology. Among the speakers, Dr. Andrzej Dziembowski (International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw) explored metabolic pathways of endogenous and therapeutic mRNAs in vivo. Dr. Bertrand Seraphin (Institute of Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology, France) gave a thought-provoking lecture on “Eukaryotic CCR4-NOT complexes: 1001 ways of regulating mRNA deadenylation and decay”. Dr. Elena Conti (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany) delivered a captivating talk on molecular mechanisms of RNA homeostasis. In between these keynotes, short oral presentations allowed both junior and senior researchers to share their latest findings across multiple RNA-related topics: RNA and Disease, Regulatory RNAs, RNA Modifications, Translation, RNA Structures and Viral RNAs, Computational RNA Biology, Transcription and mRNA Processing.
This wide scope gave participants a chance to broaden their understanding beyond their own projects and explore unfamiliar but exciting areas of RNA research.
Poster sessions were another key component of the meeting. Members of the IBB RNA Biology Lab contributed with the following posters:
- “Identification of new factors and regulatory mechanisms of mitochondrial RNA surveillance” – Giulia Santonoceto;
- “Expanding the human mitochondrial proteome via non-canonical translation mechanisms” – Anna Paszek;
- “Transcriptional regulation of the mitochondrial retrograde pathway in Candida albicans” – Marta Dilling.
The meeting also placed a strong emphasis on community building, with networking-friendly lunch breaks and a lively social dinner. These informal moments were especially valuable for early-career researchers to connect with peers and mentors in the field.
The conference concluded with awards for the best talks and posters, celebrating outstanding contributions selected by the scientific committee.
The 2nd Polish RNA Biology Meeting reaffirmed the strength of the RNA research community in Poland and beyond. With its dynamic format, international scope, and focus on both established and emerging science, it’s clear that this meeting series will become a key fixture in the European RNA calendar.
The news item was written by MITGEST DC5 Giulia Santonoceto.
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