Contact

Aleksandra.korba-mikolajczyk@pwr.edu.pl 
L-1, room 31
LinkedIn

Research

My research investigates the role of the serine protease Granzyme A in the cell death of neutrophils, which are among the most abundant immune cells in the human body. With an academic background in Biotechnology, my earlier work focused on drug resistance in Candida albicans and the development of novel therapeutics for yeast infections. This foundation sparked my interest in immunology and led me to explore immune cell death mechanisms in greater depth.

I specialize in confocal and live-cell imaging, flow cytometry, Western blotting, and a range of cell death assays to study neutrophil death. My work also involves the use of Activity-Based Probes to assess serine protease activity, with a focus on pyroptosis mechanisms that are caspase-independent and involve key mediators such as gasdermins and Ninjurin-1.

As part of an international collaboration, I worked with Professor Charaf Benarafa's group at the Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI), University of Bern, Switzerland. There, I investigated the presence and function of Granzyme A in murine neutrophils using knock-out mouse models, contributing to a broader understanding of this protease across species.

Education and research internships

October 2021 - Current PhD Student, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wrocław, Poland. Role of Granzyme A in cell death of neutrophils, supervised by dr hab. inż. Paulina Kasperkiewicz-Wasilewska, prof. WUST.

October 2021 - September 2025 Researcher and stipendist, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wrocław, Poland, National Science Center grant titled “Study of granzyme A function in neutrophils using induced pluripotent stem cells”, OPUS, 2020/39/B/NZ1/03027.

May 2024 - August 2024 Research Fellowship, University of Bern, Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland. During the 3-month fellowship I researched the role of Granzyme A in murine neutrophils based on knock-out models. Supervised by prof. Charaf Benarafa.

October 2018 - September 2020 MSc in Material Chemistry, University of Wrocław, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biomaterials, Wrocław, Poland. Synthesis and study of tris(aminomethyl)phoshpine derivatives.

May 2017 - September 2017 Student Internship, University of Wrocław, Faculty of Biotechnology, Department of Biotransformations. Studied the drug resistance of Candida albicans.

October 2015 - September 2018 BSc in Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Faculty of Biotechnology, Department of Biotransformation, The influence of antibacterial antibiotics on ABC transporters in Candida albicans.

Publications and patents

1. Korba A, Ciastoń I, Kozieł J, Kasperkiewicz P. A protocol for visualizing active cathepsin K in osteoclasts with a quenched-fluorescence-activity-based probe. STAR Protocols, 2023, 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102465
2. Suchodolski J, Muraszko J, Korba A, Biernat P, Kraskowska A. Lipid composition and cell surface hydrophobicity of Candida albicans influence the efficacy of fluconazole - gentamicin treatment, YEAST, 2020, 10.1002/yea.3455

Conferences

1. Korba-Mikołajczyk A. Steindel K. Kasperkiewicz P. Granzyme A Inhibition and its Impact on Neutrophil Pyroptosis and Cell Death Pathways, The Neutrophil Symposium, Monachium, 2024
2. Korba-Mikołajczyk A. Kasperkiewicz-Wasilewska P. The role of granzyme A in neutrophil death. W: 65. Zjazd Naukowy PTChem, Toruń 2023
3. Korba A. Kasperkiewicz-Wasilewska P. The function of granzyme A in apoptosis and NETosis of neutrophils. ChemBiotIC, Chemistry & Biotechnology International Conference, Wrocław, 2023
4. Korba A. Kasperkiewicz-Wasilewska P. Function of granzyme A in cell death of neutrophils. 40th Winter School on Proteinases and Their Inhibitors, Tiers, 1-5 Marzec 2023
5. Korba A. Kasperkiewicz-Wasilewska P. Study of granzyme A function in cell death in neutrophils. XVIII Ogólnopolskie Seminarium dla Doktorantów i Studentów "Na pograniczu chemii i biologii", Smardzewice, 12-15 czerwca 2022