Contact

edyta.bielec@pwr.edu.pl 
L-1, room 30
Tel. (+48) 713407884
LinkedIn

Research

My research focuses on understanding  the neutrophil biology and host-pathogen interactions. I am particularly interested in the role of neutrophilic Granzyme A (GrA) in modulating immune responses during infection, with the aim of identifying potential therapeutic targets to support antibiotic treatment. I work with cell cultures and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and I am developing an iPSC-derived neutrophil model. I have experience in CRISPR-Cas9 plasmid design, multicolor flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and live-cell imaging using the IncuCyte® system. My microbiology background includes protein expression and evaluating the bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties of various compounds. My assays include chemotaxis and migration, phagocytosis, reactive oxygen species generation and bacterial killing to determine GrA-related immune functions.

Education and research internships

2021 – ongoing PhD Student in Chemical Sciences, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wrocław, Poland. Thesis: The role of Granzyme A in physiological functions of neutrophils, 2020/39/B/NZ1/03027

2019 – 2021 MSc in Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Poland, Thesis: Silencing the expression of abscisic acid receptors in flax (Linum usitatissimum), Opus 2018/29/B/NZ9/00288.

2016 – 2019 BSc in Genetic and Experimental Biology, University of Wrocław, Poland, Thesis: The influence of aging on zebrafish (Danio rerio) skeletal and heart muscles structure.

Conferences

Bielec E., Steindel K., Kasperkiewicz P., The role of Granzyme A in neutrophil activity during pathogen challenge. Phagocytes Gordon Research Seminar, Waterville Valley, NH, 6/2025

Bielec E., Steindel K., Kasperkiewicz P., Novel method for iPSCs differentiation into neutrophils as model for studying granzyme A during granulopoiesis. Phagocytes Gordon Research Conference, Waterville Valley, NH, 6/2025

Bielec E., Steindel K., Kasperkiewicz P., The Role of Granzyme A in Neutrophil Function and Pathogen Defense. Neutrophil, Munich, Germany, 9/2024

EMBL Course: Genome engineering: CRISPR/Cas from cells to mice. Heidelberg, Germany, 9/2023

Bielec E., Kasperkiewicz P., Investigation of the role of granzyme A in genetically modified neutrophil-like cells using the CRISPR/Cas9n method. The Chemistry & Biotechnology International Conference (ChemBiotIC), Wrocław, Poland, 6/2023

Bielec E., Kasperkiewicz P., Indukowane pluripotencjalne komórki macierzyste (iPSCs) zróżnicowane w neutrofile jako model do badania granzymu A podczas granulopoezy. Biologia, Chemia i Środowisko - Spojrzenie Młodych Naukowców - edycja IV, Kraków, Poland, 6/2023

Bielec E., Kasperkiewicz P., Model do analizy funkcjonalnej granzymu A uzyskany przez modyfikacje genetyczne neutrofilopodobnych komórek z wykorzystaniem techniki CRISPR/Cas9. Na pograniczu chemii i biologii - XVIII Ogólnopolskie Seminarium dla Doktorantów i Studentów, Smardzewice, Poland, 6/2022