Research conducted at the Faculty includes contemporary biochemical, biophysical and biotechnological aspects of biological objects ranging from the molecular level through the cellular and up to the level of whole animal and plant organisms. Many modern experimental and computational methods are used by researchers of the Faculty in standard and specialized laboratories that are well equipped with modern scientific instruments. Some of the methods are:
- fluorescence analysis of chlorophyll in vivo,
- protein sequencing,
- advanced physical biochemistry techniques: circular dichroism, isothermal titration calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy, time-resolved and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, and fluorescence anisotropy,
- modern functional genomics approaches based on gene knock-out (KO), conditional gene knock-out (cKO) and transgenic animal/cell models,
- detection of triplet excited states, free radicals and singlet oxygen generated by photoexcitation of photosensitizing dye molecules and other compounds,
- fluorescence confocal microscopy, and the latest methods of high resolution microscopy,
- electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging using several commercial and home-made pulse and CW 1-36 GHz spectrometers,
- time resolved optical spectroscopy using home-built double-wavelength time-resolved spectrophotometer for light-induced electron transfer measurements,
- stop flow and freeze quench for EPR measurements,
- molecular modelling at the atomic level using own high performance computer clusters and the High Performance Computers at the Academic Computer Centre CYFRONET,
- Cell Bank with the authorization for harvesting, processing, storing and distribution of several types of human cells for clinical application,
- cell and tissue cultures, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, high-speed wide field live-cell imaging.
Faculty has also separated greenhouse and animal facilities. In 2011 a new modern animal research facility well furnished with individually ventilated cages and the latest classes equipment, among other things with the high resolution ultrasonography, image stream system, laser capture microdissection, laser Doppler blood perfusion imager, in vivo bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging system began to operate. The animal facility has the capacity to house over 8000 mice in 4 animal rooms.
As a result of different competitions 117 research projects carried out in 2016 at the Faculty are supported by the external funding agencies. Among them the National Science Centre supports 75 basic research projects, the National Centre for Research and Development – 8 applied research projects, Ministry of Science and Higher Education – 22 projects, 5 projects are supported by European Funds and 1 by the Wellcome Trust. In addition, as a result of internal competitions many research projects carried out by academic staff, doctoral, master and bachelor students are supported by the funds of the Faculty. All the research activities are carried out in compliance with fundamental ethical principles, in accordance with the convention of the Council of Europe on human rights and biomedicine, and the Amsterdam protocol on animal protection and welfare.
In 2015 the members of the Faculty published in peer-reviewed international journals more than 180 scientific papers. According to Web of Science the total number of citations of articles with the affiliation of the Faculty exceeds 13 000 and the h-index equals to 45. Additionally, according to the Nature Index (May 2016), that tracks the affiliations of original research articles, the Faculty received the highest score among all life science research institutions in Poland.
Information about various research project conducted currently by Faculty members is available in sections of this Web page dedicated to individual Departments.
A booklet about FBBB JU is available for download below.