Dr. Karolina Tomiczak

e-mail: k.tomiczak@obpan.pl

phone: +48 22 648 38 56 ext. 209

Research issues:

  • Protoplast cultures and somatic hybridization of plants in the genus Gentiana (gentian) to obtain interspecific hybrids of high ornamental or utility value
  • morphogenetic processes of seed (gentian) and spore (fern) plants in culture in vitro with special emphasis on the process of somatic embryogenesis
  • Cryopreservation of plant material of seed plants (gentians) and spore plants (ferns)
  • Evaluation of the genetic stability of plants obtained in tissue culture and regenerants after cryopreservation using a variety of cytological, cytogenetic techniques (determination of chromosome number, hybridization in situ), molecular (molecular markers RAPD, ISSR, AFLP, PCR-RFLP) and flow cytometry
  • Viability and long-term storage capabilities of chlorophyll spores of ferns

Selected publications:

  1. Tomiczak K. 2019. Molecular and cytogenetic description of somatic hybrids between Gentiana cruciata L. and G. tibetica King. J. Appl. Genet. DOI: 10.1007/s13353-019-00530-x
  2. Tomiczak K., Mikuła A., Niedziela A., Wójcik-Lewandowska A., Domżalska L., Rybczyński J.J. 2019 Somatic embryogenesis in the family Gentianaceae and its biotechnological application. Front. Plant Sci. 10: 762. DOI:10.3389/fpls.2019.00762.
  3. Tomiczak K., Grzyb M., Rybczynski J.J., Mikula A. (2018) Somatic Embryogenesis and Somatic Embryo Cryopreservation of the Tree-Fern Cyathea Delgadii Sternb. In: Jain S., Gupta P. (eds) Step Wise Protocols for Somatic Embryogenesis of Important Woody Plants. Forestry Sciences, vol 85. Springer, Cham, pp 291-303. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-79087-9_23
  4. Rybczynski JJ, Tomiczak K, Grzyb M, Mikuła A 2018 Morphogenic events in ferns: single and multicellular explants in vitro. In: Fernández H. (eds.) Current Advances in Fern Research. pp. 99-120 Springer, Cham https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75103-0_5
  5. Mikula A, Grzyb M, Tomiczak K, Rybczynski JJ 2018 Experimental and practical application of fern somatic embryogenesis. In: Fernández H. (eds.) Current Advances in Fern Research. Springer, Cham pp 121-137 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75103-0_6
  6. Tomiczak K., Sliwinska E., Rybczynski J.J., 2017. Protoplast fusion in the genus Gentiana: genomic composition and genetic stability of somatic hybrids between Gentiana kurroo Royle and G. cruciata. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 131:1-14. doi:10.1007/s11240-017-1256-x
  7. Tomiczak K., Sliwinska E., Rybczynski J.J., 2016. Comparison of the morphogenic potential of five Gentiana species in leaf mesophyll protoplast culture and ploidy stability of regenerated calli and plants. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 126:319-331. doi: 10.1007/s11240-016-1000-y
  8. Makowski D., Tomiczak K., Rybczynski J.J., Mikula A. 2016. Integration of tissue culture and cryopreservation methods for propagation and conservation of the fern Osmunda regalis L. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 38: 19. doi: 10.1007/s11738-015-2037-y
  9. Mikuła A., Tomiczak K., Makowski D., Niedzielski M., Rybczyński J.J, 2015 The effect of moisture content and temperature on germination and developmental behavior of Osmunda regalis green spores. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 37: 229. doi: 10.1007/s11738-015-1985-6.
  10. Tomiczak K., Mikuła A., Sliwinska E., Rybczyński J.J. 2015. Autotetraploid plant regeneration by indirect somatic embryogenesis from leaf mesophyll protoplasts of diploid Gentiana decumbens L.f. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant 51: 350-359. doi: 10.1007/s11627-015-9674-0
  11. Mikuła A., Pożoga M., Tomiczak K., Rybczyński J.J. 2015 Somatic embryogenesis in ferns: a new experimental system. Plant Cell Reports 34(5): 783-794. doi: 10.1007/s00299-015-1741-9.
  12. Tomiczak K., Mikuła A., Rybczyński J.J. 2015. Protoplast culture and somatic cell hybridization of gentians. In: Rybczynski J.J., Davey M., Mikuła A. (eds). The Gentianaceae - Volume 2: Biotechnology and Applications, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, pp 163-185. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-54102-5_7
  13. Mikuła A., Tomiczak K., Domżalska L., Rybczyński J.J. 2015. Cryopreservation of Gentianaceae: trends and applications. In: Rybczynski J.J., Davey M., Mikuła A. (eds). The Gentianaceae - Volume 2: Biotechnology and Applications, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 267-286. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-54102-5_11
  14. Rybczynski J.J., Davey M.R., Tomiczak K., Niedziela A., Mikula A. 2015 Systems of plant regeneration in gentian in vitro cultures. In: Rybczynski J.J., Davey M., Mikula A. (eds). The Gentianaceae - Volume 2. Biotechnology and Application. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 1-44. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-54102-5_1
  15. Mikuła A., Tomiczak K., Rybczyński J.J. 2011. Cryopreservation enhances embryogenic capacity of Gentiana cruciata (L.) suspension culture and maintains (epi)genetic uniformity of regenerants. Plant Cell Reports 30: 565-574. doi: 10.1007/s00299-010-0970-1
  16. Mikuła A., Tomiczak K., Wójcik A., Rybczyński J.J. 2011 Encapsulation-dehydration method elevates embryogenesity of Gentiana kurroo cell suspension and carrying on genetic stability of its regenerants. Acta Horticulturae 908: 143-154. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.908.16
  17. Fiuk A., Tomiczak K., Ładyżyński M., Mikuła A., Rybczyński J.J. 2006. Somatic interspecies hybridization in the genus Gentiana. In: Sodkiewicz W, Sodkiewicz T, Surma M (eds). Distant hybrids of crop plants. Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 191-195

Selected review publications:

  1. Mikuła A., Makowski D., Tomiczak K., Rybczyński J.J. 2013. culture. in vitro and cryopreservation in the conservation of plant diversity - standards for a gene bank. Polish Journal of Agronomy 14: 3-17. doi: 10.13140/2.1.3487.2968

Research projects:

  1. NCN research project 'OPUS 2' UMO-2011/03/B/NZ9/02472 entitled. "Somatic embryogenesis of ferns - a new phenomenon in experimental plant biology. Cytomorphological-proteomic analysis and cryopreservation". Realized in 2012-2015 at PAN Botanical Garden - CZRB, 2 Prawdziwka St., 02-973 Warsaw; main contractor of the project.
  2. Research project of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education No. 39/N-COST/2007/0. entitled. "Cryopreservation of plant material using regeneration techniques. in vitro for the preservation of plant biodiversity" carried out within the framework of the international project COST Action 871 entitled. "Cryopreservation of crop species in Europe". Implementation in 2007-2011 at the PAN Botanical Garden - CZRB, 2 Prawdziwka St., 02-973 Warsaw; project contractor
  3. Habilitation research project of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education No. N302 3595 33 entitled "Evaluation of genetic stability of cultures of Gentiana spp. after cryopreservation -196°C) using cytometric and molecular methods". Implementation in the years: 2007-2010 at PAN Botanical Garden - CZRB, 2 Prawdziwka St., 02-973 Warsaw; technicians.
  4. Project "Mazovian Doctoral Fellowship" financed by the European Social Fund under the Integrated Regional Development Operational Program (IRDP) 2004-2006, Priority 2 "Strengthening the development of human resources in the regions, Measure 2.6 "Regional innovation strategies and knowledge transfer", Warsaw 2008-2009
  5. Research project of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education No. 3P04C 037 23 entitled "Somatic hybridization of gentians using somatic embryogenesis and transformation". Implementation in 2002-2007 at the Botanical Garden - CZRB PAN, 2 Prawdziwka St., 02-973 Warsaw; project contractor

Other forms of activity

a. Didactics

  • Lectures and laboratory exercises for doctoral students of interdisciplinary doctoral studies entitled. "Program for improvement of SGGW didactics in the field of obtaining plant raw materials for energy in the context of the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy". POKL.04.03.00-00-042/12-00; SGGW, Faculty of Wood Technology, March 2014 - July 2015, Warsaw, Poland.
  • Annual supervision of summer internships of students and interns of SGGW and UW - Plant Biotechnology Laboratory of PAN OB-CZRB, Warsaw, since 2008

b. organizational activities

  • Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the 14th National Conference on In Vitro Cultures and Plant Biotechnology "Structural, Physiological and Molecular Basis of Plant Differentiation", September 14-17, 2015, Poznań, Poland.
  • Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the All-Poland Conference "Poland's Biodiversity and the World Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 - New Challenges and Tasks for Botanical Gardens and Gene Banks" within the framework of the XLIII Congress of Polish Botanical Gardens on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of PAN Botanical Garden, 30 June - 4 July 2014, Warsaw-Powsin
  • Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the 13th All-Poland Conference on In Vitro Cultures and Plant Biotechnology "Plant Cell as an Object of Genetic and Physiological Manipulation", September 24-27, 2012, Rogów
  • Member of the Polish Botanical Society
  • Member of the Scientific Council of the PAN Botanical Garden - CZRB in Powsin

c. popularization activities

  • Lecture "Bitterroots in nature and in vitro culture" as part of the Garden's Visiting Lecture "Biotechnology in the service of plant diversity conservation", Garden Festival of PAN Botanical Garden - CZRB in Powsin, May 21, 2015, Warsaw-Powsin