ANNUAL REPORT 2018 POLISH ACADEMY of SCIENCES of ACADEMY POLISH The Order of the White Eagle The oldest and highest state decoration of the Republic of Poland, awarded for remarkable civil and military merits, during the time of peace and war, for the glory and development of the Republic of Poland. It is awarded to the most eminent Poles and the highest-ranking representatives of foreign countries. In 2017 President Andrzej Duda decorated two members of the Polish Acad- emy of Sciences with the Order of the White Eagle in recognition of their contribution to the development of Polish medicine and for their achieve- ments in scientific and research work: Professor Ryszard Jerzy Gryglewski Polish pharmacologist and physician, ordinary member of the Polish Academy of Sciences since 1991, Professor emeritus at the Collegium Medi- cum, Jagellonian University, recipient of honorary doctorates from numerous universities worldwide. In 1976, together with S. Bunting, J. Vane and S. Moncada, he discovered prostacyclin, which set off many further scientific discoveries. A year later he discovered the first selective inhibitor of throm- boxanes. One of the most-cited authors in the world literature in the field of biomedical sciences in the A. HRECHOROWICZ/KPRP A. years 1965‒2005. Professor Mieczysław Chorąży Specialist in biochemistry and molecular biology of cancer, ordinary member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, longtime Head of the Department of Biology of Cancer of the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Institute – Oncology Center in Gliwice. Recipient of the title of doctor honoris causa from the Medi- cal University of Bialystok and Medical University of Silesia. Author of many publications on cancer biology, including book written with Kazimierz Dux Wstęp do biologii nowotworów [Introduction to K. SITKOWSKI/KPRP K. Cancer Biology]. ANNUAL REPORT 2018 POLISH ACADEMY of SCIENCES ANNUAL REPORT 2018 Contents Foreword by Professor Jerzy Duszyński, International cooperation ��������������������������������� 73 President of the Academy ����������������������������������� 3 Educational and promotional activity ��������������� 80 Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences ���� 4 Selected cyclic events ���������������������������������������� 87 General Assembly of the Polish Academy of Sciences ��������������������� 7 Season Highlights �������������������������������������������� 88 Members of the Polish Academy of Sciences ����� 7 Polish Young Academy ������������������������������������� 96 Humanities and Social Sciences ������������������������� 8 PAS Divisions’ Prizes awarded in 2017 ������������ 101 Biological and Agricultural Sciences ������������������ 20 The FNP Prizes for 2017 ��������������������������������� 109 Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry Foreign Scientific Centers �������������������������������� 113 and Earth Sciences ��������������������������������������������� 35 Research Units and Branches Engineering Sciences ����������������������������������������� 47 of the Polish Academy of Sciences ������������������� 115 Medical Sciences ���������������������������������������������� 58 Selected international conferences in 2018 ������� 121 Scientific Council: © Copyright 2018 Edward Nęcka – Editor-in-Chief Polish Academy of Sciences Stanisław Filipowicz Communications and Science Jacek Kuźnicki Promotion Department Paweł Kulesza Polish Academy of Sciences Antoni Rogalski PKiN, Pl. Defilad 1, 00-901 Warsaw, Poland Jacek Zaremba www.pan.pl Published by: ISSN 1640-3754 Communications and Science Collage: From left to right, top to bottom: Promotion Department Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major); Polish Academy of Sciences least weasel (Mustela nivalis); autumn in the Białowieża Forest; Leocarpus fragilis; European bison Edited by: (Bison bonasus). Photographs by K. Zub Katarzyna Kalinowska Woodcut engraving showing the former Medical and Proofreading: Surgery Academy, Warsaw (now: the Staszic Palace, Polish Academy of Sciences) by F.H. Röber after L. Katarzyna Kalinowska Kapliński (from the Archives of the Photographical Ewelina Hanyż Documentation Archives of the Institute of Art, Polish Academy of Sciences) Graphic design: Robert Dobrzyński Printed and bound by: Agencja Wydawniczo-Poligraficzna GIMPO, DTP by: ul. Grzegorzewskiej 8, 02-778 Warszawa Andrzej Figatowski Edition of 1250 issues Polish Academy of Sciences | Polska Akademia Nauk Foreword from the President of the Academy A. POWAŁOWSKA A. The year 2017 witnessed a clear decision of the Polish Academy of Sciences on the protection of the Białowieża Forest against the rash deforestation. During the past year, the Polish Academy of Sciences repeatedly called for urgent development of a coherent strategy for the protection of this unique ancient habitat and conservation area, above all taking into account the facts and results of scientific research. In the issued statement, we have indicated the need to solve complex socio-ecological problems arising in this area by developing uniform legal regulations that will not only help to protect the Białowieża Forest more affectively, but also gain favor with the local community. Another important issue that we have been intensely involved in last year is the fight against smog. Smog is a real problem in Poland that affects the health and lives of millions of people. High concentrations of suspended dust and benzo(a)pyrene may increase the risk of developing cancer, chronic respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases. In this context, micro heat and power plants and small electrostatic precipitators, developed with particular concern for the environment at the PAS Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery in Gdańsk, constitute a substantial contribution of the Polish Academy of Sciences to innovative anti-smog technologies. The third extremely significant matter is the fight against diseases transmitted by ticks – Poland belongs to countries with high incidence rates of tick-borne diseases. The first step to get a long- term research initiative off the ground has already been taken. The meeting of the Interdisciplinary Team for Preventing Tick-borne Infections was organized under the PAS patronage and over 50 representatives of science and business circles met in Wrocław to share their views on this matter. In 2017, representatives of the Polish Academy of Sciences – the leading state research institu- tion in Poland – participated in the work of the National Congress of Science, formulating pro- posals for systemic changes in science and higher education. Within the Academy, the project of establishing the PAS University, announced a year earlier, contributed to a several-month discus- sion on the reform of the Polish Academy of Sciences. There are many ideas regarding the future of the Academy. However, the discussion which direction the Academy should proceed remains at the discretion of the PAS community, and above all the PAS Members. Prof. Jerzy Duszyński ANNUAL REPORT 2018 3 Polish Academy of Sciences | Polska Akademia Nauk Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences PRESIDENT OF THE ACADEMY Jerzy DUSZYŃSKI Corresponding Member of the Academy Professor at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology (Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes). A specialist in the field of energy metabolism and the molecular foundations of mitochondrial and neurodegenerative diseases. A. POWAŁOWSKA VICE-PRESIDENTS OF THE ACADEMY Stanisław CZUCZWAR Corresponding Member of the Academy Professor at the Medical University of Lublin (Chair and Department of Pathophysiology) and at the Institute of Rural Medicine in Lublin (Department of Pathophysiology). A specialist in the field of antiepileptic drug interactions in developing treatment methods for drug-resistant epilepsy. Elżbieta FRĄCKOWIAK Corresponding Member of the Academy Professor at the Poznań University of Technology (Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry). A specialist in the storage and conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy, capacitors, fuel cells, and hydrogen electrosorption in carbon materials. 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 Polish Academy of Sciences | Polska Akademia Nauk Stefan MALEPSZY Ordinary Member of the Academy (Vice-President till 30 September 2017) Professor at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology). A specialist in genetics and biotechnology – the fundamentals of genetic improvement in plants and factors in the use of genetic modifications. Edward NĘCKA Ordinary Member of the Academy Professor at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Institute of Psychology). A specialist in the cognitive mechanisms underlying individual differences, especially creativity and intelligence. Paweł ROWIŃSKI Corresponding Member of the Academy Professor at the PAS Institute of Geophysics. A specialist in hydrodynamics and hydrology, especially mathematical modeling and experimental research into hydrological and hydrophysical processes. CHANCELLOR OF THE ACADEMY Tadeusz LATAŁA He graduated from the Military University of Technology in Warsaw and completed postgraduate studies in management. He gained experience gained as manager at ZUS (Polish Social Security Institution), director at the National Depository of Securities and deputy director for general J. OSTAŁOWSKI (6) J. OSTAŁOWSKI issues at the PAS Institute of Geophysics. ANNUAL REPORT 2018 5 Polish Academy of Sciences | Polska Akademia Nauk Representatives of the Divisions ■ Stanisław Filipowicz, Ordinary Member of the Academy, Dean of Division I: Humanities