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The Plant Genomics and Environmental Interactions Group

Head: dr hab. inż. Magdalena Pawełkowicz, prof. SGGW

Members: dr inż. Agata Głuchowska, dr inż. Agnieszka Skarzyńska, mgr inż. Maksymilian Pisz, mgr Aparna

Research Focus

The Plant Genomics and Environmental Interactions Group investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying plant development, resistance, and adaptation to changing environmental conditions. We use genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and bioinformatics approaches to understand how plants respond to stress, pathogens, and pollutants, supporting the development of sustainable agriculture.

 

Plant Genomics and Environmental Interactions Group conducts research in the following areas:

  1. Molecular mechanisms of plant development and regulation of growth processes at the genomic and epigenomic levels.
  2. Plant interactions with environmental factors, including pathogens, pollutants, and abiotic stress.
  3. Omics analyses (genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics) and bioinformatics tools for studying gene function.
  4. Mechanisms of plant resistance and adaptation to changing environmental conditions.
  5. Application of research outcomes to the development of plant biotechnology and sustainable agriculture.

 

Research projects

  • KZLw – Soil microbiome – 2025 – 2026
  • NCN OPUS 2020/37/B/NZ9/00586: Cucumber multi-omics data integration to characterize the mechanisms of sex determination influenced by climate 2020 – 2027;
  • European Plant Phenotyping Network: Identification of metabolic parameters related to flower sex expression in cucumber plants. 7th Framework Program UE; 2012 – 2015
  • NCN OPUS 2011/01/B/NZ2/01631: The cucumber transcriptome analysis unravels the sex determination mechanism in plants 2011 – 2016
The figure presents integrated multi-omics networks across successive stages of cucumber male flower development, including comparisons between flower buds and the shoot apical meristem (SI vs Apex) as well as between consecutive flower bud developmental stages: SI (1–2 mm), SII (3–5 mm), SIII (6–8 mm), and SIV (9 mm). The networks integrate differentially expressed genes (DEGs), differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), enriched metabolic pathways, and their associated Gene Ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathways. Nodes represent components derived from different omics layers, whereas edges indicate functional relationships and shared involvement in biological processes associated with flower development.

Selected publication (5)

Pawełkowicz, M., Głuchowska, A., Mirzwa-Mróz, E., Zieniuk, B., Yin, Z., Zamorski, C., & Przybysz, A. (2025). Molecular insights into powdery mildew pathogenesis and resistance in cucurbitaceous crops. Agriculture, 15(16), 1743.

Głuchowska, A., Zieniuk, B., & Pawełkowicz, M. (2025). Unlocking Plant Resilience: Metabolomic Insights into Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops. Metabolites, 15(6), 384.

Zhang, B., Zhou, Y., Pawełkowicz, M., Wójcik-Gront, E., Pismanik, M., Wnorowski, Ł., … & Przybysz, A. (2024). A comparative study of foliar particulate matter wash-off from plants under natural and simulated rain conditions. Scientific reports, 14(1), 28409.

Wójcik-Gront, E., Zieniuk, B., & Pawełkowicz, M. (2024). Harnessing AI-powered genomic research for sustainable crop improvement. Agriculture, 14(12), 2299.

Pawełkowicz, M., Zieniuk, B., Staszek, P., & Przybysz, A. (2024). From sequencing to genome editing in Cucurbitaceae: application of modern genomic techniques to Enhance Plant traits. Agriculture, 14(1), 90.

Contact: dr hab. Magdalena Pawełkowicz, Prof. SGGW