On November 14 2022, the Research & Development Laboratory of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdańsk and MUG located at Podwale Przedmiejskie street has been visited by the Rector of University of Gdańsk Prof. Piotr Stepnowski accompanied by the Chancellor of the University of Gdańsk, MSc Jacek Jętczak, Dean of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdańsk and MUG PhD Ewelina Król, Prof. UG, Director of the University Center for Applied and Interdisciplinary Research Prof. Krzysztof Bielawski and the Director of the Institute of Biotechnology of University of Gdańsk, Prof. Bogdan Banecki.
The head of the Laboratory, Prof. Ewa Łojkowska started the meeting by introducing the history of this unit. Our laboratory started its activity in 2012 in the previous building of the Faculty of Biology of University of Gdańsk. In 2016, it has been moved into several modern laboratory rooms previously occupied by IFB UG and MUG. Dr eng. Wojciech Śledź, technical manager of R &D lab of UG and MUG, described the structure of the laboratory and discussed the process of introducing the Quality Management System compliant with the ISO 17025:2018-02 standard into our work. He also focused on the activities that led to acqusition of accreditation of the Polish Center for Accreditation by our laboratory in 2020. The laboratory has already passed the accreditation extension procedure twice. It is also worth emphasizing that our laboratory is the only unit at UG with a certificate given by the Polish Center for Accreditation. Dr. Wojciech Śledź also discussed the scientific, implementation and service activities carried out by R&D lab, that for many years provided support for Polish growers in terms of detection and identification of bacterial phytopathogens in crop plants. It is worth noting that the research carried out at R&D lab is of great practical importance, as it contributes to the reduction of the spread of phytopathogenic bacteria, e.g. during the export of seed material to the countries of southern Europe and North Africa. The visitors were also taken to a specialized quarantine laboratory, designed to work with pathogens subjected to compulsory control, and viewed the well-equipped laboratory rooms in which molecular tests are carried out allowing for the detection of plant pathogens.
During the discussion, further goals and directions of the Research and Development Laboratory were defined. We tend to respond to the current market needs and effectively combine science with business. Apart from the visitors and the laboratory management, the meeting was also attended by the employees of R & D Lab: Dr. Natasza Kaczyńska, Dr. Agata Motyka-Pomagruk and Mr. Weronika Babińska.
Visit of the Rector of University of Gdańsk, prof. Piotr Stepnowski in the research & development laboratory. From the left: Director of the UG Institute of Biotechnology, Prof. Bogdan Banecki, Rector of the University of Gdańsk Prof. Piotr Stepnowski, Dean of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the MUG Prof. UG Ewelina Król, Director of the University Center for Applied and Interdisciplinary Research Prof. Krzysztof Bielawski, technical manager in the research and development laboratory Dr. eng. Wojciech Śledź, head of the research and development laboratory Prof. Ewa Łojkowska, employee of the research and development laboratory MSc Weronika Babińska, deputy head of quality in the research and development laboratory Dr. Agata Motyka-Pomagruk, quality manager in the research and development laboratory Dr. Natalia Kaczyńska and the Chancellor of University of Gdańsk, MSc Jacek Jętczak.