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Laboratory of Chemical Biology

Laboratory of Chemical Biology is focused on the synthesis, properties and applications of modified nucleotides (including analogs of mRNA 5’ cap, nucleoside triphosphates, nucleotide sugars, nucleoside phosphosulfates and many others). The main goal of our research is to create tools useful for elucidating biological processes involving nucleotides and to find new potential nucleotide-derived therapeutics.

To do so, we develop new synthetic methods for the chemical and enzymatic synthesis of nucleotides and their analogs. We are particularly interested in the synthesis and properties of nucleotides modified within the phosphate moieties. We design nucleotide analogs that increase cellular stability of mRNA and nucleotide-derived inhibitors of protein biosynthesis with increased stability under cellular conditions. We synthesize fluorescently labeled nucleotides, nucleotides with affinity tags as well as nucleotide-probes for NMR and EPR experiments. We also prepare and evaluate conjugates of nucleotides with nano(bio)materials.

The laboratory operates in two locations – team uses the hospitality of the Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw.

Prof. Jacek Jemielity
email: j.jemielity@cent.uw.edu.pl
phone: +48 22 55 43774
room: 06.44
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jacek_Jemielity

Professor Jacek Jemielity was born in 1973 in Wysokie Mazowieckie. He graduated from the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Warsaw in 1997. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2002 at the same faculty, and his habilitation in 2012. He also worked at the Department of Biophysics IFD at the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw. He also gained research experience at the French Institute of Structural Biology and the Finnish University of Turku. He received the title of professor in 2020.

Professor Jacek Jemielity specializes in organic, biological and biochemistry chemistry. He is one of the world leaders in research on chemically modified mRNA. He is the head of the Laboratory of Chemical Biology at the Centre of New Technologies of the University of Warsaw. He has supervised 12 Ph.D.s, 30 MSc. students, 14 BSc. students, and is or was a mentor for 17 postdoctoral fellows. He is also the co-founder and president of ExploRNA Therapeutics – a spin-off company of the University of Warsaw, which develops technologies based on the modification of the so-called cap, located at the 5′ end of mRNA.

He has implemented grants from, among others, the National Science Centre and the Foundation for Polish Science (TEAM), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He is the co-author of over 140 publications (including in Nature Communications, Nature Chemistry, Nature Chemical Biology, Nature Molecular & Structural Biology, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Angewandte Chemistry Int. Ed., Chemical Science, Nucleic Acids Research, RNA, Organic Letters and others), which have been cited over 3.7 thousand times, and the Hirsch index is 34. He is the inventor of 14 patents or patent applications (two licensed by BioNTech, 4 by ExploRNA). He is the co-creator of several technologies related to mRNA modification for therapeutic purposes, and one of his inventions is used in several clinical trials. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids (Cell Press). He is also a member of many expert teams, an expert of research funding agencies and boards of scientific institutes. In the term 2024-28 he was appointed Vice-Chairman of the FNP Council.

For his achievements he has been awarded many times, including the “Polityka” Scientific Award for young scientists, the Economic Award of the President of the Republic of Poland, the Awards of the Rector of the University of Warsaw, he was nominated for the European Inventor Award, awarded by the European Patent Office. In 2021 he received the Foundation for Polish Science Award in the field of chemical and materials sciences for developing chemical modifications of mRNA as tools for therapeutic applications and research on cellular processes.


Title Project Leader Project period Project funding
Feel the chemistry if you’re close enough – proximity-induced SuFEx ligation for mRNA biology and medicine Jacek Jemielity 2024 - 2028 OPUS 25, NCN
Plasmonic nanoparticles decorated with fluorescently-labelled mRNA: using single-pair FRET effect for investigating enzymes active in mRNA metabolism Jacek Jemielity 2024 - 2028 OPUS 25, NCN
Horizon for Excellence in messenger RNA applications in immunoOncology Jacek Jemielity 2022 - 2027 WIB, Łukasiewicz – PORT Polski Ośrodek Rozwoju Technologii
Mammalian cell delivery of stable therapeutic mRNA packaged inside virus-like particles Jacek Jemielity 2020 - 2025 OPUS 17, NCN
mRNA 5′ end methylation status: towards deeper understanding of biological role and identification of synthetic mimics Jacek Jemielity 2020 - 2023 OPUS 17, NCN
New selective inhibitors of cap dependent proteins: synthesis, delivery and characterization Jacek Jemielity 2017 - 2022 TEAM, FNP
Towards understanding the cellular fate of exogenously delivered mRNA Paweł Sikorski 2019 - 2022 SONATA 14, NCN
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA capping machinery – studies on nsp14 and nsp16 methyltransferase activity using high-throughput fluorescence method Jacek Jemielity 2020 - 2021 COVID-19 Express Call, NCN
Chemically modified mRNA for studies on cellular processes and therapeutic applications Jacek Jemielity 2017 - 2020 OPUS 11, NCN
Development of HTS method based on fluorescently labelled guanosine analogues: novel route for RNA (guanosine-N7)-methyltransferase (N7MTase) activity studies and inhibitors searching Renata Kasprzyk 2017 - 2020 PRELUDIUM 12, NCN
Introducing SuFNucs: Sulfamoyl-Fluoride-Functionalized Nucleosides That Undergo Sulfur Fluoride Exchange Reaction
Mikołaj Chromiński, Kamil Ziemkiewicz, Joanna Kowalska, Jacek Jemielity
Org. Lett. 2022, 24, 27, 4977–4981
Chemically Modified Poly(A) Analogs Targeting PABP: Structure Activity Relationship and Translation Inhibitory Properties
Olga Perzanowska, Mirosław Śmietański, Jacek Jemielity, Joanna Kowalska
Chemistry - A European Journal, Volume28, Issue42 July 26, 2022
Structure of the poxvirus decapping enzyme D9 reveals its mechanism of cap recognition and catalysis
Jessica K. Peters, Ryan W. Tibble, Marcin Warmiński, Jacek Jemielity, John D. Gross
Structure Volume 30, Issue 5, 5 May 2022, Pages 721-732.e4
Fluorinated Phosphoadenosine 5′-Phosphosulfate Analogues for Continuous Sulfotransferase Activity Monitoring and Inhibitor Screening by 19F NMR Spectroscopy
Agnieszka Młynarska-Cieślak, Mikołaj Chromiński, Tomasz Śpiewla, Marek R. Baranowski, Marcelina Bednarczyk, Jacek Jemielity, and Joanna Kowalska*
ACS Chem. Biol. 2022, 17, 3, 661–669
Substrate-Based Design of Cytosolic Nucleotidase IIIB Inhibitors and Structural Insights into Inhibition Mechanism
Dorota Kubacka, Mateusz Kozarski, Marek R. Baranowski, Radosław Wójcik, Joanna Panecka-Hofman, Dominika Strzelecka, Jerome Basquin, Jacek Jemielity, Joanna Kowalska
Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15(5), 554
Fluorescence-Based Activity Screening Assay Reveals Small Molecule Inhibitors of Vaccinia Virus mRNA Decapping Enzyme D9
Marcelina Bednarczyk, Jessica K. Peters, Renata Kasprzyk, Jagoda Starek, Marcin Warmiński, Tomasz Śpiewla, Jeffrey S. Mugridge, John D. Gross, Jacek Jemielity, Joanna Kowalska
ACS Chem. Biol. 2022, 17, 6, 1460–1471
Molecule Edit Graph Attention Network: Modeling Chemical Reactions as Sequences of Graph Edits
Mikołaj Sacha, Mikołaj Błaż, Piotr Byrski, Paweł Dąbrowski-Tumański, Mikołaj Chromiński, Rafał Loska, Paweł Włodarczyk-Pruszyński, Stanisław Jastrzębski
J. Chem. Inf. Model. 2021, 61, 7, 3273–3284
Novel N7-Arylmethyl Substituted Dinucleotide mRNA 5′cap Analogs: Synthesis and Evaluation as Modulators of Translation
Radosław Wójcik, Marek R. Baranowski, Łukasz Markiewicz, Dorota Kubacka, Marcelina Bednarczyk, Natalia Baran, Anna Wojtczak, Paweł J. Sikorski, Joanna Zuberek, Joanna Kowalska, Jacek Jemielity
Pharmaceutics 13(11), 1941
Reproducible and efficient new method of RNA 3′-end labelling by CutA nucleotidyltransferase-mediated CC-tailing
Rafał Tomecki, Kamil Kobylecki, Karolina Drazkowska, Malwina Hyjek-Skladanowska, Andrzej Dziembowski
RNA Biology
Ethylenediamine derivatives efficiently react with oxidized RNA 3′ ends providing access to mono and dually labelled RNA probes for enzymatic assays and in vivo translation
Adam Mamot, Pawel J Sikorski, Aleksandra Siekierska, Peter de Witte, Joanna Kowalska, Jacek Jemielity
Nucleic Acids Research
Identification and evaluation of potential SARS-CoV-2 antiviral agents targeting mRNA cap guanine N7-Methyltransferase
Renata Kasprzyk, Tomasz J. Spiewla, Mirosław Śmietański, Sebastian Golojuch, Laura Vangeel, Steven De Jonghe, Dirk Jochmans, Johan Neyts, Joanna Kowalska, Jacek Jemielity
Antiviral Research
Nucleotide-decorated AuNPs as probes for nucleotide-binding proteins
Olga Perzanowska, Maciej Majewski, Malwina Strenkowska, Paulina Głowala, Mariusz Czarnocki-Cieciura, Maciej Mazur, Joanna Kowalska, Jacek Jemielity
Scientific Reports, Vol. 11 (2021) 15741

Renata Kasprzyk, prof. dr hab. Jacek Jemielity
ChemBioChem
Cellular delivery of dinucleotides by conjugation with small molecules: targeting translation initiation for anticancer applications
Natalia Kleczewska, Paweł J. Sikorski, Zofia Warmińska, Łukasz Markiewicz, Renata Kasprzyk, Natalia Baran, Karina Kwapiszewska, Aneta Karpińska, Jarosław Michalski, Robert Holyst, Joanna Kowalska, Jacek Jemielity
Chemical Science, Vol. 30 Issue 12, 10242-10251
Upregulation of RNA cap methyltransferase RNMT drives ribosome biogenesis during T cell activation
Alison Galloway, Aneesa Kaskar, Dimitrinka Ditsova, Abdelmadjid Atrih, Harunori Yoshikawa, Carolina Gomez-Moreira, Olga Suska, Marcin Warminski, Renata Grzela, Angus I Lamond, Edward Darżynkiewicz, Jacek Jemielity, Victoria H Cowling
Nucleic Acids Research, Vol. 49, Issue 12, 6722–6738
RNA Ligation for Mono and Dually Labeled RNAs
Dr. Anaïs Depaix, Agnieszka Młynarska-Cieślak, Dr. Marcin Warmiński, Dr. Paweł J. Sikorski, Prof. Dr. Jacek Jemielity, Dr. Joanna Kowalska
Chemistry - A European Journal
Biomolecular condensates amplify mRNA decapping by biasing enzyme conformation
Ryan W. Tibble, Anaïs Depaix, Joanna Kowalska, Jacek Jemielity & John D. Gross
Nature Chemical Biology, Vol. 17, Issue 5, 615-623
Evaluation of carboxyfluorescein-labeled 7-methylguanine nucleotides as probes for studying cap-binding proteins by fluorescence anisotropy
Anna Wojtczak, Renata Kasprzyk, Marcin Warmiński, Krystian Ubych, Dorota Kubacka, Paweł J. Sikorski, Jacek Jemielity, Joanna Kowalska
Scientific Reports, Vol. 11, Issue 1, 7687
Tricks and threats of RNA viruses – towards understanding the fate of viral RNA
Łukasz Markiewicz, Karolina Drążkowska, Paweł J. Sikorski
RNA Biology, Vol. 18, Issue 5, 669-687
Structural Insights into the Interaction of Clinically Relevant Phosphorothioate mRNA Cap Analogs with Translation Initiation Factor 4E Reveal Stabilization via Electrostatic Thio-Effect
Marcin Warmiński, Joanna Kowalska, Elżbieta Nowak, Dorota Kubacka, Ryan Tibble, Renata Kasprzyk, Paweł J. Sikorski, John D. Gross, Marcin Nowotny, Jacek Jemielity*
ACS Chemical Biology, Vol. 16, Issue 2, 334-343
An integrative approach uncovers transcriptome-wide determinants of mRNA stability regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Rafał Tomecki, Karolina Drążkowska
FEBS, Vol. 288, Issue 11, 3418-3423
The Strategies to Support the COVID-19 Vaccination with Evidence-Based Communication and Tackling Misinformation
Piotr Rzymski, Leszek Borkowski, Marcin Drąg, Robert Flisiak, Jacek Jemielity, Jacek Krajewski, Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas, Andrzej Matyja, Krzysztof Pyrć, Krzysztof Simon, Michał Sutkowski, Jacek Wysocki, Joanna Zajkowska, Andrzej Fal
Vaccines, Vol. 9, Issue 2, 109
Kinetic analysis of IFIT1 and IFIT5 interactions with different native and engineered RNAs and its consequences for designing mRNA-based therapeutics
Miedziak, B., Dobieżyńska, A., Darżynkiewicz, Z. M., Bartkowska, J., Miszkiewicz, J., Kowalska, J., ... & Darzynkiewicz, E.
RNA, 26(1), 58-68.
Purine and pyrimidine dinucleoside polyphosphates differentially affect the phenylpropanoid pathway in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Monastrell suspension cultured cells.
Pietrowska-Borek, M., Wojdyła-Mamoń, A., Dobrogojski, J., Młynarska-Cieślak, A., Baranowski, M. R., Dąbrowski, J. M., ... & Guranowski, A.
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 147, 125-132.
Phosphodiester modifications in mRNA polyA tail prevent deadenylation without compromising protein expression
Strzelecka, D., Smietanski, M., Sikorski, P. J., Warminski, M., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J.
RNA, 26(12), 1815-1837
Synthesis of trifluoromethylated purine ribonucleotides and their evaluation as 19F NMR probes
Chrominski, M., Baranowski, M. R., Chmielinski, S., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J.
The Journal of organic chemistry, 85(5), 3440-3453
Direct High-Throughput Screening Assay for mRNA Cap Guanine-N7 Methyltransferase Activity
Kasprzyk, R., Fido, M., Mamot, A., Wanat, P., Smietanski, M., Kopcial, M., ... & Jemielity, J.
Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
Exploring tryptamine conjugates as pronucleotides of phosphate-modified 7-methylguanine nucleotides targeting cap-dependent translation
Golojuch, S., Kopcial, M., Strzelecka, D., Kasprzyk, R., Baran, N., Sikorski, P. J., ... & Jemielity, J.
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 28(13), 115523
5′-fluoro(di)phosphate-labeled oligonucleotides are versatile molecular probes for studying nucleic acid secondary structure and interactions by 19F NMR
Baranowski, M. R., Warminski, M., Jemielity, J., & Kowalska, J.
Nucleic acids research, 48(15), 8209-8224
Efficient Synthesis of Trifluoromethylated Purine Ribonucleosides and Ribonucleotides
Chrominski, M., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J.
Current Protocols in Nucleic Acid Chemistry, 83(1), e118
Solid-Phase Synthesis of RNA 5′-Azides and Their Application for Labeling, Ligation, and Cyclization Via Click Chemistry
Warminski, M., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J.
Current Protocols in Nucleic Acid Chemistry, 82(1), e112
The identity and methylation status of the first transcribed nucleotide in eukaryotic mRNA 5′ cap modulates protein expression in living cells
Sikorski, P. J., Warminski, M., Kubacka, D., Ratajczak, T., Nowis, D., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J.
Nucleic acids research, 48(4), 1607-1626
Fluorescent Turn‐On Probes for the Development of Binding and Hydrolytic Activity Assays for MRNA Cap‐Recognizing Proteins
Kasprzyk. R., Starek B.J., Ciechanowicz, S., Kubacka D., Kowalska J., Jemielity J. (2019).
Chemistry – A European Journal, vol. 25, no. 27, 2019, pp. 6646–6646.
N1-Propargylguanosine Modified mRNA Cap Analogs: Synthesis, Reactivity, and Applications to the Study of Cap-Binding Proteins
Kopcial, M., Wojtczak, B. A., Kasprzyk, R., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J. (2019).
Molecules, 24(10), 1899.
7-Methylguanosine monophosphate analogues with 5′-(1,2,3-triazoyl) moiety: Synthesis and evaluation as the inhibitors of cNIIIB nucleotidase
Kozarski, M., Kubacka, D., Wojtczak, B. A., Kasprzyk, R., Baranowski, M. R., & Kowalska, J. (2018).
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 26(1), 191-199.
Structure of the activated Edc1-Dcp1-Dcp2-Edc3 mRNA decapping complex with substrate analog poised for catalysis
Mugridge, J. S., Tibble, R. W., Ziemniak, M., Jemielity, J., & Gross, J. D. (2018).
Nature communications, 9(1), 1152
Roquin targets mRNAs in a 3′-UTR-specific manner by different modes of regulation
Essig, K., Kronbeck, N., Guimaraes, J. C., Lohs, C., Schlundt, A., Hoffmann, A., ... & Jemielity, J. (2018).
Nature communications, 9
Exploring the potential of phosphotriazole 5′ mRNA cap analogues as efficient translation initiators
Walczak, S., Sikorski, P. J., Kasprzyk, R., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J. (2018).
Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 16(36), 6741-6748
5′-Phosphorothiolate Dinucleotide Cap Analogues: Reagents for Messenger RNA Modification and Potent Small-Molecular Inhibitors of Decapping Enzymes
Wojtczak, B. A., Sikorski, P. J., Fac-Dabrowska, K., Nowicka, A., Warminski, M., Kubacka, D., ... & Jemielity, J. (2018).
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 140(18), 5987-5999
ExciTides: NTP-derived probes for monitoring pyrophosphatase activity based on excimer-to-monomer transitions
Wanat, P., Kasprzyk, R., Kopcial, M., Sikorski, P. J., Strzelecka, D., Jemielity, J., & Kowalska, J. (2018).
Chemical Communications, 54(70), 9773-9776
mRNAs biotinylated within the 50 cap and protected against decapping: new tools to capture RNA – protein complexes
Bednarek, S., Madan, V., Sikorski, P. J., Bartenschlage, R., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J. (2018).
Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society B, 373
Nicotinamide-Containing Di- and Trinucleotides as Chemical Tools for Studies of NAD-Capped RNAs
Mlynarska-Cieslak, A., Depaix, A., Grudzien-Nogalska, E., Sikorski, P. J., Warminski, M., Kiledjian, M., ... & Kowalska, J. (2018).
Organic letters.
5′-Phosphorothiolate Dinucleotide Cap Analogues: Reagents for Messenger RNA Modification and Potent Small-Molecular Inhibitors of Decapping Enzymes
Wojtczak, B. A., Sikorski, P. J., Fac-Dabrowska, K., Nowicka, A., Warminski, M., Kubacka, D., . . .& Jemielity, J.
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 140(18)
mRNAs biotinylated within the 5′ cap and protected against decapping: new tools to capture RNA–protein complexes
Bednarek, S., Madan, V., Sikorski, P. J., Bartenschlager, R., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J.
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 373(1762), 20180167
Analysis of mononucleotides by tandem mass spectrometry: investigation of fragmentation pathways for phosphate- and ribose-modified nucleotide analogues
Strzelecka, D., Chmielinski, S., Bednarek, S., Jemielity, J., & Kowalska, J. (2017).
Scientific reports, 7(1), 8931.
Applications of Phosphate Modification and Labeling to Study (m) RNA Caps
Warminski, M., Sikorski, P. J., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J. (2017).
Topics in Current Chemistry, 375(1), 16.
Central Regulatory Role for SIN1 in Interferon γ (IFNγ) Signaling and Generation of Biological Responses
Kroczynska, B., Blyth, G. T., Rafidi, R. L., Majchrzak-Kita, B., Xu, L., Saleiro, D., Kosciuczuk, E.M., Jemielity, J., Su, B., Altman, J.K. & Eklund, E. A. (2017).
Journal of Biological Chemistry, 292(11), 4743-4752.
eIF4E phosphorylation by MST1 reduces translation of a subset of mRNAs, but increases lncRNA translation
Min, K. W., Davila, S., Zealy, R. W., Lloyd, L. T., Lee, I. Y., Lee, R., Roh, K.H., Jung, A., Jemielity, J., Choi, E.J. & Chang, J. H. (2017).
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1860(7), 761-772.
Amino-Functionalized 5′ Cap Analogs as Tools for Site-Specific Sequence-Independent Labeling of mRNA
Warminski, M., Sikorski, P. J., Warminska, Z., Lukaszewicz, M., Kropiwnicka, A., Zuberek, J., Darzynkiewicz, E., Kowalska, J. Darzynkiewicz, E., Kowalska, J. & Jemielity, J. (2017).
ioconjugate chemistry, 28(7), pp.1978-1992.
Synthesis of RNA 5′-Azides from 2′-O-Pivaloyloxymethyl-Protected RNAs and Their Reactivity in Azide–Alkyne Cycloaddition Reactions
Warminski, M., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J. (2017).
Organic letters, 19(13), 3624-3627.
mRNA cap analogues substituted in the tetraphosphate chain with CX2: identification of O-to-CCl2 as the first bridging modification that confers resistance to decapping without impairing translation
Rydzik, A. M., Warminski, M., Sikorski, P. J., Baranowski, M. R., Walczak, S., Kowalska, J., Zuberek, J., Lukaszewicz, M., Nowak, E., W. Claridge, T.D. & Darzynkiewicz, E. (2017).
Nucleic acids research, 45(15), 8661-8675.
Synthesis of Aminoglycoside-2′-O-Methyl Oligoribonucleotide Fusions.
Granqvist, L., Kraszewski, A., Tähtinen, V., & Virta, P. (2017).
Molecules, 22(5), 760.
Comparison of preribosomal RNA processing pathways in yeast, plant and human cells – focus on coordinated action of endo- and exoribonucleases
Tomecki, R., Sikorski, P. J., & Zakrzewska‐Placzek, M. (2017).
FEBS letters, 591(13), 1801-1850.
On the Interactions of Fused Pyrazole Derivative with Selected Amino Acids: DFT Calculations
Czaja, K., Kujawski, J., Jodłowska-Siewert, E., Szulc, P., Ratajczak, T., Krygier, D., ... & Bernard, M. K. (2017).
Journal of Chemistry, 2017.
Structural and spectroscopic properties of itraconazole and ketoconazole–Experimental and theoretical studies
Kujawski, J., Czaja, K., Jodłowska-Siewert, E., Dettlaff, K., Żwawiak, J., Kujawski, R., Ratajczak, T. & Bernard, M. K. (2017).
Journal of Molecular Structure, 1146, 259-266.
Azido-Functionalized 5ʹ-Cap Analogs for Preparation of Translationally Active mRNAs Suitable for Fluorescent Labeling in Living Cells
Mamot, A.; Sikorski, P.; Warminski, M.; Kowalska, J.; Jemielity, J., (2017).
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 56(49):15628-15632
Cap analogs modified with 1, 2-dithiodiphosphate moiety protect mRNA from decapping and enhance its translational potential.
trenkowska, M., Grzela, R., Majewski, M., Wnek, K., Kowalska, J., Lukaszewicz, M., ... & Jemielity, J. (2016).
Nucleic acids research, 44(20), 9578-9590.
Structural basis of mRNA-cap recognition by Dcp1-Dcp2.
Mugridge, J. S., Ziemniak, M., Jemielity, J., & Gross, J. D. (2016).
Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, 23(11), 987.
Synthetic m 3 G-CAP attachment necessitates a minimum trinucleotide constituent to be recognised as a nuclear import signal.
Honcharenko, M., Bestas, B., Jezowska, M., Wojtczak, B. A., Moreno, P. M. D., Romanowska, J., Darzynkiewicz E., Jemielity J., ... & Strömberg, R. (2016).
RSC Advances, 6(56), 51367-51373.
Acetylpyrene-labelled 7-methylguanine nucleotides: unusual fluorescence properties and application to decapping scavenger activity monitoring.
Kasprzyk, R., Kowalska, J., Wieczorek, Z., Szabelski, M., Stolarski, R., & Jemielity, J. (2016).
Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 14(16), 3863-3868.
Fluorescent HTS assay for phosphohydrolases based on nucleoside 5ʹ-fluorophosphates: application in screening for inhibitors of mRNA Decapping Scavenger and PDE-I
Baranowski, M. R., Nowicka, A., Jemielity, J., & Kowalska, J. (2016)
Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 14(20), 4595-4604
Clickable trimethylguanosine cap analogs modified within the triphosphate bridge: synthesis, conjugation to RNA and susceptibility to degradation
Wojtczak, B. A., Warminski, M., Kowalska, J., Lukaszewicz, M., Honcharenko, M., Smith, C. E., ... & Jemielity, J. (2016)
RSC Advances, 6(10), 8317-8328
Two-headed tetraphosphate cap analogs are inhibitors of the Dcp1/2 RNA decapping complex
Ziemniak, M., Mugridge, J. S., Kowalska, J., Rhoads, R. E., Gross, J. D., & Jemielity, J. (2016)
RNA, 22(4), 518-529
Interferon γ (IFNγ)-Signaling via mTORC2 and Regulatory Effects in the Generation of Type II IFN Biological Responses
Kroczynska, B., Rafidi, R. L., Majchrzak-Kita, B., Kosciuczuk, E. M., Blyth, G. T., Jemielity, J., ... & Fish, E. N. (2016)
Journal of Biological Chemistry, jbc-M115
Synthetic Capped mRNAs for Cap-Specific Photo-Cross-Linking Experiments
Kowalska, J., Martin, F., & Jemielity, J. (2016).
Synthetic mRNA: Production, Introduction Into Cells, and Physiological Consequences, 31-43.
Kinetic and solvent isotope effects on biotransformation of aromatic amino acids and their derivatives
Kańska, M., Jemielity, J., Pająk, M., Pałka, K., Podsadni, K., & Winnicka, E. (2016)
Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals, 59(14), 627-634.
Phosphate-modified analogues of m7GTP and m7Gppppm7G – synthesis and biochemical properties
Ziemniak, M., Kowalska, J., Lukaszewicz, M., Zuberek, J., Wnek, K., Darzynkiewicz, E., & Jemielity, J. (2015)
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 23(17), 5369-5381
Synthesis of fluorophosphate nucleotide analogues and their characterization as tools for 19F NMR studies.
Baranowski, M. R., Nowicka, A., Rydzik, A. M., Warminski, M., Kasprzyk, R., Wojtczak, B. A., ... & Jemielity, J. (2015).
The Journal of organic chemistry 80, no. 8 (2015): 3982-3997
Ethynyl, 2-propynyl, and 3-butynyl C-phosphonate analogues of nucleoside di-and triphosphates: synthesis and reactivity in CuAAC.
Wanat, P., Walczak, S., Wojtczak, B. A., Nowakowska, M., Jemielity, J., & Kowalska, J. (2015).
Organic letters, 17(12), 3062-3065.
Gold-decorated polymer vessel structures as carriers of mRNA cap analogues
Kijewska, K., Głowala, P., Kowalska, J., Jemielity, J., Kaczyńska, K., Janiszewska, K., ... & Wiktorska, K. (2015)
Polymer, 57, 77-87
Virus-like particle-mediated intracellular delivery of mRNA cap analog with in vivo activity against hepatocellular carcinoma.
Zochowska, M., Piguet, A. C., Jemielity, J., Kowalska, J., Szolajska, E., Dufour, J. F., & Chroboczek, J. (2015).
Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 11(1), 67-76.
Synthesis of fluorophosphates nucleotide analogues and their characterization as tools for 19F NMR studies
Baranowski, M. R., Nowicka, A., Rydzik, A. M., Warminski, M., Kasprzyk, R., Wojtczak, B. A., ... & Jemielity, J. (2015)
The Journal of organic chemistry, 80(8), 3982-3997.
Cap analogs containing 6-thioguanosine–reagents for the synthesis of mRNAs selectively photo-crosslinkable with cap-binding biomolecules.
Nowakowska, M., Kowalska, J., Martin, F., d'Orchymont, A., Zuberek, J., Lukaszewicz, M., ... & Jemielity, J. (2014).
Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 12(27), 4841-4847.
Cap analogs containing 6-thioguanosine – reagents for the synthesis of mRNAs selectively photo-crosslinkable with cap-binding biomolecules
Nowakowska, M., Kowalska, J., Martin, F., d'Orchymont, A., Zuberek, J., Lukaszewicz, M., ... & Jemielity, J. (2014).
Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 12(27), 4841-4847.
Synthesis, properities and biological activity of boranophosphate analogs of the mRNA cap: versalite tools for manipulation of therapeutically relevant cap-dependent processes
Kowalska, J., Wypijewska del Nogal, A., Darzynkiewicz, Z. M., Buck, J., Nicola, C., Kuhn, A. N., ... & Maciejczyk, M. (2014)
Nucleic acids research, 42(16), 10245-10264
Analysis of decapping scavenger cap complex using modified cap analogs reveals molecular determinants for efficient cap binding.
Wypijewska del Nogal, A., Surleac, M. D., Kowalska, J., Lukaszewicz, M., Jemielity, J., Bisaillon, M., ... & Bojarska, E. (2013).
The FEBS journal, 280(24), 6508-6527.
Hint2, the mitochondrial nucleoside 5’-phosphoramidate hydrolase; properties of the homogeneous protein from sheep (Ovis aries) liver.
Wypijewska del Nogal, A., Surleac, M. D., Kowalska, J., Lukaszewicz, M., Jemielity, J., Bisaillon, M., ... & Bojarska, E. (2013).
The FEBS journal, 280(24), 6508-6527.
The synthesis of isopropylidene mRNA cap analogs modified with phosphorothioate moiety and their evaluation as promoters of mRNA translation.
Warminski, M., Kowalska, J., Buck, J., Zuberek, J., Lukaszewicz, M., Nicola, C., ... & Jemielity, J. (2013).
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters, 23(13), 3753-3758.
Magnetic-nanoparticle-decorated polypyrrole microvessels: Toward encapsulation of mRNA cap analogues.
Kijewska, K., Jarzębińska, A., Kowalska, J., Jemielity, J., Kępińska, D., Szczytko, J., ... & Twardowski, A. (2013).
Biomacromolecules, 14(6), 1867-1876.
Potential therapeutic applications of RNA cap analogs
Ziemniak, M., Strenkowska, M., Kowalska, J., & Jemielity, J. (2013)
Future medicinal chemistry, 5(10), 1141-1172.
Title Deadline for applications
PhD Student (CeNT-30-2024) 25/10/2024
Student (CeNT-31-2024) 25/10/2024
PhD Student (CeNT-18-2024) 31/07/2024
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-10.1-2024) 25/07/2024
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-6-2024) 31/05/2024
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-10-2024) 31/05/2024
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-5-2024) 30/04/2024
Student (CeNT-3-2024) 20/03/2024
Engineering and technical employee (CeNT-42-2023)(WIB) 15/09/2023
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-38-2023) 31/08/2023
Postdoc (Adjunct)(WIB)(CeNT-23.2-2022) 15/02/2023
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-23.1-2022)(WIB) 30/09/2022
Student (CeNT-37-2022) 19/08/2022
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-18-2022) 22/07/2022
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-23-2022) 04/07/2022
Postdoc (Adjunct)(CeNT-20-2022) 15/06/2022
Engineering and technical employee (CeNT-21-2022) 05/06/2022
Lab Manager (CeNT-22-2022) 05/06/2022
Postdoc (Adjunct) (CeNT-7-2022) 11/03/2022
Student in the Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 03/09/2021
Student in the Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 03/09/2021
Student in the Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 09/10/2020
Postdoc (Adjunct) in The Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 15/09/2020
Postdoc (Adjunct) in the Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 01/06/2020
PhD Student in the Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 04/05/2020
Postdoc in the Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 12/03/2020
Post-doc in Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 31/08/2019
Ph. D. student in Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 31/10/2018
PhD in Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry 13/07/2018
Undergraduate student in the project “New selective inhibitors of cap dependent proteins: synthesis, delivery and characterization”. 01/06/2018

Laboratory of Chemical Biology operates in two locations – team uses the hospitality of the Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw. CeNT team cooperates with employees of the Faculty of Physics:

Ewa Grela, PhD

Joanna Kowalska, PhD, DSc

Tomasz Śpiewla, MSc

Sebastian Tasak, MSc Eng.

Marcin Warmiński, PhD

Joanna Żuberek, PhD, DSc

Project title: Horizon for Excellence in Messenger RNA applications in immunoOncology, HERO implemented as part of the Virtual Research Institute

Grant Agreement No.: WIB-UF-PZ-01/01.00/2

Source of funding: Polish Science Fund

Budget: 69 160 450 zł including 17 197 100 zł for the University of Warsaw

Duration: 2022 – 2026

Project description: A decade has passed since clinical approval of the first cancer immunotherapy based on the administration of checkpoint inhibitors, i.e. monoclonal antibodies targeting negative immunoregulatory molecules, such as CTLA-4, PD- 1, and PD-L1. Since then, checkpoint inhibitors have become first line treatment in several types of cancer or are used in combination with other therapeutic approaches, allowing for long-term control over the neoplastic disease. The spectacular therapeutic effects are observed in the minority of cancer patients. However, it is still impossible to predict clinical response before starting the treatment. For many types of tumors, checkpoint inhibitors are ineffective. Thus, substantial efforts are invested into the development of predictive biomarkers as well as on the identification of novel targets or combination immunotherapies for more effective treatment. One such approach that has been developed in recent years is using mRNA-based therapeutics. The most advanced clinical studies use mRNA for the generation of personalized mRNA vaccines and are carried out by BioNTech GMBH, a German biotech company that has recently developed and registered the first mRNA vaccine for COVID-19. Importantly, BioNTech has licensed the invention on 5’ cap analogue (β-S-ARCA) developed by prof. Jacek Jemielity and dr. Joanna Kowalska (scientists of the University of Warsaw) and is using this cap in clinical studies on anti-cancer mRNA vaccines.