Address:

• Department of General Biochemistry
• Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology
• Jagiellonian University
• ul. Gronostajowa 7
• 30-387 Kraków
• Room: B125
• Phone: 12 664 63 59
• E–mail: agata.lichawska@uj.edu.pl

Education:

2015 – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD); University of Cambridge (England)

2009 - Master of Biotechnology; Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Poland)

Positions:

10.2020 - present - Assistant Professor (Adiunkt); Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology

10.2016 – 09.2020 - Post-doctoral research assistant; Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology

10.2009 – 12.2014 - PhD Program; University of Cambridge, Department of Zoology and Welcome Trust Cancer Research Gurdon Institute

10.2004 – 06.2009 - Master studies in Biotechnology; Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biotechnology

Research projects:

‘Are MCPIP1 and MCPIP3 analogous or opposite players in the maintenance of skin function?’; SONATA 18: 2022/47/D/NZ3/01654; 2023-2026. Funding body: National Science Centre.

‘Is circRNA degradation a novel anti-inflammatory property of MCPIP1?’; Canaletto program: PPN/BIT/2021/1/00045/U/00001; 2021-2022; Funding body: Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange.

‘The effects of MCPIP1 ablation in the cells of myeloid origin on the development of chemically induced skin carcinoma’; 2021-2022; 18-month mini-grant from the Priority Research Area BioS under the Strategic Programme Excellence Initiative at Jagiellonian University in Krakow

‘Effects of MCPIP3 overexpression on proliferation and viability of A431 cells’; MINIATURA 4: 2020/04/X/NZ3/00350; 2020-2021; Funding body: National Science Centre.

Awards and scholarships:

2024 - Selected by the ESDR Committee to participate at Future Leaders Academy 2024 (Uppsala, Sweden)

2024, 2022 - Team award for scientific achievements from the Rector of the Jagiellonian University

2022 - Poster award on the 7th Warsaw Conference on Perspectives of Molecular Oncology

2009 - Awarded Herchel Smith Scholarship to undertake PhD studies at the University of Cambridge

Internships:

2018 - The Institute of Cancer Research (London, England) – 3 months

2008 - Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Dublin) – 3 months under SPUR/UREKA placement

2008 - Aarhus University (Denmark) – 5 months Erazmus program

Professional Societies:

European Society for Dermatological Research, member

Polish Society for Biochemistry, member of the Revision Committee (since October 2022)

Polish Cancer Mission Hub, member of Research Stakeholders Group

Subject of interest:

My scientific activities encompass investigating basic cellular mechanisms mediated by the activity of RNases belonging to the MCPIP family. I study inflammatory processes in both normal and cancer cells, especially skin cells. I investigate processes related to inflammation in physiological conditions and in pathological processes (skin cancer, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis). My research is performed using complementary in vivo and in vitro 2D and 3D models, such as primary keratinocytes, transformed cell lines, mouse models and tissues collected from patients.

Conferences – selected presentations:

2025 – 6th BIO meeting in Poznań; oral presentation

2025 – 54th annual ESDR meeting in Antwerp; poster

2024 – 53rd annual ESDR meeting in Lisbon; oral presentation

2023 – 5th Inflammatory Skin Disease Summit in Vien; poster

2023 – 5th BIO Congress in Szczecin; oral presentation

2022 – 7th Warsaw Conference on Perspectives of Molecular Oncology; poster

Most significant publications:

Lichawska-Cieslar A, Szukala W, Pilat P, Eckhart L, Szepietowski JC, Jura J. MCPIP3 orchestrates the balance of epidermal proliferation and differentiation. Cell Commun Signal. 2025 Apr 8;23(1):175. PubMed PMID: 40200325

Lichawska-Cieslar A, Szukala W, Eckhart L, Jura J. MCPIP3/Regnase-3 binds 14-3-3 proteins and contributes to the regulation of the cell cycle in human immortalized keratinocytes. Sci Rep. 2025 Sep 26;15(1):33222. PubMed PMID: 41006702

Lichawska-Cieslar A, Szukala W, Ylla G, Machaj G, Ploskonka F, Chlebicka I, Szepietowski JC, Jura J. MCPIP1 modulates the miRNA‒mRNA landscape in keratinocyte carcinomas. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Oct 21;43(1):290. PubMed PMID: 39428471

Szukala W, Rumienczyk I, Mikula M, Goryca K, Eckhart L, Koziel J, Jura J, Lichawska-Cieslar A. MCPIP1 Controls the Effects of Myeloid Cells on Skin Carcinogenesis and Hair Growth. J Invest Dermatol. 2024 Jun;144(6):1401-1405.e7. PubMed PMID: 38154560

Berniak K, Moradi A, Lichawska-Cieslar A, Szukala W, Jura J, Stachewicz U. Controlled therapeutic cholesterol delivery to cells for the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. J Mater Chem B. 2024 Nov 6;12(43):11110-11122. PubMed PMID: 39466636

Szukala W, Lichawska-Cieslar A, Krajewski PK, Kulecka M, Rumienczyk I, Mikula M, Matusiak Ł, Jura J & Szepietowski JC. An Atlas of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Transcriptome. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2024 Feb;14(2):409-420. PubMed PMID: 38183615

Lichawska-Cieslar A, Szukala W, Prajsnar TK, Pooranachandran N, Kulecka M, Dabrowska M, Mikula M, Rakus K, Chadzinska M & Jura J. MCPIP1 functions as a safeguard of early embryonic development. Sci Rep. 2023 Oct 7;13(1):16944. PubMed PMID: 37805647

Szukala W, Lichawska-Cieslar A, Pietrzycka R, Kulecka M, Rumienczyk I, Mikula M, Chlebicka I, Konieczny P, Dziedzic K, Szepietowski JC, Fontemaggi G, Rys J & Jura J. Loss of epidermal MCPIP1 is associated with aggressive squamous cell carcinoma. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research. 2021 Dec 13;40(1):391. PubMed PMID: 34903245

Lichawska-Cieslar A, Konieczny P, Szukala W, Declercq W, Fu M & Jura J. Loss of keratinocyte Mcpip1 abruptly activates the IL-23/Th17 and Stat3 pathways in skin inflammation. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res. 2021 Jan;1868(1):118866. PubMed PMID: 33007332

Konieczny P, Lichawska-Cieslar A, Kwiecinska P, Cichy J, Pietrzycka R, Szukala W, Declercq W, Devos M, Paziewska A, Rumienczyk I, Kulecka M, Mikula M, Fu M, Borowczyk J, Santamaria-Babí LF & Jura J. Keratinocyte-specific ablation of Mcpip1 impairs skin integrity and promotes local and systemic inflammation. J Mol Med. 2019 Dec;97(12):1669-1684. PubMed PMID: 31786670

Miekus K, Kotlinowski J, Lichawska-Cieslar A, Rys J & Jura J. Activity of MCPIP1 RNase in tumor associated processes. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research. 2019 Oct 21;38(1):421. PubMed PMID: 31639017