Representatives of the authorities of the the Fahrenheit Union of Universities in Gdańsk, the Medical University of Gdańsk, the Gdańsk University of Technology and the University of Gdańsk, together with researchers co-creating the Centre and scholars interested in future cooperation, took part in a meeting devoted to the development of the Fahrenheit Universities’ Translational Brain Diseases Centre. The Centre is an inter-university research structure established in March 2025 within the framework of the Fahrenheit Union of Universities in Gdańsk. It was created to integrate basic, clinical, and technological research in the field of brain diseases and to ensure the effective translation of research outcomes into medical practice and health prevention. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Bartosz Karaszewski, Head of the Brain Diseases Centre at the Medical University of Gdańsk and Head of the Department of Neurology at the MUG.
Among the participants were, inter alia: Prof. Adriana Zaleska-Medynska, Director of the Fahrenheit Union of Universities in Gdańsk; Katarzyna Zygmunt, Deputy Director of the Union; Prof. Piotr Stepnowski, Rector of the University of Gdańsk and Chair of the Assembly of the Fahrenheit Union of Universities in Gdańsk; Prof. Justyna Kucińska-Lipka, Vice-Rector for Development at Gdańsk University of Technology; Prof. Mariusz Kaczmarek, Vice-Rector for Education at Gdańsk University of Technology; Dr hab. Michał Hoffmann, University Professor and Vice-Rector for Clinical Affairs at the Medical University of Gdańsk; Prof. Tomasz Bączek, Head of the Office of the Excellence Initiative – Research University Programme at the MUG; and Paweł Orłowski, Chair of the University Council of the Medical University of Gdańsk. The meeting was also attended by Barbara Toczyńska-Kijewska, Head of the Health Prevention Unit at the Gdańsk City Hall.
The scientific component of the meeting was co-created by, among others, Prof. Grzegorz Węgrzyn, Head of the Department of Molecular Biology at the University of Gdańsk, and Prof. Anna Stanisławska-Sachadyn from the Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology. The session also included researchers cooperating with or interested in cooperation with the Centre, including Prof. Jacek Rumiński, Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Gdańsk University of Technology; Prof. R. Tomasz Smoleński, Head of the Department of Biochemistry at the Medical University of Gdańsk; as well as Prof. Rafał Dziadziuszko, Head of the Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy at the MUG and the Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit.
During the meeting, participants discussed the strategy for the further development of the Translational Brain Diseases Centre, current research projects, and planned research directions. Research results achieved to date and emerging scientific hypotheses were presented, followed by discussions on solutions aimed at expanding the Centre’s scale of activity, strengthening inter-university cooperation, and streamlining organisational processes to support the integration of interdisciplinary research teams.
A core operational model of the Centre involves the use and reconfiguration of research resources of the member universities of the Fahrenheit Union of Universities in Gdańsk in order to address specific, clinician-defined prompts which identify the most urgent diagnostic and therapeutic needs in neurology and related fields. These solutions may subsequently be tested within the well-prepared clinical and research infrastructure of the Medical University of Gdańsk and the University Clinical Centre.
Participants emphasised the importance of the Translational Brain Diseases Centre as a platform integrating the scientific, clinical, and technological potential of Tri-City universities, as well as its role in advancing modern, interdisciplinary research on brain diseases and in developing solutions with a tangible impact on public health.
The meeting took place on 7th January at the Medical University of Gdańsk.
Photo. P. Sudara/MUG
