On 23th of April at the Nencki Institute we had the pleasure to hold the first national pitch event of SPARK Poland mentoring program. The SPARK Poland advisory board with:

• Kevin Grimes – Stanford University – chair
• Dr Liliane Brunner Halbach – University of Zurich
• Wojciech Fendler – Medical University of Lodz, Medical Research Agency
• Jim Huntington – University of Cambridge
• Dr Steve Schow – Stanford University
• Michał Wszoła – Polbionica, Foundation of Research and Science Development

and

• Agnieszka Dobrzyń – SPARK Poland director

assessed 10 pitch presentations of the best research projects in the 1st national call for SPARK Poland Mentoring Program organized by the Nencki Institute and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

We are happy to announce that the winners are:

• Dr Urszula Kozłowska - Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences - with "Development of affordable therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer’s Disease"
• Jacek Tabarkiewicz - University of Rzeszów - with "Development of treatment for prevention of heterotopic ossifications in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive (FOP)."
• Dr hab. Tomasz W. Turowski - Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics Polish Academy of Science - with "Small molecule modulator of RNA polymerase III"

We cannot thank enough to each member of the advisory board for their input, commitment and expertise.

We warmly congratulate the winners and thank all the participants.

And now, let the mentoring begin!

The project is funded by the Minister of Science and Higher Education within the Task entitled "Establishment of a Mentoring Program - based on the SPARK Poland program”. Total value: PLN 2,976,500.00