The Polish-American Fulbright Commission has announced the list of BioLAB program winners. 43 people, including four students from Wrocław University of Science and Technology, will go to one of four renowned research centres in the USA for a one-year placement.

This year's edition of the competition saw 102 applications, and the selection procedure comprised two stages: a formal and substantive evaluation of electronic applications and interviews with the selection committee. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the interviews were held for the first time entirely via Skype. 43 winners were eventually selected, including four people from Wrocław University of Science and Technology:

• Marcelina Szczygieł (Faculty of Chemistry), a trip to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation;
• Krystyna Tesak (Faculty of Chemistry), a trip to the research centre of the University of Chicago;
• Bartosz Leszczyński (Faculty of Chemistry), a trip to the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center;
• Wojciech Teodorowicz (Faculty of Chemistry), trip to the research centre of the University of Virginia.

The BioLAB program is intended for graduate and PhD students on biological-chemical and medical courses. During the placement, students join research teams conducting projects in fields including neurology, crystallography, virology, or molecular genetics.

The results of research carried out during the placement often become the basis for articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, such as "Nature", "Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics" or "Acta Crystallographica". The scholarship holders also become involved in the life of American universities, participate in seminars and guest lectures, and learn about American culture.

The organisers plan to arrange for the participants to leave for the USA in July.