Krzysztof Jakub Pawlik, PhD

krzysztof.pawlik@hirszfeld.pl

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5881-9292

https://www.linkedin.com/in/krzysztof-kuba-pawlik-01186190/

https://twitter.com/KubaPawlik9

Krzysztof Jakub Pawlik earned his PhD from the Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy in 2002. In the years 2002-2005 he got postdoc fellowship at Prof. Jean-Luc Pernodet laboratory (University of Paris Sud IX) and stayed as a research fellow at Prof. Eriko Takano lab (Department of Microbiology at University of Tübingen). His research interests focuses on molecular basis of secondary metabolites synthesis. He is particularly interested in the synthesis of polyketides by Streptomyces bacteria. Since 2018 he cooperates with Prof. K. Matczyszyn from Wrocław University of Science and Technology to develop an application of photodynamic therapy against pathogens of skin infections.

He is the head of the Biotechnology Laboratory at Hirszfeld Institute. He is a member of the Polish Biochemical Society (PTBioch) and the Polish Genetic Society (PTG). Since 2022, he has been chairing the Wrocław branch of PTG.

 

Research interests:

Molecular Microbiology; Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT); Specialized metabolites; Secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways; Synthetic Biology; Streptomyces..


Publications:

  1. Hajka D., Żebrowska-Różańska P., Romańczuk K., Wiśniewski J.R., Łaczmański Ł., Łodej N., Pawlik K.J., Rakus D., Gizak A. Bidirectional communication between astrocytes and neurons via extracellular vesicles: A multi-omics approach. J Neurochem . 2026 Feb;170(2):e70373. doi: 10.1111/jnc.70373.
  2. Grdzelishvili N., Lazviashvili D., Kurowska A., Pawlik K.J., Łaczmański Ł., Kakabadze E., Zhuravliova E., Chanishvili N., Bakuradze N. Study of the activity of the Staphylococcus aureus phage vB_SaS_GE1 against MRSA clinical isolates and its impact on the formation of the dual species bio-films with P. aeruginosa. Viruses (2025) Volume 17, Issue 12, 1623 doi.org/10.3390/v17121623
  3. Cieślik M., Bajrak O., Wójcicki M., Orwat F., Łodej N., Błażejak S., Pawlak E., Pawlik K.J., Górski A., Jończyk-Matysiak E. Biological Characterization and Stability of Three Lytic Wastewater-Derived Bacteriophages Targeting Multi-Drug Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and A. johnsonii Clinical Strains. Microbiological Research. (2025) 128320, doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2025.128320.
  4. Kotowska, M., Wenecki, M., Bednarz B., Ciekot, J., Pasławski, W., Buhl, T., Pawlik, K.J. Coelimycin inside out — negative feedback regulation by its intracellular precursors. Appl Microbiol Biot (2024) 108:531 doi.org/10.1007/s00253-024-13366-1
  5. Jarząb, A., Dąbrowska, A., Naporowski, P. Krasna, K., Szmyt, A. Świat, M., Pawlik, K., Witkowska, D., Ziomek, E., Gamian, A. Outer membrane protein C is a protective and unique vaccine antigen against Shigella flexneri 3a. Sci Rep 14, 25398 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76745-8.
  6. Choromańska A., Szwedowicz U., Szewczyk A., Daczewska M., Saczko J., Kruszakin R., Pawlik K.J., Baczyńska D., Kulbacka J. Electroporation-derived melanoma extracellular particles activate fibroblasts, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – General Subjects, 1868; 12, (2024), 130723, ISSN 0304-4165, doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagen.2024.130723.
  7. Pasciak M., Pawlik K.J., Martynowski D., Łaczmanski Ł., Ciekot J., Szponar B., Wojcik-Fatla A., Mackiewicz B., Farian E., Cholewa G., Cholewa A., Dutkiewicz J. Discovery of a new bacterium Microbacterium betulae in birch wood linked to lung disease in woodworkers. Environmental Microbiology Reports (2024) doi.org/10.1111/1758-2229.13311
  8. Krzyżewska-Dudek E., Dulipati V., Kapczyńska K., Noszka M., Chen C., Kotimaa J., Książczyk M., Dudek B., Bugla-Płoskońska G., Pawlik K., Meri S., Rybka J. Lipopolysaccharide with long O-antigen is crucial for Salmonella Enteritidis to evade complement activity and to facilitate bacterial survival in vivo in the Galleria mellonella infection model. Med Microbiol Immunol 213, 8 (2024). doi.org/10.1007/ s00430-024-00790-3.
  9. Piksa M., Fortuna W., Lian C., Gacka M., Samuel I.D.W, Matczyszyn K., Pawlik K.J. Treatment of antibiotic‑resistant bacteria colonizing diabetic foot ulcers by OLED induced antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. Sci Rep 13, 14087 (2023). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39363-4
  10. Stańczykiewicz B, Goszczyński T.M., Migdał P., Piksa M., Pawlik K.J., Gburek J., Gołąb K., Konopska B., Zabłocka A. Effect of ovocystatin on amyloid β 1-42 aggregation – in vitro studies. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5433; doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065433. 2023
  11. Piksa M., Lian C., Samuel I.C., Pawlik K.J., Samuel I.D.W., Matczyszyn K. The role of the light sourse in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. Chemical Society Reviews 2023, doi.org 10.1039/d0cs01051k
  12. Mucha S.G., Piksa M, Firlej L., Krystyniak A., Różycka M.O., Kazana W., Pawlik K.J., Samoć M., Matczyszyn K. Non-toxic Polymeric Dots with the Strong Protein-Driven Enhancement of One- and Two-Photon Excited Emission for Sensitive and Non-destructive Albumin Sensing. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2022. doi.org/10.1021/acsami.2c08858
  13. Markowski A., Jaromin A, Migdał P., Olczak E., Zygmunt A, Zaremba-Czogalla M., Pawlik K.J., Gubernator J. Design and development of a new type of hybrid PLGA/lipid nanoparticles as an ursolic acid delivery system against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022 doi.org/10.3390/ijms23105536
  14. Wójcik-Fatla, A., Mackiewicz, B., Sawczyn-Domańska, A., Sroka J., Siwiec J., Paściak M., Szponar B., Pawlik K., Dutkiewicz J. Timber-colonizing gram-negative bacteria as potential causative agents of respiratory diseases in woodworkers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health (2022). doi.org/10.1007/s00420-021-01829-1
  15. Pawlik. K.J., Zelkowski, M.; Biernacki, M.; Litwinska, K.; Jaworski, P.; Kotowska, M. GntR-like SCO3932 Protein Provides a Link between Actinomycete Integrative and Conjugative Elements and Secondary Metabolism. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 11867. doi.org/10.3390/ijms222111867
  16. Bednarz B., Millan-Oropeza A., Kotowska M., Swiat M., Quispe Haro J.J., Henry C., Pawlik K.J. Coelimycin synthesis activatory proteins are key regulators of specialized metabolism and precursor flux in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Front. Microbiol., (2021) doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.616050
  17. Maldonado-Carmona N., Marchand G., Villandier N., Ouk T-S, Pereira M.M., Calvete M.J.F., Calliste C.A., Żak A., Piksa M., Pawlik K.J., Matczyszyn K., Leroy-Lhez S. Porphyrin-Loaded Lignin Nanoparticles Against Bacteria: A Photodynamic Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Application. Front. Microbiol., (2020) doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.606185
  18. Mackiewicz B., Dutkiewicz J., Siwiec J., Kucharczyk T., Siek E., Wojcik-Fatla, A., Cholewa, G.; Cholewa, A., Pasciak, M., Pawlik, K., Szponar B., Milanowski, J. Acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis in woodworkers caused by inhalation of birch dust contaminated with Pantoea agglomerans and Microbacterium barkeri. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2019; 26(4): 644–655. doi.org/10.26444/aaem/114931
  19. Chen l., Piksa M., Yoshida K., Persheyev S., Pawlik K.J., Matczyszyn K. Samuel IDW. Flexible organic light-emitting diodes for antimicrobialphotodynamic therapy. npj Flexible Electronics (2019) 3:18; doi.org/10.1038/s41528-019-0058-0
  20. Bednarz B., Kotowska M., Pawlik K. Multi-level regulation of coelimycin synthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Appl Microbiol Biot 103, (2019) 6423–6434doi.org/10.1007/s00253-019-09975-w
  21. Kotowska M., Świat M., Zaręba-Pasławska J., Jaworski P., Pawlik K. A GntR-like transcription factor HypR regulates expression of genes associated with L-hydroxyproline utilization in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Front. Microbiol. (2019) 10:1451. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01451
  22. Sobieszczańska B., Pawłowska B., Duda-Madej A., Pawlik K., Wisniewski J., Grzegrzółka J., Turniak M., Walczuk U., Gamian A. Effect of amyloid curli fibrils and curli CsgA monomers from Escherichia coli on in vitro model of intestinal epithelial barrier stimulated with cytokines. International Journal of Medical Microbiology 309: 5, 274-282, (2019), doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmm.2019.05.001.
  23. Dudek M., Deiana M., Pokladek Z., Pawlik K., Matczyszyn K. Reversible photocontrol of DNA melting by visible-light Responsive F4-coordinated azobenzene. (2018). Chem. Eur. J. dx.doi.org/10.1002/chem.201803529
  24. Brzozowska E., Pyra A., Pawlik K., Janik M., Górska S., Urbańska N., Drulis-Kawa Z., Gamian A. Hydrolytic activity determination of Tail Tubular Protein A of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteriophages towards saccharide substrates. Scientific Reports. (2017) 7:18048 DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-18096
  25. Deiana M., Mettra B., Martinez-Fernandez L., Mazur L.M., Pawlik K., Andraud Ch., Samoc M., Improta R., Monnereau C., Matczyszyn K. Specific Recognition of G-Quadruplexes Over Duplex- DNA by a Macromolecular NIR Two-Photon Fluorescent Probe. J. Phys. Chem. Lett., doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b02547 November 17, 2017
  26. Szymańska B., Pawlik K., Sawicka E., Dembowski J., Kowal P., Zdrojowy R., Długosz A. Evaluation of NMP22 in bladder cancer patients sensitive to environmental toxins. Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine 07/2017; 27(1). doi.org/10.17219/acem/63156
  27. Deiana M., Pokladek Z., Dudek M., Mucha S.G., Mazur L.M., Pawlik K., Młynarz P., M. Samoć M., Matczyszyn K. Remote-control of the enantiomeric supramolecular recognition mediated by chiral azobenzenes bound to human serum albumin. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017,19, 21272-21275 doi.org/10.1039/C7CP03336B.
  28. Pyra A., Brzozowska E., Pawlik K., Gamian A., Dauter M., Dauter Z. Tail tubular protein A: a dualfunction tail protein of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteriophage KP32. Scientific Reports 7:2223 (2017): doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02451-3
  29. Klekotko M., Matczyszyn K., Siednienko J., Olesiak-Bańska J., Pawlik K., Samoć M. Bio-mediated synthesis, characterization and cytotoxicity of gold nanoparticles. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 17, (2015) 29014-29019. doi.org/10.1039/c5cp01619c
  30. Poręba K., Pawlik K., Rembacz K. P., Kurowska E., Matuszyk J., Długosz A. Synthesis and antibacterial activity of new sulfonamide isoxazolo[5,4-b]pyridine derivatives. Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica 72(4) (2015) 727-735
  31. Paściak M., Dacko W, Sikora J., Gurlaga D, Pawlik K., Grzegorz Miękisiak G., Gamian A. Creation of an in-house MALDI-TOF MS Corynebacterineae database overcomes difficulties in identification of Nocardia farcinica clinical isolate. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 53(8) (2015) 2611–2621. doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00268-15
  32. Brzozowska E., Śmietana M., Koba M., Górska S., Pawlik K., Gamian A., Bock W.J. Recognition of bacterial lipopolysaccharide using bacteriophage-adhesin-coated long-period gratings. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 67 (2015) 93-99.doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2014.07.027
  33. Delplanque A., Wawrzyńczyk D., Jaworski P., Matczyszyn K., Pawlik K., Buckle M., Nyk M., Nogues C., Samoć M., DNA base pair resolution measurements using resonance energy transfer efficiency in lanthanide doped nanoparticles, PLOS One March 6,10(3) 2015. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117277
  34. Kazubek-Zemke M., Rybka J., Marchewka Z., Rybka W., Pawlik K., Długosz A. GLC-MS method for amino acids profiling in human urine. Postępy Hig. Med. Dośw. 2014, 68: 1299-1311. PMID: 25404619
  35. Kotowska M., Pawlik K. Roles of type II thioesterases and their application for secondary metabolite yield improvement. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 2014, Sep; 98(18):7735-46
  36. Paściak M., Pawlik K., Gamian A., Szponar B., Skóra J., Gutarowska B. An airborne actinobacteria Nocardiopsis alba isolated from bioaerosol of a mushroom compost facility. Aerobiologia 2014, 30(4): 413-422. doi.org/10.1007/s10453-014-9336-4
  37. Kotowska M., Ciekot J., Pawlik K. Type II thioesterase ScoT is required for coelimycin production by the modular polyketide synthase Cpk of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Acta Biochimica Polonica 2014, 61(1): 141-147.
  38. Bil-Lula I., De Franceschi N., Pawlik K., Wozniak M. Real-time PCR assay for detection and quantification of all 54 known serotypes of human adenoviruses in clinical samples. Medical Science Monitor 2012, 18(6): BR221-228. doi.org/10.12659/MSM.882898
  39. Jagielski T., Augustynowicz-Kopeć E., Pawlik K., Dziadek J., Zwolska Z, Bielecki J.. A two-step strategy for molecular typing of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates from Poland. Polish Journal of Microbiology 2011, 60(3): 233–241.
  40. Hryncewicz-Gwóźdź A., Jagielski T., Sadakierska-Chudy A., Dyląg M., Pawlik K., Baran E., Szepietowski J.C. „Molecular typing of Trichophyton rubrum clinical isolates from Poland”. Mycoses 2011. 54(6): e726–e736. doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0507.2010.02007.x.
  41. Olesiak-Bańska J., M. Nyk, D. Kaczmarek, K. Matczyszyn, K. Pawlik, M. Samoć. Synthesis and optical properties of water-soluble fluoride nanocrystals co-doped with Eu3+ and Tb3+. Optical Materials 2011 33(9): 1419-1423. doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2011.02.028
  42. Hańczyc P., Matczyszyn K., Pawlik K., Olesiak-Bańska J., Leh H., Buckle M. Spontaneous formation of liquid crystalline phases in highly concentrated plasmid DNA. Liquid Crystals, 2011 38(4): 461–468. doi.org/10.1080/02678292.2011.552740
  43. Kazubek M., Długosz A., Pawlik K. Application of PCR techniques in toxicology. Postępy Hig. Med. Dośw. 2010, 64: 482-489. PMID: 20966506
  44. Pawlik K, Kotowska M, Kolesiński P. Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) produces a new polyketide – a yellow colored product of previously cryptic polyketide synthase Cpk. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol. 2010 19: 147-151. DOI: 10.1159/000321501
  45. Kotowska M, Pawlik K, Smulczyk-Krawczyszyn A, Bartosz-Bechowski H, Kuczek K. Type II thioesterase ScoT, associated with Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) modular polyketide synthase Cpk, hydrolyzes acyl residues and has a preference for propionate. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009 Feb;75:887-96. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01371-08
  46. Pawlik K,. Kotowska M., Chater K., Kuczek K, Takano E. A cryptic type I polyketide synthase (cpk) gene cluster in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Arch Microbiol., 2007, 187: 87-99. DOI: 10.1007/s00203-006-0176-7:
  47. Pawlik K,. Kotowska M., Od sekwencji DNA do antybiotyku. Biotechnologia, 2005, 3, 57-74.
  48. Szponar B, Pawlik K, Gamian A, Szwajcer Dey E. Protein fraction of barley spent grain as a new simple medium for growth and sporulation of soil actinobacteria. Biotechnol Lett. 2003 (20): 1717-21. PMID: 14626414
  49. Pawlik K, Kuczek K. Niskocząsteczkowe bakteryjne cząsteczki sygnałowe. Biotechnologia, 2002, 4.
  50. Kotowska, M., Pawlik, K., Butler, A.R., Cundliffe, E., Takano, E, Kuczek, K. Type II thioesterase from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Microbiology, 2002, 148: 1777-1783. DOI: 10.1099/00221287-148-6-1777
  51. Kuczek K, Kotowska M, Pawlik K. [Combinatorial biosynthesis of novel macrolides and other complex polyketides]. Postepy Biochem. 1999; 45(4): 320-31. Review. Polish.
  52. Kuczek K, Pawlik K, Kotowska M, Mordarski M. Streptomyces coelicolor DNA homologous with acyltransferase domains of type I polyketide synthase gene complex. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1997 Dec 1; 157(1): 195-200. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1997.tb12773.x