New Paths in Cancer Research under Scotland’s Famously Changeable Skies

Filip Stefaniak, a Senior Researcher in the Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, is currently undertaking a research stay in the Kathryn Ball Lab at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh.

He is another scientist from IIMCB who is building international research collaborations through the study visit programme carried out as part of the RACE project.

Filip is involved in the development of novel small-molecule inhibitors of interferon-stimulated proteins, which play a key role in chronic inflammatory diseases, antiviral responses, type 1 diabetes and cancer. The project combines his expertise in bioinformatics, data analysis and machine learning with the biological knowledge of the host laboratory. The outcome of this research could be the development of first-in-class inhibitors of these enzymes – a significant milestone on the path toward new therapeutic drugs.

The second project, conducted in collaboration with Douglas R. Houston, focuses on a computational method for synthesis-informed molecular docking. This innovative approach is designed to facilitate the de novo design of ligands and support the development of new drug candidates.

In his free time, Filip enjoys exploring Edinburgh and its surroundings – hiking in the Pentland Hills and walking along the coastline, all in good spirits despite Scotland’s famously changeable weather.

Filip will be staying in Edinburgh until mid-June 2026. We wish him all the best and look forward to hearing about the fruits of his research!