Two WUT projects awarded funding in the SONATINA 9 competition

A team from Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) and the Medical University of Warsaw (WUM) will carry out the project: “Artificial intelligence in predicting treatment outcomes of abdominal cancers – implementation of machine learning and deep learning methods for comprehensive analysis of medical images.” The grant is led by Dr. Krzysztof Bartnik from WUM, while activities on the part of WUT are coordinated by Prof. Przemysław Biecek from the Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science.

The joint efforts of AI and medical specialists are expected to create research capacity in Poland in the field of artificial intelligence applications in surgical treatment of selected cancers. The team plans to develop and test AI models using CT scan images, expand their data sets using resources from other research centers, and create a globally unique MRI dataset for liver cancer patients, which will strengthen Poland’s position in this field and enable the development of new prognostic models. The methods will also be tested for other types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer, which is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths.

In the project titled “New strategies for designing single-atom catalysts: MOF structures, conductive nanomaterials, and HPT processing,” an innovative methodology will be developed to improve the stability and efficiency of catalysts based on single metal atoms (so-called single-atom catalysts – SACs). This will be achieved using metal-organic framework (MOF) derivatives, conductive nanomaterials (such as single-walled carbon nanotubes – SWCNTs and borophene), and high-pressure torsion (HPT) processing – a plastic deformation technique. The project will provide new insights into the effect of MOF structure, nanomaterial integration, and HPT processing on the performance of SACs. The developed methodology may contribute to the advancement of durable, efficient, and cost-effective catalysts for hydrogen production, which is a significant step toward future energy technologies. The research results could be used in modern clean energy generation systems and in the optimization of materials for fuel cells and supercapacitors. The grant is led by Krzysztof Sielicki, PhD, from the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering.

SONATINA is a funding opportunity for researchers who obtained their doctoral degree no more than three years prior to the application year and who wish to advance their scientific careers and gain experience as project leaders. This year – in the ninth edition of the competition – the National Science Centre received 249 applications, of which 50 were awarded funding.

More information about the awarded grants is available on the NCN website in the news section regarding the results of the SONATINA 9 competition.