News

With great sadness, we share the somber news that PUMS alumnus and long-time faculty member, Prof. Wiesław Trzeciak, MD, MSc, PhD, passed away on December 31, 2023.

A valued member of our community, prof. Trzeciak has led an exemplary long-time academic career, combining the roles of a scientist, educator, mentor, and administrator.

In his research activity, the professor contributed to the development of research in biochemistry, endocrinology, physiology, and medical genetics. He authored and co-authored 170 papers with the overall impact factor of 192.3, and h-index of 27, gathering over 2200 citations. In his investigations he was focused on the regulation of the delivery of cholesterol, as the substrate for steroid hormone synthesis, in the adrenal cortex. He performed the first analysis of lipid droplet composition and proved that corticotropin stimulates steroid hormone synthesis through activation of cholesterol lipase/esterase (HSL), which, by hydrolyzing cholesterol esters contained in lipid droplets, provides the substrate for steroid hormone synthesis. He also described the mechanism of HSL activation and the regulation of expression of the LIPE gene, which encodes the HSL. He showed that glucocorticosteroids inhibit the expression of CYP11A1 and CYP17 genes, which encode enzymes crucial for steroid hormone synthesis in the adrenal cortex, and proved that certain growth factors and neuropeptides stimulate ovarian granulosa cells by inducing CYP11A1 gene expression to differentiate into corpus luteum cells. He also described several unknown mutations of the androgen receptor (AR) gene, causing androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS).

As a long-time professor and chair of PUMS Biochemistry and Molecular Chemistry Department, and the coordinator of the Biochemistry course, he was also involved in teaching and curriculum, both in Polish and English programs. He directed the activity of the department for many years, and mentored a great number of faculty and research staff.

During his education and academic career, prof. Trzeciak has worked in laboratories and universities in Scotland, West Germany, France, USA, Canada, and Australia. He was also team leader and committee member at the Institute of Human Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as co-editor of Journal of Applied Genetics.

For his work he was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit, which is Polish state distinction, as well as several awards by the Minister of Health. He was the recipient of numerous awards by Presidents of PUMS, and by international scientific societies: the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (twice), the Endocrine Society, and the European Society of Gynecology.

Our heartfelt condolences go to his family and close ones. He will be dearly missed at the University.