Rafał Płoski’s research team

Research area

Current research activity of Professor Płoski research team is focused on identification of inherited genetic defects causing deafness and cardiological diseases. A parallel line of work addresses the problem of genetic defects which are not inherited but occur in a subset of cells during patient’s life (somatic mutations) and which may lead to cancer. These issues are investigated with the use of the Illumina HiSeq 1500 platform – a modern technology of DNA sequencing which allows extremely high throughput analyses such as, for example, the analysis of all known human genes in a single test. The approach adopted in cancer studies involves sequence comparison between tumor (cancer tissue) DNA and DNA from healthy cells. The observed differences are scrutinized for changes which are not random and, therefore, likely to be responsible for cancer origin and growth and/or response to therapy. These studies fit in the modern paradigm of personalized oncology, where an optimal patient management should be specifically suited to the genetic makeup of a given tumor. Apart from DNA sequencing for diagnostic purposes, Professor Płoski is involved in studies aimed at identifying genes which are not a direct cause of diseases but which increase the risk of acquiring certain disorders. Even though such studies are generally not useful for diagnosis or treatment, they greatly contribute to the understanding of disease pathophysiology. The studies carried out recently have demonstrated some new and unexpected links, such as the relationship between predisposition to obesity and a decreased tendency to become an alcoholic or commit suicide, or a connection between vitamin metabolism and hearing impairment.