Prof. Victor Ambros has Polish roots. His father, Longin Ambros, was a forced labourer deported from Poland to the Third German Reich during World War II. Then, freed by the American army, he emigrated to the United States. Although Victor Ambros was born and raised in the United States, his Polish background is often mentioned in the context of his biography and scientific achievements, especially when his father is referred to as a person who has had a significant impact on his life and scientific career.

For many years, the Silesian University of Technology has been conducting scientific research on microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional regulation of genes in healthy and cancer cells. These studies are conducted, among others, by employees of the Department of Systems Biology and Engineering at the Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science and based on the laboratory facilities of the Biotechnology Centre of the Silesian University of Technology. These studies are carried out as part of the NCN grants obtained and have resulted in many valuable scientific works and doctorates.

For this reason, Victor Ambros was twice invited to participate (as the author of plenary papers) in Gliwice Scientific Meetings – an annual international scientific conference organized at the Silesian University of Technology by employees of the Department of Systems Biology and Engineering. The last time it happened was in 2023, before he was awarded the Nobel Prize.

He also participated in other Polish conferences co-organized by employees of the Silesian University of Technology.

He has published in Polish scientific journals and is the author of the article “MicroRNA-mediated gene regulation and the resilience of multicellular animals” in the special issue of Progress in Biochemistry (January 2024), devoted to the memory of professors: Ronald Hancock and Mieczysław Chorąży, edited by Professor Joanna Rzeszów-Wolny – professor emeritus of the Silesian University of Technology.

Photo dr Alexander Cortez