Natural Allies in Urban Green Protection: Fungi Helping Combat Plant Pests – A Project by Dr Monika Nowak-Marczyk and Dr Marta Nowak-Lange as Part of Science Hub UniLodz

Project: “Natural Allies in Urban Green Protection: Study on Entomopathogenic Fungi as Biological Antagonists of Plant Pests”

The project focuses on entomopathogenic fungi—microorganisms capable of infecting and eliminating insects. Although they are a natural component of soil ecosystems and act as biological insecticides, their presence and activity in urban environments remain insufficiently understood. In the face of increasing pest pressure on urban greenery and the need to reduce the use of chemical plant protection products, the search for ecological and safe solutions has become one of the key challenges for contemporary cities. This has direct significance for residents’ quality of life, affecting the condition of urban green spaces, environmental safety, and the comfort of using public spaces.

The aim of the project is to isolate and identify entomopathogenic fungi occurring in soils from Łódź’s green areas, such as parks, squares, and ornamental flower beds. The research will make it possible to determine their diversity and potential for limiting plant pest populations. Taking seasonal variation into account will also help better understand how the activity of these microorganisms changes throughout the year and under which conditions they can most effectively support natural plant protection.

The project’s partner is the Environmental Management Department of the City of Łódź Office, which is responsible for the protection and maintenance of urban green spaces as well as for activities supporting sustainable environmental development within the city. In its work, the department focuses in particular on plant health protection, reducing pest pressure, and seeking environmentally friendly solutions that help limit the use of chemical plant protection products. Cooperation with the municipal partner makes it possible to connect scientific research with the practical management of urban greenery and to better tailor proposed solutions to the city’s real needs.

The project has a research-and-application profile—its aim is not only to expand knowledge about microorganisms inhabiting urban soils, but also to identify possibilities for their practical use in green space protection. The results may contribute to the development of more sustainable methods of managing green areas, reducing the use of chemical plant protection products and supporting natural mechanisms that regulate pest populations.

The project is being carried out by an interdisciplinary team of researchers and students from University of Lodz in international cooperation with University of Zagreb:

• Dr Monika Nowak-Marczyk – Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology at University of Lodz. Her research interests focus on entomopathogenic fungi and their potential in eliminating toxic substances. She investigates environmentally friendly methods of pest control and pollution reduction, combining microbiological approaches with advanced analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Her work integrates microbiology, biotechnology, and analytical chemistry to develop sustainable solutions supporting environmental protection and food safety.

• Dr Marta Nowak-Lange – Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology at University of Lodz. Her research focuses on the use of filamentous fungi for removing micropollutants increasingly detected in environmental matrices. In particular, she studies preservative compounds which, due to their high biological activity, represent a particularly hazardous group of contaminants. Her scientific development also centers on identifying microorganisms capable of producing substances with antimicrobial activity.

• Prof. Silvija Černi – Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science, Department of Microbiology, University of Zagreb (Croatia). Her scientific interests focus on virology and molecular evolution. She teaches courses in microbiology, pathogenic microorganisms, viruses, and subviral agents, and is actively involved in educational programs based on hands-on student experience in biology.

• Maria Szpakowska – Microbiology student at University of Lodz, developing her scientific interests across multiple areas of microbiology. As a member of the Biotechnology and Microbiology Student Research Club “Bio-Mik,” under the supervision of Dr Marta Nowak-Lange, she has participated in research on the isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria from fermented materials and in assessing the biological activity of obtained postbiotics. She has also expanded her interest in fungi through involvement in organizing the MycoriseUp 2025 conference.

• Maciej Krasowski – Graduate student in Microbiological Biotechnology and Chair of the Biotechnology and Microbiology Student Research Club “Bio-Mik” at University of Lodz. His research interests focus on entomopathogenic fungi. He has participated in studies on isolating entomopathogenic fungi from agricultural soils and on their ability to degrade antibiotics under the supervision of Dr Monika Nowak-Marczyk. He is also particularly interested in food biotechnology, including fermentation processes, as reflected in his bachelor’s thesis on kombucha production and its applications in biotechnology and the food industry.

• Alina Gojšić – Second-year Biology student at University of Zagreb. She is developing interests across various fields of biology, with recent particular curiosity in embryology and animal behaviour. Her participation in the Science Hub project provides an opportunity to broaden her knowledge and explore the new field of entomopathogenic fungi.

The project contributes to efforts supporting sustainable urban development, biodiversity protection, and the reduction of xenobiotic use in the environment. In the long term, it may help create more resilient, healthier, and more resident-friendly urban spaces.

 

Science Hub UniLodz (SH) is a cooperation platform of the University of Lodz, which connects students, university experts and external entities, supporting them in the implementation of innovative scientific and implementation projects. Teams operating within the SH cooperate to address real-world scientific challenges submitted by partner organisations.

The Science Hub UniLodz competition – UNIC edition is implemented as part of the “We are UNIC!” project. The “We are UNIC!” project is funded by the European Union under the “Support for European University Alliances’” programme, project NAWA FERS.01.05-IP.08-0219/23, amount: PLN 62,705,297.60.