Over 380 students are currently enrolled in PhD programs at the following six institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, all partners in the PAS Ochota Biocentrum Consortium: Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical Research Centre, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology and the Nencki Institute.

Prof. Michał Kleiber, President of the Polish Academy of Sciences and directors of all individual institutes which form the consortium attended the inauguration ceremony. Guests were greeted by Prof. Jacek Kuźnicki, Director of the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, currently serving as president of the Board of Institutes Directors in the consortium. He gave a presentation about the PAS Ochota Biocentrum.

Prof. Kuźnicki also read a letter from the Minister of Science and Higher Education Barbara Kudrycka who wished all PhD students success in their scientific undertakings.
Next, Prof. Michał Kleiber urged all PhD students to pursue their dreams, no matter how challenging they may seem.

PAS President along with Directors of all individual Institutes of the consortium awarded diplomas for the best PhD thesis defended in the past academic year. Ochota Biocentrum statuettes were also handed out. The following PhD graduates have been recognized:
• Dr. Paweł Wiśniewski – Laboratory of Transcription Regulation headed by Prof. B. Kamińska-Kaczmarek;
• Dr. Tomasz Frączyk – Laboratory of Comparative Enzymology headed by Prof. W. Rode;
• Dr. Gabriela Schneider – Laboratory of Calcium Binding Proteins headed by Prof. A. Filipek;
• Dr. Małgorzata Śliwińska – Laboratory of Molecular Bases of Aging headed by Prof. E. Sikora.

Prof. Jacek Kuźnicki recognized those PhD students who received stipends under the Operational Programme: Promoting entrepreneurship among bio tech med scientists. Dr. Adam Sobczak from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology introduced the goals of the Program.
Marcel Falkiewicz, a PhD student in the Laboratory of Psychophysiology headed by Prof. Anna Grabowska was one of the recognized grant recipients.

After laudation given by Prof. Agnieszka Chacińska, Prof. Frauke Melchior (EMBO Member Centre of Molecular Biology, University of Heidelberg, Germany) presented a lecture entitled „How SUMO wrestles other proteins?”
Another very interesting talk entitled „Commercialization of biosynthetic drugs: Polish recombinant insulin” was given by Dr. Piotr Borowicz (member of Bioton S.A. Supervisor Board) following a laudation by Prof. Andrzej Zięba.

This lecture completed the inauguration ceremony of the 2010/2011 Academic Year.