Dr. Wiktoria Szydło

Current Projects

1. Mutualism or parasitism? The vector’s cost of plant virus transmission (National Science Center, Poland, 2021/43/D/NZ8/01130, 2022 – 2025, Principal Investigator)
2. Brome mosaic virus (BMV) transmission by the wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella Keifer) (ID-UB project at AMU Poznań, no. 038/04/NP/0016, 2022 – 2023, Principal Investigator)

Completed Projects

1. Spatial distribution of Aceria tosichella biotypes differing in their host specificity and invasive potential (National Science Centre, Poland, grant no. 2011/03/B/NZ8/00129, 2012-2016, Co-Investigator)
2. Genetic variation, host specialization and ability to transmit Wheat streak mosaic virus of the wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella (Acari: Eriophyoidea), cryptic species complex (National Science Centre, grant no.2011/01/N/NZ8/04540, 2011 – 2014, Principal Investigator)

Career History

• 2020 – now: Assistant Professor at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Center for Advanced Technologies (Poland)
• 2018-2019: lab technician at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology (Poland)
• 2017 – 2018: Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Entomology Department (USA)
• 2010 – 2016: PhD student at Adam Mickiewicz Univeristy in Poznań. Thesis: Genetic variation, host specificity and ability to transmit Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) of the wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella, cryptic species complex
• 2015 – short term scholar at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, Department of Entomology, Dr. Gary L. Hein group (financed by the National Science Centre, Poland, no. 2013/08/T/NZ8/00908)
• 2009 – 5 months at University in Oslo (Erasmus LLP programme)
• 2009 – trainee at Molecular Techniques Laboratory, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland
• 2008 – 2010: MSc studies in Environmental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
• 2005 – 2008: BSc studies in Environmental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

Honors & awards

• 2013 – 2014: Etiuda I doctoral scholarship for PhD studentsFunded by the National Science Centre (Poland), no. 2013/08/T/NZ8/00908
• 2010: Doctoral scholarship, WUP Poznań, Poland
• 2008: 1st prize team winner at Polish edition Microsoft Imagine Cup, Software Design category, LifeTracker radio-telemetry system project
• 2008: special award for research project on eriophyoid mite specialization in the competition “Women of the future – following Maria Skłodowska-Curie steps” run by Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Elle Magazine Poland

2023

Kayastha P., Szydło W., Mioduchowska M., Kaczmarek Ł. 2023. Morphological and genetic variability in cosmopolitan tardigrade species—Paramacrobiotus fairbanksi Schill, Förster, Dandekar & Wolf, 2010. Scientific Reports 13, 17672. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42653-6

2021

Trzmiel K., Szydło W., Hasiów-Jaroszewska B. 2021. Biological and molecular characterisation of the two Polish Wheat streak mosaic virus isolates and their transmission by wheat curl mites. Plant Protection Science 57 (3). DOI: 10.17221/104/2020-PPS

Roszkowska M., Wojciechowska D., Kmita H., Cerbin S., Dziuba M.K., Fiałkowska E., Sobkowiak R., Szydło W., Kaczmarek Ł. 2021. Tips and tricks how to culture water bears: simple protocols for culturing eutardigrades (Tardigrada) under laboratory conditions, The European Zoological Journal, 88:1, 449-465. DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2021.1881631

2020

Mioduchowska M., Czyż M.J., Gołdyn B., Szydło W., Kaczmarek Ł., Kur J., Bartoszek K. 2020. A new bioinformatics approach to identify erroneous sequences in genetic databases: hidden contamination of target sequences. W: Special issue: The 2019 International Conference on Biotechnology and Bioengineering (9th ICBB), Poznan, Poland, 25–28 September 2019. Abstracts. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, 126(S2): 3-22. doi:10.1111/bcpt.13378

2019

Więcek M., Szydło W., Dabert J., Proctor H. 2019. Delimiting species of water mites of the genus Hydrodroma (Acari: Hydrachnidiae: Hydrodromidae) from North America and Europe: integrative evidence of species status from COI sequences and morphology. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 284: 16-29.

2018

Laska A., Majer A., Szydło W., Karpicka-Ignatowska K., Hornyák M., Labrzycka A., Skoracka A. 2018. Cryptic diversity within grass-associated Abacarus species complex (Acariformes: Eriophyidae), with the description of a new species, Abacarus plumiger n. sp. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 76(1): 1-28.

Skoracka A., Lopes L.F., Alves M.J., Miller A., Lewandowski M., Szydło W., Majer A., Różańska E., Kuczyński L. 2018. Genetics of lineage diversification and the evolution of host usage in the economically important wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella Keifer, 1969. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 18: 122.

2017

Kiedrowicz A., Rector B.G., Lommen S., Kuczyński L., Szydło W., Skoracka A. 2017. Population growth rate of dry bulb mite, Aceria tulipae (Acariformes: Eriophyidae), on agriculturally important plants and implications for its taxonomic status. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 73(1): 1-10.

Skoracka A., Lewandowski M., Rector B.G., Szydło W., Kuczyński L. 2017. Spatial and host-related variation in prevalence and population density of wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella) cryptic genotypes in agricultural landscapes. PLoS ONE, 12(1): e0169874, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169874

2016

Kuczyński L., Rector B.G., Kiedrowicz A., Lewandowski M., Szydło W., Skoracka A. 2016. Thermal niches of wheat curl mite genotypes (Acari: Eriophyoidea): congruence between physiological and geographical distribution data. PloS ONE, 11(4): e0154600, DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0154600

Kiedrowicz A., Denizhan E., Bromberek K., Szydło W., Skoracka A. 2016. Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea) from Turkey: description of five new species. Zootaxa, 4066 (3): 255-270, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4066.3

Kiedrowicz A., Rector B.G., Zawierucha K., Szydło W., Skoracka A. 2016. Phytophagous mites (Acari: Eriophyoidea) recorded from Svalbard, including the description of a new species. Polar Biology, 39: 1359, DOI:10.1007/s00300-015-1858-x

Trzmiel K., Zarzyńska-Nowak A., Lewandowska M., Szydło W. 2016. Identification of new Brome mosaic virus (BMV) isolates systemically infecting Vigna unguiculata L. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 145 (1): 233-238, DOI: 10.1007/s10658-015-0830-5

2015

Szydło W., Hein G., Denizhan E., Skoracka A.2015. Exceptionally high levels of genetic diversity in wheat curl mite (Acari: Eriophyidae) populations from Turkey. Journal of Economic Entomology,108: 2030-2039, DOI: 10.1093/jee/tov180, direct link

Trzmiel K., Szydło W.,  Zarzyńska-Nowak A., Jeżewska M. 2015. First report of Brome mosaic virus (BMV) and Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) co-infection in triticale plants in Poland. Plant Disease, 99(9): 1290-1290, DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-01-15-0105-PDN

2014

Skoracka A., Rector B., Kuczyński L., Szydło W., Hein G., French R. 2014. Global spread of wheat curl mite by its most polyphagous and pestiferous lineages. Annals of Applied Biology, 165 (2): 222-235, DOI: 10.1111/aab.12130

Lewandowski M., Skoracka A., Szydło W., Kozak M., Druciarek T., Griffiths D. 2014. Genetic and morphological diversity of Trisetacus species (Eriophyoidea: Phytoptidae) associated with coniferous trees in Poland: phylogeny, barcoding, host and habitat specialization. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 63: 497-520, DOI: 10.1007/s10493-014-9805-z

Kiedrowicz A., Rector B., Denizhan E., Szydło W., Skoracka A. 2014. Infestation of grasses by eriophyoid mites (Acari: Eriophyoidea) in Turkey. International Journal of Acarology, 40 (6): 421-427, DOI: 10.1080/01647954.2014.941004

2013

Navia D., de Mendoca R., Skoracka A., Szydło W., Knihinicki D., Hein G.L., da Silva Pereira P.R.V., Truol G., Lau D. 2013. Wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella, and transmitted viruses: an expanding pest complex affecting cereal crops. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 59: 95-143, DOI: 10.1007/s10493-012-9633-y

Miller A.D., Skoracka A., Navia D., de Mendonca R., Szydło W., Schultz M., Smith C.M., Truol G., Hoffmann A.A. 2013. Phylogenetic analyses reveal extensive cryptic speciation and host specialization in an economically important mite taxon. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 66 (3): 928-940, DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2012.11.021

Denizhan  E., Szydło W., Skoracka A. 2013. Eriophyoid studies in Turkey: review and perspectives. Biological Letters, 50: 45-54, DOI: 10.2478/biolet-2013-0005

Skoracka A., Kuczyński L., Szydło W., Rector B. 2013. The wheat curl mite Aceria tosichella (Acari: Eriophyoidea) is a complex of cryptic lineages with divergent host ranges: evidence from molecular and plant bioassay data. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 109: 165-180, DOI: 10.1111/bij.12024

2012

Trzmiel K., Szydło W. 2012. Occurrence and characteristic of Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) in maize in Poland. Progress in Plant Protection, 52(3): 707-713, DOI: 10.14199/ppp-2012-123

Skoracka A., Kuczyński L., de Mendonca R., Dabert M., Szydło W., Knihinicki D., Truol G., Navia D. 2012. Cryptic species within the wheat curl mite Aceria tosichella (Keifer) (Acari, Eriophyoidea) revealed by mitochondrial, nuclear and morphometric data. Invertebrate Systematics, 26: 417-433, DOI: 10.1071/IS11037

2010

Szydło W., Skaftason J. F., Skoracka A., 2010: Eriophyoid mites (Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) from Iceland: one new species and three new mite records. Annales Zoologici, 60 (1): 139-157, DOI: 10.3161/000345410X499623

External Activities

Member of The Polish Acarological Society