Ing. Mgr. Tetyana Polyakova

My research lies at the intersection of Magnetism, Magnetobiology and Education. I investigate how magnetic fields influence biological systems, aiming to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind these effects and to predict new biological responses to magnetic field exposure.

Research areas and results

• Magnetic Modulation of Calcium Signaling
  We developed a theoretical model demonstrating how both time-varying and static gradient magnetic fields can modulate calcium ion channel activity and calcium signaling in endothelial cells.

Modulation of intracellular (left) and extracellular (right) calcium waves with a magnetic field, which generates mechanical stress on the cell membrane through a chain of BMNs. A low-frequency alternating magnetic field changes both the amplitude and frequency of calcium waves.

• Magnetic Field Interactions with Nanoparticles
  We proposed novel mechanisms by which magnetic fields influence endothelial and cancer cells, focusing on interactions with biogenic and synthetic magnetic nanoparticles present on cell membranes. Our models predict both individual and collective cellular responses to magnetic field exposure.

Schematic of a chain of magnetic nanoparticles on a cell membrane under the influence of (A) gradient and (B) uniform magnetic field. Two calcium ion channels are depicted in the vicinity of the chain. The red arrows are magnetic lines. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3NA01065A

• Effects of Magnetic Fields on Cellular Diffusion and Membrane Potential
  High magnetic fields slow the diffusion of paramagnetic molecules in the cytoplasm, which may impact gas exchange in red blood cells and lead to cell swelling. We've also identified ways to modulate cellular activity via changes in membrane potential and magnetically assisted intracellular transport of large biomolecules.

Membrane potentials (in mV) for different cell types.

• Magnetic Field Effects on DNA Synthesis and Gene Expression
  We discovered a novel directional effect of static magnetic fields: upward-oriented 9.4 T fields alter DNA synthesis differently than downward fields, leading to asymmetrical cell proliferation. Notably, 24-hour upward field exposure suppressed A549 lung tumor growth in vivo.

Magnetogenetics roadmap. 

Chirality selection for life. On the bottom: (A) homochiral molecules of the left-handed alanine, (B) DNA right-handed helix, (C) LR asymmetry of cell division,18 (D) right (typical) form of the snail Fruticicola lantzi which is more viable than the inverse form, (E) LR asymmetry of human body and (F) LR inversion in the human brain under influence of a magnetic field. Yang X, Li Z, Polyakova T, Dejneka A, Zablotskii V, Zhang X. Effect of static magnetic field on DNA synthesis: The interplay between DNA chirality and magnetic field left-right asymmetry. FASEB BioAdvances. 2020; 2: 254 https://doi.org/10.1096/fba.2019-00045

• Permanent Magnets in Magnetic Medicine: Applications and Advances

Two interacting ring-shaped magnets: Vector field of magnetic field.

Distributions of the magnetic induction vector field (a), the magnetic induction magnitude (b), and the magnetic gradient magnitude (c) for a ring-shaped permanent magnet used in magnamosis. Magnetic Medicine, 2025, 100024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.magmed.2025.100024

Presentation