The Institute is the successor of scientific and intellectual achievements of the Department of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences in Cracow, which was established on November 15, 1956, pursuant the Resolution No. 89/56 of the Research Secretariat of Polish Academy of Sciences of November 27, 1956 – as a research and development center at the Fifth Division of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences.
According to the Statute of the Department, research has been focused on scientific issues in the field of plant physiology, with particular emphasis on crops.
The organization and management of the Department was entrusted to the distinguished Professor of plant physiology Franciszek Górski, who headed the Department for 12 years until retirement.
Decision No 11/90 of Vice-Chairman of the Presidium of Polish Academy of Sciences of April 12, 1990 – the Department was named after Franciszek Górski to commemorate the scientific and organizational achievements of the Professor, founder of the Cracow School of Photobiology, continued by his successors.
Franciszek Górski Department of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, by the decision No. 18.3 of the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences on June 23, 2003 was liquidated with effect from June 30, 2003 - and as of July 1, 2003, Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences has been established.
The Institute took over movable assets, rights and obligations as well as arrears and liabilities of the liquidated Department.
Heads of the Department/Institute:
- Prof. Franciszek Górski, PhD (from 1956 to 1968)
- Prof. Adam Markowski, PhD (from 1968 to 1976)
- Prof. Włodzimierz Starzecki, PhD (from 1976 to 1995)
- Prof. Marian Czarnowski, PhD (from 1995 to 2000)
- Prof. Franciszek Dubert, PhD (from 2000 to 2012)
- Prof. Jolanta Biesaga-Kościelniak, PhD (from 2012 to 2016)
- Prof. Zbigniew Miszalski, PhD (from 2017 to 2020)
- Prof. Franciszek Janowiak, PhD (from 2021)
Chairman of the Scientific Council:
- Prof. Franciszek Górski, PhD, Ordinary Member of the Polish Academy of Sciences (from 1968 to 1981)
- Prof. Jan Zurzycki, PhD, Ordinary Member of the Polish Academy of Sciences (from 1982 to 1984)
- Prof. Emil Nalborczyk, PhD, Corresponding Member of the Polish Academy of Sciences (from 1984 to 2006)
- Prof. Stanisław Rożek, PhD (from 2007 to 2015)
- Prof. dr hab. Barbara Godzik (from 2015 to 2022)
- Prof. dr hab. inż. Marcin Rapacz (from 2023)
