The main theme of this new laboratory is the investigation of the interaction of phototrophs with various stress factors, the regulation of the primary phototrophic metabolism due to uncomfortable and stress conditions and early detection of the stresses; all expressed by measuring optical reporter signals in static or dynamic light environments on different hierarchical level, from cells to canopy.

The team continues in the earlier research of Laboratory of Applied Photobiology and Bio-Imaging (L. Nedbal) that has primarily focused on photosynthesis. The research included development and use of novel methods and original instrumentation of kinetic chlorophyll fluorometry (PSI). Research topic of this group evolved from the investigation of photosynthesis on sub-cellular to canopy level with particular attention to regulation and detection of plants stress both in static and dynamic light environment.

The dynamic chlorophyll fluorescence imaging is the key but not exclusive experimental approach. We measure also other optical reporter signals (GFP fluorescence, reflectance indexes, etc.) that can communicate detailed information about the photosynthetic performance.

We cooperate with several institutes (Experimental Station of Zaidín Spanish Academy of Sciences, Julius-von-Sachs-Institute of Biosciences in Wurzburg, Agricultural Faculty of the University of South Bohemia and Institute of Chemical Technology) to investigate biochemical and molecular biology base of the plant regulatory mechanisms. For the detection and identification of processes on the cellular and sub-cellular level we cooperate with the Laboratory of Cell Biology. Together with the Workgroup of Mathematical Biology we identify the most contrasting parameters for an early-detection of various types of plant stresses.