Institutional Projects of Biology Centre of ASCR, v. v. i.

Institutional Projects of Biology Centre of ASCR, v. v. i.

The research centres of the Biology Centre of ASCR, v. v. i.

Brochure about the Biology Centre of ASCR, v. v. i.

Biotechnological Institute of Aplied Ecology (PROJECTED)

The current institutes of the Biology Centre focus on basic biological research. Most of the generated results have so far only remote perspectives for practical applications. The Biology Centre intends to remain in the forefront of the conducted theoretical investigations and to promote practically targetted research as well. Plans have been prepared to construct a modern building for a new Institute of Ecological Biotechnologies, with aid of the European Union funds. It is envisioned that more than one hundred people will work in the new institute by 2013. Human resources will be drawn from the region, in particular among the graduates of the University of South Bohemia, but expert staff will be recruited worldwide, beginning in 2009.

Research conducted in the new Institute will focus on problems that are of particular importance for the region, but are also relevant for the whole Europe. Detailed plans for the following projects have already been defined:

• Sanation and melioration of soils damaged by human activities
• Quality assessment and improvement of fresh waters
• Management of nutrient flow in river basins and other measures for the suppression of blue algae
• Monitoring environmental changes and prognosis of their economic impact
• Diagnostics of crops, ornamentals and other cultivated plants
• Molecular diagnostics of plant diseases
• Modern methods of plant protection: genetic engineering and use of bioagents
• Exploitation of natural compounds and their recombinant derivatives
• The safety of foods and fodder
• Diagnosis and management of diseases transmitted by ticks
• Control of mosquitoes and other disease vectors
• Development of vaccines for the treatment of emerging diseases
• Use of plants for the production of vaccines
• Use of insect models to find inhibitors of human disease pathways