09/2006

Academic bulletin 09/2006

EVENT OF THE MONTH
Agreement to aid Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
The Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry and a U.S. pharmaceutical company, Gilead Sciences, Inc. of Foster City, Calif., signed a landmark agreement with the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in June 2006 for the establishment of a special research centre bearing the company’s name. Gilead Sciences and the Institute also signed a Patent Cooperation and Option Agreement by which Gilead Sciences (founded in 1987) will provide patent services to the institute potentially worth scores of millions of crowns. A portion of this will be in support of research by the renowned Czech scientist, Professor Antonin Holy, for whom the company has established the ‘Gilead Distinguished Chair in Medicinal Chemistry’.

SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
Czech and Slovak Culture in International and Global Contexts
Under its central theme Czech and Slovak Culture in an International and Global Context, World Congress SVU 2006 took place in Ceske Budejovice in South Bohemia on 25 June–2 July 2006. It was organized jointly with University of South Bohemia (USB), the Statutory City of Ceske Budejovice and both the Czech and the Slovak Academies of Sciences, under the aegis of President Vaclav Klaus and President Ivan Gasparovic. It was the pivotal event of this year for anyone interested in Czech and Slovak culture and affairs.

INTRODUCING PROJECTS
Czech Mobility Centre
The Czech Researchers Mobility Portal (CRMP) is related to the European Researchers Mobility Portal, a joint initiative of the European Commission and the 33 countries participating in the European Union’s Sixth Framework Programme for Research. The CRMP presents information on conditions of international mobility particularly to those researchers who do not live in the Czech Republic but want to carry out research here. Carrying out research activities in the Czech Republic may become increasingly interesting. For instance, during the last two years two Czech research teams were awarded Descartes prizes by the European Commission.

POPULARIZATION
Science in the streets
At the end of June, Prague centre was the site of a science event called ‘Science in the Streets’ which took place in the frame of program ‘Czech Brain’. The Academy of Sciences was among participants. The "Czech Brain" awards were founded three years ago. They have been awarded in Prague to outstanding Czech scientists and researchers in an attempt to raise the prestige of scientific work in society and also draw the public’s attention to research and development.

BRUSSELS
Socio-economic Sciences and the Humanities in the 7^th Community RTD Framework Programme
Its objectives are: To generate an in-depth, shared understanding of complex and interrelated, socio-economic challenges that Europe is currently confronted with, such as growth, employment and competitiveness, social cohesion and sustainability, quality of life, education, cultural issues and global interdependence, for the particular purpose of providing an improved knowledge base for policies in the fields concerned’.

AWARDS
Prizes of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in 2006
The awards of the AS CR pay tribute to extraordinary results in the field of research and development. Nine scientists or teams have been awarded the Prize of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic so far this year.