Present events

11th International Human Peroxidase Meeting

The Institute of Biophysics was the key co-organizer of the “11th International Human Peroxidase Meeting” hold during September 4 – 7, 2019 in Brno. This world's most important event for researchers in the field of peroxidases was organized with close collaboration with the International Center for Clinical Research of St. Anne's University Hospital Brno (FNUSA-ICRC) and the Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU). Over 55 researchers from all around the word including EU countries, USA, Australia, New Zeland or Japan discussed for three days the key aspects of peroxidases mainly myeloperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase, lactoperoxidase, thyroid peroxidase, peroxidazines 1 & 2, heme peroxidase in physiological functions and pathological processes in the living organisms. The conference was very positively evaluated by all participants.

Significant research activity

Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences (IBP), was founded in 1955 and became an important part of the research infrastructures in Czechoslovakia, and later in the Czech Republic. Currently IBP scientists conduct basic research in various disciplines of biophysics, biology, and chemistry. Biophysical research is carried out through a number of methods, such as confocal microscopy, flow cytometry and sorting based on fluorescent methods, CD spectroscopy, computer modelling and electrochemistry. IBP is a research centre in the Czech Republic performing epigenetic studies representing one of the major trends in the world science. Chemical, biological as well as biophysical approaches may be applied here, with significant importance. In practical terms, attention is paid also to training in radiation protection and its tutoring at MU in Brno. Activities of IBP scientists contribute to increasing the high level of knowledge and education in the Czech Republic as well as to the development of biotechnology and implementation of research results in practice. Within the scope of their activities, IBP research teams develop international cooperation, including organisation of international scientific conferences, seminars and training of foreign students and post-doctoral students in laboratories equipped with modern technology. In cooperation with universities, IBP scientists are involved in educational activities of PhD students and contribute to teaching at several universities in the Czech Republic. Teaching is mostly carried out at Masaryk university in Brno and Palacky university in Olomouc.

Our aim is to consolidate our position as a national centre for excellent research, while at the same time we are working on strengthening our position internationally. Every year more than 50 scientists of IBP participate at national grant projects and educate more than 70 pre-graduate and post-graduate students. A number of Institute’s scientists are the principal investigators in international projects, such as projects guaranteed by Norwegian funds, EU grants of Marie Curie, COST projects, projects supported by Howard Hughes Medical Institute in the US or Wellcome Trust in UK. The management of IBP supports scientific research also by means of internal support. In the Institute, we want to create suitable conditions for the most capable people to come and participate in ground-breaking discoveries in the scientific fields within the general scope of IBP. For the best scientists, academic freedom as well as very good financial and technical support are ensured at IBP. Professional work of our teams is reflected by high intensity of citations of scientific contributions created at the Institute. Highly reputable scientists work at the Institute, such as the laureate of the most prestigious national price „Česká hlava“ and „Neuron“, prof. Emil Paleček (the number of citations according to WoS 14347), prof. Victor Brabec (the number of citations 11340), laureate of the Academiae Premium and one of the most cited scientist of the Czech Republic, prof. Jiří Šponer (the number of citations 18856). The Institute management also supports activities of young scientists. In the younger generation (up to 35 years), a number of our postdoctoral scientists obtained prestigious Otto Wichterle prize (prize of the Czech Academy of Sciences): Jiří Fajkus, Olga Nováková, Jiří Šponer, Miroslav Fojta, Jana Kašpárková, Stanislav Hasoň, Luděk Havran, Václav Brázda, Judit Šponerová, Lukáš Kubala, Jaroslav Malina, Roman Hobza, Martin Falk, Kamila Réblová, Veronika Ostatná, Hana Pivoňková, Michaela Pekarová, Zdeněk Kubát, Soňa Legartová a Vojtěch Novohradský. Reputable scientists of the Institute as well as promising younger generation of scientists guarantee a long-time high level science at the Institute of Biophysics.