Research

The study proved Czech scientist’s biochip to fast and reliably detect SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

The biochip is as fast as an antigen test and at the time as reliable as the PCR method. A team of Czech scientists led by Hana Lísalová has achieved the most crucial milestone in the development of a unique system for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19. Biosensor research, which the system is based on, confirmed their sensitivity and reliability and opened new options for further development in this area.

Third world record on the BIVOJ laser system

Abstract

We are happy to announce that the BIVOJ laser system is once again a record holder in its performance class. This is BIVOJ's second world record this year and the third overall. Earlier this month the high energy output from BIVOJ was converted (via second harmonic frequency conversion) to 515 nm wavelength pulses with an energy of more than 68 J at a repetition rate of 10 Hz, which at the time of writing is the world's highest average power in the category of high energy (>1 J), high average power lasers.

Czech scientists become first to observe an inhomogeneous electron charge distribution on an atom

Abstract

Until now, observing subatomic structures was beyond the resolution capabilities of direct imaging methods, and this seemed unlikely to change. Czech scientists, however, have presented a method with which they became the first in the world to observe an inhomogeneous electron charge distribution around a halogen atom, thus confirming the existence of a phenomenon that had been theoretically predicted but never directly observed. 

Picosecond nonlinear optoelectronics in graphene

Abstract

The terahertz spectroscopy group of Petr Kužel in collaboration with the Charles University described nonlinear behavior of charge carriers during early times after pulsed optical excitation in epitaxially grown graphene layers. The time evolution of the system is determined by nonlinear electronic response of graphene, which opens the possibility of the increase of the speed of optoelectronic elements. The results the study were published in a prestigious journal Advanced Functional Materials.

 

Two FZU scientists have succeeded in the Junior Star grant competition

Abstract

Researchers of the Czech Academy of Sciences succeeded in the second year of the JUNIOR STAR competition of the Czech Science Foundation (GACR) and made up a half of the total number of supported 16 projects. This year from our institute, it was Prokop Hapala and Dominik Kriegner who succeeded in the big competition for grants. The Institute of Physics and the Czech Technical University thus have two awarded scientists, and came after the Masaryk University, which won three projects.

DNA nanostructures as new carriers for subcellular targeting

Abstract

Targeted drug delivery is a topic of interest to scientists around the world. A new contribution to this area has now been made by researchers from the Laboratory of Biophysics led by Oleg Lunov from the Division of Optics. The group was exploring biological properties and the efficiency of cellular delivery using DNA nanostructures (DN). 

Researchers contributed to dealing with drug-induced liver injury

Abstract

How can physicists contribute to dealing with drug-induced liver injury? The answer to this question is, for example, by applying cutting-edge imagining techniques. Researchers from the Institute of Physic of the Czech Academy of Sciences have joined an international interdisciplinary research team which is conducting a research to generate new knowledge and approaches to dealing with drug-induced liver injury, aiming to create a liver model for timely detection of drug toxicity. A comprehensive interdisciplinary research summary of this subject was published in the prestigious Journal of Hepatology.