Present events 

A new breakthrough in rheumatoid arthritis research!

It is significantly signed by the DEPARTMENT OF IMMUNE SYSTEM BIOPHYSICS OF THE BIOPHYSICAL INSTITUTE OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC!!!

Daniela Rubanová (one on the right) - co-author of the published article

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease which mainly affects joints. Symptoms include pain and decrease in range of motion of the joint leading to decreased quality of life of patients. Although current therapy is quite efficient in managing the symptoms and slowing down the progress of disease its long-term usage is often connected with several side effects. Conjugation of the drugs to nanosized carrier is an interesting strategy to overcome these drawbacks. We used nanocarriers based on biocompatible polymer N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide which enables prolonged circulation in the blood, targeting and enhanced accumulation into the inflamed joint.

The widely used glucocorticoid dexamethasone was conjugated to this nanocarrier and its effects were studied using mouse model of arthritis. We used non-invasive imaging system to study the accumulation of fluorescently labeled nanopolymer conjugate in the arthritic joint. The significantly higher accumulation in inflamed joint in comparison with healthy one was observed. Next, the therapeutic efficacy of nanopolymer conjugate was studied. We observed significantly higher therapeutic effect of nanopolymer conjugate in comparison with the same dose of free dexamethasone. Results of this study suggest that conjugation of dexamethasone to nanopolymer carrier would be a promising strategy in improvement of rheumatoid arthritis therapy.

The study was conducted in tight collaboration with a working group led by Dr. Etrych from the Department of Macromolecular Chemistry at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, the International Clinical Research Center within the Faculty Hospital St. Anne in Brno, and the Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University. This work was supported by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (project NU20-08-00255) and the Czech Science Foundation (grant 19-00956Y). Daniela Rubanova is a Brno Ph.D. Talent Scholarship Holder – Funded by the Brno City Municipality

THE FULL PUBLISHED ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND IN THE LINK HERE

The new paper, "Transactivation by partial function P53 family mutants is increased by the presence of G-quadruplexes at a promoter site", is co-authored by Prof. Václav Brázda.

Professor Václav Brázda and his colleagues venture into the world of genetics in their latest article. They investigate how the presence of G-quadruplexes at the promoter site enhances transactivation by partially functional mutants of the P53 family. This is a fascinating insight into the complex world of gene regulation! Read more in the link HERE

Martin Falk one of the co-authors of the new RADIOBIOLOGY TEXTBOOK

The new book has been produced under the auspices of the European Radiation Research Society (ERRS), with about 100 authors working on it.

The book fills a long-existing gap for a review book and textbook in the field. It is the latest textbook (1st edition) providing not only the basic knowledge of radiobiology that every undergraduate student should know, but also a book summarizing in an overview manner the most important broader spectrum of expanding information on advances in a wide range of radiobiological and (radio)medical fields.

The interpretation is accompanied by numerous illustrations and real research data, and the basic knowledge that the reader should acquire after reading the chapter is highlighted and summarized in the form of clear tables.

The book has approximately 600 pages, was published by Springer and is available as a FREE electronic download HERE. It can be purchased in print form there for 53.49 euros (hardcover) or cheaper (paperback).   

https://www.ibp.cz/cs/o-instituci/hr-award/implementacni-faze

Significant research activity

Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences (IBP), was founded in 1955 and became a 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 many methods, such as confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and sorting based on fluorescent methods, CD spectroscopy, computer modeling, and electrochemistry. IBP is a research center in the Czech Republic performing epigenetic studies representing one of the significant trends in world science. In practical terms, attention is also paid to training in radiation protection, which is taught at Masaryk University 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 our activities, research teams develop international cooperation, including the organization of international scientific meetings, seminars, and training of international students in our laboratories equipped with modern technology. In collaboration with universities, scientists are involved in the educational activities of students and contribute to teaching at several universities in the Czech Republic. Education is mostly carried out at Masaryk University in Brno and Palacky University in Olomouc.

We aim to consolidate our position as a national center 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. Many scientists are (were) the principal investigators in international projects, such as projects guaranteed by Norwegian funds, EU grants Marie Curie, COST projects, projects supported by Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or Welcome Trust. The management of IBP promotes scientific research, also using the internal institutional support. In the Institute, we want to create suitable conditions for ground-breaking discoveries in biological and chemical sciences. For the best scientists, academic freedom, as well as financial and technical support, are guaranteed. The professional work is reflected by the relatively high intensity of citations of scientific contributions, initially investigated at the Institute. Highly reputable scientists work(ed) at the institute: the laureate of the most prestigious national award „Česká hlava“ (the Czech Head Award), and „Neuron,“ prof. Emil Paleček (the number of citations according to WoS is more than 14 000). Also, prof. Victor Brabec (the number of citations is more than 11 000), and laureate of the Academiae Premium, prof. Jiří Šponer (the number of citations is more than 18 000). Prof. Šponer is one of the most-cited scientists of the Czech Republic. Institute management also supports the activities of young scientists, and support women (parents) in science. In the younger generation (up to 35 years), a number of our postdoctoral scientists obtained prestigious Otto Wichterle award (the award of the Czech Academy of Sciences). Following scientists were awarded: 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, Miroslav Krepl, and Lenka Marková. We believe that internationally-recognized scientists of the Institute, as well as the promising young generation of scientists, guarantee a long-lasting and the high-level of science at the Institute of Biophysics.