Scientists from the Faculty of Science win the MUNI Innovation Award

Kamil Paruch (Dept.of Chemistry), Vítězslav Bryja, Pavlína Janovská (both Dept.of Experimental Biology)

Awarded for unique research in the field of casein kinase 1 inhibition, which included the synthesis of new highly selective and patentable compounds. The work led to the establishment of the university spin-off company CasInvent Pharma, the main aim of which is to bring selected compounds up to the clinical trial stage.

Ondřej Slabý (CEITEC)

Awarded for the invention of innovative diagnostic methods in various fields of medicine, especially oncology. A patented method for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer, developed in cooperation with the Masaryk Cancer Institute, has been licensed to BioVendor and will soon be available for oncological practice.

Tomáš Řezník (Dept.of Geography)

Awarded for the creation of a unique data model for soil information, the Global Soil Information System (GloSIS), which enables the interconnection and modelling of data across different countries at a global level. The system is not only innovative in the novel means of modelling soil information developed but also in the complexity of the resulting data model.

Tomáš Homola (Department of Physical Electronics)

Awarded for the application of plasma treatment of nanostructured surfaces in the field of flexible and printed electronics and the use of plasma to produce large printed solar cells, which resulted in the development of new plasma technology and its successful implementation in the production of flexible perovskite solar cells by the foreign company Saule Technologies.

Alena Žákovská (Dept.of Experimental Biology)

Awarded for long-term research on Lyme disease and its impact on society, related media and other important educational activities for the lay and professional public, which included direct cooperation with patients suffering from Lyme disease, especially in the case of chronic forms that are difficult to treat.

Jiří Damborský a Zbyněk Prokop (Loschmidt Laboratories)

Awarded to Loschmidt Laboratories for the long-term development of computer programs and microfluidic technologies for protein engineering, which resulted in the co-authorship of an international patent application to produce stabilised fibroblast growth factor (FGF2). The method has been successfully commercialised through Enantis, a spin-off company of Masaryk University.

Karel Lacina (CEITEC)

Awarded for the development of several prototype biosensors and analytical devices for determining the presence of specific substances in liquid samples, three of which have now been patented. Development of the biosensors was undertaken in cooperation with several commercial partners, including GeneProof, Seant, Velza and Umana Medical.