Ústav experimentální medicíny AV ČR, v.v.i.

Yesterday, we started our regular institutional seminars after a short summer break.🥰 In yesterday's lecture, PhD student 👩🎓 Nataliia Dudko introduced one of the directions of the Department of Cell Nucleus Plasticity research, which studies the ability of mammalian oocytes and embryos to repair single-strand DNA breaks.🧬 Although relatively well protected from endogenous damaging factors, oocytes accumulate single-strand breaks, like somatic cells. Therefore, they need to be able to repair DNA damage for genome stability maintenance. Our collaborating laboratory is investigating whether there is any statistical difference between the rates of naturally occurring single-strand DNA breaks in murine oocytes, zygotes, and somatic cells, which could partially explain the difference in observed de novo mutation rates. Special chromatin features may grant oocytes and early embryos the ability to repair DNA damage more efficiently. To check the contribution of this factor, we are studying the recruitment of repair proteins to laser-induced damage in oocytes, early embryos, and somatic cells.

🏭 Air pollution can play a crucial role in the development of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.🧠 That was confirmed in international studies by scientists from the IEM CAS and partner institutions. The toxic effects of traffic emissions have a negative impact on the function of human mitochondria. "Ultrafine particles are extremely small particles; they are actually smaller in size than the wavelength of light, and approximately we can say that they are thousands of times smaller in diameter than the diameter of a human hair, and thanks to their small size they can penetrate the barriers in our body, so they can get through the lungs into the blood, out of the blood, and then travel to various organs", explains scientist 👩🔬 Táňa Závodná from the IEM CAS. Besides scientists from the Czech Republic and Finland, the study also involved researchers from Sweden. The team plans to continue the research and expose not only the olfactory mucous membranes but also the entire human body to emissions in the laboratory. Listen to the full broadcast in the 👉 Science Plus programme on Czech Radio Plus.📻 https://lnkd.in/eXtG84iy (only available in Czech, time 13:15)

At the end of August, the second meeting of the Ad Hoc Expert Group on the Ethics of Neurotechnologies 🧠 (AHEG) took place at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where neuroscientist 👩🔬 Lucia Machová Urdzíková, Deputy Head of the Department of Neuroregeneration, is also a member. At its initial meeting in April 2024, the AHEG prepared a first draft text of the Recommendation (first outcome document). This text went through an extensive consultation process in order to collect the views of a wide range of stakeholders, ensuring an open and inclusive elaboration process. Over 25 consultations took place at the regional, sub-regional and national levels between June and July 2024, in parallel to an online global survey. The aim of the August meeting was to discuss and finalize a draft Recommendation based on the input and results of the comment process. "Our discussions covered critical topics, including health and mental health regulations, protection of children and vulnerable populations, as well as consumer and employee rights. We also addressed the unique challenges faced by indigenous communities in terms of equitable access to these technologies. This was at a particularly significant time, as the Paralympic Games were held in Paris, highlighting the role UNESCO plays in promoting inclusivity, ethics and accessibility in all areas of life. Although there are still many steps to go, it is becoming clear that in an era of unregulated neurotechnologies, there will soon be a framework in place to address these concerns", says AHEG member and co-author of the Recommendation Lucie Machová Urdzíková. The final version of the Recommendation will be shared with Member states in September 2024, marking the beginning of the intergovernmental consultation process, which will extend into 2025. 👀 More information can be found in the official press release: https://lnkd.in/es9_tPWM

Another significant professional event where we presented the results of our studies was 👉 The European Aerosol Conference 2024 in Tampere, Finland 🇫🇮. IEM CAS was represented by colleagues 👩🔬 Tereza Červená, Táňa Závodná and Michal Vojtíšek from the Department of Toxicology and Molecular Epidemiology, which is one of the members of the international consortium PAREMPI. The project’s primary goal is to bring new scientific evidence, knowledge and recommendations and develop modern digital tools in research and environmental protection. In addition to the active participation, our PhD student Tereza Červená was honoured to chair the section entitled 👉 "Occupational and indoor aerosol exposures". We would like to thank the partners of the PAREMPI project and the organisers of this event for the opportunity for the active participation of our scientists. Special thanks to our colleagues for the popularisation and excellent presentation of the research of the IEM CAS.👍 📷 www.eac2024.fi/venue

In cooperation with Česká televize, we are currently preparing a TV report on "Air Pollution - Emissions from Transport" for today's News and Science 24.📺 Don´t miss it.😉

We hope that you enjoyed a pleasant and relaxing summer.😉 In connection with the beginning of the new 🧑🎓 school/academic year, we are continuing, after a short summer break, with our regular 👉 Institutional seminars of the IEM CAS, which we usually organise on the first Thursday of the month. In September, the seminar of the Department of Cell Nucleus Plasticity will be moved to Thursday, September 12, 2024.❗Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you there. More information can be found on our website: 👀 https://lnkd.in/epbt5fHn

The European Microscopy Congress 2024 🔬, a significant scientific event held every four years, bringing together sales representatives, researchers, and professionals in the fields of microscopy and related techniques, took place last week in Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰. It typically features a wide range of presentations, workshops, and exhibitions focused on the latest developments and applications in microscopy. Our colleagues 👨🔬 Štěpán Kortus and Iva Švecová from the Microscopy Service Unit were there and presented software solutions for fluorescence microscopy data analysis in the Open Science section. Alongside renowned brands such as Hitachi, Leica, Zeiss, Olympus and others, our scientists had a unique opportunity to present their own application, which allows 👉 the creation of high-fidelity 3D reconstructions of dendritic spines from fluorescence microscopy data, their segmentation, tracking changes in real-time and much more. We would like to thank our colleagues for their professional presentation and look forward to similar events.👍 👀 www.emc2024.eu

The next edition of the European science festival, Researchers' Night (Noc vědců), will start in just one month!🌖👩🔬 As night falls, our laboratories become a dark and magical place where the challenges of biomedicine become a reality.🧪 The darkness that surrounds the building creates a unique atmosphere. The light of microscopes 🔬 shines through the darkness and reveals the secrets of life at the molecular and cellular level. Every click of the pipette, every flash of fluorescence and every record of information brings our scientists closer to their desired goal of discovering new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that can change patients’ lives worldwide. Come and experience this feeling in person and visit selected experimental (bio)medicine laboratories. We look forward to welcoming you!😉 More information can be found on the official website: 👉 https://lnkd.in/d7Tr_ha3 (only available in Czech) ❗ From the 16th of September, you can find here the complete programme of the Researchers' Night at the IEM CAS. Press Release: 👉 https://lnkd.in/ecSrrSpT (only available in Czech)

She researches cancer, and she got cancer herself: "I promised my daughter I would do everything I could to survive". 👩🔬 The scientist Veronika Vymetálková has been researching cancer 🧬 for a long time, so it was paradoxical when the dreaded cancer recently struck her. The molecular geneticist from the IEM CAS describes her personal experience and how our fight against this disease has progressed in recent years. The interview with her is part of the CNN Prima NEWS magazine that was published on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the CNN Prima NEWS channel. 👀 You can also now find it on the official website: https://lnkd.in/epRmBJDm (only available in Czech)

🎉 Congratulations! 🎉 We are very happy to announce that we have three new doctors at the IEM CAS! 👩🎓👩🎓👩🎓 All of them have successfully completed their doctoral studies, and now they can be proud of their PhD academic title. Their dedication, hard work and passion for science have inspired us, and we are proud to have them as part of our team: 👩🔬 Anna Šišková - Mapping the traits involved in malignant transformation of colorectal adenoma into carcinoma 👩🔬 Kristýna Tomášová - Role of Telomeres / DNA Repair in Solid Tumors 👩🔬 Kateřina Štěpánková - Enhancing axon regeneration and neuroplasticity after spinal cord injury: bridging the gap between development and disease Dear ladies, we wish you much success in your future scientific career and look forward to your further contributions to the world of biomedical research! 🔬