Importance of the international cooperation

Fundamentally, basic research is an international activity. International cooperation therefore plays a very significant role in research conducted at the Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IBP). This kind of cooperation is important to all departments and is also a prerequisite for the independent existence of a department within the Institute. As can be seen from the attached list, a significant proportion of papers produced by departments originate from cooperation with foreign partners. All departments except for the DSNA worked on international projects in the period 2005-2009; most departments organized international scientific events or participated in their organization.

Some of the international projects can fairly be described as prestigious, for example the EU projects 6th FP, LSHC-CT-2004- 502983 “Mutant p53 a target for improved cancer treatment” led by Emil Paleček as a representative of the IBP, and 6th FP-STREP, LSHG-CT-2003-503441 “3D Genome”, led by Stanislav Kozubek as a representative of the IBP. In addition, we can point to the project funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, entitled “Mechanistic Studies on New Platinum Clinical Agents” that was investigated by Viktor Brabec, or the project funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA, entitled “Platinum and ruthenium compounds. From DNA damage to cancer chemotherapy”, investigated by Jana Kašpárková. A Senior Research Fellowship funded by The Wellcome Trust was granted to Jiři Šponer. Also highly significant is the role undertaken by Viktor Brabec as coordinator of the COST programme – European Cooperation in Science and Technology (EC/NSF) - entitled “Metallo-Drug Design and Action”. A total of 54 laboratories from Europe, Israel and Australia participate in this programme.

The Institute organized or participated in organization of 15 international events. A remarkable tradition has the conference „Analytical cytometry“ representing an official biannual meetings of the Czech Society for Analytical Cytology, established at IBPby Alois Kozubík and members of DC. At these events, a large number of young scientists present the results of their work and discuss them with invited senior researchers.

In the period in question, international cooperation was important not only with regard to the exchange of ideas, but also for performing some experiments which could not otherwise have been performed at the IBP. Approximately 50% of prestigious papers with an IF>4 are produced as part of some kind of cooperation. However, it should be emphasized that many valuable papers are produced within the Institute itself. In the period under review, 92 papers with an IF greater than 4 were produced by the IBP (the corresponding author and, in most cases, the first author were from the IBP).

The scientists from all departments of the IBP are invited to give lectures at prestigious congresses or win fellowships at distinguished institutions. They are also invited to review research papers and are members of international societies, etc. Nevertheless, the number of citations remains the most important parameter for international recognition: the IBP has registered a total of 4,500 citations to papers published between 2005-2009. In this particular area and for an institute of its size, this is probably the best result in the Czech Republic.

Events with International Participation Organised or Co-Organized by the Institution in 2005–2009

International Projects Resolved at the Institution in 2005–2009

Number

Programme Name

Project Name

Coordinator

Investigator 

States Participating

1

EC 5th FP, Marie Curie RTN

(2002 – 2007)

Structural effects arising from major groove DNA recognition by metallo-supramolecular cylinders (MARCY)

Michael J. Hannon, University of Warwick, UK

Viktor Brabec, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Spain 

2

Grants for Biomedical Research (HHMI, USA)
(2001 – 2005)

Basis for new structure-pharmacological relationship of platinum drugs

Jana Kašpárková, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno

N/A

N/A

3

National Institutes of Health, NIH, USA (1998 – 2007)

Mechanistic Studies on New Platinum Clinical Agents

Nicholas P. Farrell, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA

Viktor Brabec, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

USA

4

Collaborative Research Initiative Grant (The Wellcome Trust) (2005 – 2008)

Platinum and ruthenium complexes. From DNA damage to cancer chemotherapy

 

N/A

 

Viktor Brabec, IBP, AS CR, Brno and

Peter J. Sadler, Univ Edinburgh

United Kingdom

5

Grants for Biomedical Research (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA) (2006 – 2010)

Platinum and ruthenium compounds. From DNA damage to cancer chemotherapy

 

Jana Kašpárková, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno

N/A

N/A

6

COST – European Cooperation in Science and Technology (EC/NSF) (2006 – 2011)

Metallo-Drug Design and Action

 

Viktor Brabec, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Viktor Brabec, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

AT, BE, CHE, DE, DK, ES, FR, GR, HU, IE, IL, IT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, TR, UK

 

7

National Science Foundation (USA) Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

Platinum metal complexes as DNA-protein cross-linking agents

Viktor Brabec, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Viktor Brabec, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

USA

 

8

Ministry of Education of the CR/Ministry of Education of China

Transition metal-based anticancer compounds. From mechanistic studies to innovatory cancer chemotherapy

Viktor Brabec, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Viktor Brabec, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

China

 

 

 

9

KONTAKT-AIP, Czech-Greek intergovernmental scientific and technical cooperation, 2006-2007

Synthesis, characterization and study of the nucleolytic activity of novel selective chemical nucleases, based on heteronuclear metallopeptides Ru(II)-Ni(II)

Jaroslav Malina, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Jaroslav Malina, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Greece

10

FP6-MOBILITY, Sixth Framework Programme, Marie Curie European Reintegration Grants (ERG)

6FP EU, MERG-6-CT-2005-014875, European Reintegration Grant, „Novel interactions of mutant p53 with genomic DNA in vitro and in vivo“,

Emil Paleček, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno

Marie Brázdová, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic

11

EU   LSHC-CT-2004- 502983   

Mutant p53 a target for improved cancer treatment

Klas Wiman,Karolinska Institute, Sweden

Emil Paleček, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Sweden, Holland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Israel, England, France, Estonia, Czech Republic

12

Sixth Framework Programme- Marie Curie Host Fellowships - Transfer of knowledge (TOK) - Development Scheme

Newchemical and biochemical sensors for analysis of food, enviromental and medical samples

Jerzy Radecki, Institute of animal reproduction and food research - Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland

 

Emil Paleček, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Poland, Czech Republic,

England

13

ME - KONTAKT (1996-2012)

Interactions of proteins and nucleic acids with surfaces. New tools for biomedicine.

J.Wang, Dept.Nanoengineering, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448, USA

Emil Paleček, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

USA, Czech Republic

14

Programme of International Collaboration of the AS CR

Aggregation of alpha synuclein in Parkinson's disease

Veronika Ostatná,Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Emil Paleček, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Germany, Czech Republic

15

KONTAKT ME 685 Ministry of Education of the CR - Bilateral Czech-Greek Cooperation

Development of methods and construction of sensors for the detection of interaction of DNA with drugs

Vladimír Vetterl, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Vladimír Vetterl, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

 

Greece, Czech Republic

16

KONTAKT 94Ministry of Education of the CR -Bilateral Czech-Slovak Cooperation

Study of DNA hybridization at surfaces

Vladimír Vetterl, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Vladimír Vetterl, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

 

Greece, Czech Republic

       

 

 

17

KONTAKT 7_2006_19 Ministry of Education of the CR - Bilateral Czech-Greek Scientific-Technical Cooperation

 

Application of biophysical methods in biotechnology and biomedicine

 

Vladimír Vetterl, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

 

Vladimír Vetterl, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

 

Slovakia, Czech Republic

18

KONTAKT ME 920 Ministry of Education of the CR - Bilateral Czech-Greek Cooperation

Application of biophysical methods in biotechnology and biomedicine

Vladimír Vetterl, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Vladimír Vetterl, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

 

Slovakia, Czech Republic

19

Barrande

Czech Republic-France

2005-2006

Studies of genetic interactions (changes) in synthetic Nicotiana allopolyploid plants

Ales Kovarik (IBP), Marie Angele Grandbastien

(INRA Versailles)

Ales Kovarik (IBP), Marie Angele Grandbastien

 

France, Czech Republic

20

Barrande

Czech Republic-France

2008-2009

Structural and functional analysis of ribosomal RNA genes during stabilisation of synthetic allopolyploid Brassica napus

Ales Kovarik (IBP), Anne-Marie Chevre (INRA Rennes)

Ales Kovarik (IBP), Anne-Marie Chevre (INRA Rennes)

France, Czech Republic

21

EU 6th FP-STREP, LSHG-CT-2003-503441

3D Genome

Roel van Driel (Univ of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Stanislav Kozubek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Germany, Belgium, France, Czech Republic

22

Marie Curie Fellowship (2007-8)

Telomere-associated proteins inA.thaliana

Jiří Fajkus, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Jiří Fajkus, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Great Britain, Czech Republic.

23

Programme of International Collaboration of the AS CR

Characterization of plant telomerase in vivo and in vitro by reconstitution and substitution experiments

Jiří Fajkus, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

I.Schubert, co-principal investigator

Germany, Czech Republic

24

CNRS-AS CR project

Topoisomerase IIaand HMGB1: involvement in chromatin structure and sensitivity of human cells to anticancer drugs

PI from France: Claire Gaillard

PI from Czech Republic: Michal Štros

France, Czech Republic

25

Programm des Projektbezogenen Personenaustauchs mit Tschechien

Disruption of contact inhibition by polyaromatic compounds (2004-2005)

C. Dietrich

JGU, Mainz, SRN

J. Vondráček, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic,Germany

 

 



26

Programm des Projektbezogenen Personenaustauchs mit Tschechien

Analysis of the cross talk between cytokines and aryl hydrocarbon receptor signalling in rat liver oval cells (2008-2009)

C. Dietrich

JGU, Mainz, SRN

J. Vondráček, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, Germany

27

KONTAKT (Czech-Slovak research collaboration)

 

Effect of COX-2 inhibition in tumor and non-tumor colon epithelial cells exposed to phototoxic effect of hypericin

A.Kozubík, , Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

P. Fedoročko

A.Kozubík, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, SK

28

KONTAKT

(Czech-Hungarian research collaboration)

 

Role of lipid rafts in regulation of cell signalling leading to modulation of cytokinetics of cancer cells

 

A.Kozubík, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

A.Kozubík, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, Hungary

29

Philip Morris External Research Program

Modulation of Acute Pulmonary Inflammatory Responses by Myeloperoxidase

L. Kubala, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

L. Kubala, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Czech Republic, USA

30

KONTAKT (Czech-Slovak research collaboration)

The effects of blood platelets on the oxidative burst of neutrophils

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, SK

31

KONTAKT (Czech-Slovak research collaboration)

Antioxidant and antiphagocytic properties of chemical and natural substances and drugs

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, SK

32

KONTAKT (Czech-Slovak research collaboration)

The role of platelets, neutrophils and components of extracellular matrix in inflammation

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, SK

33

KONTAKT

(Czech-Hungarian research collaboration)

Changes in granulocyte functions following severe tissue injury

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, Hungary

 

 

36

KONTAKT

(Czech-Hungarian research collaboration)

Effect of ischemic preconditioning on reperfusion injury

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, Hungary

37

NATO CBP

Collagen, platelet and neutrophil interactions with respect to wound healing

M. Číž, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

M. Číž, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

CzechRepublic, Bulgaria

38

AV CR – DAAD

Trombocytes, an extra-leukocyte pool for Myeloperoxidase

L. Kubala, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

L. Kubala, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Czech Republic, Germany

39

International research project Czech Republic – Germany

Role of myeloperoxidase in the regulation of platelets physiology

L. Kubala, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

L. Kubala, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Czech Republic, Germany

40

COST – European Cooperation in Science and Technology

Lipid peroxidation associated disorders

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

A. Lojek, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Czech Republic, European Union

41

Wellcome Trust International Senior Research Fellowship

Structure, dynamics, molecular interactions and thermodynamics of DNA and RNA: advanced computational studies

Jiří Šponer, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

Jiří Šponer, Institute of Biophysics, AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic

United Kingdom, Czech Republic

42

International research project Czech Republic – Switzerland

Genus Silene as a model for mating systems and adaptation mechanisms evolution – from ecology to genomics

 

Dr. Roman Hobza, Institute of Biophysics, Brno, CR

Prof. Alex Widmer, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Switzerland, Czech Republic

43

International research project Czech Republic - Spain

Structure and evolution of sex chromosomes in the dioecious plant models

 

Prof. Boris Vyskot, Laboratory of Plant Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biophysics, Brno, CR

Prof. Manuel Quesada Jamilena, Department of Applied Biology, University of Almería, Spain

Spain, Czech Republic

44

Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, international cooperation

Complex interaction of oncology-related important transcription factors with target DNA in vitro and in vivo (2009-2012)

Václav Brázda, Ph.D., Institute of Biophysics ASCR, v.v.i.

Cheryl Arrowsmith, Ph.D., Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, Canada

Czech Republic, Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 


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