Once studied mainly in connection with cancer and other diseases, horizontal mitochondrial transfer is now being observed in development, tissue homeostasis and normal physiology. In a new Opinion article, an international team including researchers from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences propose that the evidence is now strong enough to consider it an emerging field of cell biology.
During the development of the wild sorghum embryo, redundant chromosomes are lost from some cells. Researchers have now captured this process at the single-cell level for the first time. A team of scientists from the Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IEB CAS), in collaboration with colleagues from the Institute of Biotechnology CAS, used RNA analysis to distinguish cells that retain so-called B chromosomes from those in which they are selectively removed. ...
Researchers from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences at the BIOCEV Center, the Faculty of Science at Charles University, and the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague were the first to comprehensively describe tiny membrane vesicles released from various parts of the porcine epididymis and demonstrated that they bind to sperm and transfer molecules essential for their maturation. ...
Michaela Liegertová has long been at the intersection of science, education, and new technologies. Originally a cell and molecular biologist, she is one of the prominent voices in the field of meaningful use of artificial intelligence in research and academia. She comes to IBT with the task of helping us better understand AI, setting up its safe and practical use, and showing where it can really save us time or open up new possibilities.
On May 21–22, 2026, the International Advisory Board (IAB) visited the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. After four years, its members returned to the teams that had been part of the first evaluation and focused on their further development, scientific results, future direction, and working conditions.
An international team of scientists from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences at the BIOCEV centre, the Faculty of Science at Charles University, and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research in New Zealand has summarized the current state of knowledge on the horizontal transfer of mitochondria between immune and tumor cells in a newly published article in the prestigious journal Trends in Cancer. ...
The BIOCEV Research Center in Vestec, near Prague, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Over the years, this joint project of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University has grown into one of the largest biomedical research centers in the Czech Republic. The project’s founders, scientists, and politicians gathered today at a celebratory event to reflect on the achievements of the past decade.
A new publication in the journal Nature Communications shows that mechanical properties of breast carcinoma tissue can be linked to priming anti-cancer immune responses. A key role in the process is played by mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) that is, under certain circumstances, mobilized into the cytosol, presenting a warning signal. ...
On June 9, 2026, Radomír Pánek, President of the Czech Academy of Sciences, visited the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The meeting was part of a series of visits to Czech Academy of Sciences institutions aimed at fostering direct dialogue with institute leadership and staff.
Last week, researchers, software developers, domain experts and early-career scientists met in Prague for the Nucleic Acid Structure Annotation & Prediction Hackathon.
