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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.

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.

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. ...

Last week, researchers, software developers, domain experts and early-career scientists met in Prague for the Nucleic Acid Structure Annotation & Prediction Hackathon.

For IBT employees only

The team from the Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, led by Gabriela Pavlínková from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences at the BIOCEV center, played a significant role in international research, the results of which were published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications. The study provides new insights that contribute to the development of cell therapy for diabetes.

Many researchers want their work to make a broader impact – but the next step does not always have to lead deeper into academia or industry. This workshop introduces early-career researchers to career paths in the public sector, research support, policy, and science-related institutions.

The Laboratory of Cellular Metamolism invites you to a lecture by Prof. Ayelet Erez: “Deciphering the tumor–host crosstalk to potentiate therapy”

In April, the 4th IBT Student Day took place at the BIOCEV campus. The conference, organized by PhD students of the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, offered a full-day program of scientific presentations and discussions.

The largest science outreach event in the Czech Republic.

There has been an explosion of research into the metabolic changes that underlie varied physiological and diseased states and the signaling pathways that control metabolism in response to metabolites.

From the Institute of Biotechnology to the U.S. and back. After three years at Emory University in Atlanta, Maroš Huličiak returned to the institute where he once began his career. Thanks to his newly acquired experience, he took on the role of head of the Centre of Molecular Structure. What did he bring back from his time abroad, where does he want to take the CMS, and what is it like to return “home”?

The Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences hosted the first event of the Women in Science @ IBT (WiSe@IBT) initiative, which aims to foster open discussion on topics related to careers and the workplace.

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Governor Petra Pecková and members of the Regional Council presented the 2025 Governor’s Awards. This traditional award recognises individuals who are closely connected to the Central Bohemian Region and contribute to its development. A total of 58 outstanding personalities from seven different areas of public life were nominated this year.

Professor Jiří Neužil from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences has received the Distinguished Collaborative Research Fellow Award from the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research in New Zealand.

How can qPCR be used correctly and common pitfalls avoided? A new study co-authored by researchers from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences offers practical guidance for more accurate and reliable analysis.

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, changes occur in a key protein called tau, which normally forms a protective layer around the neuron’s internal skeleton. When modified, tau loses its protective function, leading to neuron death. The new perspective presented by a Czech-French research team uncovers the molecular consequences of tau modifications, opening new avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

NEUROD1 as a neuronal reprogramming factor for auditory neuron regeneration

Actin Severing Promotes Motor – Independent Contractilly Propelled by the Diffusible Crosslinker Anillin

Three Decades of Discoveries from the Stony Brook STAR Laboratory

Distinct Roles of Histone Methyltransferase EHMT1 and EHMT2 in Kleefstra Syndrome

Deciphering Transcriptional Programs in Stroke Injury and Repair

NAPAIR - Novel nucleic acid pairing algorithm

Microtubule-associated proteins guide Dishevelled cytoskeletal localization

Mechanisms of MICAL regulation in actin filament disassembly

Inside Fertilization: The Track of How Fish Eggs Accept, Remodel, or Reject Sperm

Structural basis of ASK1 regulation:from 14-3-3 mediated inhibition to MKK7 substrate recognition

Beyond GFP:Engineering Novel Fluorescent Proteins with Genetic Code Expansion

Miro1-mediated mitochondrial positioning as a regulator of cancer cell migration and metastasis

DNA and RNA Structures: From Complexity to Clarity

Imprinting Antibody Paratope by Non-Cognate Ligand Strategy to Induce Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies against Hepatitis C Virus

Consequences of Respiratory Complex II Deficiency in Endothelial Cell Physiology

Advanced Transcriptomics Solutions for Your Research

From tools to interoperable workflows for nucleic acid structures.

Regeneration-Initiating Cells at the Interface of Wound Healing and Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling

The Role of NOTCH3 Signalling in Breast Cancer Chemoresistance

The Czech startup Carta Genum received a pre-seed investment of €40,000 from the Czech Founders VC fund to develop a platform for spatial biology. The project, led by scientists Lukáš Valihrach and Daniel Žucha from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, is leading to the development of virtual bioinformatics—a tool that will enable biologists to analyze large and complex scientific data without the need for programming.

Molecular Biophysics Database of raw data - MBDB

The government's decision to cut funding for research and development comes at a time when the share of public spending on science has been declining for a long time. According to Eurostat data, total R&D expenditure in the European Union is around 2.24% of GDP, while the Czech Republic continues to invest less (around 1.8–2% of GDP), which places it below the EU average and confirms the need to strengthen stable funding for science.

The BIOCEV centre hosted the 28th Biological Days of the Czech-Slovak Biological Society on 25–26 November 2025. This year’s meeting, focused on reproductive biology, oncofertility, and oncology, attracted nearly 160 participants, ranging from students and early-career researchers to established scientific leaders.

The team of Institute of Biotechnology of Czech Academy of Sciences at the BIOCEV center, led by Renata Zobalova and Jiri Neuzil, has shown that mitochondrial respiration is a requirement for early tumour growth. A study just published in Cancer Research reveals that cancer cells with aberrant mitochondrial respiration activate an intriguing salvage mechanism: using horizontal mitochondrial transfer, they acquire fully functional mitochondria from neighbouring host cells.

An international team of scientists led by the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences at the BIOCEV center has elucidated a key mechanism that enables extremely rapid liver regeneration. A study published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications shows that during regeneration, the liver uses toxic ammonia for its renewal. It converts it into glutamine, a substance necessary for the production of DNA and RNA during rapid cell division.

The Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IBT) achieved excellent results in the government's Evaluation of Research Organizations according to Methodology 2017+ (M17+) for the period 2019–2023.

Three outstanding scientists who are among the world leaders in their fields, five male experts, and one female expert will today receive the prestigious Praemium Academiae 2025 award and the Lumina quaeruntur prize from Radomír Pánek, President of the Czech Academy of Sciences. ...

An unusual type of brain cell may play a key role in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), likely contributing to the persistent inflammation that characterizes this disease. The discovery by an international team of experts opens a promising new path toward developing effective therapies for this neurodegenerative disorder. The study, published in the prestigious journal Neuron, involved researchers from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IBT) at the BIOCEV center.

The 30th Symposium on Biology and Immunology of Reproduction (SBIR) took place at Chateau Liblice, bringing together leading experts and young scientists in reproductive biology, immunology, and related fields. This year’s event was jointly organized by the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Kateřina Komrsková and Dr. Dominik Filipp.

Bioinformatics is fundamentally reshaping modern biology, transforming raw data into life-saving insights.

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Prague Symposium on Cancer Metabolism is a leading scientific meeting featuring the latest discoveries in cancer metabolism research. With its limited-attendance format, it offers meaningful scientific exchange between students, researchers, and clinicians interested in this rapidly evolving research field.

The tubulin code is an alphabet that cells use to control the behavior of their skeleton – the microtubules. This code influences neuronal development and brain plasticity (the ability to change the strength of connections between neurons), and its disruption is linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. ...

Two prominent figures of European science – Professor Emanuela Tolosano from the University of Turin and Dr. Carsten Janke from the Institut Curie in Orsay/Paris – are joining the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IBT). In this context, the institute also expresses its gratitude to Professor Marie-Paule Roth, who has decided to step down from the board.

The Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IBT) was awarded the prestigious HR Excellence in Research Award by the European Commission. This award recognizes IBT's commitment to continuously improving working conditions for researchers and maintaining high standards in human resources in research.

Structural Mechanisms of Regulation of Human Nedd4-2by the 14-3-3ŋ Dimer and Calcium lons

Polyglutamylation As a Novel Post-Translational Modification of Intermediate Filaments

A novel genetically encoded dual edged non-canonical amino acid carrying a diacetylene moiety

A novel genetically encoded dual edged non-canonical amino acid carrying a diacetylene moiety

Glycosaminoglycans Modulate Semaphorin-Plexin Signaling in Axon Guidance

Introducing a new method for membrane protein interactions analysis

A collaborative research effort of two institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Biotechnology (IBT) and the Institute of Experimental Medicine (IEM), funded by the Czech Science Foundation, led to the discovery of new insights into glioblastoma metabolism. Recently published in Oncogene, the new study shows that horizontal mitochondrial transfer occurs in glioblastoma animal models and explains why brain cancer cells really need mitochondria with functional respiration. ...

The workshop is intended for early-career researchers (ECRs) at BIOCEV and other life science institutions.

Lost in Translation: The Story of Iron and Mitochondrial Ribosomes

Professor Franca Ronchese, Programme Leader, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand

From March 20 to 22, 2025, the historic premises of the Nový Zámek chateau in Nové Hrady hosted the XXI Discussions in Structural Molecular Biology and the 8th User Meeting of the Czech Infrastructure for Integrative Structural Biology (CIISB). The conference welcomed 125 participants, who attended 27 scientific lectures, 9 short talks, and viewed 51 poster presentations

Do you believe in Got(s)? (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminases)

Development of pancreatic endocrine lineages on single cell level

Horizontal mitochondrial transfer is the common denominator of more than 20 types of cancer. A team of scientists led by Professor Jiří Neužil from the Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, at the BIOCEV Centre has spearheaded a study summarizing the findings of this process in the prestigious journal Cancer Cell. The publication may motivate the development of new approaches in anti-cancer therapy.

In November the Institute of Biotechnology (IBT) is set to open a new laboratory, marking a historic milestone. For the first time, a foreign scientist will lead a research group at the institute, bringing fresh expertise and international collaborations.