Two research projects from the Faculty of Science were successful in the 10th public call for proposals under the ERC CZ program and received funding to carry out their research. The funding goes to Mgr. Lenka Gahurová, Ph.D., and RNDr. Jiří Kratochvíl, Ph.D., whose projects focus on current issues in reproductive biology and the development of new methods for studying biomolecular interactions. We extend our heartfelt congratulations and wish them every success in carrying out their projects.
Mass Photometry with Nano-Oscillators: Mass and Charge as Keys to Understanding Biomolecular Interactions
RNDr. Jiří Kratochvíl, Ph.D.
How do proteins in our bodies interact with one another, and how do these interactions influence the development of serious diseases? The five-year NanoMassOscillator project is focused on developing a breakthrough technology for measuring the mass and charge of individual molecules in solution in real time, which will enable these biological processes to be mapped in detail.
Financial support totaling 58 million CZK will be used to build state-of-the-art laboratories at the Department of Physics and will enable the creation of an interdisciplinary team bridging physics, chemistry, and biology, led by Jiří Kratochvíl, who brings many years of experience from the University of Oxford. Scientists will develop new materials with unique optical and biological properties, from which they will then use nanolithography to create chips for mass photometry. Measurements of charge and mass will serve as a unique “protein fingerprint” that will make it possible to decipher and map protein interactions and thereby understand clinically significant mechanisms.
The research will focus on proteins that play a key role in the development of cancer or neurodegenerative disorders. A deeper understanding of their interactions in the presence of potential drugs could open the door to entirely new treatments in the future.
As part of the project, it is planned to open new postdoctoral positions and announce opportunities for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral theses. Motivated candidates may contact the principal investigator at:
Ovarian Reserve: Integration of Genetic, Regulatory, and Developmental Determinants
Mgr. Lenka Gahurová, PhD.
The ORIGin project, funded with 14 milion CZK from the ERC CZ program, aims to elucidate how the supply of eggs (oocytes) in the ovaries develops in mammals. This factor determines the duration of female fertility. Specifically, the project emphasizes the question of why some species have far more oocytes than others, and why females of these species are therefore fertile for a longer period of time. The study primarily utilizes unique African rodents known as mole-rats, which can live for more than 40 years.
The research findings may contribute to the identification of genetic markers associated with the number of oocytes in the ovaries. In the future, these markers could be used for the early detection of women with low ovarian reserve and an increased risk of premature ovarian insufficiency and early onset of menopause. Early diagnosis would allow women to better plan for parenthood or take advantage of fertility preservation options, such as freezing eggs while their ovarian reserve is still sufficient.
