Talented juniors into science!

‘When I was in the secondary school, I was interested in science quite marginally. To put it better, I was telling myself: “Wow, I think it may be interesting to be a scientist! But at that time, I was more into playing the piano, I was more interested in the arts,” says Martin Chudada, a student of medicine who is taking his first steps in science in the Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology of the First Faculty of Medicine of the CU. He adds: “So I really admire people who start doing science already in the secondary school. It’s great that the NICR offers them the opportunity to experience in advance

what they’d be getting themselves into – and if they realise that science is really for them, they can start going for it full steam ahead. ”NICR Director Aleksi Šedo in this context notes that the indicators of success in meeting the goals of the NICR project include the involvement of secondary school or pre-graduate students, and that not only in terms of education but also in terms of ‘bringing the juniors to the path of science’.

Martin Nedecký: There are enough opportunities, but they’re not widely known

‘The sooner you try something out, be it science or anything else, the sooner you find out whether it’s your cup of tea. Then you have time to decide whether you want to stay with it or not. I believe that there are plenty of opportunities to do that, it’s just that they’re not so widely known. Sure, much depends also on the management of a particular secondary school: for instance, we have a fantastic headmaster who offers such opportunities to us when they emerge and supports our participation.’

Michal Šmída: NICR can help intensify the interest of secondary school students 

‘I believe that the existence of the NICR consortium can help to further intensify the interest of secondary school students in research. Once they see how excellent science is done in the Czech conditions, they will become even more interested. Moreover, they will be able to learn more about particular research subjects, see what they could and would like to do in the future, and that can help them focus their interest. And for the NICR, it is undoubtedly beneficial that these students will know exactly where they want to go.’

Characterization of regeneration initiating cells during Xenopus laevis tail regeneration

Radek Sindelka, Ravindra Naraine, Pavel Abaffy et al.

Genome Biology

2024 October

DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03396-3

PMID: 39350302

DNA polymerase α-primase facilitates PARP inhibitor-induced fork acceleration and protects BRCA1-deficient cells against ssDNA gaps

Zuzana Machacova, Katarina Chroma, David Lukac et al.

Nature Communications 

2024 August

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51667-1

PMID: 39191785

Distinct pattern of genomic breakpoints in CML and BCR::ABL1-positive ALL: analysis of 971 patients

Lenka Hovorkova, Lucie Winkowska, Justina Skorepova et al.

Molecular Cancer

2024 July 

DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02053-4

PMID: 38970095

Everything is connected to growth, both tumours and tissue regeneration

This team was looking within the NICR strategy for a subject that would meet both the criteria of novelty and excellence. Václav Liška, head of the Laboratory of cancer

 treatment and tissue regeneration, which is active at the Faculty of Medicine of the Charles University in Pilsen, was for these reasons attracted to the study of rare tumours. In part because their research is not in an optimal shape: it is not a trendy subject and due to their rarity, there are not enough samples available. Liška’s team had also created a unique database of prospectively followed diseases, which enables the study of almost any clinical subject using a small homogeneous patient group. On top of that, the team has been collaborating with their Swiss colleagues on the development of ‘intelligent’ surgical materials that could, for instance, alert physicians to early tumour relapse after resection.

I like science, you like science

Would you like to know what would your colleagues from various research teams of the NICR like to win the Nobel Prize for? Do you agree with their assessment of what was the so far most significant milestone in cancer research? 

Take a look at survey videos made at the occasion
of the World Cancer Research Day 2024.

RP1 for a better understanding
of cancer

Research groups of the RP1 have achieved significant progress in various parts of cancer research, from molecular biology and genetics all the way to the development of new therapeutic approaches. 

They focus on revealing the molecular mechanisms of cancers  and identification of new prognostic, stratification, and therapeutic targets. Jan Trka, the head of research programme focused on the molecular basis of cancers and molecular targets, jointly with Aleksi Šedo presents the results achieved so far: they have the potential to improve care for cancer patients not only in the Czech Republic but worldwide.

Indicators are not only publications…

Another important non-publication indicator of the NICR project is organisation of a conference. The Czech Annual Cancer Research Meeting is a unique platform where experts from the Czech Republic and abroad are meeting each year in increasing numbers. This year, the third year of this prestigious meeting takes place. Its main aim is to create an interdisciplinary space for exchange of experience and knowledge among

scientists who focus on key areas of prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of cancers. Thanks to its wide scope and high professional quality, this conference contributes to progress in cancer research as well as improvement of clinical practice.

A selection from recent publications of NICR research groups

Klinická onkologie 5/2024, 15 October 2024

A new batch of results achieved by teams participating in the NICR is available in a regular section of the official journal of the Czech Society for Oncology.

Scientists have figured out how to teach cancer cells behave differently

Žena-In, 13 October 2024

The attention of researchers is turning from just killing tumour cells to their ‘re-education’, i.e., modification of their behaviour aimed at curbing their aggressivity, limitation of their ability to spread in the body, eventually their transformation ‘better-behaved’ cells. These strategies are described by Aneta Škarková and her colleagues from Jan Brábek’s laboratory (which participates in the NICR) in an article recently published in the Trends in Molecular Medicine journal.

Where other options had failed, precision medicine offers hope to cancer patients

Svět ženy, 8 October 2024

When will a universal cancer drug be invented? We are unlikely to ever see some such miraculous pill. Ondřej Slabý, Science Director of the NIC, poetically compares tumours to snowflakes. At the first sight, they all look the same, but a closer investigation shows that each is different.

A researcher on this year’s Nobel Prize: Scientists have discovered the molecules which regulate the aggressiveness of cancer

Novinky.cz, 8 October 2024

Marek Mráz, an expert of lymphatic leucaemia from NICR, University Hospital Brno, and CEITEC of the Masaryk University, comments on the work that was awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. He explains to readers the importance of the discovery of mRNA for the entire area of cancer research.

Can oestrogens help fight cancer?

Vesmír 9/2024, 2 September 2024

A joint project of researchers from the BIOCEV and other institutions, including groups participating in the NICR, is dedicated to oestrogens, hormones which aside from their main functions can also influence the tumour microenvironment – interestingly, this includes phytoestrogens present in our food.  

Czech research into IL 6Rα ligands is all the way to patent application

Medical Tribune, 20 August 2024

The discovery of new ligands capable of blocking IL‑6 receptors, alfa (IL‑6Rα) chain, and thus slow down the growth and migration of tumour calls is the result of collaboration between the Laboratory of Ligand Engineering of the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the First Faculty of Medicine, research group Tumour microenvironment.  

In-amongst the cells: A podcast on science against cancer

6 September 2024

How many lines can it take to note down a cell? That is just one of the many topics covered in a new edition of the podcast by the bioinformaticist Antónia Mikulová from the Faculty of Sciences of Masaryk university, member of Vítězslav Bryja’s research group. All parts of the In Amongst the Cells podcast can now be found also on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Baking for the Krtek Fund

25 October 2024

OC Campus Square Brno

Take a sweet break on the last Friday morning in October and enjoy what Zdeněk Andrysík and members of his NICR research team from the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University prepared for you. The profits from the charity baking will be donated to the Krtek Children's Oncology Endowment Fund.

Week of the Czech Academy of Sciences 

5 and 7 November 2024

Faustus House, Karlovo Sq. 40, Prague 2

NICR joints the popularisation Week of the Czech Academy of Sciences! People will be able to learn more about the links between the environment and cancer in a lecture by Pavel Rössner from the Institute of Experimental Medicine of the CAS. Lenka Kotrchová from the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the CAS will then try to explain how one can use polymers in medical treatments without damaging the nature by releasing them into the environment. 

NICR Edu workshop

18 November 2024

Hotel NH Collection Olomouc Congress

Registered participants of this year’s Czech Annual Cancer Research Meeting will be able to attend a workshop focused on communication skills, gender, and open science. It will take place before the main programme. As part of the workshop, participants will be able to sign up for practical training and try to give an interview about their own work on camera. 

www.nuvr.cz