On September 10, we gathered for the first post-summer breakfast at the University Campus Library with Stjepan Uldrijan and Tomáš Kašpárek. One of the main topics was applied research and its support at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University.
Stjepan Uldrijan leads the "Cancer Biology" research group at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, MU, and focuses on the molecular mechanisms that regulate cellular signaling pathways controlling malignant melanoma. His team also investigates how tumor cells respond to stress conditions and is involved in identifying new opportunities for targeted melanoma therapy.
For the development of new small molecular compounds targeting cancer growth, he received funding from the Internal Grant Agency - LF Accelerate in 2022 and 2023. We invited him to share his experiences and the benefits of this scheme, as well as the support for applied research at the faculty in general. He admitted that without this scheme, he would not have considered further developing and advancing his research toward applicability. Thanks to faculty support for technology transfer from Karolina Kašparová and Daniela Podzemná and the MU Technology Transfer Office, as well as regular mentoring meetings within the SPARK Global network, where he presented the progress of his projects, he managed to create a unique screening platform for identifying eIF4F inhibitors and used it to identify more than 200 molecules that could potentially target eIF4F. The goal of the subsequent project is to verify the biological activity of selected molecules and also optimize it during the "hit-to-lead" phase of developing new anti-cancer drugs.
Thanks to questions from the audience, the discussion touched not only on research but also on stress management, responsibility for one's own research team, and international internships. However, Stjepan Uldrijan clearly does not succumb to stress. He could easily share his calm and composure. He humorously noted that running used to be a source of good mood for him, then walks as he aged, and now a good lunch.
Before the end of the meeting, Daniela Podzemná from the Office for Research and Quality outlined the conditions of the newly announced InGA LF Accelerate call. To assess the application potential of your results and achieve a noticeable shift in their practical application, you can apply for support of up to CZK 500,000 for up to two years. Projects can be submitted until October 11, 2024. The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TAČR) Sigma Proof of Concept scheme is also open, with project applications accepted until October 7, 2024. For questions and support with writing project proposals, you can contact the faculty's technology transfer coordinator, Daniela Podzemná.
Finally, Dominik Urban from the CzechInvest agency presented the new call for the Technological Incubation project, which supports the startup environment and new companies bringing innovative technologies to commercial markets through seven technologically specialized hubs. The application period will be from May 2 to May 30.
The next Research Breakfast will be hosted by Regina Demlová and Jaroslav Štěrba on 7 October 2024 at 8:00. We will meet again at the University Campus Library, unusually on a Monday.
In recent months, the Faculty of Medicine has been working on a gender audit to analyse the Faculty's approach to individual processes in terms of ensuring equality of opportunity and planning support activities in this area. The audit also serves as a basis for the development of the Masaryk University Gender Equality Plan 2025-2028.
At the breakfast event hosted by Tomáš Kašpárek on Monday, October 7, the special guests were Jaroslav Štěrba and Regina Demlová, two key figures from the CREATIC Centre of Excellence at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University.