Research Breakfast is a regular monthly meeting where researchers gather to share knowledge and experiences enthusiastically. Since June 2022, we have been meeting informally over coffee and breakfast to discuss grants, science support, and other topics of interest. Every month, we invite a prominent scientist to join Tomáš Kašpárek, the Vice Dean for Research and PhD Studies at FM MU, in discussing various topics. The topics are chosen together with you—doctoral students, academics, and scientists—who send us your questions.
These meetings offer not only inspiring conversations but also an opportunity for informal networking. Breakfast with a Researcher continues the traditional format of "Grant Breakfasts," which have been organized since June 2022 by the Grant Office in cooperation with the Office for Research and Quality at FM MU.
On these pages, you will find details about past meetings, including their recordings, and information about upcoming events. How did we breakfast in the past, and which guest can you look forward to?
24th March 2026
20th January 2026
16th December 2026
Dr. Alemeh Zamani is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University in Brno, where she leads the Choroid Plexus in Disease Research Group. She earned her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Developmental Biology and Neuroscience from Tohoku University in Japan, followed by postdoctoral research at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). Since joining Masaryk University in 2019, her work has focused on the choroid plexus and the blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier, exploring their roles in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, neuroinflammation, and chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Pushing beyond the traditional methodologies in her department, Dr. Zamani and her team apply multi-omics approaches to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying these conditions from new perspectives. In addition to her research, Alemeh is actively involved in the SOČ program and is deeply passionate about mentoring and inspiring the next generation of scientists.
11th November 2025
Prof. RNDr. Šárka Pospíšilová, Ph.D. is the Vice-Rector for Research and Doctoral Studies at Masaryk University. She works as a Head of the Institute of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Center of Molecular Biology and Genetics IHOK at the Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Brno, and leads a research group at CEITEC Masaryk University. Her scientific work is focused on the genomic characterization of hematological malignancies, with a particular focus on chronic lymphocytic leukemia, on a development of diagnostic and prognostic tools for personalized medicine and also genetic characterization of the Czech population.
She is the author and co-author of more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, holds several patents, and has been recognized with numerous awards for her contributions to biomedical research. She is actively involved in the supervision of doctoral students and plays a key role in advancing genomic medicine both nationally and internationally - she represents the Czech Republic in the European Initiatives 1+ Million Genomes and Genome of Europe and also in the European Hematological Association. She was elected as a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO, since 2022), and listed among the most influential women in the Czech Republic (2023-25) and TOP Czech women scientists (2024) by Forbes magazine. In 2025 she was awarded by MENSA for speading intelligence in the society, and in October 2025 she received the Medal of Merit for services to the State in the field of Science, presented by the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel.
21st October 2025
Prof. MUDr. Jan Krejčí, Ph.D. is the Head of the 1st Department of Internal Cardioangiology at St. Anne’s University Hospital Brno and the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, where he also serves as Professor of Internal Medicine and Cardiology. His research focuses primarily on dilated cardiomyopathy, inflammatory heart muscle diseases (myocarditis), and the treatment of advanced heart failure, including left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation and heart transplantation. He is the author and co-author of numerous scientific publications, supervises PhD students, and actively promotes the integration of clinical and academic research. Since 2022, he has been a Professor at Masaryk University. He currently serves as the Chair of the Czech Heart Failure Association of the Czech Society of Cardiology.
30th September 2025
Tomáš Kazda began working at the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute (MMCI) in 2009 while still a medical student at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University. He became involved in the neuro-oncology research program at MMCI, establishing a connection with the institute that continues to this day. His primary specialization remains in radiation therapy. Since mid-2019, Dr. Kazda has served at MMCI as Director for Science and Research. His responsibilities have since expanded to include the area of education. He has an extensive academic and research background. His passion for the field deepened significantly during a one-year fellowship at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, USA, which served as a key catalyst for his future—both research and professional—development not only in neurooncology. Dr. Kazda’s academic focus on neuro-oncology is reflected in both his doctoral and habilitation theses, which he defended at his alma mater, Masaryk University. His dissertation was awarded the Masaryk University Rector’s Prize in 2018. In his current role, he aims not only to foster collaboration between researchers and clinicians, but also to build a supportive team and cultivate a collegial environment for the further advancement of science and research at MMCI.
13th May 2025
Jan Křivánek is an associate professor and research group leader at the Department of Histology and Embryology, Masaryk University in Brno. As a developmental biologist, he studies dental stem cells, tooth regeneration, tissue micropatterning, and growth dynamics, using state-of-the-art tools. He spent part of his research career at Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden), Medical University of Vienna (Austria) and currently collaborates with numerous leading research institutions around the world. His recent (published) work includes the introduction of Dental Cell Type Atlas (Nature Communications), revealing new types of stem cells and their differentiation pathways; the BEE-ST method (Science Advances), enabling spatiotemporal tracking the teeth and bones growth at micrometer scale; or research focused on Understanding the development and micropatterning of dentin (JBMR). His research uncovers the fundamental processes behind organ development and stem cell behaviour in living organisms, offering insights that could pave the way for future regenerative therapies.
15th April 2025
Pavel Krejčí is specializing in genetic disorders affecting bone growth. He completed his Bc. and MSc. degrees at Masaryk University, where he focused on biological sciences. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in medical sciences, specializing in genetics and molecular biology. Pavel gained international experience working at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA in the U.S., where he developed expertise in genetic disorders. After returning to Brno, he established the "Cell Signaling" research group at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine. His research has contributed to the development of vosoritide, a drug approved in the EU and USA to promote bone growth in children with achondroplasia. Krejčí’s work also focuses on the development of aptamers to target the FGFR3 gene, some of which are now in clinical trials for achondroplasia. Krejčí has received numerous awards, including recognition from the Czech Academy of Sciences. His work continues to advance treatments for genetic disorders and improve patient outcomes globally.
4th March 2025
Dr. Dáša Bohačiaková, a graduate of the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University, began her research on human embryonic stem cells under Assoc. Prof. Aleš Hampl’s supervision. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, focusing on stem cell differentiation for clinical use, she now leads a research group at the Department of Histology and Embryology at the Faculty of Medicine, specializing in neural differentiation and disease modeling with stem cells and cerebral organoids.
Dr. Mário Kandra, an engineering graduate from VUT Brno and recent Ph.D. from the Faculty of Medicine at MU under Dr. Bohačiaková, focused his research on developing a 3D microfluidic chip for differentiating cerebral organoids. His work highlighted the potential to manufacture organoids on a scalable platform, suitable for high-throughput applications. He now works for IQS Nano s.r.o., a company that focuses on 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Additionally, to bridge the gap between academia and industry, Dr. Kandra is now also focusing on refining the microfluidic technology to enhance its scalability, efficiency, and ease of use, ultimately aiming to develop a commercial product.
4th February 2025
Jana Rudá is an associate professor at the Department of Pharmacology, specializing in behavioral pharmacology and neuropsychopharmacology. She teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students, with a focus on drug addiction, neuroimaging and neurodevelopmental animal models of neuropsychiatric diseases. Dr. Rudá has published over 50 research papers in Journals with IF, supervised several PhD students and authored textbooks on pharmacoeconomics and behavioral protocols.
Jiří Kratochvíl is the Head of the University Campus Library and together with Lukáš Plch provides the service of checking the principles of transparency and best practices in academic publishing.
7th January 2025
Martin Repko is the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Masaryk University and head of the Department of Orthopaedics and Spondylosurgery at University Hospital Brno. An expert in spinal surgery, including scoliosis, spinal oncology, and sports medicine, he has extensive international experience and has authored over a hundred scientific papers. He also chairs the Association of Deans of the Medical Faculties of the Czech Republic and advises the Minister of Health. Prof. Repko is actively involved in teaching, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration at the faculty.
3rd December 2024
Ondřej Slabý is head of the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Medicine, leads the Center for Precision Medicine at University Hospital Brno, and serves as scientific director at the National Institute for Cancer Research. He is also Chairman of the Czech Health Research Council and Advisor to the Minister of Health. His expertise in cancer biology supports advancements in targeted therapies. Jiří Šána is an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine and the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute. He is a key member of the Ondřej Slabý Research Group and has a strong focus on cancer research, particularly in the areas of molecular biology and genomics. His research contributions include studying exosomal microRNAs in gliomas, which have implications for diagnostics and innovative therapies. BBMRI.cz is the Czech national node of the European Biobanking and BioMolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI-ERIC), which supports biobanking initiatives and collaboration across Europe. BBMRI.cz provides access to a network of biological samples, data, and resources, offering researchers a comprehensive repository for biomedical and health research in the Czech Republic.
5th November 2024
Daniel Schwarz is a researcher and educator focused on clinical data analytics, medical image processing, and neuroscience. Lecturer in Linear and Adaptive Data Processing (Mathematical Biology course). Innovator of IT applications for medical education. Member of the MEFANET Coordination Committee (MEdical FAculties NETwork) and its president (since November 2014). Organizer of the international conferences MEFANET 2007-2023. Co-founder and CIO of Institute of Biostatistics and Analysis Ltd. - a company that facilitates clinical research with smart data management solutions.
7 October 2024
Regina Demlová leads the CREATIC Center of Excellence, established in 2023 at the Faculty of Medicine, focused on rare undiagnosed diseases, high-risk pediatric tumors, and ATMP treatments for adult cancer patients. Jaroslav Štěrba heads the Department of Pediatric Oncology at the Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Brno, serves as vice-dean, and is a member of the European Medicines Agency's Paediatric Committee. CZECRIN, the Czech Republic's key infrastructure for academic clinical research, connects national institutions to international clinical research through the European network ECRIN-ERIC.
10th September 2024
Stjepan Uldrijan leads the Cancer Biology research group at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine. The group's research centers on molecular mechanisms that regulate cellular signaling pathways driving malignant melanoma. They also investigate how tumor cells respond to stress conditions and are working to identify new targeted therapy options for melanoma. Stjepan Uldrijan was awarded the InGA Accelerate grant in 2022 and 2024 for projects aiming to develop new small-molecule compounds targeting cancer growth.
25th June 2024
After completing her doctorate at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Dr. Lenka Bešše advanced her career as a post-doc and later led the Laboratory of Experimental Oncology at St. Gallen Cantonal Hospital in Switzerland. She returned to the Czech Republic to head the new "Cancer Immunotherapy Research" group at the Department of Biology, Masaryk University. Her husband, Dr. Andrej Bešše, who completed his master's at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, and his doctorate in tumor biology at the University of Zurich, also joined this group after working as a post-doc in the same laboratory.
20th May 2024
Martin Bareš has been serving as the Rector of MU since 2019. In addition, he holds a professorship in neurology at the 1st Department of Neurology at St. Anne's Faculty Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine. Previously, he held the position of Vice-Rector at MU from 2011 to 2018 and served as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine from 2018 to 2019.
9th April 2024
Upon returning from the US, Dr. Zdenek Andrysík has newly established the InGA Junior Research Group "Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer" at the Department of Biology.
27th February 2024
Mgr. Tomáš Bárta, Ph.D., head of the research group "Stem Cell Biology and Vision Research" at the Department of Histology and Embryology of FM MU, as a successful applicant for a GA CR grant, will share his recipe on how to increase the evaluation of an application. Together with the head of this Department, Associate Professor Aleš Hampl, Ph.D., they will also discuss the development of their careers.
☕ 14th June 2022
☕ 19th July 2022
☕ 6th September 2022
☕ 18th October 2022
☕ 29th November 2022: Erasmus+: more than just mobility!
☕ 23rd January 2023: Breakfast with members of GA CR evaluation panels from FM MU
☕ 28th February 2023: Evaluation of Internal Grant Agency projects (IGA) - pros and cons, experiences, lessons learned
☕ 28th March 2023: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: Postdoctoral Fellowships with Jakub Zeman (Rector´s Office)
☕ 24th April 2023, with members of AZV evluation panels from FM MU
☕ 26th September 2023
☕ 17th October 2023
☕ 19th December 2023: Christmas meeting
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