Žurnál - We fight against myths theme - Times Higher Education
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žurnál
Magazine of Palacký University Olomouc, 2019/2
theme
We fight
against myths
Genius loci…
UPoint – Palacký University Information Centre and Shop INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY MERCHANDISE FASHION COLLEC TION BOOK S STUDYROOM COFFEE WI-FI House of the Black Dog | Horní náměstí 12 | Olomouc T: +420 733 690 738 | E: upoint@upol.cz | O: Monday–Friday 9 am – 6 pm www.upoint.upol.cz | www.upoint.upol.cz/eshop
contents
2 — Time to dismiss fears of GMO crops, say experts
5 — Photostory – May Celebrations
6 — Interactive map will help students choose study abroad
6 — UP Student Athletics Championship
7 — Former dormitory to become Faculty of Theology’s centre
of research excellence
7 — Completed funding will increase the number of medics and
competitiveness of the medical faculty
8 — Tandem teaching: An interesting experience for Faculty of
Education academics
8 — Faculty of Law commenced its largest construction
investment
9 — Team from three institutions completes research work on
Karl von Lichtenstein-Castlecorno Dear colleagues, students, and friends
9 — HELP2 project provides English and German courses for of Palacký University,
medics You are holding in your hands forty
10 — Scientists fine-tune molecules of 2D chemistry pages capturing the current goings-
11 — Faculty of Law journal included in Scopus database on at our alma mater. It is just a small
cross-section of life at the university;
12 — “Africans with a Czech soul”: Olomouc scientist describes
the forgotten fates of Namibian children still, I dare say that this small sample
shows off our indomitable spirit quite
15 — Portrait – Prof Dagmar Pospíšilová, M.D.
well. Just like the generations before
18 — Success us, we still endeavour to move things
22 — Kaleidoscope of news briefs forward.
24 — Scientists fight a dangerous parasite I’m proud when I see the splendid results
25 — Interview – Jakub Dürr – Our man in Brussels of my colleagues in the areas of science,
28 — How paramedic methods are tested research, and teaching, and I’m very
much aware of how many pitfalls and
30 — Faculty of Physical Culture hosted largest conference setbacks they have had to overcome,
on a healthy lifestyle
and how much energy and self-sacrifice
31 — Alumnus – David Voda: “I dream of galvanic empire… and they have contributed to our alma
a small gallery” mater. I’m filled with optimism by the
33 — Dominika Čiklová: Boxing is speed chess successes of our students – not just in
34 — Andrew Feustel – Astronaut inspiring people all over their studies, but also for example in
the world sports. And I’m proud of our graduates,
35 — Alumna – Veronika Ježková: Lawyer in the service of who have gone on to establish
society themselves in so many fields.
37 — Experience – Martina Igazová: I store my treasures in Another academic year is behind us.
Heaven It was a tough one, just like those
39 — Reflection – Egypt before it, and just like those to follow.
That’s the way things are in life at the
40 — From an Olomouc theologian to the Archbishop of Vienna
university. I would like to thank all of
our academics, employees, students,
and also our many supporters for
what they have achieved this year for
Palacký University, and for not losing
faith in our university community and
its values. I appreciate this, and I believe
title page: UP student and Czech lightweight boxing champion Dominika Čiklová that we will manage the upcoming
photo: Gabriela Knýblová
academic year just as well, together.
Žurnál | Published biannually in English | Czech Registration No.: MK ČR E 12524, ISSN 1804-6754 Wishing you a lovely summer,
| Published by Palacký University Olomouc, Křížkovského 8, CZ-771 47 Olomouc, Czech Republic |
enough time and opportunities for
VAT No.: 61989592 | Chairman of the Editorial Board: Petr Bilík | Editor-in-Chief: Ivana Pustějovská
| Layout: Věra Marešová | Graphic Editor: Michaela Cyprová | Translation: Robert Hýsek, Matthew regeneration, and I’m already looking
Sweney | Proofreading: Matthew Sweney | Editorial Board | Biskupské nám. 1, Olomouc | Telephone: forward to seeing you all in the autumn.
+420 585 631 155 | E-mail: zurnal@upol.cz | Print | Profi-Tisk Group Olomouc | 1 000 copies
Jaroslav Miller
Rector
theme text: Martina Šaradínová | photos: pixabay–Larisa-K | Martina Šaradínová
illustration: Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
M O…
G
N O?
Y E S?
Time to dismiss fears of
GMO crops, say experts
Genetically-modified organisms – GMOs – are surrounded by many myths, even paradoxes. While
they represent a dynamically developing area of science, their use in Europe is prevented by legis-
lative obstacles. And so Palacký University scientists have decided to speak up and enter the fray.
“Without new strains of agricultural mation,” states Jaroslav Doležel, scien- Agriculture and the Environment urging
crops adapted to the changing climate, tific director of the Centre of the Region changes European legislation regarding
resistant to disease and pests, with high- Haná for Biotechnology and Agricultur- genetically modified crops to better cor-
er yields and qualities, it will not be pos- al Research (CRH), which coordinates respond with current scientific findings.
sible in the future to ensure enough food the scientific teams of Palacký Univer- They also reacted to a decision by the Eu-
for the rising world population; other- sity and the Olomouc workplaces of the ropean Court, according to which organ-
wise the environment will be extreme- Institute of Experimental Botany of the isms arrived at by modern methods for
ly damaged by pesticides and by huge Czech Academy of Sciences and the Crop directed editing of the genome, such as
amounts of artificial fertilisers – the re- Research Institute. CRISPR/Cas9, fall under the same strict
sults of which would threaten the health This is why the plant geneticist and lau- regulations as genetically-modified or-
of the planet’s inhabitants. The only way reate of the 2018 National Czech Mind ganisms. According to them, the verdict
to achieve such new strains is to use the award, together with the CRH director could irreversibly impact European agri-
new techniques of selective breeding Ivo Frébort, have written a letter to Czech culture and the environment and create
based on changes to plants’ genetic infor- PM Andrej Babiš and the Ministries of an exodus of innovations outside the EU.
2 žurnál 2019
Europe does not grow dominant position of supranational bio- tations of their predecessors in the wild.
GM products, yet actively technology firms. Permission has been From about the middle of the past centu-
imports them granted for growing only ten strains in Eu- ry such mutations have been induced ar-
When speaking of plants, GMOs are those rope – seven of which are carnations. There tificially by chemical substances or by ra-
to which new genes have been inserted. For are roughly two hundred crop strains al- diation. Whereas these procedures have
example, commercially successful prod- lowed elsewhere in the world. developed hundreds or thousands of cases
ucts such as soybeans resistant to glypho- of randomly damaged genetic information
sate and Bt-corn have genes inserted from Extraneous genes are not spliced with unknown effects, using the CRISPR/
soil bacteria for resistance against herbi- during targeted gene-editing Cas9 method, all the changes are directed
cides, or for resistance against insect pests. New organisms have been obtained on the and controlled. Despite this, the Europe-
Both are often used in combination, such basis of a different principle by the CRIS- an Court has slapped strict regulations on
as in cotton. They produce higher yields, PR/Cas9 method of directed genome edit- methods of directed genome editing.
using smaller amounts of less toxic herbi- ing. Using this method, researchers know “This makes no sense from the scientific
cides and without insecticides. They are how to “turn off” the inherited information viewpoint: crops with minor improvements
grown mainly in North and South America of genes which carry specific unwanted to the genome are just as safe as crops de-
and Asia. For example, GM soybeans pre- qualities. Thus it is possible to breed plants veloped by classic mutagenesis and tradi-
dominate in the global production of this with better qualities – for example with re- tional breeding methods. The results of this
crop. Yet GM crops are found only excep- sistance to drought or diseases. Olomouc decision will be far-reaching. Innovative
tionally in the fields of EU countries. How- researchers are most interested in this type agricultural research will shift away from
ever, Europe is the main importer of GM of research, especially in agriculturally im- Europe, which will fall behind in this area,
products. And this is only one of a num- portant crops. They point out that organ- and it will be difficult to catch up. It will also
ber of paradoxes concerning GMOs. While isms gained by this method do not contain be difficult to introduce new crop strains,
Europe is dependent on GM products, the foreign genes, so they ought to fall under which will reduce the competitiveness of
majority of farmers have no access to them. legislative regulations pertaining to plants European agriculture, and also retard the
The legislative process allowing GM crops bred by traditional methods. introduction of methods of sustainable ag-
to be raised in the EU is quite lengthy and The scientists also point out that all do- riculture,” pointed out Ivo Frébort, an ex-
costly for applicants, which supports the mestic crops have arisen from genetic mu- pert on plant biotechnology.
GENOME EDITING
Modern methods allow us to “engineer” genomes, i.e. directed modification of the genome.
EXAMPLES OF THE USES OF GMO CROPS
Tolerance Resistance Higher Lower
to herbicides to insect vitamin gluten
(soybeans, pests content content
cotton, (potatoes, in rice in wheat
maize) maize,
soybeans)
METHODS OF INTRODUCING GENES
Agrobacterium Plant cell “DNA scissors”
Genes are introduced to plant cells via the bacterium Agrobacterium or by the use of “DNA scissors”
SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
Plants Rice with Crops Nitrogen-
as increased producing fixing
biosensors photosynthetic medicines wheat
ability and vaccines
The creation of new metabolic paths or completely new organisms.
žurnál 2019 3
Misplaced fears written almost twenty years ago, today is
According to Frébort, people fear GMOs causing many unresolved issues,” wrote Paradoxes connected
out of ignorance. To properly understand CRH leadership and the Minister of the with GMOs
evolution and genetic changes on the mo- Environment, Richard Brabec. According GM crops are not cultivated
lecular level, one must grasp at least the to him, there should be a broad discussion in the EU, however they are
basics of molecular biology. “People in the involving all participating parties – includ- imported – primarily corn,
EU are surprisingly afraid of GM crops, ing the public – regarding possible chang- soybeans, rape, and cotton.
but they’re not afraid of GM bacteria, with es in these regulations. The ministry, on Livestock are fed GM crops
whose help insulin and a number of oth- the basis of a request from the European to a great extent.
er products are produced for pharmacies, Commission, is gathering information on
Foreign DNA originally from
cosmetics, and for the chemical and food specific projects using gene editing in the
bacteria are found in sweet
industries,” he adds. Czech Republic, their possible benefits,
potatoes. Because their
Doležel, a geneticist, also dismisses fears and problems connected with the imple-
insertion occurred without
of GMOs. “So far, not even one scientif- mentation of a GMO directive.
human intervention, sweet
ic study has shown the negative impact of According to information provided by
potatoes are not considered
GMOs on people or animals. With respect Biotrin, a non-profit organisation creat-
ed by scientific professionals for distribut- GMOs.
to the extent of cultivation of GMOs, we can
consider this a long-term and global experi- ing information on modern biotechnolo- In the years 2000 and 2010,
ment without one proven example of harm. gies, the period of the approval process for the European Commission
Even our livestock are fed with genetical- GMOs is incomparably longer than for oth- published reports contain-
ly modified soybeans, and I have not found er products regulated in the EU. “For ex- ing 25 years of research
any report of damage to the health of our ample, the approval process for new med- which proved that GMOs
citizens who consume animal products,” he icines is seven times quicker. Thus it is no are just as safe as ordinary
said, adding additional arguments. wonder that the scientific-research insti- crops. Yet strict regulations
tutions, investors, and firms in the area of remain in force in the EU.
Legislative changes are necessary GMO have given up on many projects pre-
Source: EuropaBio
Scientists from the Centre of the Region pared for realisation in the EU and have
Haná are seeking an easier path towards ap- transferred their activities to other parts of
proval of genetically modified crops. Their the world,” says the organisation’s website.
standpoint was supported in February by The scientists are convinced that the
a resolution by the Academic Senate of the current situation is leading to retardation
UP Faculty of Science, which stated: “[We] of developments in this area and that Eu-
support steps toward a complete overhaul of ropean agriculture will lose its competi-
the legislation relating to genetically modi- tive ability. “In the USA, there have been
fied organisms, which is backward and does many start-ups and some of them have al-
not reflect current scientific findings.” ready developed crops with the help of new
And the Czech Ministry of the Environ- methods which have qualities desired by
ment agrees with the claim that EU reg- consumers, and their cultivation will be lu-
ulations no longer reflect contemporary crative in the changing environmental con-
developments in biotechnology. “From ditions while respecting the requirements
discussions regarding the decision of the of sustainable agriculture,” Doležal points
European Court and from the experience out. The biggest producers of GM crops are
of the administrative offices, it is evident in the USA, but there are also GM produc-
that the implementation of regulations, ers in Brazil, Argentina, India, and Canada.
DE VELOPMENTAL STAGE S
OF TR ANSGENIC BARLE Y
4 žurnál 2019
photostory
photos: Martin Višňa,
Milada Hronová
May Celebrations. The Queen of this year’s UP May Student Celebrations was actress and singer Erika Stárková. “My
greatest wish is for everyone to walk down the path of their own heart and soul,” declared Queen Erika before her subjects.
The theme of the two-day celebrations was pop culture in all its forms. The programme included concerts, theatres,
exhibitions, and workshops. “This year’s programme was the most colourful one ever in terms of genres. The motto of pop
culture was fulfilled in every respect,” said Ondřej Martínek from the UP Communications Office, the main coordinator of
the organising team. (ipu)
žurnál 2019 5
8 faculties
1 university
An interactive map will help students
to choose study abroad
A new interactive map application for stu- everyone comes back with experience map will open doors to other students inter-
dents who wish to study abroad via Eras- which is both fun and valuable,” said Petr ested in foreign stays,” added Šimáček.
mus+ has been created by the UP Faculty of Šimáček, of the Department of Geography, They can use their language competen-
Science. The application enables students co-author of the map of mobilities abroad. cies acquired abroad subsequently in their
to search basic information about foreign The foreign partner institutions are di- careers. “Much research as well as feed-
partner institutions of the faculty. vided in the map app into layers according back from practice confirms that there is
“At the Department of Geography, we to the discipline and to the individual mobil- no better reference for today’s employers
try to support and motivate students in var- ities that are used. “The user can find basic than study abroad. Thanks to their foreign
ious ways so that they are not afraid to take information about the partner universities stays, students build all the self-confidence
the opportunity to travel abroad. Thanks to abroad directly on the map, such as links to and resolution they need for their future
the feedback, we have learned that the most their websites, information about the town, lives and careers,” concluded Dana Gro-
important thing is to overcome one’s fear or even the previous experience of students nychová, Student International Affairs Of-
of the unknown and set one’s sails. In fact, who have stayed there. I believe that the ficer at the Faculty of Science. (cho)
UP Student Athletics Championship
The traditional spring sports champion- Strýčková and Ondřej Pospíšil managed to menting on her performance. She con-
ship of Palacký University has revealed win medals in both contests. firmed the strength in her arms later at the
this year’s winners. The best performances Strýčková, a student of Physical Culture athletic stadium where she won in javelin
in athletic disciplines were shown by Dan- and Mathematics, was the fastest at the throwing, in addition to a silver medal in
iela Janatová of the Faculty of Science and 4-metre rope climbing, and she was no. 3 high jumping. The complete set of medals
Recreology student Štěpán Smutný, while in climbing the 8m rope. “I’m into athlet- belongs also to Ondřej Pospíšil, a student of
in climbing mostly well-known athletes ics, I do pole vaulting. My arms are strong, Physical Culture and English in Education.
took over. The first-year students Veronika that’s why,” said Veronika Strýčková, com- He won a gold medal in the 100-metre run
and a silver and a bronze medal in climbing.
Daniela Janatová triumphed altogeth-
er in four disciplines at the athletic cham-
pionship: in the relay run, in the 100 and
400 metre runs and in the long jump. The
prize for the best male athlete was won by
her colleague from the Olomouc Athletic
Club, Štěpán Smutný.
Those who also excelled at the champi-
onship attended by 200 athletes included
Soňa Lisníková from the Faculty of Science,
high-jumper Ondřej Tesař, and Jan Uhrin,
who won the shot put and was second in
the discus throw. The climbing contest
had a fabulous atmosphere, where apart
from Veronika Strýčková, the individual
disciplines were championed by Michaela
Veličková, Jonáš Vilikovský and Michal Slá-
ma, favourites from previous years. (vim)
6 žurnál 2019
Former dormitory to become the Faculty
of Theology’s centre of research excellence
The Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of teams from the Olomouc University Social ling and therapeutic rooms, plus a lab for
Theology will build its centre of science Health Institute (OUSHI), the Centre for measuring biomarkers in social scienc-
and research in the former Marie Kudeřík- Patristic, Medieval and Renaissance Texts, es research. “We have managed to cre-
ová dormitory on Kateřinská Street, Ol- scientists participating in the international ate a methodology how to measure levels
omouc. The reconstruction, according to HBSC study, and doctoral students. of oxytocin. Its connection to spirituality
a design by the Ječmen studio, will develop The renovated building will pro- is not investigated anywhere in the Czech
a state-of-the-art facility for the scientific vide classrooms, workrooms, counsel- Republic to such an extent. The lab will
enable us to measure other hormones too,
such as cortisol, electrodermal activity
and ECG. It may sound strange for a the-
ological faculty; however, these measure-
ments will provide us with precious data
for our research into social health,” said
Dean Peter Tavel.
The constructions involve mainly the in-
teriors, but there will be renovations in the
external appearance as well. The main en-
trance will be moved to the corner tower,
where an attic chapel of St Catherine will
be built. The construction costs are esti-
mated at €1.5 million, and funding was ac-
quired thanks to the programme ISPRO-
FIN at the Czech Ministry of Education,
Youth and Sports. (vim)
Completed funding will increase the number
of medics and competitiveness of the medical faculty
In September, 250 first-year students – fif- ditorium for 400 students. We are ready Republic. This sum is based on qualified es-
teen percent more than in previous years to participate in financing the upcoming timates by the Institute of Health Informa-
– will be enrolled at the UP Faculty of building shared with the Faculty of Health tion and Statistics of the Czech Republic,
photos: Velena Mazochová | Martin Višňa | visualisation: stduio Ječmen
Medicine and Dentistry to study General Sciences,” added Kolář. according to which the 15% increase in stu-
Medicine. The increase in the number of For the next decade, more than €250 mil- dent enrolment will cover the demand for
students is one of the specific impacts of lion has been allocated for the completion of new doctors caused by the retirement of ex-
the National Programme of the Comple- financing of medical schools in the Czech isting ones. (vim)
tion of Funding for Medical Faculties, from
which the Olomouc faculty will receive
a total of €30 million in the years to come.
Vice-Dean Milan Kolář pointed out this
is not a mere increase in the number of stu-
dents, respectively graduates. “The phi-
losophy of the programme is to secure the
education of future physicians. Thanks
to this funding, we’re not so dependent
on English-language study programmes
which subsidised the Czech ones. We can
support the motivation of our teachers
and increase the competitiveness of the
faculty, as compared to healthcare facil-
ities, in regards to salaries. The financial
means will be divided among all our work-
places, a portion will be used to purchase
necessary equipment and for repairs and
operations. We also need new premises
for training on simulators and a large au-
žurnál 2019 7
8 faculties
1 university
Tandem teaching: An interesting experience for Faculty
of Education academics
Selected academic workers of the UP Fac- ute their own perspective to the topic and two teachers in one classroom. “For the
ulty of Education have the opportunity to the form of presentation. It does not mean teachers themselves, their colleague’s feed-
experience the reality of education at pri- they would divide the class into two sec- back is very helpful and enriching. Feed-
mary and secondary schools by means of tions – on the contrary, they can comple- back is generally limited to ordinary in-
tandem teaching. The project “Innovative ment and help each other throughout the spections, which they perceive as a means
education of teachers by connection of the- class,” said Petr Anténe of the Institute of of control rather than an equal partnership,”
ory and practice” (ITEP) will allow them Foreign Languages at the UP Faculty of added Pavla Andrysová of The Institute of
to improve their didactic skills and compe- Education, who has tried tandem teaching Education and Social Studies. According
tencies. at the Church Grammar School of the Ger- to her, the same benefit for the development
“It is definitely an interesting experi- man Order in Olomouc. of didactic competencies can be found in
ence for me. Two teachers will be present Tandem teaching is not so common in mentoring, which can also be tried within
in the classroom and both will contrib- the Czech Republic. Only rarely are there the ITEP project by the academics. (map)
The Faculty of Law commenced its largest
construction investment
photos: Martin Višňa, Milada Hronová | Tereza Hrubá | visualisation: UP Faculty of Law
In the beginning of 2019, the UP Faculty of The objective of the project “The devel- have to cover other expenses necessarily
Law began the largest construction invest- opment of infrastructure at the UP Facul- related to the project.
ment in its modern history. The desired ty of Law for the improvement of education And what will they gain? A new study
and needed completion of the faculty build- and the internationalisation of study” is the centre with a library will become the archi-
ing was brought significantly closer thanks completion of a new central wing with a li- tectural, functional, and symbolical heart
to the successful application for construc- brary and study centre and the construc- of the faculty and will allow students, teach-
tion funding, submitted in the Operational tion of a new Centre for Clinical Legal Edu- ers, and guests to spend their time more ef-
Programme “Research, Development and cation. The modernisation will also involve fectively and in higher comfort. “We want
Education”, financed from EU funds. The the B building, where a completely new our library to be vibrant, a place where stu-
faculty is supposed to receive up to €1.6 two-storey tract will be built. dents will spend a considerable part of their
million. If everything runs smoothly, the The Faculty of Law will participate in fi- studies and which will offer various forms
new wing of the faculty ought to be opera- nancing the whole project. The required of preparations and study. The study cen-
tional in the summer term 2020. participation is 5%. The faculty will also tre will include specialised rooms for train-
ing in key competencies needed for practis-
ing law, as well as offices for foreign guests.
There will be access from the study hall to
an outdoor terrace,” described the facul-
ty’s dean, Zdenka Papoušková, Thanks to
the modernisation of the existing complex,
there will be enough room for legal clinics
too, especially for a student legal advisory
centre.
The construction should be completed in
October 2019, then in November and De-
cember the new premises will be equipped
with furniture and electrical devices. In
February 2020, it should be ready to serve
the faculty’s students and employees. (eha)
8 žurnál 2019A team from three institutions completes
a research work on Karl von Lichtenstein-Castlecorno
Experts from the Olomouc Museum of gathered precious collections of paintings, However now a team of experts from all
Art, Palacký University Olomouc, and graphic arts, sculptures, coins, books, and three institutions is finishing two large
Masaryk University in Brno focussed their sheet music. Without his contribution, Ol- publications. They will be published in
four-year research on Bishop Karl von Li- omouc as well as other places in Moravia both Czech and English versions and
chtenstein-Castelcorno. He was the per- would look completely different today. launched on the occasion of an exposition.
son responsible for the rebuilding of the “We have been postponing such a com- It will present not only the Bishop’s art col-
Kroměříž Chateau, as well as Olomouc plex study on Karl von Lichtenstein-Castel- lections and patronage, but also his strate-
Archbishop’s Palace, he built the world-re- corno for several decades. It is an extraor- gies in the economic and spiritual manage-
nowned Flower Garden of Kroměříž, and dinarily broad and demanding theme. ment of the Olomouc diocese,” said Jana
Zapletalová, Head of the Department of
Art History at the UP Faculty of Arts.
Karl von Lichtenstein-Castelcorno was
one the most powerful noblemen of the
second half of the 17th century. The Olo-
mouc Museum of Art has presented him
during this year by means of an extensive
exhibition project “For the Cathedral,
City, and Country”. The exposition also
features a documentary film “The Ba-
roque Nobleman”, in whose preparations
dozens of experts of the above-mentioned
institutions participated. It was filmed by
screenwriter and director Theodor Mo-
jžíš in co-production with Czech Televi-
sion. (map)
HELP2 project provides English as well as
German courses for medics
As a follow-up to the recently concluded of which are focused on healthcare issues, Moodle and advance the level of our in-
international project Healthcare English whereas the remaining ones deal with in- teractive exercises up a notch,” added
Language Programme (HELP) award- tercultural competencies. The materials Merz. The first novelties for pilot testing
ed by the European Commission, the UP are also available in the form of PDF files to and users’ feedback will be accessible in
Faculty of Health Sciences created an on- be downloaded. summer 2019. The whole project will cul-
line platform for providing English cours- “The innovation of the HELP2 pro- minate with an official presentation of its
es for medics. This platform will be further ject is in the fact that we are going to use results at the final conference in March
elaborated, as the main investigators from all the possibilities of the new version of 2021 in Olomouc. (vim)
the faculty along with investigators from
partner universities and organisations of
seven European countries plan to comple-
ment new topics according to users’ feed-
back, and also translate some parts into
German.
“The users lacked for example nutri-
tion, physiotherapy, dental medicine, and
caregiving. Our aim is to complement
those areas and more,” said the main in-
vestigator of the project, Lukáš Merz of
the Department of Humanities and Social
Sciences.
Users – not only medics and physicians,
but also interested parties from the pub-
lic – can already attend twenty interactive
courses on the project’s website, fourteen
žurnál 2019 9science text: Martina Šaradínová
illustration: Martin Pykal
A demonstration of the interaction of a graphene derivative with molecules for applications in chemical catalysis.
Scientists fine-tune
molecules with the help
of 2D chemistry
The physical chemists Pavel Hobza and Radek Zbořil, from the Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of
Sciences and the Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and
Materials (RCPTM) of Palacký University respectively, together with
their team, have been searching for new ways in chemistry as of
this year, thanks to an EXPRO project funded by the Czech Science
Foundation. For the next five years they have been granted funding
for a research project for excellence in the amount of €2 million.
10 žurnál 2019The project “Influencing the electron- ical bonds which will arise between the two mensional chemistry, in the second phase,
ic properties of organometallic molecules components of the system. “We’re starting the researchers would like to apply their
through the help of their noncovalent in- off mainly via the path of covalent chemis- findings in real applications. Such hybrid
teractions with solvents, ligands and 2D try, because it has been shown that in these systems of 2D materials with a bonded
systems” follows up on many years of re- stronger bonds the interaction between molecule offer applications in molecular
search by both scientists and their labs in a molecule and the substrate is stronger, electronics, biomedicine, electrocatalysis,
this country. which could enhance the mutual synergy. or in new battery technologies.
“The idea of the project is to make use of We are also going to try noncovalent bonds. The aim of the new EXPRO group of
the 2D chemistry of graphene for the first The chosen approach will depend on which projects is to support research teams led
time to influence the electronic states and 2D material we use,” explained Pavel Hob- by a top, internationally recognised expert
properties of molecules. It is based on the za, the most-cited Czech scientist and the or by a young scientist with convincing po-
assumption that graphene or its deriva- discoverer of improper hydrogen bonds. tential for excellence – i.e., direct support
tives could be a suitable substrate, which The scientists chose planar ligands on the to where excellence already exists or where
could, through covalent and noncovalent basis of iron phthalocyanines for their re- it has a chance to be created. The goal is
interactions, influence the electronic, mag- search. These molecules, structurally simi- to contribute to raising the excellence of
netic, and optical qualities of molecules,” lar to haemoglobin, are the ones that the sci- science in the country. One of the condi-
explained Radek Zbořil, who is also the entists will try to influence. tions is that the key scientist must apply for
RCPTM director. Although the fundamental contribu- a grant from the European Research Coun-
The scientists must create a communica- tion of the project should be to prove the cil (ERC) during the course of the project.
tions path between the molecules and the hypothesis of the possibility of influenc- Thirty-six EXPRO projects were awarded
2D surface. They will make use of the chem- ing the properties of molecules via two-di- in the first competition.
Faculty of Law journal included
in Scopus database
The Faculty of Law is celebrating one of Successful completion of the pro- ing prestige of ICLR, which is published
the most important academic achieve- cess of indexation into Scopus was sig- twice a year in English, is the current in-
ments in its modern history. Its peer-re- nificantly influenced also by a decision terest of authors to publish there. The ed-
viewed journal International and Compa- of the faculty’s management, who allo- itorial board receives around one hun-
rative Law Review (ICLR) was proposed cated special funding within the institu- dred texts annually.
by the international commission Scopus tional plan for internalisation in order to The Scopus database lists only four
Content Selection & Advisory Board to support the development of this journal. journals in Law published in the Czech
be included in the prestigious Scopus ab- This funding facilated some time ago in- Republic. Altogether, Palacký University
stract and citation database. It is one of the clusion of the journal into the Sciendo has three indexed periodicals in the data-
key tools for the bibliometric evaluation of database, which contributed to its visi- base – Biomedical Papers Olomouc, Acta
quality in scientific and academic journals. bility and impact. One sign of the grow- Gymnica, and Studia Theologica. (eha)
The inclusion of ICLR among the elite
academic periodicals is a confirmation of
photo: Eva Hrudníková
the journal’s quality and at the same time
an acknowledgement of the many years of
hard work by the editorial team. Its chief
since 2016 has been Ondrej Hamuľák from
the Department of International and Euro-
pean Law. “The process of selection and
inclusion of journals into the Scopus data-
base is very demanding. It took our journal,
from the application to the positive evalu-
ation, almost four years,” said Hamuľák.
Throughout that period, they had to pay
heed to the regularity of publication, the
originality of texts, and high citation index.
The Scopus Content Selection & Advisory
Board also judged the composition of the
editorial board, the quality and geographic
diversity of authors, the selection of topics,
and the journal’s potential.
žurnál 2019 11research text: Ivana Pustějovská Namibian girls photos: Gabriela Knýblová, KM archives in Bartošovice, 1987 “Africans with a Czech soul” Olomouc scientist describes the forgotten fates of Namibian children It’s a story partly heart-warming, partly es in a board game. The almost unknown the storm of events, and because he or she tragic, and partly disturbing. It’s the story fates of these Namibian Czechs are being is a child, they cannot influence things on of 56 African children, half-orphaned by mapped by Kateřina Mildnerová of the UP their own. That child is like a plant we have war, taken in by what was then the Czecho- Faculty of Arts in her research. dug up and then repotted into a different slovakian regime under the auspices of so- The African studies scholar from the environment, where it has no roots and is cialist cooperation, in order for them to Department of Sociology, Andragogy and not capable of another full life,” she says, study in Czechoslovakia and forget about Cultural Anthropology first learned about explaining the beginnings of her research. the war. It’s the story of Namibian Czechs the Namibians who consider themselves – African on the outside, European on the Czechs in the year 2000, during her stud- Czechoslovakian idyll inside – who years later had to return to ies at the university in Pilsen. There she Kateřina Mildnerová is talking about 56 Namibia – a land they did not know, whose met two female students from Namib- children who found themselves in the mid- language they did not speak, and a coun- ia who spoke Czech and proudly declared 1980s in what was then socialist Czecho- try in which they did not want to live. But themselves Czechs. “I was interested in the slovakia. A years-long fight for independ- mainly, it is testimony to how regimes and theme of an ordinary person against the ence was underway in Namibia, one of the politicians played with children like piec- backdrop of history. A person caught up in last African colonies. The guerrilla war 12 žurnál 2019
was being led by the South West African guage they did not speak. Plus for years, the
Kateřina Mildnerová (b. 1978)
People’s Organisation (SWAPO – the na- group had gotten used to being together all
tional liberation front), and its activities the time. Which also came to an end. African studies scholar
were supported by the countries of the for- Kateřina Mildnerová first went to Na- and social and cultural
mer Soviet bloc. And so SWAPO’s military mibia in 2017 to do fieldwork. She had al- anthropologist working at
leaders were made an offer to send almost ready been acquainted with the situation the Department of Sociology,
sixty boys and girls, aged five to seven, to there because the theme had been taken up Andragogy, and Cultural
be brought up and educated in a friendly by her husband – an anthropologist – before Anthropology, UP Faculty
her. But he had not finished his work and so of Arts. Head of the Czech
socialist country.
Association of African
Starting in 1985, the children were she took it over. “My arrival was incredible,
Studies. She is interested
placed in a boarding school in Bartošov- they welcomed me with open arms. I was
professionally in the religions
ice, and in 1988 were transferred to a newly a symbol of everything they love. The trust
of sub-Saharan Africa and the
remodelled boarding school in Prachatice. normally earned from a respondent over problem of identity and the
They learned Czech, they played sports, a long period of weeks and months was in- concept of home for migrants;
they went to school. Some of them were stantaneous,” the scientist describes. she has had several research
“adopted” by Czech families who took She was able to contact and map the stays in Zambia, Benin, and
them home on weekends and holidays. fates of 38 of the children, now in their for- Namibia. She is the author
And they were also used as propaganda – ties. In the majority of cases, these were not of three monographs: Můj
smiling black children – for the regime, as stories with a happy ending. “They varied. soused čaroděj (My neighbour
these SWAPO socialist youths sang and Some were parents, or rather mothers, be- the warlock, 2008), Pití
marched in May Day parades. “Their stay cause the fathers either died in battle or fetišů – Náboženství a umění
here was idyllic for them, they were well were unknown, or were high officials in vodun v Beninu (Drinking
the ruling party which smoothed the way fetishes – Religion and the
taken care of, they had exotic fresh fruit
voodoo arts in Benin, 2012),
and good facilities,” describes Mildnerová. for their children. But those were few. The
and From Where Does the Bad
majority lived in difficult living conditions,
Wind Blow? Spiritual Healing
End of the dream, African reality in slums, in tin huts without drinking water
and Witchcraft in Zambia,
begins on the poverty line,” she says, and remem- Lusaka (2015). At present she
The idyll ended for the unsuspecting chil- bers for instance a young woman living in is preparing a monograph on
dren at the beginning of the 1990s, when a tent, who to this day has preserved her identity and the concept of
Namibia declared its independence. Its crumpled school report card with straight home for Namibian Czechs.
newly ratified constitution requested the As from Prachatice. The return to Namib-
repatriation of its citizens. After compli- ia for the Prachatice children was very diffi-
cated diplomatic discussions, the children cult – they were scattered among their real
were definitively returned in autumn 1991. or adoptive parents across the entire coun-
It was not a happy return. They arrived in try, many finding themselves in a back-
a country they did not know, whose lan- word countryside without electricity.
“I was interested in the
theme of an ordinary person
against the backdrop of
history. A person caught up
in the storm of events, and
because he or she is a child,
they cannot influence things
on their own. That child is
like a plant we have dug up
and then repotted into a dif-
ferent environment, where
it has no roots and is not
capable of another full life.”
žurnál 2019 13Some of the families of girls who were then A possible return by these now adults children via social networks. It has been
thirteen-year-olds with a European educa- to a transformed country however will not very emotional.”
tion – and thus a good commodity – imme- be easy. Some of them have had the expe- Some of the heroes of this story ought
diately “married” them. rience, though. In the 1990s, they could to return to Czechia at the beginning of
“Many had great psychological difficul- again return and study at university. “Fif- summer to work. “Their vision is that
ties – they did not know the local language, teen were accepted, but the majority did not they will work here, and once they earn
not even English, and thus they had trouble graduate – only four or five. The rest per- enough money, they want to bring their
even integrating into the local education- ceived it as a return to their care-free child- children here to live with them,” Mildner-
al system; some became homeless, reach- hood and were not able to manage universi- ová says, adding in an aside that none of
ing absolute rock bottom, some fell prey ty life. In the end, they were deported. But the Namibians are planning to bring their
to alcohol or drugs. They all experienced those that did graduate found themselves in spouses along with them. “None of their
difficult states of cultural uprooting, lone- a difficult position after their return to Na- marriages are going very well; the cul-
liness, and powerlessness,” explains Mild- mibia. Their degrees were not accepted, tural differences were so vast that things
nerová. and nobody wanted to employ them. How- didn’t work out. The only happy marriag-
ever, it worked out in the end, and at present es are those which involve a Czech part-
Difficult returns the ones who had a Czech university educa- ner. These are for example young women
As she adds, many of them have not giv- tion have quite decent jobs.” who studied at Czech universities, found
en up on their dream to return home – Czech men, and live together with them
to Czechia – even after 28 years of life in Social experiments do not end in Namibia. That works.”
Namibia. “One of the almost unbelieva- well Every story should also have some sort
ble findings of my study is that even after In addition to fieldwork, Kateřina Mild- of moral. Kateřina Mildnerová formu-
so many years they feel they are Czechs, nerová does archival research, and one lates it quite precisely, even though it is not
they still speak Czech, they use the Czech result of her work ought to be the autumn a very optimistic one. “The fate of the Na-
names they were given by their caretak- publication of a book about Namibian mibian children is proof that any political
ers here, and they still keep in touch. By Czechs. “The book is not the only result. manipulation whatsoever with children
the way, their children are even named af- I’m currently preparing a documenta- is dangerous and can permanently dam-
ter Czech fairy tale characters – Růžen- ry film as well, in cooperation with Au- age the children psychologically. Because
ka (Sleeping Beauty), Zlatovláska (Gold- dio-Visual Productions at UP. And thanks of this social experiment, these children
ilocks), Popelka (Cinderella),” the UP to the research, I was also able to connect will have psychological scars for the rest of
scientist enumerates. the Czech families with their ‘adopted’ their lives.”
Namibian adolescents with their music idols at their depar- Namibian children on a trip to Anín, 1989
ture from Prachatice, 1991 Repatriation of the children from Prachatice to Namibia, 1991
14 žurnál 2019text: Martin Višňa
photos: Gabriela Knýblová portrait
Dagmar Pospíšilová
Paediatric Haematologist and Professor,
UP Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
žurnál 2019 15Dagmar Pospíšilová (b. 1956)
Professor of Paediatrics,
scientist, doctor, born in
Prostějov. She graduated
from the UP Faculty of Med-
icine and Dentistry, after
her studies she entered the
Olomouc University Hospi-
tal Children’s Clinic, which
she now heads, and where
since the mid-1980s has
been a specialist in the field
of Paediatric Haematology.
In the 1990s she had work
stays in St. Anna Kinderspital
in Vienna and at Harvard
Medical School in the USA.
In 2015 she was named
Professor of Paediatrics.
She is a member of several
professional workgroups, for
To watch your child die is doubtless the was already an expert, he taught me a lot. example the expert panel for
Diamond-Blackfan anaemia
worst thing a parent can experience. The Especially a love for paediatrics, science,
in the European Network for
loss of a young person’s life is of course also and medicine based on proof.” Rare and Congenital Anaemi-
experienced by doctors, when they must The road for the now renowned doc- as, and is the deputy head of
face the fact that our medical knowledge tor and expert in haematology took her the Paediatric Haematology
is limited. One such loss was not accepted through three crucial moments. “I loved Workgroup of the Czech
by Dagmar Pospíšilová, currently the Head maths from the very beginning. At prima- Haematology Society.
of the Children’s Clinic of the UP Faculty of ry school I took part successfully in Math-
Medicine and Dentistry and the Olomouc ematics Olympics and wanted to study
University Hospital, where her profession- maths. However at secondary school, they
al life started with research on anaemia. put me in the natural sciences class. In the
Paediatric haematology and oncolo- end, maths fell by the wayside and I ap-
gy are still considered the most depress- plied for university studies in medicine.
ing fields in medicine. However, once you At the Department of Sports Medicine
start to discuss this theme with a woman and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, I start-
who radiates optimism and energy, your ed to work as an assistant in Cardiology.
preconceptions get blown to smithereens. When later I went to the University Hospi-
“The last twenty or twenty-five years have tal, there was no opening in Internal Med-
been an amazing period, something which icine. I could choose between Radiology
the young doctors of today may never ex- and Paediatrics. The third turning point
perience. We have been eyewitnesses to took place in Paediatrics, when the head
perhaps the greatest advance in medicine, doctor called me to say that a colleague in
when such a pessimistic field as paediatric Haematology was leaving and they need-
haematology and oncology actually became ed a replacement. My dream of Cardiology
a fascinating and optimistic one. Thanks quickly evaporated. My beginnings in Hae-
to the cooperation of experts from all over matology were difficult and depressing,
the world, treatment for childhood leukae- but I swear by the field today,” remembers
mia has improved so much that we are now the professor.
able to cure nearly ninety percent of our pa-
tients and return them back to life – with no Rare disease
after-effects. Beforehand it was the oppo- After the death of one of her patients from
site – ninety percent of our young patients Diamond-Blackfan anaemia, research into
faced fatal consequences,” says Dagmar this extremely rare blood disease became
Pospíšilová, with visible enthusiasm. a life-long theme for her. In all of Czechia
and Slovakia, just over sixty patients suffer
Maths fell by the wayside from this syndrome. There is no cure, but
She refers to herself as a pupil of Vladimír hope could be just a few years away. The
Mihála – her colleague from the Depart- cause of the disease has now been identified.
ment of Haemato-Oncology and prede- “These are abnormal ribosomal protein
cessor as Head of the Children’s Clinic. genes which control protein biosynthesis in
“When I started out in haematology, he cells. Their discovery was one of the biggest
16 žurnál 2019surprises in medicine over the past twenty ence today so quickly evolves, returning that goes on here. It’s one huge marathon.
years and allowed the definition of an entire- to work can be, and often is, demanding. We are dedicated to treating patients, and
ly new group of diseases and the rise of ex- It would help if a female researcher in that educating students – paediatrics is a re-
tensive and interesting research into them. period could, thanks to some special bene- quired state medical course and a certifi-
We are also studying the individual prob- fit or programme, most effectively combine cation field. It’s also necessary to resolve
lems which this anaemia causes, and we’re the time dedicated to work and family and personnel problems and possible patient
trying to determine how to influence them. to the maximum possible extent be able to complaints. And you never know when you
We’ve found for example that administer- dedicate herself to her scientific work. It go home on a Friday if everything will be
ing the amino acid leucine leads to improv- would require however the huge support, the same on Monday.”
ing patients’ conditions. We’re also looking understanding and tolerance of all mem-
at the possibility of gene therapy, repairing bers of the family,” she surmises. Classical music lover
the mutated genes. Our colleagues from Responsibilities obviously require some
Sweden – with whom we are cooperating – One huge marathon kind of compensation, relaxation. The
are furthest along in this research. I believe The problem of the number of women in sci- greatest relaxation for Dagmar Pospíšilová
that I’ll still be around to employ gene treat- ence is reflected in her answer to the ques- at present is her four-year-old grandson;
ment,” hopes the scientist, whose work- tion of role models. Among the personalities she also unwinds through sport. She used
place is the centre of research in rare anae- whom she values for their expert contribu- to do gymnastics, then aerobics, and after
mias in the Czech Republic and a member of tions are the immunologist Anna Šedivá that regularly went to the fitness centre.
the ENERCA – the European Network for from Motol University Hospital in Prague, Recently her free time has been significant-
Rare and Congenital Anaemias. the haematologist Šárka Pospíšilová from ly diminished, but she still cycles, skis in
Dagmar Pospíšilová, a highly-cited re- Brno, and then men – the Olomouc scien- winter, and keeps fit.
searcher, was nominated for the Milada tists and doctors Marián Hajdúch, Vladimír She also has another hobby: classical
Paulová Award for lifelong achievement Divoký, Milan Raška, and Vladimír Mihál, music, and not just passively. She used to
in science for women researchers. “I was the head of the Motol Paediatric Haematol- play piano and still practices her favourite,
very surprised by the nomination, and it ogy and Ontology Clinic Jan Starý, and the Chopin. “Like everything else, you need to
was a great honour for me. And because scientists Jan Trka and Jan Zuna. practise, and I don’t have such nimble fin-
of it, I realised how few female professors “I also take my hat off to our nurses for gers as I used to. I do sit down at the piano,
of medicine there are. I think that wom- their patience. It’s no wonder people call when nobody’s there to listen,” the profes-
en have absolutely the same preconditions them angels. We have excellent nurses in sor confides, whose favourites also include
as men to carry out science and research. our clinic,” points out Prof Pospíšilová, Mozart and Shostakovich. “Sometimes
The key moment in the case of women is who recently added to her medical and sci- when I’m all in, I sit down in my armchair,
motherhood. Their new life role logical- entific responsibilities by becoming head of close my eyes, and listen to something by
ly overwhelms them, and the way that sci- the clinic. “I’m responsible for everything them – that’s real relaxation,” she adds.
“The work of a doctor is
a calling. It is our job, but
I wouldn’t call it heroic.
I quite humbly bow to the
real heroes, those who
risk their own lives to save
others.”
Vladimír Mihál Jan Starý
Professor, former Head Professor, Head of the Paediatric
of the Children’s Clinic of the Haematology and Oncology Clinic,
UP Faculty of Medicine and Second Faculty of Medicine at the
Dentistry and the Olomouc Charles University in Prague
University Hospital Faculty of Medicine and the Motol
University Hospital
Dagmar Pospíšilová is a respected
and mature personality in the field Prof Dagmar Pospíšilová is one of the lead-
of Czech Paediatrics and Haematol- ing representatives of the traditionally ex-
ogy, with high professional capital. cellent Olomouc haematology school, an in-
She cooperates closely with foreign ternationally known and respected expert
colleagues on the problem of con- in the problem of non-cancerous blood dis-
genital erythropoiesis. Her copious eases. She is an experienced clinician with
publishing and lecturing activities a great knowledge of theory and differen-
with multiple citations and exten- tial diagnoses in paediatrics, thinking about
sive foreign scientific and research the uncured diseases of her patients and
cooperation complete her quali- stimulating her laboratory co-workers to
ties. Her scientific work is a great introducing new diagnostic and explora-
boon for the clinic. tional methods and approaches.
žurnál 2019 17success
Patrik Farkaš of the Faculty of Arts received
the Bader Scholarship
Patrik Farkaš, a doctoral student at the De- themes in Hungarian painting of the 17th don and at the Netherlands Institute for Art
partment of Art History, Faculty of Arts, and 18th centuries, especially still lifes and History in the Haag, where I will spend al-
received the highly prestigious scholarship landscape painting. “We are trying to de- together three months,” said the UP doc-
of the U.S chemist and art collector Al- tect their European models and outline toral student. During his study stays, he
fred Bader. The scholarship, in the sum of how the contemporary market with these will collaborate with natural scientists.
$11,000, was granted to support his scien- artworks operated,” he added. The collaboration will consist in providing
tific research and stay abroad. The Bader Scholarship was awarded to chemical-technological analyses of paint-
“Being awarded the Alfred Bader Schol- enable him to study the still lifes of Eastern ings with dubious authorship and com-
arship is a tremendous honour and also an Slovakia and research the work of a local paring the findings with related works as
obligation to provide quality research find- native, Jakub Bogdani. “In addition to stay- well as a preserved manuscript that de-
ings during my doctoral study,” said Patrik ing in the countries of the former Hungar- scribes the technical procedures in Bog-
photos: P. Farkaš archive | M. Kubica – Tempus medicorum | K. Stejskalová – J. Heyrovský
Farkaš. His research delves into secular ian Empire, it also involves a stay in Lon- dani’s painting. (map)
Surgeon Vladimír Král dubbed Knight
of the Czech Medical Profession
The honorary title Knight of the Czech The Czech Medical Chamber awards
Institute of Physical Chemistry of the CAS archive | V. Duda
Medical Profession was bestowed upon the title of knight to extraordinary
Vladimír Král, emeritus head of the De- personalities among medical doctors
partment of Surgery I at the UP Faculty whose practice or scientific work sig-
of Medicine and Dentistry and the Uni- nificantly contributed to the develop-
versity Hospital Olomouc, as an apprais- ment of medicine and whose moral
al of his work. He entered the medical hall conduct has become a model for their
of fame as its twenty-fifth member dur- colleagues. “It is an honour that I ac-
ing a ceremonial act of the Czech Medical cept with utmost humbleness. I think
Chamber in Prague’s Břevnov Monastery. this acknowledgement does not be-
“Professor Vladimír Král excels both long to me only, but also to all my col-
in professionality and innate gentility, leagues,” said the renowned surgeon
natural elegance, and a cultivated de- and educator with an excellent repu-
meanour that elevate him to the status tation in the country and abroad, who
of a master surgeon. Therefore, he de- headed the Department of Surgery I in
serves to be decorated by the title Knight Olomouc and who still shares his expe-
of the Czech Medical Profession. Wis- rience with students despite being re-
dom, modesty, selflessness, and dili- tired. In 2018, Vladimír Král received
gence, along with firm moral principles, the Gold Medal for Merit in the Devel-
are virtues inherent in knights,” stated opment of Palacký University from UP
the chamber’s President, Milan Kubek. Rector Jaroslav Miller. (vim)
18 žurnál 2019You can also read
