Sestava 1 - Akademický bulletin - Akademie věd ČR

e s u m éTOPIC OF THE MONTHThis year’s Science and Technology Week,organized for the public by the Academy of Sciencesof the Czech Republic, took place November 1–15 inPrague, Brno, České Budějovice, Olomouc, Ostravaand other places. Science and Technology Week isone of the largest science communication efforts inthe Czech Republic, presenting the latest scientificachievements and results of current research to anincreasing number of Czech citizens. Scientists fromresearch workplaces of the ASCR presented a crosssection of lectures, presentations, panel discussions,seminars, excursions, exhibitions and discussionevenings. This gave attendees insights into theirresearch projects, scientific apparatuses and anoutline on the latest trends in the areas of science inthe Czech Republic and the world. The festival hasa main theme each year. This year theme was theScience Energy.THE EVENTNovember 17 – Czechoslovak Academyof Sciences’ AnniversaryThe November 17 was first declared as InternationalStudents’ Day in 1941 in London by the InternationalStudents’ Council. Struggle for Freedom and DemocracyDay (formely Students’ Struggle for Freedomand Democracy Day – established in 1990) has beenobserved as an official holiday in the Czech Republicsince 2000. This date is also associated with theorigin of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences(1952–1992), which comprised research institutes,a learned society and a body of academicians andcorresponding members. Despite being subjected toheavy ideological pressure until the fall of the communistregime in 1989, Czech science was nevertheless able tomaintain its creative energy in a number of instancesand to find its way to the world scientific community(although there were disparities within the various fieldsof sciences during different periods of the regime).SCIENCE AND RESEARCHBIOCEV project launchedThe BIOCEV project was launched October 31 at anofficial ceremony at the headquarters of the ASCR, withthe inauguration of the first research program,Functional Genomics. BIOCEV is one of six majorapproved projects that are to become centers ofscientific excellence in the Czech Republic andEurope. BIOCEV’s research program is focused ontwo current and rapidly changing scientific fields –biomedicine and biotechnologies – and combinesprimary and applied research. The results of theab40scientific research are expected to be used to developnew medicaments and diagnostic processes. The newcenter is funded by the European Commission’sOperational Program Research and Developmentfor Innovation through a grant won by the CzechAcademy of Sciences and Charles University Prague.Milada Paulová Award 2012Minister of Education, Youth and Sports ProfessorPetr Fiala presented the Milada Paulová Award in thehistorical sciences to Professor Zdeňka Hledíková,professor emeritus at Charles University in Prague.The festive ceremony took place October 16 inLiechtenstein Palace in Prague. Professor Hledíková isa prominent and internationally recognised Czechhistorian and university teacher. Her research concentrateson church history and the history of theMedieval Age in general. She was allowed to get herhabilitation only after 1989, and in 1996 she becamea professor. At this time she was Director of the CzechHistorical Institute in Rome.The Award is named after the first Czech womanto lecture at a university (1925) and to receivea professorship (1939), the late historian and byzantologistMilada Paulová.Unique instrument for complexmetabolomics analysesQTRAP ® 5500, a new mass spectrometer at theInstitute of Physiology of the ASCR, will helpscientists to explore causes of cancer, neurodegenerativeor cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Thisinstrument, which was festively introduced October 16,can perform both complex metabolomics analyses,which define the metabolic state of the whole organism,and also analyses focused on effects of foodsupplements or drugs on cell cultures.NEW PROJECTSCordillera Blanca ProjectCzech Scientists have received a four year researchproject (2011–2014), enabling them to continue intheir research activities focused on slope stability andphenomena of the glacial lakes outburst flood in themajestic Cordillera Blanca in Peru. Previous researchas well as the new project is supported by Peruviancolleagues from Autoridad Nacional Del Agua, Unidadde Glaciología y Recursos Hídricos, Huaraz. The projectwill study four topics: spatial and temporal occurrenceof landslides; stability calculations of dangerousslopes; GLOF extent modeling; and multi hazardmaps preparation.