The Czech Ministry of Health Award has been conferred since 2007. The award is to highlight the benefits of scientific achievements of specific personalities in the field of medical research with national and international significance. The awards also aspire to raise public awareness of the work and the outstanding results of Czech scientists. Palacký University boasts three holders of this award.
Team of Prof Jiri Bartek, PhD., M.D., Dr. h. c. mult. from the Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine (IMTM)
The Scientific Board of the Internal Grant Agency of the Ministry of Health awarded the team of Jiří Bártek the main prize for outstanding long-term results in the research of brain tumours. In their laboratory, IMTM scientists have managed to discover the causes of failures in therapy of one of the most aggressive types of brain tumours – glioblastoma. Even more important for the experts are detections of “weaknesses” in the glioblastoma stem cells – they have discovered a new type of dependency of glioblastoma stem cells that can be used for their targeted termination. The researchers managed to experimentally block the newly discovered adjustment mechanism, significantly retarding the growth of human glioblastomas transplanted onto a mouse model.
Team of Prof. MD. David Školoudík, Ph.D.
Honourable mention was awarded for new findings about the use of ultrasound in the treatment of vascular disease of the brain, brought by research aimed at reducing the risk of cerebral strokes using therapeutic ultrasound or sonolysis during surgery on the carotid arteries. Ultrasound can be used both diagnostically and in treatment. The basis is the activation of a certain type of enzymes and mechanical agitation of thromboses using ultrasonic waves. The results have shown that sonolysis represents a promising method of treatment, not only in patients with acute ischaemic stroke, but also in patients undergoing interventional procedures on the carotid arteries.
Team led by the head of the Department of Orthopaedics, UP Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Prof. MUDr. Jiří Gallo, Ph.D.
The award-winning research of Olomouc orthopaedic specialists brought several unique findings in the study of the periprosthetic osteolysis timeline, which occurs with the immune response of an individual to microparticles released from the surface of the endoprosthesis. The research was carried out in cooperation with colleagues from the Department of Immunology and the Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, UP. The results will be used in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the separation of joint replacements.