News: Faculty of Science

Four projects involving Palacký University were successful in the second year of the Aurora European university network call for proposals aimed at supporting international research. Olomouc’s university is also a partner in the organisation of one of the specialised summer schools, and is sending one of its students on a short-term research internship.

The Call for Incentive Research Collaboration was announced at the end of last year as part of the Aurora 2030 programme supported by the European University initiative under the auspices of the European Commission. A total of 29 applications were received from all Aurora universities, nine of which received support totalling €125,000.

The Aurora Research Council evaluated not only scientific quality and originality, but also feasibility and contribution to the development of the international scientific community. Projects also had to demonstrate how they could contribute to the activities of Aurora Research-driven Educational Hubs, i.e., thematic research and education centres linking teaching and research.

“Sixteen applications were submitted on behalf of Palacký University – fourteen focused on scientific collaboration, one on a summer school, and one on a scientific research internship. Although UP did not win any projects as a coordinator this year, it was successful in four projects and one summer school as a partner. It will also send a student on a short-term internship,” said Marie Jadrníčková, Aurora Research Officer at UP.

Joint scientific research projects

The HONE (How Narratives Emerge) project examines how public narratives and debates – such as those concerning migration – emerge and spread, and how language influences society’s perceptions. Based on an analysis of political speeches, newspaper articles, and archival media, the team will monitor how even minor linguistic decisions, such as the choice of words or metaphors, can gradually shape public opinion. Ľudmila Lacková Bennett from the UP Faculty of Arts Department of General Linguistics is participating in the project on behalf of UP.

What is the composition of edible flowers and how do they affect digestion and health? Is their consumption safe and what are their effects? The results of the BLOOM-DIGEST project will help improve food safety, promote sustainable dining, and train new scientists. Sanja Ćavar Zeljković from CATRIN is involved in the project on behalf of UP.

EUROPARKS brings together researchers and representatives of European amusement parks to explore more sustainable approaches in this sector. It addresses the lack of research in the leisure industry, promotes collaboration between academics and companies, and explores new ways of sharing results. Vít Voženílek from the UP Faculty of Science Department of Geoinformatics is engaged in the project on behalf of UP.

Developing tools for the early detection of ecosystem damage is the goal of three teams in the SIHTED project. It focuses on tropical forests in Laos, which are very rich in species but threatened by intensive agriculture. Scientists will search for key indicators that will help monitor the environmental health before major damage occurs. Bořivoj Šarapatka from the UP Faculty of Science Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences is taking part in the project on behalf of UP.

Thematic summer schools

A specialised summer school AQUARiQ will focus on quantum photonics. Its goal is to promote the exchange of knowledge and inspire further development of quantum technologies. The summer school builds on the global activities of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Jaromír Fiuriášek from the UP Faculty of Science Department of Optics is the partner for UP.

Short-term scientific research internships

Alice Navrátilová, a doctoral student in migration studies at the UP Faculty of Arts Department of Sociology, Andragogy and Cultural Anthropology has been awarded a short-term scientific research internship through the YOUTHNET project, which examines the social networks of young people with a migrant background in Catalonia, Spain.

“We are delighted with the continued interest of our researchers in international cooperation within the Aurora alliance, believing that their efforts will also gradually lead to success in European grant calls,” Jadrníčková said in conclusion.

Further information on the results is available on the Aurora central website. New calls and other opportunities for UP students and staff are regularly published in Czech on UP’s Aurora website.

Research by scientists from Palacký University (UP) Olomouc is heading into space. Among the 13 experiments that will be part of Czech astronaut Aleš Svoboda’s upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is an experiment prepared by scientists from the Czech Advanced Technologies and Research Institute (CATRIN) at UP and the Brno-based company S.A.B Aerospace. The bioreactor they have developed will monitor the effect of the space environment on the growth and development of plants, in this case barley. Their findings will then be used not only in long-term space missions, but also for the development of new varieties with higher resistance to extreme conditions.

“Until now, space research on barley has focused primarily on seed viability and malt quality, rather than on understanding the physiological and molecular changes that occur in plants in a microgravity environment. We will now build on our many years of experience studying barley as a model crop and capitalize on our knowledge of plant phenotyping using optical and electrochemical sensors that can non-invasively monitor plant growth and development. By combining a number of scientific disciplines, we will contribute to a deeper understanding of plant physiology,” said Lukáš Spíchal, head of one of the CATRIN divisions and an expert in plant phenotyping.

The project, called Phenotyping Unit for Microgravity Research – Assessing the Early Development of Barley (PUMR-B), focuses on the role of plants as a key component of so-called bioregenerative systems for supporting life in space. Plants provide vitamins, reduce carbon dioxide levels, produce oxygen, and help recycle wastewater. Experts will send a small growth and phenotyping unit measuring only 190 × 60 × 70 mm with a growth and root module that can hold up to 50 barley seeds to the ISS. In the future, it may be expanded to allow experiments with larger plant populations and to assist in the selection of crops suitable for cultivation in space.

“We will design the bioreactor so that we can automatically control and monitor plant growth conditions from Earth. On daily basis, the device will record individual parameters using sensors. This will require minimal crew intervention during the experiment, which will last approximately 12 days,” explained Anna Glozigová from S.A.B Aerospace, representing the industrial partner.

Scientists expect the experiment to bring not only advances in space research, but also new insights for modern agriculture. “Microgravity conditions are very stressful for plants, similar to drought or high temperatures on Earth. These extreme factors not only reduce yield, but also change the ratio of starch and protein in barley. We believe that by exposing barley to a microgravity environment, we will be able to uncover previously unknown molecular and metabolic pathways involved in stress responses. This knowledge can then be used in new breeding programs to develop varieties with greater resistance to extreme conditions,” said the project principal investigator Véronique Bergougnoux of CATRIN. 

The European Space Agency (ESA) in the Czech Republic will support the implementation of 13 Czech scientific and technological experiments for the mission of Czech astronaut-in-training Aleš Svoboda to the ISS. A detailed presentation of the experiments took place on Tuesday, October 21, during the Czech Space Week, the largest domestic festival of space activities.

Universities, research institutes, and companies from across the country expressed extraordinary interest in participating in the Czech mission to the ISS. Seventy proposals were submitted in the initial survey. In the subsequent call for detailed proposals, 13 of the 25 submitted experiments were ultimately selected as the most promising in terms of scientific contribution, technical feasibility, and safety of operation on the station.

“The very fact that the experiment involving scientists from Palacký University was successful among dozens of other proposals is a tremendous achievement. The selection criteria could only be met by research projects truly beneficial for the society and its future,” added Michael Kohajda, Rector of Palacký University. The strong demand for Czech research on the ISS was one of the impulses for the creation of the national project Czech Journey to Space.