News from UP

A review article in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics summarizes the computational methods currently used to study and design lipid-based drug carriers (LNCs). The article was co-authored by researchers from CATRIN at Palacký University, IT4Innovations at VSB-TUO and colleagues from French universities and Sanofi. The valuable insights gained from integrating experimental and theoretical approaches can contribute to improving the properties of lipid nanocarriers, thereby ensuring more effective and safer drug therapy.

Liposomes and lipid nanoparticles are used to transport drugs into cells. Thanks to computational methods, researchers can explore the structure of these nanoparticles and the individual steps involved in their transport.

“These insights are crucial for designing new and efficient therapeutics that enhance the effectiveness of drug delivery systems. Our review article examines how computational methods, particularly molecular dynamics simulations, can reveal complex relationships between the composition, structure and function of LNCs. Additionally, we present the potential of machine learning—data-driven learning—in the design of lipid carriers,” summarized the key contributions of the article its first author, Markéta Paloncýová from CATRIN.

The researchers also utilized the computing power of supercomputers at the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center. The study, which was conducted with the support of the TECHSCALE, MINIGRAPH and REFRESH projects, is accompanied by a supplementary cover art in the journal.

LNCs are nanoparticles composed of lipids used for delivering active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in medicine. Their advantage lies in their ability to transport even water-insoluble substances, protect the body from certain adverse drug effects and safeguard fragile molecules such as nucleic acids or proteins. They enhance treatment effectiveness by enabling targeted drug delivery to specific locations in the body. In modern medicine, LNCs are used, for example, in mRNA vaccines and targeted cancer therapy.

Olomouc will once again become the centre of world science cinematography thanks to the Academia Film Olomouc (AFO) international festival, which takes place from 22 to 27 April. More than 600 films from 61 countries were submitted to this year’s competition, out of which the programme committee selected the best 67 films. They will compete for a financial prize and a trophy, an original glass kaleidoscope by Martin Hlubuček. 

The international competition will present a journey into the depths of human existence, where scientific knowledge is intertwined with philosophical reflections on ageing, death, as well as physical transformation, which can turn into a personal struggle with one’s own body. For instance, Adonis (dir. Jérémie Battaglia) examines the changing perception of masculinity in contemporary society through the phenomenon of bodybuilding and the use of anabolic steroids.

Director Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian will come to Olomouc to present the documentary Doppelgängers³, which deals with the theme of space colonisation for the sake of the queer community. “This competition is unique in its diversity of formats and filmmaking approaches. The variety of topics and narrative modes opens up possibilities for the presentation of scientific research and science communication, making it an opportunity for all those seeking inspiration and new perspectives on the world, regardless of age or life experience,” said assistant programmer Kristýna Dytrychová.

An aesthetic reflection on light as a scientific and artistic phenomenon is presented in Tracing Light (dir. Thomas Riedelsheimer). Its co-author Leslie Hills will personally present the film to the festival audience. Environmental and biodiversity issues are addressed in Animal Pride (dir. Rio Mitchell), focusing on the diverse relationships in the animal kingdom. “Although science has been observing queer behaviour in animals for quite some time, it has long been marginalised. The documentary brings this overlooked part of nature to life, challenging established ideas, and showing that nature is much more diverse than traditionally perceived,” added Dytrychová.

Czech & Slovak competition reflects current social challenges

The film Doctor on a Trip (dir. David Čálek) documents scientific research into the psychedelic effects of ayahuasca in the context of the treatment of mental disorders. Stone Axe Path (dir. Tomáš Kratochvíl) reconstructs prehistoric rituals and ways of working with natural materials.

The philosophical film Lichens Are the Way (dir. Ondřej Vavrečka) explores the adaptability of these organisms in contrast to the hectic lifestyle of modern society. And the documentary Lapilli (dir. Paula Ďurinová) combines environmental themes with a personal story of mourning and the search for balance through nature.

Short films: diverse perspectives on science 

The documentary The Bird in My Backyard (dir. Ryan Wilkes) follows the life cycle of fascinating creatures – hummingbirds.

Climate change in the context of cultural heritage is analysed in Nittaituq (dir. Camille Poirier, Mathilde Poirier, Flore Sergeant), while astronomy is the focus of Habbal et al. (dir. Sean Paulsen & Brad Wickham). “Audiences will observe both the universe and microscopic organisms, visit animals in the garden and on the computer, discover extinct islands, walk on glaciers, and face the effects of climate change. The varied range of themes is matched by their execution, where playful aesthetics and styles combining cinematographic art, animation, and archival footage merge,” noted the section’s programmer Magdaléna Jedličková. 

First ever immersive media competition in AFO

A new competition section reflects the growing importance of immersive technologies. “We will bring together art, science, and social interaction. Visitors will be immersed in virtual worlds using headsets, thus becoming, for example, part of a collective experiment in genetics or an individual simulation of how a person suffering from a specific disease feels,” said programmer Dominik Vontor, introducing the innovation.

The Academia Film Olomouc festival, organised by Palacký University, celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. It will commemorate this important anniversary with a unique retrospective and a publication co-produced by the UP Press. Before the festival begins, those interested can expand their horizons and make the wait more pleasant thanks to the Watch and Know platform. This online library is the ideal place for all those who want to educate themselves, discover interesting stories, and tune in to the film festival vibe which will await us in April. For more information, please visit the festival’s website.

From February 17 to 21, Aurora Alliance hosted its first international conference on the vital role of higher education in global peacebuilding. Organised by Karazin University Peace Education Hub, led by Palacky University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the conference resulted from collaboration with Karazin Kharkiv University, the University of Innsbruck, and the Berghof Foundation, a key player in peace education. 

Globally, higher education institutions face challenges from conflicts, human rights abuses, and restrictions on academic freedom. Many are pressured to respond to calls for solidarity from students and faculty. There is also growing societal distrust in science, just 5 years before the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals deadline. The 2022 Sustainable Development Goals Report showed concerning progress, indicating that interconnected crises threaten the Agenda and humanity’s survival.

Dr Selma Porbić, UP's Aurora Institutional coordinator and Lead of the Karazin Peace Education Hub in Aurora, noted that Aurora Universities organized this conference to foster discussions on the global situation and enhance collaborative peacebuilding. While the SDGs are integrated into many educational and research programs, the challenge remains how to influence societies and genuinely address the escalating global threats.

She further emphasised the necessity of the conference “The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding”, as demonstrated by the overwhelming response and attendance of over 300 participants: “Of the 200 papers submitted, we welcomed 147 speakers from more than 20 countries: international experts, scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and students from Aurora universities, alongside our longstanding partners and many new and potential collaborators.”

The programme featured 10 keynote speakers, 3 plenary sessions, 22 academic panels, 8 roundtables, 18 workshops, and numerous exhibitions and films. Keynote speakers included Madeleine Rees (Women's International League), Beatrix Austin (Berghof Foundation), Frank Geary (Scholars at Risk Europe), Oleksandra Matviichuk (Center for Civil Liberties Ukraine), Ian S. Manzi (Global Children's Issues), Marko Lehti (Tampere Peace Research Institute), Savo Heleta (South African Peacebuilding scholar), and Norbert Koppensteiner (Kroc Institute).

The conference topics encompassed peace agendas in the most urgent humanitarian contexts, including Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, and the DRC, and the realities of education following global atrocities. Participants examined critical lessons learned and strategies for managing collective trauma and long-term societal recovery from contemporary and historical perspectives.

In our ongoing support of Karazin University, a key institution on the front lines in Ukraine, 18 scholars were granted Aurora scholarships to attend the conference. Additionally, Aurora Universities assisted Rector Tetyana Kaganovska and her team of Vice Rectors in participating in the conference. 

“Reflecting on the conference, we are pleased that this conference has connected our efforts to establish the Peace Education Hub and support Karazin University with a​ diverse community of practitioners and policy experts in humanitarian, development, and peace studies. This is vital for our future support to partners in Ukraine and Aurora universities, focusing on academic collaborations while also engaging all stakeholders beyond academia,” said Selma Porobić.

For the tenth time, the most talented students have the opportunity to receive support from the UP Endowment Fund (UP EF) for their projects. The new call for applications, which offers financial contributions of up to €8,000, is open from 1 March to 2 May 2025.

The UP EF has been helping gifted students since 2015. Over that time, it has helped 76 talented young people to carry out their scientific research or creative projects, and distributed more than €280,000 among them. The Fund supports projects of students enrolled in Master’s and doctoral programmes. They can use the contribution for travel, accommodation, purchase of literature and necessary tools, research software, and conference fees.

Projects are selected by the Fund’s Board of Directors and evaluated according to several criteria: originality and novelty, contribution to the field, social utility, practical application, international impact of the research, results and their presentation. A social or health disadvantage is an additional criterion for assessing applications.

“We guide the scholarship holders throughout the duration of the project and often for much longer. In addition to the money needed to implement the project, thanks to the cooperation with the UP Career Centre, they also become members of the Talented Palacký community. They are given opportunities to develop their skills and abilities in courses, learn to communicate science with us, participate in prestigious international competitions, present their results at the Academia Film Olomouc film festival every year, and get the chance to address their themes with us through coaching and career counselling,” explained Katrin Stark, EF Talent Coordinator.

The Fund is able to support talented students thanks to the support of corporate and individual donors. The general partners of the Fund are Komerční banka [Commercial Bank] and Sigma Group. Other major donors include Veolia Czech Republic and the Helena Morávková Foundation. “We greatly appreciate the long-term support of our partners and individual donors from among the academic community and university alumni. Thanks to them, dozens of students have already been able to engage in collaborations with top institutes around the world, participate in high-profile conferences, develop new approaches, methods, and drugs, publish and even patent their discoveries, publish books, create works of art, develop their skills, and win many prestigious awards,” said UP EF Director Jiří Rudolf.

What students who have received support in the past appreciate is that it is not just financial support, but an entire, sophisticated system of instruction. “I’m very grateful for the subsequent support I’ve received from the Talented Palacký programme – in the form of personal coaching, inspiring workshops, and networking programmes. I can say with certainty that the fact that I became a UP EF scholarship holder in 2023 had a huge impact on my future personal and professional development alike. This support has also resulted in several awards that I greatly appreciate – whether it’s the 3rd place in the national round of the FameLab science popularisation competition or a prestigious award from the Czech Ministry of Education. Another illustration is the fact that I am one of the selected participants in this year’s Leadership Matters! course, where I’m gaining invaluable experience which I’m already using in my work as a scientist and team leader. In short, being a UP EF scholarship holder has unlocked doors on my career path that I never dreamed of before,” said Eliška Zgarbová from the UP Faculty of Science.

Marta Sýkorová of the Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology was able to publish an interesting book. “Without this support, this project of mine would have remained in a drawer for a long time and wouldn’t have been able to evolve as it has now. My book of Very Bad Fairy Tales is already sold in many bookstores across the country. In addition, a weekend self-development course for women based on one of these fairy tales has been created and more courses are in the works. My positive experience with the UP Endowment Fund does not only involve the finances and technical implementation, but also their approach and incredible support and execution throughout all phases of implementation,” noted Sýkorová.

Detailed information on the UP Endowment Fund’s current call, which is open from 1 March to 2 May 2025, can be found on the Fund’s website, along with the application registration system. The Succeed in the Call webinar for interested applicants will take place on 11 March 2025 from 4 to 5 pm. Participants can register via the UP Portal. Fund Coordinator Katrin Stark can be approached with inquiries at katrin.stark@upol.cz. It is also recommended to follow UP EF on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn).

According to the findings of the HBSC study, whose researchers are based at the UP Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology (UP CMFT), Czech children and teenagers are sleeping less each year. For the first time in history, the average weekday sleep duration has fallen below eight hours. Only one half of Czech schoolchildren get the recommended amount of sleep. They are thus suffering from a sleep deficit so great that it cannot be compensated at the weekend. The discrepancy between the weekday and weekend sleep patterns of some schoolchildren has become a phenomenon called social jet lag.

Czech children and teenagers are experiencing a gradual reduction in sleep duration. On weekdays, they spend an average of 7 hours and 57 minutes sleeping. Since the last data collection in 2018, the sleep duration of children aged 11–15 has decreased by 11 minutes. Compared to national data from 2014, the difference is already more than 20 minutes. This means one in two school children (49%) are sleeping less than the recommended minimum, whereas in 2014, only 35% of schoolchildren fell into this category.

“Sleep is vital for children’s healthy development, as well as school performance and overall life satisfaction. In contrast, poor quality or insufficient sleep is directly linked to a wide range of problems, including an increased risk of mental health problems. Research shows that children in the Czech Republic perceive the world as a dangerous place and, unfortunately, there is a growing level of anxiety and depression, and an increasing number of suicide attempts by children. Therefore, instead of constantly ‘putting out fires’, we need to focus on coordinated prevention, educate children and parents about sleep hygiene, and make sure that mental health services are accessible to all those in need. Our top priority remains that all children are provided with the conditions for a happy and healthy childhood,” said Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, the Czech Government Commissioner for Human Rights.

They sleep better at the weekend – but then there’s social jet lag

The situation is better on weekends, holidays, and public holidays. Children sleep an average of 9 hours and 31 minutes, that is an hour and a half longer than on school days, and roughly two-thirds of them (65% of boys and 67% of girls) meet sleep recommendations. However, even weekend sleep is gradually getting shorter. Compared to 2018 research data, children sleep 12 minutes less on their days of leisure.

                                   

11 y.o.   

13 y.o.   

15 y.o.

schooldays

weekends

schooldays

weekends

schooldays

weekends

Going to bed

9:51 pm

11:06 pm

10:32 pm

11:48 pm

11:02 pm

0:12 am

Getting up

6:25 am

8:52 am

6:24 am

9:19 am

6:26 am

9:28 am

Sleep duration

8 h 34 min

9 h 46 min

7 h 52 min

9 h 31 min

7 h 24 min

9 h 17 min

 

Moreover, “catching up on sleep” at the weekends indicates social jet lag, i.e. the mismatch between biological rhythms and social obligations – i.e., the beginning of the school day in the case of schoolchildren. If the difference between weekend and weekday sleep exceeds 2 hours, which is the case for 37% of fifth-graders, 51% of seventh-graders, and 55% of ninth-graders, children are at risk of increased health risks. These include depressive states, feelings of irritability and nervousness, and being overweight or obese. Researchers also point to a link between social jet lag and increased substance use.

“Late bedtime is an important indicator. For children who go to bed very late, our statistics show a 3–6 times higher risk of regular smoking or repeated drunkenness. Increased health risks are faced both by those who experience a significant deficit accumulated during the week, as well as by those who cut their sleep even shorter on weekends compared to school days,” points out Petr Baďura, data analyst for the Czech part of the global HBSC study from the Olomouc University Social Health Institute (OUSHI) at UP CMFT.

Trend: Children going to bed later

Czech children are going to bed increasingly later. In the case of seventh and ninth graders, the number of those who go to bed after midnight has doubled since 2014 (from 6% to 13% in 13-year-olds and from 12% to 22% in 15-year-olds). The decreasing overall sleep duration is due to the postponement of the moment when children fall asleep. The time when school starts, which means the time of getting up in the morning on weekdays, has not changed much in Czech schools over the years. This raises the question of whether starting school later would help to increase sleep duration or reduce the incidence of social jet lag.

“Although it is not directly the subject of our research, this question cannot be avoided when looking at the data. We think the answer to it is ‘Yes’. For one thing, children’s sleep duration is shortened by falling asleep later. On the other hand, it is limited by getting up early for school. Change makes sense at both ends. We need to work with children, but also with us adults, to improve habits related to falling asleep. But changing the wake-up time, i.e. starting school later, is a perfectly valid consideration and should not be ignored,” says Michal Kalman, head of the HBSC research team.

Sleep in the light of the screen

What is the relationship between sleep and screen time? The latest data shows that schoolchildren who meet sleep recommendations spend less time in front of a screen on average than their peers who spend less time sleeping. Or vice versa – schoolchildren who are in control of their screen time are more likely to meet sleep recommendations. At the same time, 11–15-year-olds who sleep more on weekends, or less than on school days (increased risk of social jet lag), more likely become “problematic” social media users and gamers.

“Reduced sleep duration in adolescents is a growing public health problem with serious consequences for mental and physical wellbeing. Almost half of Czech schoolchildren sleep less than recommended, thus increasing the risk of depression, anxiety, obesity, and substance abuse. Evidence shows that starting the school day later, improving sleep habits, and reducing screen time can have a positive impact. WHO encourages legislators, educators, and families to take action to promote healthy sleep habits in children and ensure a better future for them,” said Zsofia Pusztai, Head of the WHO Office in the Czech Republic.

Further details and materials on the topic can be found on the Healthy Generation website.

The HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children) epidemiological study looks at a wide range of lifestyle aspects of children and teenagers aged 11–15 in the Czech Republic and nearly 50 other countries worldwide. It is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). The research team from Palacký University Olomouc has been studying factors affecting the health of Czech schoolchildren aged 11, 13, and 15 for a long period of time. In the current research, data was collected from nearly 15,000 children in 250 schools of different types across the Czech Republic. The extensive research among Czech schoolchildren was supported by the EU under the Johannes Amos Comenius Operational Programme – Top Research.

The University of Innsbruck is currently hosting an international conference of the Aurora network entitled The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding. Palacký University Rector and Aurora President Martin Procházka took the opportunity to meet with University of Innsbruck Rector Veronika Sexl, who will take over the leadership of Aurora after the end of his presidential term.

During the meeting, they discussed preparations for the handover of the agenda and also how to ensure the continuity of Palacký University’s participation in the Aurora leadership, both at the global network and the closer alliance levels. “To my great pleasure, we agreed on the importance of Palacký University for the alliance and also that it is vital that Olomouc’s university continues to be a part of the highest leadership of Aurora,” said Procházka.

The conference The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding brought 150 experts from all over the world to Innsbruck between 17 and 21 February. It was backed by the Creation of Karazin University Peace Education Hub, an Aurora working group led by Palacký University, which aims to support V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, an Aurora associated partner. Nonetheless, the conference programme was dedicated to peacekeeping efforts in the global context.

Out of 180 submitted papers, 144 were accepted, including 8 papers from Palacký University. These address various aspects of the roles and responsibilities of universities in preventing war conflicts and maintaining peace in society. In addition, they address the implications that conflicts have for affected populations and how to foster educational institutions in war zones and post-conflict societies.

The five-day programme featured 10 plenary lectures, discussion panels, workshops, and other networking opportunities to meet, learn from each other, and share knowledge. A detailed programme as well as streamed selected lectures are available on the conference website.

There are dozens of them across Europe already, and they are distributed densely and fairly evenly. Now more of them are beginning to appear, even from outside Europe. We are referring to the partner universities of the UP Faculty of Law. Most recently, thanks to a successful mission by Martin Faix, Vice-Dean for International Affairs, two prestigious universities in India – O.P. Jindal Global University and Symbiosis International University – have joined this network.

“In Asia, we have so far only had partners in Taiwan, especially National Taiwan University, the oldest and most prestigious university on the island. India, the most populous country in the world, struck us as another suitable country for establishing academic contacts,” explained Faix, adding that the faculty always tries to identify schools that are among the best in a given region.

A trip last year to India resulted in a double success. Both universities visited signed a framework cooperation agreement with the Olomouc faculty. “O.P. Jindal Global University, which is the best private university in India and whose law faculty is ranked 72nd in the world, has a large campus in Delhi. Its law faculty alone has five thousand students. Symbiosis Law School has several campuses across India. I had the opportunity to visit one in Delhi and another in Pune, and the law school in Pune is one of the top five in India,” noted Faix. The signed framework agreements allow for the development of cooperation in student and academic exchanges and scientific research.

The agreements are not just a piece of paper – the first results are already starting to materialise. “A student from O.P. Jindal Global University will come for an exchange visit in the winter semester of the next academic year. Then in 2026, we plan a special summer school tailored for Indian students focusing on Central Europe, its path to democracy, and European Union issues. It is however possible that their students will already be involved in the summer schools we are preparing for this year," said Faix, adding that there are always a few spots reserved for ‘domestic’ students at the international summer schools in Olomouc. “We will inform our academic community about the existing opportunities for trips to Indian universities in due course,” added the vice-dean.

Speaking of beyond Europe, law faculty representatives have recently managed to negotiate close cooperation with the aforementioned Taiwanese universities and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. An agreement with the University of Illinois Chicago is on the way. The Olomouc faculty has a very good negotiating position thanks to the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings where it is among the top 300 law schools.

Markéta Paloncýová has achieved a long-awaited success in the GAČR grant competition. Together with her colleague Petra Kührová, she will build on her extensive research on lipids in a new project funded by the Czech Science Foundation. Beginning this year, they will embark on a three-year project titled “In-silico Workflow for Lipid-Mediated Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Delivery Systems”, with a budget of 5.1 million Czech koruna. The project aims to develop a validated protocol for molecular dynamics simulations of lipid systems, enabling scientists to study lipid systems through computer modelling.

Lipid systems, such as liposomes and lipid nanoparticles, are highly promising tools in modern medicine. They help minimize the adverse effects of certain drugs and enable the delivery of substances—such as mRNA—that were previously undeliverable.

“As part of the project, we will design tools for the in-silico study of lipids using computer simulations, modelling and data analysis. We will develop lipid libraries, a tool for constructing complex lipid structures containing active pharmaceutical ingredients, and test an optimized simulation protocol. Our goal is to provide the scientific community with a reliable set of tools to simulate lipid systems and predict their properties computationally,” explained Paloncýová.

A computational chemist, Markéta has been studying lipids since her master’s degree. She became particularly interested in lipid nanoparticles in 2021 while researching the influence of lipid composition on the storage and transport conditions of mRNA vaccines. It was during this time that she began collaborating closely with Petra Kührová. Their project combines expertise from two distinct fields—lipid and nucleic acid simulations.

“I see enormous potential in RNA medicine for both treatment and prevention, but lipid nanoparticles still hold many unknowns. Without thorough testing, we cannot accurately predict the effectiveness of different compositions and preparation methods—especially due to cargo loss (RNA) during delivery to the target. I believe high-quality computational modelling can accelerate this process, but it requires highly complex models. With this project, we aim to make such modelling possible,” she added. According to her, these models could ultimately help scientists understand how lipid nanoparticles interact with various biological structures.

This GAČR project marks Markéta’s first success in the competition after an earlier unsuccessful attempt. “After receiving the evaluation of my previous proposal, I swore I would never go through the process again. But in the end, my colleague and I decided to persevere and give it another shot. This grant is proof that persistence pays off—even when it feels hopeless. Giving up too soon would have been a shame,” she concluded.

Since January 2025, the Czech Science Foundation has funded 474 new scientific projects. CATRIN researchers submitted five applications in this call, two of which were successful. In addition to Markéta Paloncýová’s project, funding was also awarded to Sergi Kalytchuk for his project, “Tailored fluorescent carbon dots engineered for targeted biosensing.”

Scientists from the Departments of Geology and Analytical Chemistry at the UP Faculty of Science will map the mobility of prehistoric mammoth hunters who lived in the Czech Republic and Slovakia around 30,000 years ago by determining the origin of their flints and cherts. The scientists will collaborate on this project with experts from the Moravian Museum in Brno and the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The scientific work is supported by the Czech Science Foundation.

“By determining the origin of stone artefacts that served as spikes, chisels, scrapers, or other tools, we will try to reconstruct the mobility of prehistoric hunters and gatherers from the ‘Golden Age of the Ice Age’,” said Martin Moník from the Department of Geology. Scientists will take samples of glacigenic flints, cherts from the Kraków-Częstochowa Jura (Polish Jurassic Highland) and “chocolate flint” of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Holy Cross Mountains). They will also focus on Volhynian flint from the territory of present-day Ukraine, and possibly on flint from central Transnistria.

In the laboratory, experts led by Tomáš Pluháček from the Department of Analytical Chemistry will then obtain characteristic chemical “fingerprints” of the reference cherts/flints and compare them with prehistoric artefacts found in Moravian and Slovak localities, which in the Gravettian period (ca. 34–24 thousand years BP) were inhabited by prehistoric hunters and gatherers – sites below the Pavlov Hills (Dolní Věstonice, Pavlov, Milovice), Předmostí u Přerova, Ostrava-Petřkovice, Moravany nad Váhom, Cejkov, and Kašov). “From this period, we know, for example, of Hungarian and East Slovak obsidian imports over distances of 330 to 400 kilometres, i.e. as far as the localities below the Pavlov Hills, in Napajedla and in Předmostí u Přerova,” Moník pointed out.

Scientists do not rule out that flints from similarly distant localities were imported to the present-day territory of the Czech Republic and Slovakia during the Gravettian period. “For example, in the vicinity of Cejkov and Kašov in Slovakia we directly assume the occurrence of Volhynian flints. However, their origin has not yet been verified by chemical or other methods, something we will now try to change,” said Moník.

The project will result in at least three scientific publications on the mobility of fine-grained fissile rocks during the Gravettian. “We will actually create maps of the movement of the hunter-gatherer populations of the time. At the same time, it will be shown how different the classical phase of the Moravian Gravettian group is in terms of raw materials from the Slovak Late Gravettian localities, i.e. whether it was a continuity or, on the contrary, an independent development,” added the geologist.

To study flint and chert samples, researchers will use elemental analysis using laser ablation coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). “Studying their colour using UV-Vis spectrometry and macroscopic, stereomicroscopic analysis of the rocks used, i.e. various types of micro- and crypto-crystalline siliceous rocks – chert and flint – may also be useful,” added Moník.

Palacký University’s international festival of popular science documentary films Academia Film Olomouc (AFO) will celebrate 60 years of its existence. Rather than taking a nostalgic retrospective, however, the jubilee edition, which takes place from 22– 27 April 2025, looks boldly ahead to the future. This year’s motto “Work in Progress” will remind us that this event is a metaphor for the changing world around us and for constantly evolving scientific disciplines. Visitors can look forward to hundreds of films as well as the opportunity to meet their creators.

The jubilee edition will introduce a number of innovations in the programme. For the first time, the programming team has included an immersive media competition to highlight the growing importance of virtual and augmented reality. Audiences will discover the fascinating world of new VR and XR films and interactive projects. The juries in the International Competition and Czech & Slovak Competition will now recognise not only the films’ educational value but also their filmmaking and artistic impact.

“We aim to foster documentary filmmaking in all its forms and appreciate its diversity. Another new feature is the competition for debut and second films in medium and feature lengths. We would like to give the spotlight to new, emerging talents in the of science documentary genre,” said Ondřej Kazík, AFO Head of Programming.

The festival will once again feature talks, film screenings, workshops, concerts, exhibitions, and walks, as well as an interactive programme for the whole family at Olomouc’s Upper Square. The world’s top figures in science popularisation will come to town. Camp 4Science will focus on how to share scientific knowledge in attractive and comprehensible ways.

The search for truth as a lifelong process

The umbrella of the non-competitive section of this year’s edition is Fieldwork, which will focus on the construction of truth in documentary films and science. From the laboratory to field research, this section will explore the very nature of how science works and the methods by which scientists and documentary filmmakers explore the world and provide relevant and compelling testimonies about it. In addition, AFO will mark its anniversary with a unique retrospective – each festival day will be dedicated to documentaries from one decade of the past sixty years.

“We will cooperate with the Czech National Film Archive and the Czech Television archives. An entire section will be interlinked with a book on AFO’s history and enriched with elements of dramatisation and living history techniques. For example, we will build a video library where visitors will be able to play vintage films on VHS tapes and DVDs. The cardinal question we want to investigate is: How has the communication of science and education through film evolved since the 1960s to the present day?” added programmer Zdeněk Rychtera.

The AFO visual identity: once again an integral part of the programme

This year’s visual identity presents a concept inspired by the process of development and research. Three overlapping layers symbolise the individual stages of this process – the first, the oldest layer, refers to the beginning of contemplation or exploration of a given phenomenon. The second layer depicts the current state of affairs, or a key turning point in the field. The third and final layer shows the direction in which the phenomenon is headed.

Lawyer Michael Kohajda will become the new rector of Palacký University Olomouc – so decided the UP Academic Senate in a secret ballot. After the official appointment by the Czech president, Associate Professor Michael Kohajda will head the university for the next four years, from 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2029.

Six candidates competed for the position of UP Rector: recreationist Ivo Jirásek from the UP Faculty of Physical Culture, lawyer Michael Kohajda from the UP Faculty of Law, physicist Jakub Navařík from UP CATRIN, physicist Tomáš Opatrný from the UP Faculty of Science, gynaecologist, obstetrician, geneticist, and current rector Martin Procházka, and psychologist and priest Peter Tavel from the UP Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology. In their five-minute speeches, they presented their ideas of where UP should be heading in the four years to come. Then during a 90-minute debate, they answered inquiries concerning their visions for their respective teams of vice-rectors, university funding, salary policy, security, and internal communication.

The new Palacký University rector was elected in the second round. The UP Academic Senate made the decision between lawyer Michael Kohajda, who received nine senators’ votes in the first round, and physicist Tomáš Opatrný, who had eight votes. In the second round, Kohajda received fourteen votes. According to the rules, a minimum of thirteen votes is required for election.

“Thank you very much for your votes, thanks to everyone who has supported me. I will try not to let you down. My thanks also go to the current rector Martin Procházka for everything he has done for our university,” said Kohajda after the announcement of the result.

By the election, the UP Academic Senate proposes the elected candidate for appointment to the President of the Czech Republic. The election results and the protocol on the UP Rector election, along with the documents for the appointment, will be handed over by the President of the UP Academic Senate to the Czech Minister of Education.

In the modern era of the reinstated university in Olomouc, altogether fifteen rectors have headed it since 1946: 13 men and 2 women. Kohajda will become the sixteenth. The university he will manage currently has roughly twenty-three thousand students studying at eight faculties and more than four thousand employees.

doc. JUDr. Michael Kohajda, Ph.D. (b. 1981)

He graduated from the UP Faculty of Law (UP FL) with a Master’s degree in Law and Legal Science. He obtained his doctoral degree and received his habilitation in Financial Law at the Charles University Faculty of Law. He has been academically involved at UP FL for almost twenty years. Since 2020, he has held the position of Vice-Dean – (first for doctoral studies, qualification procedures, and finance, including investments; currently for external relations and investments). He is a member of the UP FL Scholarly Board and several other boards at the law faculties in Olomouc and Prague. His research and publication activities focus on financial law, especially on public budgets, taxation, banking, insurance, and capital markets. His main professional interest involves financial system rules and supervision. In recent years, he has also focused on the legal rules related to the issuance and handling of crypto assets. Since 2024 he has been the principal investigator of the Czech Science Foundation standard project Crypto Assets as a Threat to the Sovereign. As part of international cooperation, he has undertaken a number of international research and teaching stays in Europe, the USA, and Australia. In addition to his academic activities, he has a successful legal practice. In order to contribute to the development of society, he has been involved in politics. Between 2014 and 2022, he was a member of the Šumperk City Council, where he focused on budget policy and investments. In 2021, thanks to preferential votes, he won a seat in the Parliament of the Czech Republic for the Olomouc Region. He serves, among others, as a member of the Budget Committee in the Parliament. He was also a member of the Chamber of Deputies’ special investigative commission on the tragic event that took place at the Charles University Faculty of Arts in December 2023.

A new research project of the Department of Biotechnology at the Faculty of Science Palacký University Olomouc is aimed at increasing the resistance of alfalfa to cold, drought and soil salinity, in which scientists will use the latest findings in the field of genetic engineering. The Olomouc experts will cooperate with the group of Professor Tibor Pechan, who works at Mississippi State University in the USA. The project "Experimental use of mitogen-activated protein kinases and modern interdisciplinary approaches for the prospective improvement of alfalfa resistance to cold, drought and salinity" will last 46 months. The work of the scientists was financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports with an amount of almost 7.5 million CZK.

Alfalfa is one of the most important legumes in the world, and farmers grow it on more than 34 million hectares. Alfalfa prevents soil erosion, improves its fertility and structure, and helps reduce contamination of surface and groundwater. At the same time, it provides fodder and high-quality proteins and nutritional supplements for human nutrition, as it contains valuable antioxidants, minerals, enzymes, and vitamins. In addition, thanks to its symbiosis with soil bacteria of the genus Sinorhizobium, alfalfa can fix large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen. Alfalfa thus enriches the soil with this important chemical element, which reduces the amount of industrial fertilizers used that negatively affect the ecosystem.

However, changing climate conditions, drought, increasing amounts of salt in the soil, and low temperatures can significantly limit these beneficial properties of alfalfa. Experts estimate that up to 20 percent of irrigated soils are affected by salinization, and excessive drying affects more than 30 percent of arable land. Summer heat waves combined with drought severely damage agricultural crops, including alfalfa. Resistance to cold is crucial for alfalfa to overwinter, because autumn and spring frosts limit the yield of green biomass the most.

According to the principal investigator Jozef Šamaj from the Department of Biotechnology of the Faculty of Science, the research project focused on alfalfa therefore responds to the demand of farmers for a targeted increase in the tolerance of important crops to cold, drought and soil salinity in the Czech Republic and the USA. Sustainable production of agricultural crops requires the development of new genotypes that will bring high-quality and stable yields with high biomass production, while at the same time resisting changing climatic conditions.

The scientists therefore decided to increase the resistance of alfalfa using genetic engineering. “We want to reveal the functional mechanism by which the signalling of stress stimuli from the external environment, specifically through stress-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (SIMK), affects the formation of stomata and leaf epidermis, and thus also the production parameters of alfalfa. Using genetic engineering focused on SIMK, we will then be able to increase the resistance of alfalfa to cold, drought and soil salinity,” said Jozef Šamaj. In their work, the scientists will also use modern gene editing and modification technologies, for example using CRISPR/Cas9, RNA interference and overexpression, along with phenotyping, multi-omics approaches and advanced microscopy.

“In the USA, there is no problem with the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in agricultural crops, which represents another added value. This is also the reason why, due to the non-flexible EU legislation, we are solving our project in cooperation with a partner in the USA,” said Jozef Šamaj. According to him, this highly innovative research will contribute to solving the long-term goals of developing new generations of resistant alfalfa. At the same time, it will significantly expand the successful long-term cooperation with the American partner, which has so far led to 17 joint publications in prestigious international journals.

Various aspects of contemporary urban life, especially those problematic ones that raise concerns for the future or that already generate certain challenges, will be examined by scientists from the Czech Academy of Sciences and experts from Palacký University. Together, they have started research via a project entitled Urbanity: Inequality, Adaptation, and Urban Public Space in the Historical Perspective.

The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic together with Palacký University Olomouc succeeded in the call of the Johannes Amos Comenius Operational Programme (OP JAK) focusing on the social sciences and humanities. The two institutions were awarded €6 million to work on a four-year interdisciplinary project Urbanity: Inequality, Adaptation, and Urban Public Space in the Historical Perspective.

“The result of our work should be a consistent picture of what towns went through in the past, what they had to face, how they actually faced it, and what it all means for them in terms of the future. We want to prepare a classification of towns by the type of impact, by the type of threat, and by the type of vulnerability and/or resilience. We know that some towns are markedly better off, while others are worse off. We want to understand and explain why this is so and offer a certain set of recommendations for the present,” said Karel Nováček from the UP Faculty of Arts Department of History on behalf of the part of the Palacký University team, which will receive €1.5 million out of the total funding. In addition to researchers from the Department of History, the Palacký University group will also be represented by the Department of Psychology and the Department of Sociology, Andragogy, and Cultural Anthropology, as well as the Department of Geoinformatics from the UP Faculty of Science.

The experts will focus mainly on the territory of the Czech Republic, however some case studies originate from abroad, so they are going to deal with towns in the Central European context. Nováček’s team will also contribute with a case study that investigates the development of medieval towns in northern Iraq from the long-term view. Nováček, an archaeologist, has been studying this region, where specific climatic conditions resulted in striking vulnerability of towns, for a long time. The researchers will go all the way back to the Iron Age, when the first large urban settlements were established. They will investigate their spatial formation, their mutual relationships within various cooperating networks, etc. However, the main focus of the research will be on the more recent periods: the Middle Ages, the early modern period, and the 20th century.

“With the exception of Iraq, we will be conducting mostly comparative research. We want to interpret the results we already have and put them into new contexts,” Nováček said. The research group expects that the new interdisciplinary project, one of the first attempts to bring together different kinds of research dealing with similar issues from different perspectives (history, archaeology, sociology, social geography, psychology, political science), could take advantage of their synergistic effect.

The project is divided into three thematic parts, which are further subdivided into a number of more specific issues. Nearly fifty researchers will be involved.

“In the first part, entitled Urban Public Space as a Space of Conflict and Creativity, we’ll explore the meaning and role of public spaces in towns. These play an important role in urban life as environments where something is created, where power is demonstrated, and where both positive and negative interactions between people occur. For instance, the Institute of Contemporary History at the Czech Academy of Sciences will address a range of issues related to public life in socialist cities, where roots of the current state of affairs can be traced back. It is necessary to reflect on this in depth and then propose ways to better treat public space and the life that is associated with it,” said the scientist from the UP Faculty of Arts.

The second part, entitled Urban Inequality, will focus on how this environment generates inequality among people. “In the past as well as today, there have been few urban societies in the world that were or are built on egalitarian ideals and where common practice can maintain some degree of equality among people. It’s therefore possible to say that the city equals inequality among people, and that the larger the city, the more inequality it tends to create. The greatest megalopolises in the world represent differences that are sometimes abysmal. A large part of the project is thus focused on describing and exploring inequality. We will address questions such as: In which areas of the city is inequality created? How is it manifested? Is it hidden, or rather evident? Are there ways to mitigate inequality in urban space?” Nováček noted.

The third part of the research can be summarised in one word: Threats. In this part, researchers will focus on what threats and challenges towns faced in the past. “These could have been various natural disasters, earthquakes, fires, or various demographic events such as epidemics, famine, and so on. There are interesting studies that we want to compare and connect. We are interested in how towns in different cultural contexts and different times have been able to prevent threats, and once they occurred, how they have been able to deal with them. Many such threats are still relevant today,” said Nováček in closing.

The work on the ambitious project Urbanity: Inequality, Adaptation, and Urban Public Space in the Historical Perspective, starts in January 2025 and will be concluded in 2028. Although the project is primarily scientific and will deliver scientific results such as publications in peer-reviewed journals and monographs, it will also result in activities for the public, such as exhibitions, films, popular publications, and a geographical application that could facilitate the understanding of spatial and topographical qualities of cities. The research team also aims to make recommendations to state and local governments.

Urbanity: Inequality, adaptation, and urban public space in the historical perspective.

Johannes Amos Comenius Operational Programme.

Principal coordinator: Institute of Contemporary History at the Czech Academy of Sciences. Partner institutions: Institute of Philosophy at the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Palacký University Olomouc Faculty of Arts.

Registration number: CZ.02.01.01/00/23_025/0008735.

A graphene material for energy storage in supercapacitors, developed by scientists at the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) of Palacký University Olomouc, is moving closer to real-world applications. This advancement is thanks to Atomiver, a newly established spin-out company, which aims to refine the carbon material into a market-ready product and explore its commercial potential. The material is already secured by a Japanese patent, with additional patents in progress.

An electrode material based on nitrogen-enriched graphene—a two-dimensional material composed of a single layer of carbon—was created by researchers in Olomouc seven years ago. Over the following years, its significant potential for electrical energy storage, particularly in supercapacitors, was confirmed. Supercapacitors offer a compelling alternative to widely used lithium-ion batteries. CATRIN researchers have since worked on developing a prototype device with unique properties as part of the prestigious TRANS2DCHEM project, funded by the European Innovation Council. This effort involved collaboration with Bar-Ilan University in Israel and the Italian company ITELCOND. Establishing Atomiver was the next logical step in the material’s journey toward commercialization.

“Given the excellent properties of our material, we decided to advance to the next phase of commercialization. Our goal is to produce nitrogen-doped graphene in bulk without compromising its quality and integrate it into supercapacitors designed for the target market. At a time of growing global energy demand and increasing need for efficient and stable energy storage solutions, our electrode material holds great promise,” said Michal Otyepka, co-author of the technology and co-owner of the spin-out. Supercapacitors incorporating this material may one day support critical applications such as ensuring the safe operation of large data centers, IoT networks, transportation systems, energy grids, space electronics, and even implanted medical devices.

The current gold standard for energy storage—rechargeable lithium-ion batteries—faces limitations in power density and safety in some applications. In contrast, the Olomouc team has developed a safe electrode material offering unprecedented energy and power density. In laboratory tests, supercapacitors using this material achieved energy density of up to 200 Wh/L and demonstrated exceptional performance potential in power density of up to 52 kW/L, far surpassing existing technologies. “Boosting the energy density of supercapacitors beyond 40 Wh/L represents a major technological breakthrough, enabling broader applications requiring high performance,” Otyepka added.

Recently, Atomiver signed a licensing agreement with Palacký University, granting the company rights to utilize the university’s know-how in return for compensation. “Spin-out companies are critical for transforming unique ideas into market-ready technologies. They guide innovations through the incubation phase, where the technology is rigorously tested in the market and refined into a competitive product. This process, which demands speed and intensive communication with commercial partners, is challenging within an academic environment,” explained Jiří Navrátil from the CATRIN Technology Transfer Office. Translating research into practical applications is a cornerstone of CATRIN’s mission, alongside high-quality research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international partnerships.

“The CATRIN team has built an exceptional technological foundation, and Atomiver’s mission is to carry this research forward to commercialization. It is a privilege to lead this project as we transition from research to product. We’ve already received strong interest from commercial partners, and our immediate goals include closing the first investment round and establishing a robust supply chain within the European Union,” said Andrew Hladký, CEO of Atomiver.

The significance and potential impact of the technology are underscored by Atomiver’s acceptance into the NATO DIANA acceleration programme, which selected only 74 companies out of more than 2,600 applicants. CzechInvest has also supported Atomiver through the Technology Incubation program, providing further funding for its development.