History
Cell biology was traditionally cultivated as one of the fields at the Department of Animal Physiology and Developmental Biology. The Department of Cell Biology was established in 2007 by separating the disciplines of cell physiology, immunology, and developmental biology. The founders and leading figures of these fields at the faculty left an indelible mark on their history: Prof. Václav Kubišta – founder of cell physiology and co-discoverer of glycerophosphate metabolism; Associate Professor Jiří Čerkasov – pioneer of cell organelle biochemistry and co-discoverer of hydrogenosomes in parasitic protozoa; and Prof. Alexej Romanovský and Dr. Jaroslav Mácha – founders of immunology, who were already preparing monoclonal antibodies in the 1980s. Last but not least, Prof. František Sládeček, the founder of developmental biology. The department's staff were active participants in the preparation and establishment of the Biotechnology and Biomedical Center in Vestec near Prague. Contributing significantly to the success of the project, among other things, was Associate Professor P. Folk from his position as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Science's Biological Section.
Vision
At the Department of Cell Biology, we integrate education and research in the fields of cell, reproductive, developmental, and structural biology with immunology and bioinformatics. Recently, the department has undergone significant changes. Four new groups have joined the department with the support of the Primus program (groups of Klára Hlouchová, Jan Dobeš, Dan Rozbeský, and Jan Mašek). In 2024, Hana Rozhoňová received the Primus grant, which will expand the bioinformatics section of the department. As part of strengthening cooperation with the Academy of Sciences, Václav Veverka from ÚOCHB also became a member of the department. The department has also hosted and continues to host prominent professors from abroad – Robert Hässler from the University of Kiel and Jakub Abramson from the Weizmann Institute.
The department's teams receive significant grant support from many sources for their research. The Cancer Cell Invasiveness team is supported by the National Institute for Cancer Research. In 2019, Dr. K. Hlouchová received the prestigious Human Frontier Science Program Young Investigators grant and a grant from Volkswagen Stiftung. Jan Dobeš is the holder of an ERC CZ grant, Jan Mašek received an Inter-Excellence grant, and Marian Novotný's team has long been supported by the Elixir CZ infrastructure. Currently, department members are working on several GAČR and GAUK grants.
Wider Impact:
Members of the department also contribute to mentoring talented high school students as part of the Biology Olympiad, including international rounds. Prof. Jan Černý (chairman of the central committee of the Biology Olympiad since 2014) received the prestigious Werner von Siemens Award for the best educator in 2013, thanks to these activities. Dr. L. Libusová became the Executive Vice-Chair of the International Biology Olympiad in 2018. The department also co-organizes several student and professional conferences, and from spring 2024, it is preparing a series of seminars by leading global scientific figures, which will be open to the public.