Speakers and moderation

As a molecular biologist, I am currently conducting my research as part of an amazing team at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, and at the International Clinical Research Center (ICRC) in Brno. However, my academic journey began at Palacký University in Olomouc, where I completed my master’s degree in the field of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, followed by a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology. In my research, I focus on the detailed mechanisms of diseases, aiming to understand how they operate at the molecular level by combining cutting-edge methods that current science has to offer. In addition to my scientific work, I am actively involved in the field of science communication, which I consider an essential part of modern research. I believe it is our responsibility as scientists to make our findings understandable and accessible to the public.

As a child, I was fascinated by the flow of water in natural systems — I loved, and still love, water. Today, I am building upon that fascination through fluid dynamics research. If you had asked me back then which path I would take, I would not have predicted "natural sciences". Yet looking back, I was always analyzing systems, asking why, and drawn to complexity and the mechanisms behind how things work. The path toward natural sciences became inevitable — after all, Earth is one of the most complex systems we will ever encounter. While others study distant galaxies and look billions of years into the past, we must also look toward the future to protect ourselves within this intricate system. We are part of the ecosystem, and we must learn to function with it, not against it. That is why I have dedicated my career to the study of soil and water interactions. I am currently a PhD student at the Czech Technical University in Prague, working under the supervision of Peter Kavka and David Zumr. My research focuses on process-based rainfall-runoff models and the temporal variability of soil physical and hydraulic properties. Since the beginning of my studies, I have visited numerous universities and research facilities in both arid and humid climates, and they all face a common threat: flash floods. After my first year of doctoral studies, I spent a year at the University of Arizona, where I had the opportunity to collaborate with leading hydrologists. This experience further sharpened my focus and deepened my passion for hydrological research — a passion I continue to fuel with knowledge and discovery, with the hope that my work will one day benefit humanity.

I have always been curious about how things work, a habit that began with endless childhood questions and eventually grew into a passion for science. Although I initially considered electrical engineering, I was drawn to chemistry during high school, spending hours working in a lab and later exploring medical applications of science during an internship at Contipro. At Palacký University, I planned to study carbon nanomaterials experimentally, but pandemic restrictions led me to focus on theoretical research. Using molecular modeling and simulations, I examined molecular interactions at atomic resolution and explored the potential of carbon dots and graphene structures in medicine. I currently work at the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, where I focus on innovative materials for biomedical applications, with a special interest in how graphene can be applied in neuromodulation therapy — a field that combines my background in chemistry with my early fascination for electrical engineering.

Immunologist by training, developmental biologist at heart. My research journey started by exploring complexity of immune system. This path soon opened my eyes to the more general principles that define the form of life. Working in the evo-devo field with zebrafish models under the supervision of Peter Fabian, one of the leading experts in the field, I combine bioinformatics analyses with standard laboratory experiments to uncover insights neither approach could give alone. I am confident that the synergy of computational and experimental biology offers unique opportunities for scientific discoveries.

Karolína graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the CTU in Prague and founder of Karolína Kripnerová architekti. She completed several study and work internships (USA, Austria, Germany, Italy), and she is a Fulbright fellow. Karolína received the Stanislav Hanzl Prize for her dissertation dealing with the topic How can architects contribute to the solving of homelessness. Karolína is a co-founder of Architects Without Borders Czechia, a non-profit organization dedicated to the social overlaps of architecture. For a documentary series Architecture of Coexistence she received the Milena Jesenská Award. She is a member of the Board of the Czech Chamber of Architects, a member of the Working group for Affordable Housing and the author of the Czech pavilion at the Triennale of Architecture in Milano with the topic The momentum of a Decision, introducing the roots and solutions for housing crisis.

Khadija Chaudhary is a researcher in Materials Chemistry specializing in nanomaterials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion applications. Building on her foundational studies in electrochemical energy during Bachelor's, she pursued a PhD in Chemistry at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan, where she developed MXene-Graphene Aerogels integrated with mono- and bimetallic Metal Selenides for high-performance electrochemical supercapacitors and electrocatalytic water-splitting. Her PhD research further solidified her passion for exploring the intersection of nanomaterials and energy storage and conversion technologies. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry in Prague, where she focuses on engineering metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for next-generation rechargeable batteries. Driven by a vision to create safer, cost-effective, and sustainable alternatives to conventional lithium-based systems, her work aims to push the boundaries of battery technology and contribute to the global transition toward clean, renewable energy.

Biology has always felt intuitive to me — something I was naturally curious about from a young age. I studied molecular biology and zoology at Charles University in Prague, where I discovered my passion for reproductive biology. Under the mentorship of Dr. Kateřina Komrsková and Dr. Pavel Stopka, I explored gamete communication and fusion proteins. To complement my education at Charles University, I also pursued an engineering degree at the University of Life Sciences, where I focused on livestock reproduction and cryopreservation of bull semen. After taking a personal reproductive break from science, I found a new direction at the Technical University in Liberec. Here, under the supervision of Dr. Michal Řezanka in Dr. Mirka Rysová's lab, I study the use of nanomaterials to support women's reproductive health, with a special focus on vaginal applications. I also had the opportunity to spend five months at the University of Eastern Piedmont (UPO) in Novara, Italy, working in Dr. Lia Rimondini's lab. I was fortunate to undertake this internship with my whole family, including my children — an invaluable experience made possible by their support and understanding, and one that allowed me to show them the many facets of scientific life beyond the lab coat. My ultimate goal is not only to improve gynecological drug delivery through innovative materials, but also to empower women by educating them about their reproductive health and helping them make informed choices.

Pavel Kůs is a PhD student in theoretical physics at the Central European Institute for Cosmology and Fundamental Physics (CEICO) and at Charles University. His research focuses on binary pulsars and their role as natural laboratories for testing gravity and probing the elusive nature of dark matter. By combining astrophysical observations with theoretical models, he aims to uncover the hidden nature of dark matter — an exotic and invisible component of matter that has shaped the universe itself. Beyond research, Pavel is passionate about science communication. In 2024, he reached the Czech final of the Fame Lab competition and was nominated by Charles University for the international final of the 3MT Competition. Since then, he has been exploring creative ways to bring physics and cosmology closer to the public through storytelling, lectures, and online media. His mission is to inspire curiosity and help the public see that even the most hidden parts of the universe can become understandable.

Ever since I was a child, I've been fascinated by how things are made and how the world around us works. This curiosity led me to the Technical University of Pardubice, where I earned my bachelor's and master's degrees in organic chemistry under Assoc. Prof. Jiří Váňa.

I am now pursuing my Ph.D. at the Technical University of Liberec under Assoc. Prof. Michal Řezanka, who introduced me to the remarkable potential of the cyclodextrin molecule — a tiny, ring-shaped sugar with a hollow cavity capable of hosting other molecules. Its unique structure makes it a versatile tool across fields, from food science to medicine.

My journey into bee research began during my bachelor's thesis at the Department of Biochemistry at Palacký University Olomouc as part of a small three-person team founded by a colleague, Jiří Danihlík, which gradually evolved into an active and growing research group. This experience led me to continue working in bee research during my PhD. During my doctoral studies, I had the opportunity to visit several leading international laboratories, where I gained essential skills in studying honey bee immunity and immune stressors. My first research stay, supported by the Palacký University Endowment Fund, was at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Uppsala (Sweden), where I worked under the guidance of Dr. Eva Forsgren and acquired key techniques for studying bacterial pathogens of bees. At the USDA Honey Bee Research Laboratory in Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA), I collaborated with Dr. Michael Simone-Finstrom, gaining valuable experience in bee virology and virus-resistant bee populations. I also spent six months in Prof. Robert Paxton's lab at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Germany), where I deepened my expertise in molecular biology and broadened my perspective by working with both social and solitary bee species. After completing my PhD in 2022, I had the opportunity to remain at Palacký University, where I actively helped my colleague to stabilise the emerging bee research group. The group has since grown to 14 members, and my current research focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms of immune signalling pathways in honey bees.

She is a physicist specialising in custom label-free optical tools to uncover new aspects of biological processes. Holding a Ph.D. from EPFL and having gained experience at CERN, the Paul Scherrer Institute, ETH Zurich, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Puget Sound, she now develops next-generation nanofluidic scattering microscopy as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow in Barbora Špačková's group at the Czech Academy of Sciences — currently balancing part-time research with parental leave. Passionate about science communication, she actively engages with the public at events such as the Science Fair.

I began my scientific journey during my Master's studies of molecular and cell biology, where an opportunity to work with nanomaterials sparked my fascination with nano-bio interactions. This led to a PhD at Palacký University in Olomouc under the supervision of prof. Radek Zbořil, investigating the biomedical potential and safety of advanced carbon-based materials. During my studies, I also completed a 4-month internship at Empa, a leading Swiss research institute in application-oriented materials science and technology, where I focused on the complex safety assessment of nanomaterials in the group of Dr. Peter Wick. After my PhD, I joined the Karolinska Institute in Sweden for a postdoctoral position, where under the guidance of prof. Bengt Fadeel I advanced my expertise in molecular nanotoxicology, developing new methods to study how nanoscale materials influence immune responses. Back in the Czech Republic, I established a laboratory equipped for comprehensive in vitro nanomaterial testing, integrating modern cell analysis and imaging tools. Today, as a researcher at CATRIN of Palacký University and the Materials-Envi Lab at VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, I explore how atomically precise materials shape cellular responses at the molecular level, combining molecular toxicology, immunology, and material characterization to enable safe and effective innovations in nanomedicine.

Veronika Šedajová is a physical chemist specializing in the development of advanced graphene derivatives for energy storage and sensing applications. She began her nanotechnology-oriented research journey during her undergraduate studies at Palacký University Olomouc, where she joined a scientific center focused on material sciences. Her master's research led to the development of nitrogen-doped graphene, a material she further functionalized for enhanced performance in sensing applications. During her Ph.D., she concentrated on optimizing the synthesis, detailed characterization, and application of this material in supercapacitors, which was then filed for patent across multiple countries. She has authored and co-authored over 30 scientific publications and received multiple awards for her research, including the prestigious Jean-Marie Lehn Prize for Chemistry in 2022. Veronika has international research experience in the United States, France and Spain. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, where she investigated active materials for lithium-ion batteries using optical scattering microscopy. Currently, she works as a researcher at Palacký University Olomouc, developing new graphene materials for diverse applications, with a focus on their scalable syntheses and real-world applications. At the same time, she serves as Chief Technology Officer of Atomiver s.r.o., a spin-out company of Palacký University Olomouc. Atomiver is built on the knowledge and technology stemming from her research and the follow-up upscaling projects she was involved with, which demonstrated the significant potential of the nitrogen-doped graphene in the energy storage sector.

I'm a PhD student in molecular virology at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague. My research focuses on viruses: masters of manipulation that hijack host cells to replicate — often causing disease along the way. I study a specific group of these pathogens: tumorigenic viruses that can cause cancer. My work studies how they interact with their host and rewire cellular processes to their advantage. When I'm not in the laboratory, I'm probably recording an episode for my virology podcast or hiking in the mountains (with a good chance of getting lost).