Scientific infrastructureBIOCEV

BIOCEV – The Centre of Biotechnology and Biomedicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University

Cancer, diabetes, infertility, heart diseases, viruses, infections – all of these are current issues of the human population. In the past, we were only able to describe these problems, not to find their cause. Today, we can understand the origin of a disease at the molecular level. This makes it possible to design solutions that may ultimately lead to the production of a cure or the establishment of a treatment method and save many lives.

BIOCEV was established to bring together teams of enthusiastic top scientists from the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University under one roof. The goal of more than 500 researchers and students is to gain a detailed understanding of organisms at the molecular level. The research aims to develop new drugs and treatments for serious health issues.

BIOCEV is a joint project of six institutes of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Institute of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Institute of Physiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, and Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry) and two faculties of Charles University in Prague (Faculty of Science and First Faculty of Medicine).

The establishment of BIOCEV has managed to bring together Czech and foreign biomedicine, virology, parasitology, genetics, tissue engineering, molecular biology and medicinal chemistry experts under one roof. Almost a third of BIOCEV employees are international.

Saving Lives Thanks to Top Research

The cutting-edge technologies and state-of-the-art equipment of BIOCEV also include the research infrastructure of the Czech Centre for Phenogenomics (CCP) at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, the Czech Academy of Sciences. One of the largest centres of its kind in Europe, it focuses on genetic engineering in the creation of animal models for the international research community. The CCP is a member of a worldwide consortium whose ambitious goal is to describe the function of all mammalian genes. The resulting “encyclopaedia” can help treat human diseases more effectively.

BIOCEV also offers students at all levels, from high school to Ph.D., a unique educational environment that is attractive not only within the whole country, but also internationally. Students involved in research at BIOCEV’s facilities easily find employment, both in the Czech Republic and abroad.

SDGs Covered by BIOCEV

Key words

Biomedicine, biotechnology, genetics, molecular biology, virology, parasitology, biomaterials, tissue engineering, mitochondria, stem cells, nanotechnology, medicinal chemistry, teaching, education, patents, licenses, applications, international cooperation

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