Research centreCEITEC
The CEITEC is part of an ambitious strategy aiming at major discoveries and the development of cutting-edge technologies to drive interdisciplinary research. The young, dynamic, and versatile centre focuses on plant genomics and proteomics, structural biology, molecular medicine, neuroscience, and nanotechnology.
There are researchers from the following institutions working at the CEITEC: Masaryk University Brno, Brno University of Technology, Mendel University in Brno, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, The Institute of Physics of Materials of the Czech Academy of Sciences, The Veterinary Research Institute
Goals, Focus and Potential
CEITEC employs excellent researchers from all over the world who are committed to fulfilling CEITEC’s mission of improving quality of life and human health through scientific discoveries. CEITEC strives to provide a supportive and stimulating environment with many opportunities to discuss and develop ideas. Since its foundation in 2011, the centre has quickly grown to a considerable size and has made an immediate impact. The institute employs scientists from all over the world and is raising a new generation of researchers in its international PhD School. CEITEC is located in the city of Brno, in the heart of Europe, where Gregor Mendel once laid down the foundation of modern genetics, and is surrounded by top educational institutions and vibrant science and innovation ecosystem.
Research Areas
The multidisciplinary nature of CEITEC, and the extent to which the fields of life sciences, advanced materials, and nanotechnologies are integrated with each other, make it the first research centre of its kind in the Czech Republic. Research at CEITEC covers the following seven research areas: Advanced Nano and Microtechnologies, Advanced Materials, Structural Biology, Genomics and Proteomics of Plant Systems, Molecular Medicine, Brain and Mind Research, and Molecular Veterinary Medicine.
Genome Editing
It is high time for an agricultural revolution – the UN estimates that by 2050 we need to increase agricultural production by 70% compared to today if we want to feed the planet. The plant biologist Karel Říha from the Masaryk University CEITEC team believes that he has found a solution. His team is researching plants using new genome editing methods which can improve crop resistance to pests and weather and increase yields.
Molecular Medicine
For the second year now, the Masaryk University CEITEC is coordinating the Analysis of Czech Genomes for Theranostics (A-C-G-T). Theranostics is a new branch of personalised medicine. The name is derived from a combination of the words therapeutics and diagnostics. Pharmacogenomics studies show genes influence the response of a particular patient to a particular drug. An individual approach to the patient and their genetic make-up is also practised in oncogenetics which helps identify people at high risk of developing cancer and recommends preventive measures.
Key Words
Nano, GE, CRISPR, Advanced Nanotechnologies and Microtechnologies, Advanced Materials, Structural Biology, Genomics and Proteomics of Plants Systems, Molecular Medicine, Brain and Mind Research, and Molecular Veterinary Medicine
Other Research Projects, International Perspective
- The development of applications suitable for correlative microscopy – the research is aimed at extending the cooperation between the CEITEC Brno University of Technology research team’s ‘Preparation and characterization of nanostructures’ and the spin-off company NenoVision into the field of applied research of applications using the CPEM, a new technique of correlative measurement.
- High temperature semiconductor growth and applied research on metal-nitride epitaxial thin film growth – the development of a chemical vapor deposition method used to produce thin or simple polycrystalline films.
- 12 shared laboratories with advanced instrumentation in life and material sciences. They are available to both internal and external users from the Czech Republic and abroad.