Environmental Toxicology
The Environmental Toxicology research programme aims to understand the mechanisms and long-term impacts of acute and chronic exposures to anthropogenic chemicals and natural toxins. The ultimate goal is to predict health and ecosystem risks of complex mixtures present in the environment.
The research extends from molecular and cellular processes to organisms and ecosystems considering the effects of contaminants of emerging concern like endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals, currently used pesticides and their nano-formulations or novel flame retardants. In addition, study toxic cyanobacterial blooms in waters, their adverse impacts and remediation options.
Advanced in vitro approaches (molecular and biochemical toxicology) are combined with in vivo (aquatic and terrestrial) laboratory models, and long-term field bioindication studies. We elucidate drivers of toxicity in mixtures and develop and implement advanced effect-based monitoring tools.
Specific research projects support development of the Adverse Outcome Pathway(AOP)-based models and testing strategies, and identification of new biomarkers of effect. The focus is on chronic health outcomes related to developmental-, metabolic-, neurohumoral-, immune- or cancer-related diseases. The experimental toxicogenomics, epigenomics and cellomics research uses advanced biotechnological approaches such as tissue mimicking/three-dimensional tools, high-content analysis (HCA), high-throughput in vitro screenings (HTS) or the use of pluripotent/somatic stem cells.
Heads of Research Groups
prof. RNDr. Luděk Bláha, Ph.D.
Mechanistic environmental toxicology
doc. RNDr. Pavel Babica, Ph.D.
Stem cells and tissue homeostasis in toxicity
doc. Mgr. Klára Hilscherová, Ph.D.
Bioanalytical toxicology
prof. RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D.
Environmental toxicology and chemistry of soil
RNDr. Iva Sovadinová, Ph.D.
Stem cells and tissue homeostasis in toxicity
Junior PIs
Mgr. Ondřej Adamovský, Ph.D.
Junior PI - Mechanistic environmental toxicology
Research programs
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Environmental chemistry and modelling
The research programme focuses on understanding the mechanisms and processes affecting the emissions and fate of chemicals in the environment and further expands its interest in study of the exposure of individuals and populations to the environment in order to provide tools for common interpretation of data from environmental monitoring and human biomonitoring networks.
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Environmental health
The new research program deals with biomarkers of exposure, effect and sensitivity of individual organisms, and other factors such as socio-economic determinants of health, nutrition or physical activity. In this context, we are strengthening technology capabilities for omics analyses, biobanking capacities and developing a bioinformatics platform to support the interpretation of multi-omics and epidemiological data.
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Environmental Toxicology
Programme focuses on the environmental impacts of both acute and chronic chemical exposures. We use the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) combining modeling and testing strategies to predict the environmental impacts of complex chemical mixtures. We investigate combined exposures to various factors that, based on individual susceptibility, can significantly contribute to an individual's excessive burden and lead to the development of pathologies.
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Chemical Tools for Diagnostics and Therapy
The programme focuses on the development of new photoactivatable systems and supramolecular carriers as specific systems that exhibit specific biological activities or serve as auxiliary systems for biological or medical applications.
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Loschmidt laboratories of Protein Engineering
The research programme has been dealing with the basic principles of enzymatic catalysis and development of protein and cellular biocatalysts for environmental, chemical and biomedical applications. The program uses protein engineering, synthetic biology and analysis of large data stored in genomic databases to develop and prepare useful catalysts.