August in Science at MED MUNI

Light helps retinal cells mature. Yet scientists have so far overlooked this in laboratory models. A team of researchers from Tomáš Bárta’s research group at the Department of Histology and Embryology published findings in a new study in Nature Communications showing that light promotes the maturation of light-sensitive retinal cells. This discovery may contribute to better modelling of hereditary eye diseases or to the testing of new drugs. A study by a team from Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, independently reached a similar conclusion. While the researchers from Masaryk University primarily investigated the effects of short-term stimulation with various light regimens, the Dutch team exposed mini-retinas to light regularly over several months. Using different experimental approaches, the two studies thus point to the same principle: light need not be merely a stimulus that developing photoreceptors detect, but can also influence their maturation.

The CREATIC Centre of Excellence was the first in the Czech Republic to obtain a hospital exemption. What happens when a sufficiently effective or appropriate treatment is not available to a patient? Under precisely defined conditions, a hospital exemption can allow access to an unapproved advanced therapy medicinal product. This can offer patients with rare or serious diseases a treatment option that would otherwise be unavailable to them. The CREATIC Centre of Excellence at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, received the first hospital exemption in the Czech Republic for dendritic cell-based anticancer immunotherapy. At the CREATIC Centre of Excellence at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, the entire development pathway for advanced therapy medicinal products is carried out—from scientific discovery through controlled manufacturing to safe administration. Because where one-size-fits-all solutions fall short, a personalised approach can offer a new treatment option.

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has elucidated the mechanism underlying a rare genetic heart rhythm disorder. In an article published in the journal Europace by Oxford Academic, they described a previously unknown mechanism of the R562S genetic variant in the KCNQ1 gene, which is associated with long QT syndrome. This hereditary condition increases the risk of serious cardiac arrhythmias. The variant was identified in four seemingly unrelated families in the Czech Republic, and the results suggest it may have a common origin within the Central European population. The research showed that the mutation disrupts the cardiac ion channel's ability to respond to stress conditions associated with increased sympathetic nervous system activity, such as during physical exertion. It is precisely this disruption that leads to a more pronounced QT prolongation and a higher risk of arrhythmias. At the same time, using experimental and computational methods, the authors have suggested new treatment options based on gently modulating the flow of calcium ions into heart cells. This could help patients for whom standard treatment is not sufficiently effective.

The media often associate the summer months with the term “silly season.” However, this was not the case for the media coverage of our faculty in August. Television, radio, print, and online media reported, for example, on new findings in retinal research, AI as a child’s companion, grant programs supporting the education of medical and non-medical professions, food safety during high summer temperatures, and the latest findings in research on the impact of immune cells on tooth development and regeneration. You can view an overview of all media coverage here.

Martina Lengerová’s research group Metaorganism Resistance and Resilience, shared between the CREATIC Centre of Excellence and the Department of Laboratory Medicine. Her research focuses on clinically significant microorganisms and microbial communities that affect the delivery of health care. It studies the emergence, spread, and epidemiology of multidrug-resistant bacteria and important fungal pathogens, with a focus on diagnosis, surveillance, and antimicrobial resistance. A key area of research is the human microbiome, which influences microbial colonisation, serves as a reservoir of resistance and virulence, and contributes to the risk of infection onset and progression. The group investigates the impact of antibiotic treatment, clinical interventions, and the hospital environment on microbiome composition and function, as well as the relationships among these factors and disease development. By integrating genomic, microbiome, epidemiological, and clinical data, it identifies microbial and genetic factors important for understanding disease mechanisms and interactions between the host and microorganisms. The research findings are translated into practice through innovative diagnostics, infection prevention, and the rational use of antimicrobial drugs.