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We are pleased to inform you about the latest significant developments in scientific research conducted at Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic (UP).

THE Rankings 20th anniversary: UP returns to top 1000 global universities

Palacký University Olomouc has improved its position in the updated 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, ranking 801st to 1000th, thus returning to the top 1000 universities in the world and being again ranked third in the Czech Republic. UP also improved its position in Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as the Shanghai Rankings, when it took the 601st–700th place. In the QS World University Rankings: Europe, which was published in 2023 for the first time and is a replacement for the QS Emerging Europe & Central Asia (EECA) University Rankings, Palacký University was ranked 219th out of 688 universities and 9th in Eastern Europe.

Huge auditorium and state-of-the-art simulators: UP constructs new building for future healthcare professionals

The construction of a new building for the education of UP Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and Faculty of Health Sciences students was inaugurated with a symbolic tap on its heart-shaped cornerstone. The modern and distinct building in Hněvotínská Street will have a lecture hall for nearly 400 people, facilities for practical training of future doctors and health professionals on state-of-the-art simulators, and a canteen that can serve 2000 diners a day. Construction work is expected to be completed in early 2026.

New research clearly shows Czech teachers say AI has its place in schools

Artificial intelligence at present is seeping into almost all possible fields, including education. But how is AI seen by teachers, who are currently discussing what attitude to take towards the “helpers” ChatGPT and Bing Chat? Their attitudes have been mapped by an extensive study by experts from Palacký University and Microsoft Czech Republic & Slovakia.

Saving children’s lives: David Friedecký’s team develops new diagnostic method

Not only doctors are fighting for time to make the right diagnosis, but also their colleagues in laboratories, whose role in this fight can be decisive. Experts from the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at University Hospital Olomouc have made a major contribution by developing a new method of urine analysis. This allows for faster and more accurate diagnosis of inherited metabolic disorders; i.e., rare diseases manifesting themselves as early as in childhood. They can cause severe and even life-threatening conditions.

How is China perceived by its neighbours? Research brings crucial data for European policymakers

An international research team led by Palacký University Olomouc has completed research on the global impact of China from the perspectives of the cultures of Taiwan, Russia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and others. The findings of the prestigious five-year research conducted in the project Sinophone Borderlands – Interaction at the Edges will be of great significance for European policymakers.

Faculty of Science scientists will join project to help reduce pesticide consumption

Scientists from the Department of Chemical Biology of the Faculty of Science will contribute their knowledge and experience in the development of growth regulators to the prestigious research project Biorefining and Circular Economy for Sustainability (BIOCIRKL). The project focuses on the efficient use of waste from agriculture and forestry, reducing pesticide consumption, cultivation of fast-growing energy crops, producing insects for human consumption, and reusing used solar panels. The six-year grant, with a subsidy of CZK 27 million (EUR 1 milion), was supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic.

Breakthrough technology will exploit waste from biodiesel production and improve fuel properties

Scientists from the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) of Palacký University Olomouc and the CEET and IT4Innovations research centres of the Technical University of Ostrava have developed a unique technology that will enable to use the waste from the production of biodiesel—glycerol—and transform it into useful products, thus increasing the efficiency of existing biofuels. Moreover, the proposed biomaterial based on graphene will replace the acids that have been used to convert glycerol. However, unlike them, it is non-toxic and fully recyclable. The discovery, which was made in collaboration between Czech and Indian institutes, was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.

The archaeological team from Palacký University has discovered several prehistoric villages with fields in Iraqi Kurdistan

Seeing a prehistoric village on the surface is a remarkable occurrence. Archaeologists were previously familiar with such views from the Mediterranean, such as Malta, Sicily, or Sardinia. Karel Nováček from the Department of History at the Faculty of Arts of Palacký University made a remarkable discovery with his archaeological team: such ancient above-ground visible landmarks from prehistoric times also exist in the Middle East, in one of the mountain valleys of Iraqi Kurdistan. The discovery by Olomouc scientists will significantly contribute to understanding the prehistoric agricultural landscape in the Middle East.

A unique website on children's education with disabilities created at Palacký University

The Faculty of Education at Palacký University is introducing a new tool at the beginning of the school year that will facilitate the education of children, students, and learners with special educational needs (SEN). Teachers, teaching assistants, and staff from advisory facilities will have a comprehensive overview of their own authored materials, documents, and videos they need for their daily work, all in one place. The new website will not only save them time but also provide valuable insights, practical examples, and inspiration.

HBSC study: Increasing number of children suffer from problematic social media use

The HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children) study research team at Palacký University Olomouc, in cooperation with the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, presented the results of the Czech part of an international study conducted in 2022 among primary school pupils. The number of youths whose virtual life shows problematic behaviour has increased from 5% in 2018 to 8% in 2022. Girls are affected more frequently; boys are more likely to play computer games. The research was supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic under the ÉTA Programme.

AI algorithms significantly speed up the development of antitumour drugs

Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms will play an increasingly significant role in the search for effective cancer treatments. Machine learning methods can significantly reduce the time, effort, and cost associated with developing new drugs. IT experts from the Department of Cybernetics at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Czech Technical University (FEE CTU) in Prague are collaborating on their discoveries with scientists from the Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine (IMTM) at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (FMD) of Palacký University Olomouc.

Scientists make first nonlinear measurement key to optical quantum computer

An international group of researchers has progressed towards optical quantum computation by experimentally demonstrating a nonlinear measurement of an optical field. The unique experiment, the latest result of long-term fruitful collaboration between the University of Tokyo and Palacký University Olomouc, has been recently published in Nature Communications.

Scientists from the Faculty of Science helped to decode faba bean genome, results published in Nature

An international team of scientists from the Czech Republic and the UK has succeeded in locating the gene responsible for the production of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme in the genome of the faba bean. The enzyme plays an important role in the protection of the plant’s seed and its dormancy, i.e. the ability to wait in a dormant state for an external signal to trigger germination. On the other hand, it causes dark pigmentation and a bitter taste. This undesirable property of the PPO enzyme seems to have played an important role in the gradual breeding of not only faba beans. Growers selected seeds without pigmentation from plants in which this gene was not functional. The results of research aimed at decoding the genetic information of the largest genome of a diploid organism to date, involving experts from the UP Faculty of Science and the University of Reading in the UK, have been published in the prestigious journal Nature.

Olomouc Scientist Awarded Prestigious ERC Grant for Groundbreaking Graphene Ink Research

Michal Otyepka, a distinguished physical chemist from CATRIN, Palacký University, has been awarded a highly coveted Proof of Concept (PoC) grant by the European Research Council (ERC). The grant aims to support the development of innovative “graphene” ink for the production of stable, sensitive, and selective electrodes used in various biosensors. Otyepka’s remarkable achievement marks his fourth success in the ERC grant competition, an unprecedented feat in the Czech Republic. Among 66 PoC grants awarded in the second round of this year’s competition, the Czech Republic secured a single grant.

Conference to address digitalization, robotization, and cybersecurity issues in the context of European law 

A total of twenty-five contributions divided into six thematic sections are featured in the two-day conference "European Union's Response to the Challenges of Modern Society." It is organized by the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in EU Law at the Faculty of Law in collaboration with the Czech Association for European Studies (CAES). The symposium will take place at the Faculty of Law on April 26-27 in a hybrid format, with English as the official language.

Olomouc University Social Health Institute: international project to enhance quality of life in old age

The Olomouc University Social Health Institute of the Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology, Palacký University (OUSHI) is one of the 36 partners of the international project SHAPES (The Smart & Healthy Ageing through People Engaging in Supportive Systems), which aims to integrate technological, organisational, clinical, educational and social solutions to facilitate healthy and active ageing and maintain a high standard of living. Through technology, home and local community environments interact with health and social care networks, helping to reduce health and social care costs, hospital admissions and institutional care.

Technology by UP Faculty of Arts academics published by the World Intellectual Property Organization

Details of a new technology making possible automatic personal profiling, which was developed by academics at the Palacký University Faculty of Arts (UP FA) and patented at the US Patent Office, has been published by the World Intellectual Property Organization.

CATRIN scientists join brain implant research to test safety of graphene materials

Scientists from the Czech Advanced Technologies and Research Institute – CATRIN at Palacký University will participate in the development of a new generation of brain implants using the Nobel Prize-winning material graphene. Thanks to success in the Horizon Europe Hop On Facility grant call, they will join the already ongoing international European Innovation Council (EIC) MINIGRAPH project. The task of the Olomouc scientists will be to verify the biocompatibility of graphene implants to living cells, and to propose a better composition without adverse effects. In the first ever Hop On Facility call, only five applicants were supported in the Czech Republic.

Would you like to read more of the latest news in science and research at Palacký University, learn about the latest projects and grants or get information about careers and partnerships with UP? Check out the Science & Research at Palacký University website.

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