Czech-BioImaging welcomed Prof. Radomír Pánek, President of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS), during his visit to the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IMG CAS), home to the Czech-BioImaging Hub and two Czech-BioImaging imaging facilities.
The visit was part of the President’s recently launched series of visits to CAS institutes, aimed at strengthening dialogue across the Academy and gaining first-hand insight into the activities and challenges of its research institutions. More information about the initiative is available on the website of the Czech Academy of Sciences: https://www.avcr.cz/cs/veda-a-vyzkum/chemicke-vedy/Radomir-Panek-zahajil-navstevy-pracovist-chce-posilit-jednotnost-Akademie-ved/
During the visit, Prof. Pánek delivered a lecture entitled Activities of the Academy Council and Strategic Priorities introducing the current priorities of the Academy and discussing topics relevant to the future development of Czech research. After that he met with Czech-BioImaging Director Prof. Pavel Hozák, members of the Czech-BioImaging Hub team, and staff of the Electron Microscopy Core Facility and the Light Microscopy Core Facility, both part of the Czech-BioImaging network.
Representatives of Czech-BioImaging introduced the infrastructure’s nationwide network of imaging facilities, its user community, and the services it provides to researchers from academia and industry. The discussion also highlighted the role of research infrastructures in supporting scientific excellence and technological innovation in the Czech Republic.
As part of the programme, the Electron Microscopy Core Facility presented its unique workflow for solving protein structures from individual intercellular protein crystals, recently described in a Nature Communications publication. The workflow enables sidestepping laborious purification steps and utilization of more accessible cryoEM equipment instead of large scale synchrotron facilities.
The Light Microscopy Core Facility showcased its portfolio of advanced imaging technologies and introduced the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) developed to support image processing and data management. The system provides users with access to high-performance virtual workstations, a dedicated deconvolution server, and both short-term high-speed and long-term storage resources, enabling efficient handling and analysis of increasingly large imaging datasets.
The visit provided an opportunity to demonstrate how Czech-BioImaging supports researchers through access to cutting-edge imaging technologies, expert support, training, and data-processing solutions. We appreciate the opportunity to engage in dialogue with the leadership of the Czech Academy of Sciences and welcome initiatives that foster closer connections across the Czech research community.
