The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) is a prestigious society with a history spanning more than sixty years. EMBO annually elects outstanding scientists in the field of life sciences based on international recognition of their research and long-term contributions to the scientific community. This society brings together more than 2,100 researchers, including Nobel Prize laureates and other leading scientists who help shape the direction of research in areas such as genetics, cell biology, developmental biology, and structural biology. Pavel Plevka is the eighth scientist from Masaryk University to become a member of this prestigious organisation.
Plevka's research focuses on structural biology, specifically the structures of viruses and their interactions with host cells during infection. Using X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, he has determined the structures of many viruses, including enterovirus 71, which can cause severe encephalitis in children. He has studied the maturation processes of dengue and tick-borne encephalitis viruses and conducts research on bacteriophages, which may serve as an alternative to antibiotics in treating bacterial infections. His work contributes to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms enabling virus infections.