Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Mikuláš Bek presented the MŠMT Awards in higher education, science and research to twenty laureates from Czech universities and the Czech Academy of Sciences for their outstanding academic, teaching and research achievements and lifelong contributions to the progress of research in the Czech Republic. Four of these awards went to Masaryk University
Ladislav Bartoš, who works at the CEITEC MU research centre, received the Minister’s Award for outstanding students and graduates in a study programme and for exceptional student achievements. Bartoš recently earned his PhD in the Life Sciences programme at the Faculty of Science. His dissertation on the translocation of amphiphilic molecules across biological membranes was supervised by Robert Vácha and defended summa cum laude. Backed by the faculty and the National Centre for Biomolecular Research, CEITEC MU nominated him for the minister’s award, citing the exceptional quality of his research and internationally recognised publications in journals such as Nature Communications, Structure, Soft Matter and Biophysical Journal. His work in Structure and Soft Matter was also featured on the journal covers. Bartoš has previously received the Faculty of Science Dean’s Award as well as the university-wide MUNI Scientist Award.
The second recipient, Milan Chytrý from the Faculty of Science, received the Minister’s Award for outstanding educational activity at the university level. Chytrý fosters close collaboration with students at all levels, from bachelor’s to doctoral studies. His lectures focus on clarity and highlighting the essential points. He has made all his current lectures publicly available on YouTube so that students can watch them at any time. To keep students engaged and prepared, he opens every lecture with a Kahoot quiz. In seminars, he fosters a safe environment in which students learn to present and discuss ideas. He provides feedback sensitively, often using the “sandwich method,” and engages other students in the discussion. Discussions with his PhD students are conducted in English and often go deeper than the presentations themselves, generating new ideas and professional collaborations. When supervising final theses, he ensures that students are engaged and find meaning in their topics. Each semester, he also mentors international master’s and doctoral students. In all forms of teaching, he strives not only to impart knowledge but also to create a stimulating, safe and friendly environment that helps students develop independence, professional skills and a love for the subject.
Richard Štefl from CEITEC MU received the award for exceptional research, experimental development and innovation. The ministry grants this award for outstanding results achieved over the past five years with financial support from the MŠMT. Štefl is an internationally recognised structural biologist whose research significantly contributes to understanding the regulation of gene expression and its impact on human health. His team studies the transcription, modification and regulation of genetic information in cells and the participation of specific proteins and RNA structures in these processes. Their work provides new insights into cellular regulation dynamics and helps explain how disruptions can lead to serious diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. In recent years, Štefl and his team have published highly influential studies in prestigious journals such as Molecular Cell, Nature Communications, Cell, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology and Nature. He is also a recipient of the prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant.
The fourth awardee from MU, Robert Vácha, received the František Běhounek Award. Vácha, from the CEITEC MU research centre, is a biophysicist who has long studied biological membranes, using computer simulations to investigate interactions between cell membranes and proteins. His research provides new insights into key cellular processes, including those related to the development of diseases. These findings form the basis for the development of new drugs, treatments and biochemical tools. Vácha successfully integrates computer simulations with experimental research, actively participates in international projects, and has twice received the prestigious ERC grant for research on antimicrobial peptides, which could overcome bacterial defence mechanisms and offer a new approach in the fight against antibiotic resistance.