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Czech scientists and researchers have been honored with the highest national scientific award Czech Head (Česká hlava). The awards were ceremonially presented on Sunday, November 2, at the Faculty of Humanities of Charles University. Among this year’s laureates, representatives of Brno University of Technology stood out significantly, receiving two of the seven awards presented in total. Two awards in the Czech Head competition go to Brno University of Technology. | Author: Czech Head The Lorem Award, which recognizes contributions in the field of healthcare, was granted to doctoral student Michaela Dobrovolná from the Faculty of Chemistry at BUT. The award was presented for her research on non-canonical DNA structures known as G-quadruplexes, which play an important role in processes related to cell aging and the formation of tumors and could be key to the development of new drugs and diagnostic methods. In her research, Dobrovolná not only works at BUT but also collaborates with the Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, where she studies secondary DNA structures. In addition to analyzing G-quadruplexes, she also focuses on compounds that bind to them and can influence their stability. “Receiving the Lorem Award and the Czech Head recognition means a great deal to me. It is one of the most prestigious acknowledgments I could have ever hoped to achieve in my scientific work. I received the award for research on non-canonical DNA structures, which play an essential role in many cellular processes. I am extremely grateful and would like to thank my family, my partner, colleagues, my supervisor Prof. Václav Brázda, as well as Brno University of Technology, the Faculty of Chemistry, and the Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences for their support and inspiration, without which this work would not have been possible,” said Dobrovolná upon receiving the award. Michaela Dobrovolná. | Author: Czech Head The second award in the Industry category went to the Brno-based company NenoVision, whose CEO is BUT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering graduate Jan Neuman. The company develops the LiteScope microscope, which combines electron microscopy with atomic force microscopy. This innovative technology enables detailed analysis of materials as well as measurement of their electrical, mechanical, or magnetic properties. It therefore finds significant applications in materials research and the semiconductor industry. Over ten years on the market, NenoVision has developed into a globally recognized high-tech company that excels in its field and closely cooperates with numerous Czech and international scientific institutions. “The Czech Head 2025 award, for which we were nominated by scientists and in which we succeeded before a professional jury, represents significant support for our efforts and future work. We greatly appreciate it and thank everyone who has supported us along the way. We are a BUT spin-off that originated when, as newly graduating students of Professor Tomáš Šikola at the Institute of Physical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, we began developing our solution. This award is the result of the entire team’s work, dedicated to pushing technological boundaries and creating innovations tailored to the needs of our customers. For us, this recognition is a symbol that we are on the right path and a motivation to continue with even greater determination,” emphasized Neuman. Jan Neuman from NenoVision. | Author: Czech Head The main award for lifetime contribution to scientific research and exceptional impact on both Czech and international scientific communities was presented to parasitologist Julius Lukeš from the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Faculty of Science at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. Professor Lukeš has devoted his entire career to the study of parasites, especially protozoa, and has made significant contributions to understanding the evolution as well as the cellular and molecular adaptations of these ubiquitous organisms. His discoveries have the potential to substantially contribute to the treatment of severe genetic diseases in humans. “It was a great pleasure to receive the Czech Head award. More than for some previous recipients, this is truly an award belonging to the broad collective of my collaborators, often now scattered across the world, because our research in cell and molecular biology of unicellular organisms is a highly team-based endeavor. Our main goal is to understand how these microscopic organisms function – many of which have likely remained unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. The genetic code is nearly identical across all organisms, from bacteria to whales, with only a handful of exceptions – one of which we have described. The RNA molecules that enable the existence of this modified genetic code have extraordinary potential for treating certain human diseases, and this is the therapeutic direction we are pursuing with our collaborators. In other projects, we study marine protozoa, which have long been overlooked despite being essential for sustaining life on Earth, and we also investigate the functions of proteins in flagellates that cause serious diseases in humans and animals in tropical regions,” explained Lukeš. Julius Lukeš. | Author: Czech Head Other laureates of this year’s edition include hematologist Marek Mráz, chemist Martin Volek, scientist Anna-Marie Lauermannová, and researcher Miroslav Černík. Their profiles are available on the competition website. The Czech Head (Česká hlava) awards have been presented since 2002 and help Czech scientists and researchers raise public awareness of their contributions to society. It is the largest project dedicated to developing Czech scientific and technical excellence, aiming to popularize science, research, and education, while also fostering conditions for effective cooperation between research and industrial practice. Since 2006, the laureate of the main National Government Prize Czech Head has been selected by the Government of the Czech Republic based on a proposal from the Research, Development, and Innovation Council.