Chemistry
Department of Analytical Chemistry
The department offers Bachelor degree programme in Chemistry and follow-up Master and Doctoral degree programmes in Analytical Chemistry. The Department is accredited for habilitation and professor procedure in the field of Analytical Chemistry. Students have the opportunity to gain experience abroad, our graduates may find occupation in industries, laboratories or in research. Members of the department are involved in organizing Chemical Olympiads and events for promoting science to high school students and the general public.
Research at the department is closely connected with research activities at the Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials. We explore basic processes of chemical analysis and construct new analytical equipment. Our employees develop methods for diagnostic purposes, the analysis of food and dietary supplements, metabolites, pharmaceuticals and drugs, attention is also focused on toxicological and forensic analysis. We propose new procedures for examining the authenticity of artworks. We cooperate with many research institutes on international level. Achieved results are published in prestigious scientific journals and commercialized in industrial practice in the Czech Republic as well as abroad.
Department of Inorganic Chemistry
Department of Inorganic Chemistry guarantees Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degree programmes in the following disciplines: Bioinorganic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry and Didactics of Chemistry. Students may collaborate on research projects of the department during their studies and students of Didactics of Chemistry can contribute to the development and modernization of school chemical experiments, teaching materials and organization of chemical Olympiads and extracurricular activities for students of primary and secondary schools.
Department members focus their research on the development of new types of biologically active compounds based on complexes of transition elements with potential medical application, e.g. substances with anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory or anti-diabetic effects. They are involved in the preparation and study of complexes with potential industrial application in the field of sensors, storage or recording media with high recording capacity. The researchers also strive to develop hybrid molecular-crystalline nanostructures usable in the field of targeted delivery of small molecules, such as drugs.
Department of Biochemistry
Department of Biochemistry guarantees the Bachelor and Master degree programmes in Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, and in cooperation with the Centre of the Region Haná study field of Genetic engineering. The department offers Doctoral studies in Biochemistry. It also provides teaching Biochemistry within studies of Chemistry, Systematic Biology and Ecology, Molecular biology, Experimental biology, Biophysics and Didactics of Chemistry.
Research is focused on the study of the defense mechanisms in plants and their control focusing on the role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen; on practical application of enzymes, such as the development of biosensors and enzyme immobilization; and research on immunity and health of bees with specifically the study of microbial peptides. The department is closely linked with the Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research.
The department is also actively engaged in outreach activities to raise interest of high school students in studying Biochemistry.
Department of Physical Chemistry
Our professional activities focus on the experimental study of carbon- and metal-based (nano)materials and on the computational chemistry of biological systems and nanomaterials. The Department of Physical Chemistry guarantees teaching in the fields of Nanomaterial Chemistry and Applied Chemistry in the Bachelor's programme, Material Chemistry and Physical Chemistry in the follow-up Master's programme and Physical Chemistry in the PhD programme. It is an accredited department for proceedings to grant associate and full professorship in the field of Physical Chemistry. A strong emphasis is placed on the systematic development of international cooperation at both the scientific and study levels. The department also motivates its students with extraordinary scholarships every year.
Department of Organic Chemistry
The department offers several fields of study. It guarantees Bachelor and Master degree programmes in Bioorganic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and Master and Doctoral degree programmes in Organic Chemistry. The workplace disposes of laboratories for teaching practical seminars of organic chemistry and for scientific work of students at all levels, it has modern analytical equipment for fast qualitative and structural analysis of prepared compounds and study of their properties. Education includes student internships and stays at selected universities in Europe, USA and Canada.
Research activities of the department are closely associated with activities of the Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine – a science center of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Research is focused on new biologically active substances for treatment or diagnosis of human diseases. A large part of the scientific work is dedicated to the development of new methods of organic synthesis and the study of reaction mechanisms. The department also closely cooperates with international institutions in Europe, the USA and Australia, which are engaged in the development and study of biologically active compounds and chemical processes for their preparation.
Department of Biotechnology
The department provides and guarantees studies in a separate study program in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering at the bachelor's and master's degree levels. It provides education in modern biotechnological, biochemical, chemical and biological scientific disciplines. Graduates will be employed in biotechnology, chemical and pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies, in health care, agriculture, food industry, diagnostic and research laboratories, at universities and research institutes.
The department personally and scientifically builds its activities on former Department of Cell Biology CRH. Research teams use integrated biotechnological, cellular biological, proteomic, genetic, molecular, physiological and biochemical approaches and technologies (including CRISPR/Cas9, TALEN, super-resolution and light-sheet microscopy) to better understand signaling in plants in relation to the development and the physiology of plant stress (abiotic and biotic). We also study plant interactions with beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms in model species Arabidopsis, Medicago and Hordeum. The department collaborates closely with top home and abroad research institutes. Our employees publish mainly in prestigious international scientific journals.