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Biotechnology
Doctoral Programme,
Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology
The purpose of the study programme is to train specialists in biotechnology and other related fields. The study focuses on scientific research and its applications in the development of new products and technologies using the biological agent as the basis of the process. Special attention is paid to the specific properties of microbial, plant, and animal cells and to the acquisition of the ability to apply this knowledge in the development of new products. An integral part is the development of new technical (engineering) solutions to biotechnological processes. The study is therefore focused on a comprehensive studying of theoretical knowledge in chemical, biological, engineering and economic sciences, and on gaining practical experience and skills in the field of management and methodology of biotechnological research. Graduates of this programme can participate in basic and applied research at academic institutions and universities, but they can also participate in practice in the Czech Republic and abroad. CareersThe graduates of the doctoral study programme Biotechnology are engaged in scientific research focused primarily on the development and optimization of processes for the production of pharmaceutical products, pure chemicals, biofuels, as well as traditional fermentation products. Other applications are directly in the biotechnology industry and related areas of the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, including in the area of bio-waste processing and environmental protection. They can hold managerial positions in development, production, control and design in commercial institutions and state administration bodies. Due to the wide concept of expertise they are prepared not only for professional work in their specialization, but also for easy adaptation to possible work in other technological and natural sciences fields. This DSP fully reflects employers' requirements for university graduates, including language skills. Employers prefer broad, interdisciplinary professional skills for future employees as well as key competencies - so-called “soft knowledge and skills”. Programme Details
Vypsané disertační práce pro rok 2025/26Degradation of bacterial signaling molecules by rational engineered Ntn-hydrolases as novel antibacterials
AnnotationGrowing antibiotic resistance will result globally in 10 million deaths annually by 2050. The targeted design of quorum-quenching (QQ) enzymes, negatively affecting the communication process in Gram-negative bacteria leading to biofilm formation, known as quorum sensing (QS) process, represents a clever strategy to effectively combat this threat. Construction and development of modified proteins from the Ntn-hydrolase group (e.g., ecPGA isolated from Escherichia coli) using genetic-molecular techniques (RF cloning, PCR-based methods, CRISPR/Cas technology) and biotechnological strategies (scale-up process, His tag purification) will lead to the develop of a unique QQ enzyme with properties for specific binding to a wider spectrum of HSL molecules (3-oxo-C12-HSL, C8-HSL, C6-HSL, C4-HSL). The designed modified enzymes will be used in in vitro interactions with selected HSL molecules, and their degradation activity will be monitored. Degradation efficiency will be tested in a biological model during biofilm development and maturation in significant HSL-dependent Gram-negative pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Aeromonas veronii. Biofilm morphology will be analyzed using electron microscopy, while the profile of signaling molecules synthesized in the bacterial population will be thoroughly examined using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The project will explore and enhance the biotechnological potential of these QQ enzymes to act as an alternative and complement to conventional antibiotic therapies and agents for medical and industrial applications in combating biofilm formation.
Contact supervisor
Study place:
Institute of Microbiology of the CAS
Changes in the urinary microbiome and metabolome in response to the therapeutic intervention in female patients with overactive bladder symptoms
AnnotationResearch into the microbiome of the urinary tract has progressed dramatically over the last decade. Currently, more than 500 bacterial species have been identified in urine, indicating significant diversity in the microbiome of the niche. As our understanding of the urinary microbiome grows, there is evidence of differences in microbiome composition between healthy individuals and those with lower urinary tract diseases. Overactive bladder (OAB) is a chronic disease of the lower urinary tract dysfunction affecting up to 20% of the population, more often women than men, characterized by sudden urges to urinate with a negative impact on quality of life. The pathophysiology of OAB is multifactorial, including metabolic syndrome, affective disorders, sex hormone deficiency, and other factors. The standard treatment of OAB is mainly based on lifestyle modification, behavioural therapy, and pharmacotherapy with anticholinergics. This study aims to correlate characteristics of the urinary microbiome and metabolome with OAB symptom severity and then to evaluate changes in the urinary microbiome and metabolome in response to therapeutic intervention for OAB. The study will include 210 subjects, approximately 60 with OAB symptoms and 150 healthy controls. Inclusion criteria for the OAB group will be the presence of clinical symptoms, the OAB-V8 patient-reported outcome questionnaire and the nerve growth factor (NGF) levels. Standard molecular techniques of DNA isolation and purification, PCR amplification, and sequencing by massively parallel sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform, complemented by bioinformatic analysis, will be used to gain insights into the microbiome. In addition to the composition of the microbial community, the molecular mechanisms at the level of identification of specific low molecular weight metabolites will play a key role in the patient´s condition. We will use non-targeted metabolomics to obtain comprehensive molecular profiles and semi-quantitatively determine the levels of unique metabolites. This will provide new insights into the biochemical functions of the detected metabolites associated with OAB and identify potential biomarkers associated with the development of this disease.
Contact supervisor
Study place:
Institute of Microbiology of the CAS
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Updated: 25.3.2022 16:21, Author: Jan Kříž