The Department of Chemical Biology of the Faculty of Science (FS) recently organised an afternoon lecture series focusing on the connection between the use of cytokinin derivatives in the application sphere and their potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Guests of honour at the Cytokinins in Neuroscience mini-symposium were Nasri Nesnas of the Florida Institute of Technology, who works closely with the department, and Vice-Dean Petr Kaňovský of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (FMD).
“Thanks to the collaboration with Prof Nesnas, which recently culminated in a publication in ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, we were able to provide internships to several doctoral students. I consider it very crucial to develop cooperation with international workplaces, and the mutual exchange of students is undoubtedly an integral part of the internationalisation of our department,” said Lucie Plíhalová, Head of the Department of Chemical Biology.
The mini-symposium featured lectures by experts from both the FS and FMD. Lucie Plíhalová lectured on the possibility of using cytokinin conjugates in biotechnological and skin applications. Gabriel Gonzalez from the Department of Experimental Biology presented his research, focused on the use of naturally occurring cytokinins in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Petr Kaňovský focused on neurodegenerative disorders, especially in Parkinson’s disease.
“I consider the mini-symposium to be very successful, both in terms of connecting individual workplaces and in establishing deeper scientific cooperation. The event met with great interest among both students and staff,” added Plíhalová.
