IOCB Prague researchers receive the Josef Hlávka Award for talented students and promising young scientists

Doctoral researcher Věra Schrenková combines computational chemistry with advanced spectroscopic techniques. Her work, which is particularly valuable for the characterization of pharmaceuticals, has appeared in several renowned scientific journals. “The award is confirmation that my work is important,” she says. “Now, as I finish my PhD studies, this moment will help me decide whether to continue in research.”

In addition to her research, Věra is active in science communication, where she has built a strong reputation with both the scientific community and the general public.

Robin Kryštůfek first joined IOCB Prague as a high-school student and quickly proved capable of independently designing and executing experiments. He received the 2013 Česká hlavička award for promising young scientists and, in 2022, the Werner von Siemens Award for his master’s thesis. “The Josef Hlávka Award is a great honor, one that motivates me to keep moving forward. It reminds me that tackling ambitious projects and doing science full-on is worth it,” he says.

At IOCB Prague, he has worked in the research group of the institute’s director, Prof. Jan Konvalinka, who notes: “Robin is one of the most remarkable and creative young scientists I’ve had the pleasure of supervising. He stands out for his exceptional combination of intellect, technical skill, and scientific creativity – and he always considers practical applications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a key role in establishing PCR diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2, so he’s already made a meaningful contribution to public health.”

Ondřej Groborz teaches medical biophysics at the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and works in both medicinal and materials chemistry at Charles University and IOCB Prague. His research focuses primarily on developing gelatin-based hydrogels to support tissue regeneration, and he collaborates long-term with Ghent University. “I greatly appreciate the Josef Hlávka Award and see it as recognition from the scientific community of the value of my work,” he says.

The Josef Hlávka Awards, which include a CZK 30,000 prize, were presented this year not only to early-career researchers of the Czech Academy of Sciences but also to outstanding students from Prague universities, the Brno University of Technology, the Police Academy, and the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. The best students of electrical engineering faculties received the Daniel Mayer Award, and as every year, the Josef, Marie, and Zdeňka Hlávka Foundation awarded the Josef Hlávka Medal to senior and founding figures of Czech science and the arts.