President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, accompanied by the President of the Czech Academy of Sciences Radomír Pánek, visited three scientific institutions on April 1. His first stop was IOCB Prague, where he was welcomed by Director Jan Konvalinka during the first-ever presidential visit to the institute.
“We greatly appreciate that the President has taken the time to visit our institute. Research and education are key to the future and prosperity of this country. At a time when even fundamental scientific facts are often being questioned, meetings like this provide scientists with an extraordinary boost and at the same time help strengthen their recognition in society,” said IOCB Director Jan Konvalinka.
During the visit, the President toured the laboratories of Hana Cahová and Zuzana Kečkéšová. The former focuses on the chemical biology of nucleic acids, while the latter studies tumor suppressors. The discussion covered not only the research itself, but also how new findings are transferred from laboratories into medical practice.
The program also included a discussion with IOCB staff. The questions addressed the role of science in society, the conditions under which research is conducted today, as well as security and foreign policy issues. President Pavel answered all questions in a very factual and open manner, receiving enthusiastic applause from the audience.
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