Starting next year, the Czech Science Foundation (GACR) will fund 16 projects that won the JUNIOR STAR tender. The goal of the five-year projects with a budget of up to CZK 25 million aim to support the best of scientists in their early-stage careers within 8 years of completing their Ph.D. programmes. They will be able to pursue their own scientific topics, and also to establish their own research groups. Half the projects funded will be carried out within the Czech Academy of Sciences.
“The JUNIOR STAR calls aim to identify projects of young researchers who have a high potential to achieve world-class results and, at the same time, have the ambition to become independent scientists. Similar to the EXPRO calls, these are exclusive grants – only a small percentage of projects get selected, providing their investigators with extraordinary funding for a period of five years. While scientists in the early stages of their careers enjoy greater research freedom, we also hope that the award of the grant sends a message to their institutions that those scientists can be expected to produce excellent results in the future,” said Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Petr Baldrian, Ph.D., adding: “Funding junior scientists is one of the priorities of the Czech Science Foundation. This year, we have launched the POSTDOCINDIVIDUALFELLOWSHIPcalls for young scientists who completed their Ph.D. programmes recently, aimed at scientific mobility. However, young scientists – both students and postdocs – are also an important part of standard or international project teams, where they can gain practical research experience.”
In the second year of the JUNIOR STAR calls, a total of 16 projects have been recommended for funding out of a total of 315 proposals submitted. Half the projects funded will be carried out starting next year at the Czech Academy of Sciences, three at the Masaryk University in Brno, and two at the Czech Technical University in Prague. One project each at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, and the University of Chemical Technology in Prague.
The evaluation of JUNIOR STAR project proposals is carried out purely externally by scientists abroad recommended by the international agency Science Connect. The evaluation is carried out in two phases, with each project proposal being evaluated by at least four experts abroad in the given research field.
Registration No.
Applicant
Title
Organization
Project Duration
22-06008M
Ing Prokop Hapala, PhD
Computer Aided Desing of Templated Assembling, Replication and Synthesis on Ionic Substrates
Fyzikální ústav AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
22-11299M
Ing. Petr Kovaříček, Ph.D.
Reaction networks at phase interfaces for dynamic self-assembly
Fakulta chemické technologie, Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická v Praze
5
22-17593M
Mgr. Kateřina Sam, Ph.D.
Ecological meltdown in the absence of birds and spiders?
Přírodovědecká fakulta, Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích
5
22-18033M
Ing. Tomáš Fíla, Ph.D.
High velocity impact dynamics with fast and flash X-ray radiography
Fakulta dopravní, České vysoké učení technické v Praze
5
22-18424M
Jan Perner, Ph.D.
Functional Genomics and Symbio-Genomics in Ticks
Biologické centrum AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
22-20303M
Mgr. Hana Sedláčková, Ph.D.
Deciphering Origins of DNA replication in genome integrity
Biofyzikální ústav AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
22-20342M
RNDr. Tomáš Slanina, Ph.D.
Organic Solar Electric Batteries Using Electron Storage into Chemical Bonds
Ústav organické chemie a biochemie AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
22-21743M
Dr. Madalina Bianca Moraru
RolE oF cOuRts in Shaping Access to asyluM (REFORM)
Právnická fakulta, Masarykova univerzita
5
22-22000M
Dr. Dominik Kriegner
Multipole antiferromagnets: New interlinked chapters in crystallography, band structure, and electronics
Fyzikální ústav AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
22-23183M
RNDr. Zuzana Kúkelová, PhD.
New generation of camera geometry solvers
Fakulta elektrotechnická, České vysoké učení technické v Praze
5
22-28659M
Mgr. Filip Hrbáček, Ph.D.
Dynamics of the periglacial environment in the Antarctic Peninsula region under ongoing climate change
Přírodovědecká fakulta, Masarykova univerzita
5
22-30571M
RNDr. David Sehnal, Ph.D.
Cell*: a web platform for visualization, modelling and dynamics of organnel- and cell-sized structures
Přírodovědecká fakulta, Masarykova univerzita
5
22-33162M
Ole Jann, PhD
Data, Algorithms, Power: Economic Theories of the Information Society
Národohospodářský ústav AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
22-33266M
Ioannis Markonis
Investigation of the Terrestrial HydrologicAl Cycle Acceleration (ITHACA)
Fakulta životního prostředí, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze
5
22-33877M
Mgr. Kateřina Rohlenová, Ph.D.
Intercellular metabolic crosstalk in nucleotide metabolism: an emerging target
Biotechnologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
22-35680M
Roman Pleskot, Ph.D.
4D plate - Spatiotemporal dynamics of cell plate development
Ústav experimentální botaniky AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
The results of the other grant calls made by GACR will be announced on 6 December 2021.
Today, five excellent scientists have received the Award of the President of the Czech Science Foundation (GACR) for outstanding results in grant projects, which was exceptionally presented this year by GACR Vice President Stanislava Hronová. The prestigious prize for the best basic research was awarded to Martin Pivokonský (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), Vladimír Šindelář (Masaryk University), Zdeněk Lánský (BIOCEV Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre as the joint venture of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Charles University), Klára Šeďová (Masaryk University), and Marek Eliáš (University of Ostrava).
The award-winning research projects provide important insights that will make it possible to ensure the high quality drinking water, use certain organic substances in the preparation of medicines, better understand what happens inside nerve cells, improve education for school children, or better understand the evolution of cell organelles ‒ tiny structures present in the cells of plants and algae.
“We believe it is extremely important to reward scientists for their work, which is why this year we have selected these five best grant projects. It was an honour to present the President’s Award of the Czech Science Foundation to the laureates, but I am deeply saddened that the President of the Czech Science Foundation, Jaroslav Koča, an exceptional scientist and a man who recently left us unexpectedly forever, was unable to present it. We are presenting these awards for the eighteenth time, and this year’s selection of projects once again proves that basic research in the Czech Republic is world-class,” says Stanislava Hronová, Vice-President of the Czech Science Foundation.
The laureates of the GACR President’s Award are selected on the recommendation of several hundred scientists who evaluate projects funded by GACR. Over thirty projects have been shortlisted, out of which the winning projects were then selected in five areas of basic research: technical sciences; physical sciences; medical and biological sciences; social sciences and humanities; and agricultural and biological-environmental sciences.
“Every year, the Czech Science Foundation funds hundreds of research projects selected through a transparent tender process. We are the only institution in the Czech Republic that has funded exclusively basic research projects for 28 years. We will continue to strive to create the right conditions for quality basic research so that it brings more success for Czech scientists,” says Stanislava Hronová, Vice President of the GACR.
List of laureates and award-winning projects
Technical sciences
doc. RNDr. Martin Pivokonský, Ph.D., Institute of Hydrodynamics, Czech Academy of Sciences
Influence of Algal Organic Matter of Flocs Formed during Coagulation/Flocculation in Water Treatment
The project investigated the effect of organic matter produced by cyanobacteria on water treatment at different mixing intensities. It produced a major finding ‒ when the mixing intensity is changed, the change in the size of the flocs that remove the water contaminants is not linear, but occurs in quantum leaps. These conditions ultimately determine how effective the entire water treatment process will be. The project has thus contributed to deepening the theoretical knowledge of water treatment by coagulation and flocculation, which can be leveraged to improve existing water treatment technologies and thus provide potable water.
Physical sciences
prof. Ing. Vladimír Šindelář, Ph.D., Faculty of Science, Masaryk University
Chiral Bambusurils
The project dealt with what is called bambusurils ‒ organic substances whose molecule resembles part of the bamboo stalk, inspiring the laureate who discovered them to give them this name. He has taken a closer look at chiral bambusurils, whose molecule is not identical to its mirror image. He discovered that they are only able to preferentially bind one of a pair of chiral anions to each other, whereby pairs of anions can be split to obtain only those that exhibit the desired properties. This makes it possible to use bambusurils primarily in the preparation of pharmaceutical drugs.
Medical and biological sciences
RNDr. Zdeněk Lánský, Ph.D., BIOCEV
In Vitro Reconstitution of the Mitochondrial Transport Complex
Thanks to this project, a mechanism has been discovered that allows molecular motors to find a viable path in the crowded interior of a cell. It has led to the discovery of how molecular motors transport mitochondria in nerve cells over long distances and how this mechanism increases the reliability of transport. The clarification of the molecular mechanism provides insights relevant to further research on the regulation of mitochondrial transport.
Social sciences and humanities
prof. Mgr. Klára Šeďová, Ph.D., Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University
The Relationship between the Characteristics of Instructional Communication and the Students’ Learning Outcomes
The project has shown, also through a dedicated app, that verbal engagement of students during school instruction enhances learning. Students who communicate during class achieve better results than those who follow the teacher’s instructions quietly. The project has produced findings that can be used by schools to enhance their students’ learning, and has also revealed that communication during class can make up for the disadvantages of students from less stimulating family backgrounds.
Agricultural and biological-environmental sciences
prof. Mgr. Marek Eliáš, Ph.D., Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava
The Dark Side of Plastid Biology: Evolution and Function of Leucoplasts in Algae
The project has made a major contribution to a better understanding of the evolution and function of plastids ‒ cellular organelles present in plant and algal cells. It mapped the metabolic functions of the plastid of a unicellular flagellate organism, the colourless euglenid. Professor Eliáš also discovered a new lineage of non-photosynthesizing algal flagellates with an extremely large plastid genome, and uncovered a hidden plastid in an amoebic organism of the Leukarachinon genus.
Czech Science Foundation President’s Award
Since 2003, the President’s Award of the GACR has been regularly awarded to three to five laureates in recognition of the outstanding results achieved in grant projects completed in the previous year. So far, a total of 80 exceptional scientists and their projects have been awarded (see the list here). Each laureate will receive a financial award of CZK 100,000. The prizes are awarded in five areas of basic research: technical sciences; physical sciences, medical and biological sciences; social sciences and humanities; and agricultural and biological-environmental sciences.
Czech Science Foundation
The Czech Science Foundation (GACR) is the only institution in the Czech Republic that provides targeted aid from public funds to basic research projects only. The objectives of GACR are to fund basic research projects carried out by scholars and their teams, both seasoned scientists and young ones in their early careers, to create suitable and attractive conditions for scientists, and to promote and expand international scientific cooperation. GACR launched its activities in 1993.
It is with our deep sorrow that we announce the departure of Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Koča, DrSc. The President of the Czech Science Foundation passed away suddenly on Friday 2 July 2021, short of turning 66.
Prof. Jaroslav Koča had been a member of the Presidium of the Czech Science Foundation of the Czech Republic since 2016, and was appointed President in December 2020. In this role, he contributed to the current internationalisation of the Foundation, as well as the creation of new types of grants targeted at scientists at various stages of their careers.
Professor Jaroslav Koča was an internationally recognised expert in the field of organic chemistry. He received his professorship in 1995 at the Masaryk University in Brno. During his scientific career, he published more than 200 original scientific papers in international journals, and supervised more than 40 Ph.D. students and postdocs. He worked at a number of international institutions, including long-term engagements in Norway, France, and the United States. In his lifetime, he held several positions in science management – he contributed significantly to the development of CEITEC, where he held the position of Scientific Director in 2015-2020.
With the departure of Jaroslav Koča, Czech science has not only lost a prominent scientist, but also a man who, through his diligence and personal approach, managed to build a world-class scientific environment in the Czech Republic.
The Czech Science Foundation has succeeded in signing a prestigious cooperation agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF) government agency of the United States. This is the largest-scale scientific cooperation between the two countries ever. Czech and U.S. scientists will receive funding from both agencies to jointly explore areas such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, or plasma.
“Reaching an agreement with the United States is a tremendous success because the NSF is highly selective in its choice of partner agencies. This agreement will make it possible for Czech scientists to work with universities such as Harvard, Stanford, and other research institutions recognised globally,” says Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Koča, DrSc., President of the Czech Science Foundation.
“It took approximately two years to help establish this cooperation between the Czech Science Foundation and the NSF. It is the largest-scale scientific cooperation between the Czech Republic and the United States ever agreed upon,” says His Excellency, Mr. Hynek Kmoníček, Czech Ambassador to the United States.
This cooperation will help fund basic research projects which have a high application potential at present — artificial intelligence and nanotechnology. Project proposals are also welcome in the areas of plasma, astronomy, astrophysics, and certain humanities.
Calls for project proposals will be made this year already. The agencies will share the costs of individual projects — the Czech Science Foundation will cover the costs of the Czech part of the project, and the NSF will finance the U.S. part.
About the Czech Science Foundation
As the only institution in the Czech Republic, the Czech Science Foundation provides targeted aid using public funds to basic research projects only — the volume of funding was approx. CZK 4.2 billion (U.S.$ 195 million). Through its grants, the Foundation funds scientific projects carried out by seasoned scientists and teams as well as young scientists in their early careers. Each year, the Foundation funds hundreds of scientific projects on the basis of a multi-stage, transparent selection process.
About the National Science Foundation
Established in 1950, the National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the U.S. government responsible for the support of basic research. In 2021, it manages a budget of U.S.$ 8.5 billion, and its grants cover approx. 25% of basic research at U.S. universities. The NSA funds approx. 11,000 projects a year through highly prestigious calls for competitive proposals. Funding from the NSF gave birth to a number of revolutionary technologies of their time. Throughout its existence, the NSA has funded 236 scientists who would later become Nobel Prize winners.
The Presidium of the Czech Science Foundation has approved a number of measures in response to the ever-changing pandemic situation and various restrictions. The goal of these measures is to help Investigators and their teams to handle the situation.
Similar to last year, the changes involve more flexibility in the use of the grant funds, such as the eligibility of telecommunication and computer equipment, or the costs of childcare. We have also expanded the options to change workloads and modify project budgets,” says GACR President, Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Koča, DrSc., adding: “I trust that Investigators of projects to be completed this year will appreciate a six-month extension, which we have already approved. We are also helping Applicants by extending the project proposal submission deadline.”
BUDGET
1. Budgets Unexhausted in 2021 May Be Carried over to Future Years
You may carry over and draw unlimited amounts from unexhausted targeted aid in future years – and this is already possible on the basis of Tender Documents and in compliance with Decree 367/2015 on Principles and Deadlines of Financial Reconciliation with the State Budget, State Assets, and the National Fund (hereinafter “Financial Reconciliation Decree”). Thus, GACR makes it possible already now to carry over and use the funds received in any previous year to the following year(s) of the project.
2. Items of the Basic Composition May Be Shifted in 2021
Measure: Items of the basic composition of the grant funds allocated to a Beneficiary or another participant may be shifted by up to CZK 100,000 until the end of 2021 without a special request, and it is not necessary to amend the Agreement on Grant Funding nor obtain a new Decision on Grant Funding.
The Beneficiary must properly explain any changes or carry-overs in drawdowns in the next Interim or Final Report. The Beneficiary must prove that such changes or carry-overs have served a purpose, that they were economical, effective, and necessitated by the covid-related situation, limiting people’s movement and communication.
It is still possible to shift items worth CZK 100,000 or more on the basis of an individual request approved by the Presidium, and an amendment to the Agreement.
ELIGIBLE COSTS IN 2021
1. Eligible costs covered by grant funds may now (and until the end of 2021) include the expenses defined below if such expenses have been incurred as a direct consequence of the restrictions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic:
• Travel Expenses
Measure: Eligible expenses may now include the costs of COVID-19 tests if required for travel abroad in order to carry out a grant project. The amount of eligible costs will be reduced appropriately if the grant project is not the exclusive reason for your travel abroad.
• Postponed Conferences
Measure: You may still include costs incurred while carrying out a project among eligible costs (i.e. advances paid while the project was being carried out) if those costs were related to a conference which was postponed due to COVID-19 and was/will be held after the completion of the project, but no later than a year within such completion.
• Cancellation Fees
Measure: Eligible costs may include cancellation fees for cancelled conferences, including travel costs for cancelled business trips, both up to 100%, provided that the trip was cancelled due to COVID-19.
If the supplier refunds the costs or if you travel on a different date (e.g. using a voucher) but the trip is not related to specific project, you will be required to include these amounts in the project-related revenues.
• Telecommunication Cost
Measure: Until the end of 2021, eligible costs covered by grant funds may include the costs of telecommunication services and the costs of purchasing, maintaining, or repairing ICT devices and appliances (drawn from the material purchases or investments account), excluding phones, recorders, and readers.
2. Eligible costs coved by grant funds, specifically the overhead costs, may now include the additional expenses related to the covid crisis:
• such as the cost of childcare for the children and other dependants of the project team members.
3. Eligible costs coved by grant funds, specifically the material or personnel costs, may now include the additional expenses related to the covid crisis:
• costs of remuneration paid during e.g. a leave of absence or sick leave which is not covered by the government during the state of emergency;
• computer equipment used exclusively in a direct relation to the grant project.
DEDICATED WORKLOADS
1. Total Dedicated Workloads of a Team May Now Change by up to 35% without Prior Approval
Measure: If it is impossible to work on a project according to an approved plan due to COVID-19, the changes in professional teams that include a change in the total dedicated work capacity (workload) of up to 35% of the team’s total dedicated workload as defined by the Agreement (workload), including a change in the Investigator’s or Co-investigator’s dedicated workloads, are now possible through 2021 without a request for prior approval, and such changes do not require an amendment to the Agreement on Grant Funding nor a new Decision to Provide Grant Funding.
2. Decrease in the Minimal Dedicated Workload of the EXPRO and JUNIOR STAR Project Teams in 2021
Measure: If it is impossible to work on a project according to an approved plan due to COVID-19, the Beneficiary may request a reduction in the dedicated working hours of the individual team members carrying out the project pursuant to Article 5.1. of Annex 4 to the Tender Document.
DEADLINES
1. Postponed Evaluation of the Final Report
Measure: If the Beneficiary requests a deadline extension for the evaluation of the Final Report, and such report is to be submitted by 31 July 2021, the deadline for the submission of the Final Report is now extended until 31 August 2021.
The option to postpone deadlines for projects to be completed in 2021 by six months has already been granted.
Please note that failure to indicate the Organization, i.e. the institution where you will be carrying out the Project and which will employ you for the duration of the Project (should you not intend to carry out the project independently as a natural person) is ground for disqualification of the Project Proposal from the Public Tender.
Institution means Organization, i.e. the future recipient of the subsidy, the data box of which must be used to deliver the Project Proposal to the Czech Science Foundation.
For some public tenders such as POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP (PIF) or JUNIOR STAR, it is not possible for the Project to be carried out by a natural person.
Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us by phone +420 227 088 841 or +420 227 088 861 or by e-mail: info@gacr.cz.
UPDATE 10 APRIL: In a response to numerous requests from the scientific community, the Presidium of the Czech Science Foundation has decided to postpone the deadline for the submission of proposals into tenders already published, due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic situation in the Czech Republic, and the government’s new measures, such as the limited movement of people, and the closure of schools and kindergartens. The tenders already published are now cancelled, and will be launched again. That way, the deadlines will be postponed by 2 weeks, which should help organizations and applicants better deal with this extraordinary situation.
JUST RELEASE: NEW CALLS FOR PROPOSOSAL IN TENDERS FOR 2022
22. 2. 2021
The Czech Science Foundation has published a call for proposals in the categories of Standard Projects, JUNIOR STAR, and POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP, which is a brand new scheme. The deadline for submissions is 8 April 22 April. Results will be announced in November and December this year. At the same time, another tender is open for proposals for International Projects. Projects which win funding after multiple rounds of evaluations will be launched in 2022.
“The POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP is new this year. It gives Czech scientists who received their PhDs not too long ago an opportunity to get experience abroad. The Fellowship also makes it possible for scientists from abroad to come to perform research at a Czech institution. Our goal is to boost the exchange of experience, opinions, and ideas. Something that researchers cannot do without if they want to succeed,” says prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Koča, DrSc., the President of the Czech Science Foundation, and adds: “For the same reason, we are expanding our international cooperation. A substantial part of the expansion took place last year already. And this year, we are pushing forward also – thanks to Weave, a new initiative that we have co-founded – the number of agencies from abroad cooperating with the Czech Science Foundation is going to continue to increase.
Project proposals in the individual categories may be submitted by 8 April 22 April (deadlines may vary for international tenders). After submissions, the project proposals will be evaluated in multiple rounds of a transparent process where international experts are taking part in addition to local scholars recommended by Czech institutions. The JUNIOR STAR proposals are going to be evaluated by international experts only. The experts have been selected Science Connect, an independent agency. “Not a single project is funded without being reviewed by at least one international evaluator; the vast majority even received more than one review from abroad,” adds the Czech Science Foundation President. The winning proposals will be announced in November and December this year.
Standard Projects
Standard Projects are the cornerstone of grant funding for basic research in the Czech Republic – every year since it was established in 1993, the Czech Science Foundation has funded a few hundred of them . Standard Projects are funded to facilitate the best of basic research in all fields of science. Proposals for 3-year projects may be submitted by any researcher or team, regardless of their age or experience.
JUNIOR STAR was introduced last year and was met with tremendous interest. JUNIOR STAR grants are intended for excellent scientists in their early careers (within 8 years of receiving their PhDs) active in all areas of basic research who have published in prestigious international journals before, and have had substantial experience abroad. The 5-year project allows them to receive up to CZK 25 million (€966,000) and gives them an opportunity to attain scientific independence or even start their own research team, which can bring new areas of research into Czech science.
POSTDOC INDVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP (PIF) is the latest type of grant funding, and a call for proposals has been published this year for the first time ever. The Fellowship is targeted at scientists who have completed their PhDs in the last four years. The OUTGOING PIF makes it possible for Czech scientists to perform research at any institution in the world, provided that the Fellow returns to the Czech Republic to spend at least one year at a local institution. The INCOMING PIF enables a scientist from abroad to come to a Czech institution to carry out his or her research.
Proposals for International Projects may be submitted in tenders published with agencies abroad jointly, on the basis of an agreement between the Czech Science Foundation and the other agencies. Project Proposals are either evaluated by both agencies (bilateral cooperation), or recommended for funding only by one of the agencies, and the other one accepts that recommendation (cooperation based on Lead Agency)
Agencies involved within bilateral cooperation
Taiwan – Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
South Korea – National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
São Paulo, Brazil – São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
No call for proposals has come from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) this year for reasons on its part. New calls are expected to come back next year.
The COVID-19 pandemic has identified a clear need for the efficient decontamination of surfaces and objects of daily use to reduce the transmission of the virus through smear infection. The response has come from a research project funded by two research sponsors: FWF of Austria, and the Czech Science Foundation. It was the first international urgent funding project in late 2020. Its goal is to offer a safe, environmentally friendly, and affordable alternative of surface decontamination compared to current options.
The Czech-Austrian research project explores decontamination, recycling, and reuse of heat or liquid-sensitive objects, for example highly effective face masks.
The goal of the project is to explore Cold Atmospheric Plasma technology (CAP) and its further application, and the effort involves teams of Thomas Lion of St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research in Vienna, and Vladimír Scholtz of the University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT) in Prague.
The project explores the effectiveness of CAP, as an innovative technology, against selected human respiratory viruses, such as the SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, adenovirus, and rhinovirus.
What is CAP? It is ionized gas, in fact, any electric discharge.
A Fluorescent Gas with Disinfecting Power
CAP is an ionized, fluorescent gas. In principle, it is any electric discharge, a tiny spark ranging from a few millimetres to a few centimetres in size. Plasma generators are used to produce plasma.
“We developed a simple generator to decontaminate scarce FFP respirators as early as the spring of 2020, when the pandemic started. We proved it effective against the coronavirus, and we verified that the filtration capability of the respirators is not reduced by the plasma. We named it Corona Spark against the Corona Virus, and released all documentation for everyone’s use,” says Vladimír Scholtz.
“I am delighted we have started successfully to work together with our Austrian partners, which makes it possible for us to further develop the application of plasma against microorganisms. St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Centre works with viruses primarily, and we have explored low-temperature plasma and its microbicidal effect (it kills microscopic organisms) for over a decade,” adds Vladimír Scholtz on part of Czech scientists.
Please watch this video this video to find out how the plasma generator works.
Vladimír Scholtz focuses on the recycling and reuse of highly effective face protection, and surface decontamination using a new, safe, and environmentally friendly technology: CAP.
Safe and Environmentally Friendly Method of Decontamination
Objects which cannot be decontaminated by heat or by liquid disinfectants may present a higher risk of virus transmission. The availability of alternative methods such as CAP is critical to prevent the epidemic spread of viral or microbial pathogens.
The effectiveness of CAP in bacterial disinfection is already well-established, and more recent studies have proven it suitable to deactivate viruses. “We need to establish new findings about the effectiveness of CAP to be able to design new and reliable appliances optimised for various areas of application,” says Vladimír Scholtz.
The outcomes of the research co-funded by the Czech Science Foundation and FWF of Austria are going to help introduce CAP as a safe and affordable alternative to decontamination methods deployed at present. In addition, getting to understand the mechanisms deactivating viruses through CAP will also help the researchers learn the strengths of this technology, and to tackle any weaknesses before the technology is released for a broad application. “Our goal is to see primarily healthcare providers using the plasma generators for the disinfection of objects and surfaces on regular basis. The advantage is that the manufacturing costs are not going to be extremely high, the generators should come in the single-digit or low double-digit euro amounts,” says Vladimír Scholtz of UTC in conclusion.
Plasma generator (Corona Spark against Corona Virus).
Cross-Border Cooperation
Titled “Decontamination of Sensitive Materials by Low-Temperature Atmospheric Plasma for Effective and Affordable Virus Elimination”, this international project has been funded through the “Urgent Funding SARS-CoV-2” programme. The project was recommended for implementation by FWF (Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung) of Austria in the Lead Agency evaluation regime, and is being co-financed by FWF and the Czech Science Foundation.
“This project is a showcase of a promising start of both cross-border and interdisciplinary cooperation. As a result of the Czech Science Foundation’s quick response to the call by FWF of Austria, teams of Czech and Austrian scientists were able to present joint project proposals responding to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic between April and December last year. There are additional joint projects dealing with the pandemic under consideration at the moment. They will be launched as soon as they are recommended for funding,” says Jaroslav Koča, President of the Czech Science Foundation.
The Czech Science Foundation continues developing international cooperation opportunities constantly. At present, the Foundation works together with institutions from Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, and São Paulo (Brazil). In 2020, the Czech Science Foundation joined WEAVE, an initiative which is going to open cross-border cooperation to additional countries in Europe.
The Czech Science Foundation (GACR) signed an agreement on cooperation with the Luxembourg National Research Fund (NRF) this week. The cooperation is based on the Weave initiative whose goal is to connect twelve research-funding European organizations together by 2025. Researchers will be able to apply for mutual projects with colleagues from Luxembourg already this year.
“Just like in previous years GACR is concentrating on expanding the possibilities of international cooperation. At the moment we have agreements with organizations from all over the world – these include a number of European countries, but also Brazil or Taiwan, for example. The cooperation with Luxembourg is in a way an anniversary, as it has become the tenth country we have an agreement with. It is, however, definitely not the last one. Thanks to the Weave initiative we are going to establish cooperation with at least five other European organizations in the near future, while negotiations with other countries are ongoing beyond the initiative, as well,“ says Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Koča, DrSc., the President of GACR.
Researchers will have an opportunity to submit projects together according to the agreement between GACR and NRF already this year. The cooperation is based on the Lead Agency principle, which means that the projects will be only evaluated and recommended for funding by one of the organizations, while the other one will adopt its conclusions. This year only GACR will be in the role of the evaluating Lead Agency in the case of the cooperation with Luxembourg. Starting next year, research projects will be evaluated by both sides.
Thanks to the Weave initiative researchers will not only be able to submit projects involving Czech and Luxembourgish cooperation, but they will also be able to join teams from Germany, Austria or Switzerland. An interactive tool has been developed in order to provide further information on funding opportunities for research projects.
Today, 12 national research funding organisations, with the support of Science Europe, launch Weave, a cross-European initiative to fund and support excellent international research projects. It is the first time a large network of this scale has developed an initiative of this kind to enable bilateral and trilateral scientific cooperation in Europe.
Weave aims to simplify the submission and selection procedures of collaborative research proposals involving researchers from up to three European countries or regions with a single evaluation. It makes use of existing national or regional funding programmes, through which research projects will be financed. It seeks to make it easier for researchers to collaborate across borders. It also ambitions to increase the capacity of researchers to freely determine the composition, focus, and content of their projects.
“Scientists will certainly appreciate the Weave initiative because it will simplify the international cooperation, so vivid already. The major value added by Weave is the expansion of the group of countries whose scientists will be able to take part in projects. At present, we have cooperation established with Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, and a number of countries outside Europe. Thanks to Weave, another six institutions from European countries will be ‘interwoven’ by the end of 2025. This way, we are creating a pan-European network of institutions funding basic research,” says Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Koča, DrSc., President, Czech Science Foundation.
Weave builds on the Lead Agency Procedure, through which a single funding organisation evaluates proposals put forward by an international team of researchers and communicates the funding recommendation to the other funders involved. In practice, the researchers choose a coordinating applicant, who submits the joint proposal to the respective Weave funding organisation in their country or region.
“We fully support the Weave initiative, and its effort to promote bilateral and trilateral scientific cooperation within Europe,” said Lidia Borrell-Damián, Science Europe Secretary General. “Innovative projects like Weave strongly contribute to strengthening international research collaboration and the realisation of the European Research Area.”
The Weave signatories have developed, with the support of Science Europe, an interactive online tool that researchers can use to determine the relevant funding opportunities for their projects.
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