The Czech Science Foundation (GACR) announces calls for project proposals for STANDARD PROJECTS, JUNIOR STAR, POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP, INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS, and a new scheme, the RESTART GRANTS addressing scientists returning to work after a career break.
“The RESTART GRANTS are the biggest news this year. They will help scientists to return to science after a career break, such as a maternity leave, and to lead their own research projects,” says GACR President, Prof. Milan Jirsa. “We believe we can support equality in research and increase the number of female scientists in the Czech Republic, where they are the most underrepresented in Europe.”
Project proposals for projects to be launched in 2026 may be submitted until 3 April 2025. The results of the tenders will be published in late October and late November this year. The results of international tenders and calls will be announced later, depending on our arrangements with the agencies in other countries.
Project proposals will undergo review in a multi-stage transparent evaluation process involving both experts from Czech research institutions and those from abroad. Not a single project gets funded without being reviewed by experts abroad. And the highly selective JUNIOR STAR and EXPRO schemes, expected to be announced next year, involve only experts from other countries in the evaluation process.
Standard projects are the backbone of targeted aid for basic research in the Czech Republic, with GACR having financed hundreds of them each year since its founding in 1993. Through these projects, the best basic research in all areas is supported. Standard projects are usually worked on for three years and their proposals may be submitted by all researchers and their teams without limits on the length of their scientific careers. Project proposals are evaluated on the basis of a multi-level selection process.
The JUNIOR STAR tender is almost always met with great interest by applicants from the ranks of excellent scientists in basic research who are at the beginning of their career (up to 8 years after being awarded their Ph.D. titles) who have had their work published in prestigious international journals and have significant foreign experience. The goal of these five-year projects with a budget of up to 25 million CZK is to give the applicants a chance to gain scientific independence, including potentially founding their own research group to bring new topics into Czech science. Similarly to EXPRO projects, the review of JUNIOR STAR project proposals is carried out solely by external reviewers.
For the third time, GACR is announcing the POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP (PIF) tender this year. This type of grant is aimed at scientists who have finished their doctoral studies in the past four years. It can take two forms – either allowing a Czech scientist to carry out two years of research at a prestigious research centre abroad (with the condition of spending a third year at a research centre in the Czech Republic) or allowing a Czech postdoc or foreign scientist to come carry out research and begin their career at a Czech research centre.
Announced this year, the RESTART GRANTS are the most recent grant scheme. They will allow excellent scientists to restart their careers after a break due to parental leave or dependent care. RESTART GRANTS address scientists from Czech institutions who have completed their Ph.D.’s in the last ten years (or earlier if they had a career break). Project proposals may be submitted up to two years after the end of a career break related to childcare or dependent care that lasted at least one year. The schedule of the funding will be two to four years, depending on the workload chosen by the scientist.
Projects worked on by scientists and their teams in cooperation with researchers from partner states are a separate category of grants. Project proposals are either evaluated by both agencies (bilateral cooperation), or they are recommended for funding by one agency and the other adopts its recommendations (Lead Agency cooperation).
Bilateral-cooperation
Taiwan – National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)
South Korea – National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
Prof. Milan Jirsa, renowned clinical biochemist, has been appointed by the Czech Government today to head the Czech Science Foundation (GACR). He replaces Prof. Petr Baldrian after the completion of his second term. Prof. Jirsa’s main priorities include launching and preparing new grant schemes, establishing new international relationships, and stabilising the budget.
“The purpose of GACR is to support cutting-edge basic research and the scientists who carry it out. I plan to build on the work started with my colleagues in the Presidium, and to further develop GACR’s activities. My goals include the launch the first ever Restart Grants scheme, which will facilitate the return of excellent researchers to science, e.g. after parental leave, and to encourage a greater return on investment in basic research through the new Proof of Concept grant scheme,” says the incoming GACR President, Prof. Milan Jirsa, summarising his plans: “But there are more tasks ahead of me: for example, to push for the continuation of the highly selective EXPRO scheme, to start scientific cooperation with an Israeli grant provider, and to ensure sufficient funding for the traditional grant schemes of the Czech Science Foundation”.
“Professor Jirsa is a renowned expert in the field of medical sciences – he is credited with fundamental discoveries in the field of hereditary hepatitis and other liver diseases, having received numerous awards. He has served on the GACR Presidium since 2021. He also has a wealth of experience from management positions at IKEM and on the scientific boards of other institutions, which he will certainly leverage in his leadership of the Czech Science Foundation,” summarises Prof. Petr Baldrian, the outgoing President.
Having received his nomination by the Council for Research, Development and Innovation, Prof. Milan Jirsa has been appointed by the Czech Government to head the Czech Science Foundation. He currently works at IKEM and at the First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University. He also has experience in GACR evaluation panels, including assessments of project proposals for funding.
Along with Prof. Jirsa’s appointment, Prof. Patrik Španěl has been appointed GACR Presidium member in charge of Agricultural and Biological-Environmental Sciences, previously headed by Prof. Petr Baldrian within the Presidium.
About GACR Presidium
The GACR Presidium is appointed by the Government of the Czech Republic upon the nominations of the Council for Research, Development and Innovation. It is composed of five members representing the five basic scientific disciplines – Technical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Medical and Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Agricultural and Biological-Environmental Sciences. The term in office of the members of the Presidium is four years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms. The President is the chief executive in charge of the Czech Science Foundation. The Presidium approves the launch of public research and development calls and tenders, and decides on the execution of funding contracts, i.e. the award of grants to scientific projects, based on the evaluations by GACR’s discipline committees and panels. The Presidium also coordinates the activities of the above advisory bodies, and appoints and removes their members.
prof. MUDr. Mgr. Milan Jirsa, CSc.
(new President of the Czech Science Foundation)
Professor Milan Jirsa is the Head of the Laboratory of Experimental Hepatology and Deputy Director of the Experimental Medicine Centre at IKEM, where he is also the Chair of the Scientific Board. At the same time, he is active as a lecturer, supervisor and member of the doctoral study committee at Charles University, as well as at the University of Chemical Technology. He is a graduate of the Faculty of General Medicine and Faculty of Science of Charles University. He was awarded his professorship at the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. After achieving specialized qualifications in clinical biochemistry, he began to work on photodynamic therapy of tumors, soon moving on to the study of disorders and molecular mechanisms of bile secretion. Prof. Jirsa gradually extended his interest to liver disease genetics. Over the course of his scientific career to date, he has published more than 80 original research papers in international journals and supervised a number of PhD students and postdocs. Prof. Jirsa completed a long-term residency at the Academisch Medisch Centrum in Amsterdam. He serves on the scientific boards of IKEM, the Faculty of Health Care at the Prešov University (Slovakia), and the Crigler-Najjar Stichting in the Netherlands. He received awards from the Czech Hepatological Society of the J.E. Purkyně Czech Medical Association, has become an honorary member of the Czech Society of Clinical Biochemistry, and received The Bares Award. In November 2021, he became a member of the GACR Presidium in charge of Medical and Biological Sciences. Now in January 2025, he assumes the position of GACR President.
RNDr. Patrik Španěl, Dr. Rer. Nat
(new member of the Presidium of the GAČR for Agricultural and Biological-Environmental Sciences)
RNDr. Patrik Španěl, Dr. Rer. Nat., studied plasma physics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, and obtained a doctoral degree in ion physics in Innsbruck. He conducts research on ion-molecule reactions in the gas phase, with a focus on using mass spectrometry for trace gas analysis. He played a key role in developing the SIFT–MS method, which is used in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. He is actively applying this method in various interdisciplinary fields, including biological, environmental, veterinary, food, and medical research. He serves as the department head, chairman of the board and vice-director at the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the CAS. He is also a professor at Imperial College London and the author of >300 publications with >13,000 citations. He previously served at the Czech Science Foundation as a member of panel 206 and as chairman of OK2.
The Czech Government has appointed Assoc. Prof. Hana Čížková to the GACR Presidium effective 10 December 2024 to take charge of the field of Physical Sciences. She is replacing RNDr. Alice Valkárová, DrSc., whose second term of office has ended after eight years. A Presidium member may serve a maximum of two terms.
Assoc. Prof. Hana Čížková, Ph.D., graduated in geophysics from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the Charles University. She focuses on numerical modelling of convection in the Earth’s mantle. She is the head of the Geophysics Department at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics. She is a member of the Board of the Institute of Geophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and has been its Vice-Chair since 2013. She participates in projects with colleagues from the United States and the Netherlands within the Visiting Research Fellowship funded by a research centre in the Netherlands. At the Charles University, she is a lecturer, supervisor and doctoral program supervisor in the Physics of the Earth and Planets. She has served as a member of the evaluation panels and the OK2 discipline committee (and has chaired it since 2023).
About the Presidium of the Czech Science Foundation
The Presidium of GACR is appointed by the government of the Czech Republic upon the nomination of the Council for Research, Development and Innovation. It is composed of five members representing five basic scientific disciplines – Technical Sciences (prof. Ing. Martin Hartl, Ph.D.), Physical Sciences (Assoc. Prof. Hana Čížková, Ph.D.), Medical and Biological Sciences (prof. MUDr. Mgr. Milan Jirsa, CSc.), Social Sciences and Humanities (assoc. prof. PhDr. Martina Hřebíčková, DSc.), and Agricultural and Biological-Environmental Sciences (assoc. prof. RNDr. Petr Baldrian, Ph.D. – President of the Czech Science Foundation). The term in office of the members of the Presidium is four years, and a maximum of two consecutive terms is possible. GACR President is the governing body of the Czech Science Foundation.
The Presidium approves the publication of public tenders in research and development, and decides on the execution of contracts for the provision of funding, i.e. on the award of grants to scientific projects on the basis of the evaluation of the discipline committees and panels of the Czech Science Foundation. The Presidium also coordinates the activities of these advisory bodies, and appoints and removes their members.
The Czech Science Foundation (GACR), the leading Czech provider of basic research grants, will fund 474 new scientific projects starting in January 2025. More projects involving international scientists will be announced over time.
“We are delighted that from next year on, we will be able to fund more new scientific ideas than this year,” said GACR President Prof. Petr Baldrian. “We hope that the increase in the budget, and therefore the increase in the number of projects funded, will continue in the coming years to harvest the potential of Czech science. The potential for excellent projects in Czech science is much higher not only in our opinion but also in the opinion of our advisory bodies.”
All project proposals undergo a two-phase evaluation, carried out exclusively by leading Czech and international scientists. More than 500 of them serve on expert panels and discipline committees, and thousands of external researchers from other countries prepare reviews in the second phase of evaluation.
GACR tailors grant schemes to scientists at different stages of their careers. The POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP grants are designed for early-career researchers to gain international experience. The second grant scheme is the JUNIOR STAR, which allows scientists to achieve scientific independence from their current team or supervisor. “Next year, we plan to launch a Restart Grants scheme. These will be especially designed for parents with young children who are returning to scientific work after a career break,” adds Prof. Petr Baldrian.
The highly selective EXPRO grants are designed to fund higher-risk research by seasoned scientists with a high potential for scientific breakthroughs. They also aim to enhance the success rate of Czech projects in prestigious European Research Council (ERC) calls. The most-widely used grant scheme, Standard Projects, covers the full scope of basic research. Czech science draws a high value from the funding of International Projects, which allow Czech scientists to conduct research together with teams from abroad.
Standard Projects
Standard Projects are the basis of grant funding for basic research in the Czech Republic. Starting in 2025, GACR will fund 410 new Standard Projects worth CZK 3.4 billion. All researchers and their teams, regardless of age and experience, may submit proposals for projects of up to three years. This type of project scheme has been funded since 1993.
Registration No.
Applicant
Title
Organization
Number of years
Discipline Committee
25-15195S
doc. Fatma Yalcinkaya, MSc., Ph.D.
New chiral composite magnetic membranes combined with rotational and magnetic levitation forces for racemic mixture separation
Technická univerzita v Liberci, Ústav pro nanomateriály, pokročilé technologie a inovace
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15200S
prof. Ing. Martin Keppert, Ph.D.
Opportunities for increasing low early strength of eco-friendly blended cements through innovative additives and nanomaterials
České vysoké učení technické v Praze, Fakulta stavební
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15390S
doc. Ing. David Nečas, Ph.D.
3D printed metal matrix composites reinforced by 2D MXene nanosheets for new-generation biomedical implants
Vysoké učení technické v Brně, Fakulta strojního inženýrství
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15398S
prof. Ing. Robert Černý, DrSc.
Synergetic effects in alkaline activation of blended precursors: physical, chemical and environmental aspects
České vysoké učení technické v Praze, Fakulta stavební
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15490S
doc. RNDr. Jiří Šíma, DrSc.
LEDNeCo: Low Energy Deep Neurocomputing
Ústav informatiky AV ČR, v.v.i.
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15501S
prof. Ing. Vít Šmilauer, Ph.D., DSc.
A multiphysics nonlinear model for whitetopping
České vysoké učení technické v Praze, Fakulta stavební
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15541S
Ing. Patrycja Magdalena Bober, Ph.D.
Nanostructured composites for energy conversion and storage
Ústav makromolekulární chemie AV ČR, v.v.i.
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15579S
Ing. Jiří Čapek, Ph.D.
Experimental and numerical research on relaxation of residual stresses induced by selective laser melting
České vysoké učení technické v Praze, Fakulta jaderná a fyzikálně inženýrská
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15590S
doc. RNDr. Karolína Šišková, Ph.D.
Recyclable Magnetic Plasmonic Bimetallic Nanomaterials Enveloped by Smart Polymers for SERS-Detection and Removal of Selected Pollutants from Water
Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, Přírodovědecká fakulta
3
1. Technical Sciences
25-15635S
Ing. Petr Knotek, Ph.D.
Photoinduced effects in glasses transmitting infrared radiation
Univerzita Pardubice, Fakulta chemicko-technologická
The POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP (PIF) grant scheme is announced in OUTGOING and INCOMING sub-schemes. The first option allows early-career scientists to undertake a two-year fellowship abroad where they gain valuable experience at an early stage of their career. In the third year, they will capitalize on this experience at a Czech institution. The second grant sub-scheme (PIF INCOMING) allows foreign researchers to work at a scientific institution in the Czech Republic. This grant scheme is also used to facilitate the return of young Czech scientists from abroad. A total of 30 early-careers researchers who completed their PhD studies no more than four years ago have been awarded these three-year grants to kick off projects in January.
Projects funded from 2025 – PIF INCOMING
Registration No.
Applicant
Title
Organization
Number of years
Discipline Committee
25-15839I
RNDr. Valdemar Švábenský, Ph.D.
Algorithmic Biases in Machine Learning Models in Education
Masarykova univerzita, Fakulta informatiky
4
1. Technical Sciences
25-15272I
Misbah Shahzadi
Gravitational waves from an extended body with a spin-induced quadrupole
Astronomický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i.
4
2. Physical Sciences
25-16027I
Dr Gabriel Andres Piovano
Measuring spin effects in extreme mass-ratio binaries for precision gravitational-wave astronomy
Univerzita Karlova, Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta
3
2. Physical Sciences
25-16632I
Dr. Benjamin Lowe
Ferromagnetic van der Waals Monolayers for Spintronics
The aim of EXPRO grants is to facilitate the development of excellent research, to set standards for excellent science, and to help overcome barriers that reduce the success rates of project proposals to the highly prestigious European ERC grant tenders. The EXPRO grant scheme is only open in even-numbered years. A total of 15 new projects will be funded from 2025 onwards, drawing on a budget of nearly CZK 712 million.
JUNIOR STAR
JUNIOR STAR grants are targeted at excellent early-career scientists who completed their PhD studies no more than 8 years ago and who have already published in prestigious international journals and have significant international experience. Thanks to the five-year project with a budget of up to CZK 25 million, they will have the opportunity to become scientifically independent and possibly start their own research group, which can introduce new research topics to Czech science. In 2025, a total of 19 early-career scientists will start working on these projects. Over CZK 443 million has been allocated to these projects over the next 5 years.
International Projects
GACR currently collaborates with 11 agencies from around the world, including the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), German Research Foundation (DFG), and more. The results of these tenders and calls will be announced after approval by the cooperating agency.
For projects funded by the Czech Science Foundation from this year onwards, new rules on scientific data management apply – investigators submit their Data Management Plans latest along with the first Interim Project Report. One of the ways to create this plan is the Data Stewardship Wizard open-source platform. The Czech Science Foundation has prepared a training course in cooperation with this platform.
“Thinking about research data and how to deal with it is an important part of research.We believe that the development of a research data management plan will lead to greater transparency, prevent data loss and also allow data to be re-used by other researchers.This will increase the effectiveness of the funding we provide, ” said GACR President Prof. Petr Baldrian.
Data Stewardship Wizard (DSW) training
The training will be introduced by GACR President, Prof. Petr Baldrian, who will explain GACR’s approach to scientific data management. Next, Jana Martínková from DSW will take over with practical demonstrations of how to use this tool from the perspective of scientists.
The Czech Science Foundation (GACR) is actively involved in the promotion of Open Science with the aim of increasing transparency and accessibility of the results of scientific research projects it funds. The costs associated with the principles of Open Science can be covered from the budget of the grant.
Open Data
Research data is necessary to enable verification and further use of research results. In order to comply with its legal obligations in the area of open data, GACR has included research data management in its grant funding policy. The objectives of this policy are:
all scientific publications produced within GACR-funded projects have traceable open data (with legal exceptions such as the protection of intellectual property, trade secrets, national security or legitimate commercial interests of the recipient or a third party)
GACR project investigators submit a Data Management Plan (DMP) latest along with the submission of the first Interim Project Report, and they update the DMP regularly
open data follows the FAIR principles of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR)
costs related to open data are eligible project costs, GACR recommends the creation of a data steward position within the project
Data Management Plan
The Data Management Plan is submitted to GACR latest along with the first Interim Project Report (for projects starting in 2024 and later) and must be updated, if necessary, in the next Interim or Final Project Reports.
As a minimum, the data management plan should include information on:
what research data will be generated, processed or collected by the beneficiary in the framework of the project
what methods and principles of management the beneficiary will use
whether and how the data will be shared, published or made public, or an explanation of why the research data cannot be disseminated or made public (the beneficiary will not disclose information on research data whose disclosure would unduly interfere with the intellectual property rights, trade secrets, national security or legitimate commercial interests of the beneficiary or of a third party)
how the data will be stored during the project and preserved after the end of the project
GACR recommends the use of the following tools, as well as other appropriate tools such as:
Alternatively, other appropriate tools can be used to prepare a data management plan.
Open Access
Scientific publications published in the form of open access can be read, downloaded and used by the research community and the general public without restrictions. Although there is usually a financial cost associated with this form of publishing scientific results, GACR encourages its use because it makes new knowledge more usable and thereby increases the efficiency of the project funding. GACR supports Open Access in all its formats, i.e. Green Open Access, Gold Open Access and Diamond Open Access. Grant funding can be used to cover the costs of open access publishing.
Over the last 10 years, the number of GACR-funded projects published in open access has doubled.
GACR respects the free choice of the investigators to choose in which form and in which publication media they will publish their results. Publishing in open access form is encouraged, not mandatory, for investigators of GACR-funded projects. It is the responsibility of each researcher to consider in which scientific journal it is appropriate to publish the results of their research, also taking into account the expected impact of the publication in the scientific community, the quality of the peer review process and the practice of the scientific field, etc.
Free Open Access Publishing with CzechELib
GACR is a member institution of the National Centre CzechELib of the National Technical Library, which among its other activities supports open access publishing. Through CzechELib, authors from virtually all the key institutions that are part of this consortium have the opportunity to publish for free in open access in selected journals. CzechELib brings together a total of 130 institutions. To be able to publish for free, the publisher of the selected journal must have what is known as a Transformative Agreement with the NTK and the corresponding author’s institution must be part of this agreement with the publisher – in total, the agreements cover almost 9,000 journals from 14 publishers.
At its 6 November session, the Government of the Czech Republic approved a new type of funding prepared by the Czech Science Foundation (GACR). Restart Grants will allow female and male scientists to restart their careers after a break for parental leave or caring for a dependent person. The tender will be announced along with the other GACR tenders early next year.
“In the Czech environment, returning to an active career after parental leave is, in many respects, more challenging than in several other countries. Therefore, we decided to develop grants that will facilitate this return for outstanding scientists, female and male,” stated GACR President Professor Petr Baldrian. “This unique form of funding is offered by GACR as the only grant agency in Europe.”
Restart Grants present another option for GACR to promote work-life balance in science, advance gender equality, and harness the potential of Czech female and male scientists. GACR intends to announce the tender in February next year, with annual funding anticipated for approximately 25 new projects. For subsequent years, GACR budget earmarks approx. CZK 50 million annually for Restart Grants.
Restart Grants are designed to address female and male scientists affiliated with Czech institutions who have completed their doctoral studies within the past ten years (this period is extended by the duration of career breaks). Project proposals will be accepted within two years following the end of a career break related to the care of a child or another dependent person, lasting from one to five years. The duration of funding will depend on the selected workload, and can range from two to four years. Principal investigators may also include students and technical staff in their projects.
The Czech Science Foundation (GACR) will fund 15 EXPRO projects and 19 JUNIOR STAR projects starting next year. The aim of these tenders is to provide exceptional conditions for excellent scientists who have been carefully selected by experts from other countries. JUNIOR STAR grants will help early-career scientists establish their own research teams, while EXPRO will enable experienced scientists to undertake riskier projects with the potential to achieve groundbreaking discoveries.
“The EXPRO and JUNIOR STAR tenders are flagship initiatives of the Czech Science Foundation. Succeeding in them is greatly difficult, but if a scientist manages to do so, they obtain a unique opportunity to implement their ideas and, in the case of early-career scientists, to achieve scientific independence. They will have five years to complete the project, and in the case of JUNIOR STAR, up to CZK 25 million, while for EXPRO the amount is double,” says GACR President, Professor Petr Baldrian.
EXPRO
The aim of EXPRO grants is to create conditions for the development of excellent research, set standards for excellent science, and help overcome barriers that reduce the success of project proposals in the highly prestigious ERC grant scheme. One of the obligations for project leaders is to apply for an ERC grant. The costs for EXPRO projects, which are primarily aimed at experienced scientists, can reach up to CZK 50 million for five years. The EXPRO grant will now only be announced in even years.
Registration No.
Applicant
Title
Organization
Number of years
Discipline Committee
25-16408X
RNDr. Jan Burjánek, Ph.D.
Comprehensive geophysical analysis of the ongoing volcanic eruption at the Reykjanes peninsula
Geofyzikální ústav AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
EX1
25-18095X
prof. RNDr. Ondřej Santolík, Dr.
Unusual propagation modes of electromagnetic waves in the Solar system
Ústav fyziky atmosféry AV ČR, v. v. i.
5
EX1
25-18184X
Dr. techn. Eric Glowacki, MSc.
Orthogonal electrical neuromodulation (ORTHOMOD)
Vysoké učení technické v Brně, Středoevropský technologický institut
5
EX2
25-16818X
prof. Ing. Jiří Čejka, DrSc.
Beyond conventional zeolite catalysis
Univerzita Karlova, Přírodovědecká fakulta
5
EX3
25-17866X
doc. Ing. Pavel Jelínek, Ph.D.
Single adatom on-surface synthesis of 2D organic/inorganic van der Walls heterostructures.
Fyzikální ústav AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
EX3
25-15254X
David Sabatini, M.D., Ph.D.
Understand the physiological roles of nutrient-sensing by the mTORC1 pathway in vivo
Ústav organické chemie a biochemie AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
EX4
25-15368X
prof. MUDr. Mgr. Marek Mráz, Ph.D.
NON-CODING RNAS IN MICROENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTIONS OF B CELL CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA
In this year’s tender, out of the fifteen projects funded, six will be carried out at the institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, four at the Masaryk University, two each at the Charles University and the Brno University of Technology, and one at the Czech Technical University in Prague. In total, three of the above projects will be carried out at the Central European Institute of Technology.
JUNIOR STAR grants are designed for excellent early-career scientists within 8 years of obtaining their Ph.D. who have already published in prestigious international journals and have significant international experience. The five-year project that has a budget of up to CZK 25 million will give them the opportunity to achieve scientific independence and potentially establish their own research teams, which can bring new research topics to Czech science.
Reg. No.
Applicant
Title
Organization
Number of years
Discipline Committee
25-16662M
Martin Jirka
Light Utilization for Matter Emergence
České vysoké učení technické v Praze, Fakulta jaderná a fyzikálně inženýrská
5
EX1
25-17250M
Assoc. Prof. Dominik Šafránek, Ph.D.
Adaptive quantum tomography based on quantum Bayes’ theorem
Univerzita Karlova, Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta
5
EX1
25-18306M
Dr. Daniel Wesley Fussner
Interpolation, Amalgamation, and Computation
Ústav informatiky AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
EX1
25-15534M
Ing. Peter Švihra, Ph.D.
Quantum Astrometry
České vysoké učení technické v Praze, Fakulta jaderná a fyzikálně inženýrská
5
EX2
25-18336M
Ing. Filip Ligmajer, Ph.D.
Phase-change materials for photonic neural networks and neuromorphic computing
Vysoké učení technické v Brně, Fakulta strojního inženýrství
5
EX2
25-17760M
Daniel Bím
Tailoring Nickel Catalysts for Improved Stability and Catalytic Efficiency under Photochemical and Electrochemical Reaction Conditions
Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická v Praze, Fakulta chemicko-inženýrská
5
EX3
25-18196M
Przemyslaw Rzepka
Unraveling Mechanisms of Coke Deposition within Zeolite Micropores through Advanced Neutron Powder Diffraction Analysis
Ústav fyzikální chemie J. Heyrovského AV ČR, v.v.i.
5
EX3
25-16606M
Matouš Vobořil
Inflammation Related Transitional Dendritic Cells as Key Players in T Cell Tolerance
Univerzita Karlova, Přírodovědecká fakulta
5
EX4
25-18233M
Mgr. David Bednář, Ph.D.
Engineering next-generation thrombolytics for the treatment of stroke
Masarykova univerzita, Přírodovědecká fakulta
5
EX4
25-18359M
Ing. Milan Němý
Quantitative Structural and Functional Imaging of the Human Cholinergic System with Applications in Cognitive Science and Neurodegenerative Disorders
České vysoké učení technické v Praze, Český institut informatiky, robotiky a kybernetiky
Starting next year, a total of nineteen JUNIOR STAR projects will be newly funded, with the most being carried out at the Charles University (6 projects), the Czech Technical University in Prague (5 projects), and the institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences (3 projects), with two projects each at the Masaryk University and the Brno University of Technology. One project will be undertaken by scientists from the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague.
The evaluation process for the tenders involves only scientists from other countries. It takes place in two phases – each project funded is first assessed by six experts in the relevant field and then thoroughly discussed at a meeting of the discipline committee. The evaluation of project proposals for EXPRO and JUNIOR STAR will be made available to applicants in the GRIS application in the coming days.
The Czech Science Foundation (GACR) receives approximately 3,000 project proposals each year for its tenders and calls in all areas of basic research. More than 400 distinguished experts from the Czech Republic and other countries help to select the best ones. With the terms of office of a large number of them coming to an end, the Czech Science Foundation is looking for outstanding scientists to serve on the evaluation panels starting in April 2025. We accept applications until 16 December 2024. UPDATE 21/01/2025: Deadline for panels P102, P106 and P108 extended to 31 January 2025.
„The work of the panel members is crucial for the Czech Science Foundation, much the same as it is for science foundations in other countries. Through panel reviews and discussions, expert scientists evaluate the quality of project proposals submitted to our tenders, and recommend those that deserve funding. It is thanks to our well-established system of expert evaluation of projects, inspired by the ERC evaluation, that the Czech Science Foundation preserves its credibility and the high standard of the projects funded,“ says prof. Petr Baldrian, GACR President.
Starting next year, the Czech Science Foundation will operate 38 evaluation panels grouped into 5 Discipline Committees based on 5 fields of science. In total, there are over 400 experts in their respective fields, who evaluate proposals for basic research projects in the Standard Projects, POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP, and International Projects tenders each year. Both individual scientists and their institutions can submit nominations to the Czech Science Foundation panels by filling in the online form below. The panels are mostly composed of Czech and international experts from Czech scientific institutions.
What are the main responsibilities of a panel member?
Being an impartial evaluator abiding by the Code of Ethics
Writing reviews for an average of 12-17 project proposals each year, and evaluating additional ones
Recommending independent external reviewers for the second phase of the evaluation
Monitoring the progress of the projects funded, and preparing on average 5-7 reports after project completions
Attending four panel meetings each year where projects are discussed
What are the minimum requirements?
Excellent communication in English
Academic qualifications at the level of a Ph. D. or higher
Active scientific activity in basic research
Experience with basic research projects as a principal investigator or co-investigator
Ability to assess scientific problems in the broader context of the development of the discipline internationally
What we offer
Opportunity to actively facilitate the development of scientific excellence in the Czech Republic
Exposure to evaluating and preparing grant proposals
Opportunity to become familiar with current trends in the field
Financial remuneration proportionate to the level of involvement in the evaluation process
BECOME A MEMBER OF AN EVALUATION PANEL – send your application by 16 December 2024. UPDATE 21/01/2025: Deadline for panels P102, P106 and P108 extended to 31 January 2025.
Important note: If you do not receive confirmation of your nomination within one working day, please contact our helpdesk.
The nominations are valid for two years – if you wish to update your nomination, please fill in the form one more time; only the latest version of the form submitted by you will be taken into account.
Panel members are selected from among the nominations submitted by a task force consisting of a member of the GACR Presidium responsible for the relevant area of research, a representative of the Research, Development and Innovation Council (RDC) and a representative of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Czech Science Foundation. In addition to the professional qualifications of the nominees, the panels are composed taking into account the discipline, gender, and regional balance of the panel and the representation of panelists from various institutions.
The President of the Czech Science Foundation (GACR) Petr Baldrian awarded the five best scientific projects this evening at the Strahov Monastery. The awarded basic research has significantly contributed to the deepening of knowledge in the given disciplines and opened the way to further practical application.
The winning projects and their results have contributed to the discovery of new alloys with unique properties, increased our ability to divert the orbits of potentially dangerous asteroids threatening the Earth, opened new pathways for cancer treatment research, but also focused on the link between poverty and ethical decision-making or plant chemistry strategies.
“Selecting five award-winning projects from dozens of top projects was very challenging this year: just like in the years before, there were many results that were reflected in the most prestigious scientific media. The selected projects benefit from prestigious international collaboration and also have the potential to extend into applied research. With their results, the project investigators show that it is possible to do world-class science in the Czech Republic and are an inspiration for future generations,” said the President of the Czech Science Foundation, Prof. Petr Baldrian.
The Czech Science Foundation President’s Award has been regularly awarded since 2003 in recognition of outstanding results achieved in grant projects completed in the previous year. Recipients are selected on the recommendation of several hundred scientists who evaluate projects funded by the Czech Science Foundation. The awards are presented in five areas of basic research: Technical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Medical and Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Agricultural and Biological-Environmental Sciences.
This year, for the first time, the laureates received a trophy depicting the foundation’s motif along with their award. The trophy was created from recycled glass and 3D printing by designers from Plastenco design in cooperation with the Czech Science Foundation. “The design and production of a unique trophy linked to science and basic research is a highly prestigious matter for us. The dominant part is made up of circles inspired by the logo of the Czech Science Foundation, rendered in the colour of bronze. We have applied a small element of playfulness: the circles can be moved, taken out, bent and inserted according to one’s own imagination,” says Kateřina Sýsová, co-founder of the company.
The award ceremony was attended by representatives of the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, the Ministry of Education, the Research, Development and Innovation Council, universities, the Czech Academy of Sciences and dozens of other distinguished guests.
Award-Winning Projects
Technical Sciences
Prof. Ing. Hanuš Seiner, Ph.D., DSc., Institute of Thermomechanics of the CAS
Laser and ultrasound to revolutionize materials engineering: Revealing hidden structures in alloys for new technologies (project:Advanced laser-ultrasonic characterization of structural transitions in metals – analysis beyond the homogeneity assumption)
Scientists have designed laser-ultrasonic methods to characterize newly developed generations of alloys, which often have complex microstructures and unusual elastic properties. These materials have a wide range of applications, for example in optical devices or joint implants. The project has also contributed to the discovery of several new alloys with unique properties.
Physical Sciences
Mgr. Petr Pravec, Dr., Astronomical Institute of the CAS
Asteroids on a collision course: How space probes and new discoveries help protect Earth from collision
project: Physical and dynamical properties of space mission target asteroids, and their evolutionary paths
Scientists have analyzed the physical properties and parameters of asteroids based on changes in their luminous flux. This has been crucial for space missions to these objects and the subsequent interpretation of the obtained data. They were also involved in the US DART mission, which tested technology to deflect potentially dangerous asteroids by impacting the asteroid Dimorphos.
Medical and Biological Sciences
Mgr. et Mgr. Dalibor Blažek, Ph.D., Masaryk University – CEITEC
An important enzyme in the fight against cancer: How CDK11 opens up new possibilities for cancer treatment
project: Characterization of kinase activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 11 (CDK11), an essential enzyme for the growth of cancer
Enzymes from the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) family control important functions in the cell. CDK-blocking substances are important in cancer research and treatment. Scientists have discovered that the overlooked enzyme CDK11 plays a key role in RNA editing. The substance OTS964, which has anti-cancer activity and blocks CDK11, prevents RNA editing in the cell. The research has revealed a new mechanism of RNA editing in the cell, providing new opportunities for cancer treatment research.
Social Sciences and Humanities
Doc. PhDr. Julie Chytilová, Ph.D., Economics Institute of the CAS
Poverty and behavior: How financial distress affects ethics and decision-making
project: Determinants of Pro-Social and Anti-Social Behavior: Field Experimental Evidence
Research among Ugandan farmers shows that poverty and financial distress lead to impatient behavior – people prefer immediate consumption and do not want to wait for longer-term results. This can worsen their future situation and keep them in a ‘vicious cycle of poverty’. Financial distress also increases the risk of unethical behavior. Research findings suggest that even short-term assistance can improve the decision-making and economic situation of the poor in the long term.
Agricultural and Biological-Environmental Sciences
RNDr. Martin Volf, Ph.D., Biology Centre of the CAS
How insect invaders shape the chemical defences of plants: Secrets of the diverse chemical makeup of willows
project: Why is there such high diversity of chemical defences: role of insect herbivory in promoting chemical diversity in willows
Plants produce hundreds of thousands of chemicals. They are able to tailor their production to survive in different environments. In harsh climates, they produce high concentrations of a narrow range of substances, while when insects attack, they produce a large number of chemicals, including those that attract the predators of the insects in question. Research has revealed how the chemical strategies of plants evolve and how the vast amounts of substances they produce are created.
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Announced this year, the RESTART GRANTS are the most recent grant scheme. They will allow excellent scientists to restart their careers after a break due to parental leave or dependent care. RESTART GRANTS address scientists from Czech institutions who have completed their Ph.D.’s in the last ten years (or earlier if they had a career break). Project proposals may be submitted up to two years after the end of a career break related to childcare or dependent care that lasted at least one year. The schedule of the funding will be two to four years, depending on the workload chosen by the scientist.
RNDr. Patrik Španěl, Dr. Rer. Nat
Assoc. Prof. Hana Čížková, Ph.D., graduated in geophysics from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the Charles University. She focuses on numerical modelling of convection in the Earth’s mantle. She is the head of the Geophysics Department at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics. She is a member of the Board of the Institute of Geophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and has been its Vice-Chair since 2013. She participates in projects with colleagues from the United States and the Netherlands within the Visiting Research Fellowship funded by a research centre in the Netherlands. At the Charles University, she is a lecturer, supervisor and doctoral program supervisor in the Physics of the Earth and Planets. She has served as a member of the evaluation panels and the OK2 discipline committee (and has chaired it since 2023).
