Successes

Student dean prize 2023

Letošní ročník tradiční studentské soutěže Dean Prize ovládli sekci Chemie naši úspěšní studenti. Jsme pyšní na velkou účast a představujeme vítěze. V bakalářské sekci vyhrála 1. místo Julie Rožková se svou prací “Vývoj modelových fluorescenčních sond pro simultánní detekci proteázy a peroxidu vodíku” (prof. Jan Hlaváč). V magisterské sekci se na 3. místě umístila Michaela Střížová s “Cestou k první totální syntéze enigmazolu C – syntéza fragmentu B” (doc. Jiří Pospíšil) a na 1. místě zvítězila Michaela Tkadlecová s prací na téma “Syntéza nových derivátů pyridinu” (doc. Miroslav Soural). V doktorské sekci se na 3. místě umístil Jan Chasák s prací “Polymer-Supported Synthesis of Various Pteridinones and Pyrimidodiazepinones” (doc. Lucie Brulíková) a 1. místo získal Jiří Hodoň, který se navíc stal celkovým vítězem celé sekce Chemie s výzkumem na téma “Triterpenoid pyrazines and pyridines – Synthesis, cytotoxicity, mechanism of action, preparation of prodrugs”. Úspěchy jsme slavili i v posterové sekci, kde získala 3. místo Nikola Šťastná s prací “Studie reaktivity neklasických α-aminokyselin – od esterů až po diazetidinové kruhy” (doc. Jiří Pospíšil).

Talented student prize 2023

For the last seven years, the department of organic chemistry awards one Master level student of Organic chemistry or Bioorganic chemistry the title “talented student”. Students compete in front of a scientific board which judges their studies performance as well as results of their Master’s thesis. This year, the prize goes to Michaela Tkadlecová from study program Bioorganic chemistry and chemistry biology.

Jean-Marie Lehn Prize 2018

Our colleague Lucie Borková was awarded the impressive second place in the prestigious young scientist contest Jean-Marie Lehn Prize organised each year by the Embassy of the French Republic in the Czech Republic. Her award-winning contribution „Triterpenoids with anticancer properties and their mechanism of action“ successfully competed with another 70 scientists 33 years old or younger nominated on the grounds of their PhD research quality by various Czech universities and the Czech Academy of Sciences. Award giving ceremony took place in the premises of Buyuoy palace in Prague. Winners received their prizes from the French ambassador in the Czech Republic Rolandem Galharaguem accompanied by Nobel prize winners Jean-Marie Lehn, Jean-Pierre Sauvage and Serge Haroche.

Dean’s prize for excellent research

Assoc. prof. Milan Urban, member of the Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine was awarded prestigious prize by the dean of Faculty of Medicine of Palacky University for his research. New synthetic procedure was developed in collaboration with M. Soural group to connect active triterpenes to biotin through a defined linker. These conjugates may be used as molecular probes in pull-down experiments to identify the molecular targets of the active compounds. Three types of structures are protected by three czech patents. Photo: Journal UP.

Granty 2020

Dr. Ondřej Kováč will receive a stipend of CZK 950,000 from the Experientia Foundation to cover the costs of a one-year research stay in Professor Magauer’s group at Innsbruck University in Austria. Ondřej’s research will focus on the total synthesis of a new antibiotic called Kibdelomycin. Because antibiotic resistance is increasing, there is a clear need for new antibiotics. Kibdelomycin has a different mechanism of action to the currently known antibiotics and might also be effective against resistant bacterial strains. Ondřej joined the ranks of the now 15 excellent young scientists under the age of 35 in the field of organic, bio-organic and medicinal chemistry who in recent years have received support from the Foundation to work in science at a top research site abroad.

Grants 2019

Czech health research council has awarded assoc. prof. Milan Urban with new grant entitled “Development of Sonic Hedgehog signalling pathway inhibitors for targeted therapy of Shh activation dependent cancers”. Sonic Hedgehog signalling pathway (Shh) is important for function and development of many cancer types. A lot of them have limited chemotherapy options, therefore the Shh inhibitors may become new therapeutics for their treatment. Recently we found triterpenes that inhibit Shh much more efficient than the standard inhibitor-cyclopamine and their development is the main goal of this project.

New junior grants 2018 from Czech Science Foundation

Czech Science Foundation has awarded researchers at our department with two new junior grants starting in January 2018. The principle investigators of these two grants are our young colleagues dr. Eva Schütznerová and dr. Kristýna Bürglová. Project by Eva Schütznerová entitled „Green solid phase organic synthesis“ is dedicated to environment friendly solid phase synthesis while Kristýna Bürglová’s project „3-Hydroxychinolin-4(1H)-ones as a biologically interesting compounds“ aims to continue long ongoing research into this type of compounds. Promising results make 3-Hydroxychinolin-4(1H)-ones more and more attractive. Czech Science Foundation is a major Czech grant agency financing fundamental research. Junior grants are awarded to young excellent scientists with international experience and no more than 8 years after receiving their PhD. Grants will be investigated in the upcoming three years.

DEAN’S AWARD TO THE EXCELLENT RESEARCHERS – FACULTY OF SCIENCE

Prof. Jan Hlaváč received a prestigious Dean’s award at the Faculty Science of Palacky University for excellent research as an author of the idea of a one-step exchange of an amino group on aromatic derivatives for deuterium or hydrogen that was published in an outstanding journal Organic Letters (DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b01438). Similarly to the award at the Medical Faculty, this prize is only awarded to the publications in journals ranking among the top ten percent of their cluster within the Web of Science database. Photo: Journal UP.

PUBLICATIONS OF OUR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

The quality of the theses of our students, which are carried out within all fields of study guaranteed by the Department of Organic Chemistry, is being demonstrated by publication of their results in international impacted journals. In recent years, the following publications have been published:

  • Traceless solid-phase synthesis of 1’H-spiro[pyrrolidine-3,2′-quinazolin]-2-ones and 1’H-spiro[piperidine-3,2′-quinazolin]-2-ones via lactamization of 1,2-dihydroquinazoline-2-carboxylates. Studentka Jana Pospíšilová, supervisor dr. Eva Schütznerová. DOI:  10.1021/acscombsci.8b00145

  • Synthesis and Cytotoxic Activity of Triterpenoid Thiazoles Derived from Allobetulin, Methyl Betulonate, Methyl Oleanonate, and Oleanonic Acid. Student Richard Adámek, supervisor Mgr. Lucie Borková. DOI:  10.1002/cmdc.201600626

  • Mitsunobu C-alkylation of β-alkoxycarbonyl 2-nitrobenzenesulfones and its use for the rapid synthesis of novel benzothiazine derivatives. Student Martina Drábíková, supervisor Mgr. Soňa Krajčovičová. DOI:  10.1016/j.tet.2017.09.017

  • Solid-Phase Synthesis of 2,3-Dihydrobenzo[f][1,2,5]thiadiazepin-4(5H)-one 1,1-Dioxides with Three Diversity Positions. Student Patricia Trapani, supervisor doc. Miroslav Soural. DOI: 10.1021/acscombsci.6b00049

  • The Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction of Halogenated Aminopyrazoles: Method Development, Scope, and Mechanism of Dehalogenation Side Reaction. Students Renata Zátopková, Hana Zemánková, Alena Šustková, supervisor dr. Lukáš Jedinák. DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.6b02306

  • Stereoselective Polymer-Supported Synthesis of Morpholine- and Thiomorpholine-3-carboxylic Acid Derivatives. Student Petra Králová, supervisor dr. Veronika Fülöpová. DOI: 10.1021/acscombsci.6b00178

  • Synthesis of Novel N9-Substituted Purine Derivatives from Polymer Supported α-Amino Acids. Student David Vanda, supervisor doc. Miroslav Soural. DOI: 10.1021/acscombsci.5b00071

  • Solid-Phase Synthesis of ɤ-Lactone and 1,2-Oxazine Derivatives and Their Efficient Chiral Analysis. Student Leona Kocmanová, supervisor prof. Jan Hlaváč. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166558