Press releases

Scientists at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences have developed a new experimental model of autoimmune Addison’s disease, allowing them to uncover one of the key mechanisms by which the immune system damages the adrenal glands. Their findings point to a crucial role for CD4+ T cells that mistakenly target the body’s own tissues. Through the signalling molecule interferon gamma (IFN-γ), these cells trigger and sustain inflammation – much like a security system sounding the alarm against someone who poses no actual threat. Blocking this signal could one day pave the way for treatments that target the underlying mechanism of adrenal damage rather than simply replacing the hormones the glands can no longer produce. The study, led by Ondřej Štěpánek and Aleš Neuwirth, was published in JCI Insight.

On September 22, Libor Šmejkal, Jairo Sinova, and Tomáš Jungwirth were awarded the 2026 Europhysics Prize by the European Physical Society for their outstanding contributions to condensed matter physics, specifically for their discovery of altermagnetism, the third fundamental class of magnetic order. All three laureates were affiliated with the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences at the time of their discoveries and the publication of their award-winning works. This is the first time that the EPS Europhysics Prize has been awarded to Czech scientists.

A team of researchers led by Martin Kákona from the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences in collaboration with experts from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences and amateur observers from the Czech Thunderstorm Research Association, has identified a previously undocumented type of winter lightning associated with wind turbines. The newly described phenomenon, named SWAL (Seasonal Wind Turbine-Associated Lightning), could improve our understanding of lightning formation mechanisms and contribute to more effective protection of wind turbines against lightning damage. The study has been published in the prestigious international journal Atmospheric Research. According to the authors, this is the first systematic description of this type of lightning in scientific literature.

The universe around us speaks a language we are starting to understand. It is not quiet and empty, as it seems. Why is this vital news for our television and telecommunication satellites? Electromagnetic waves in the same frequency range as the sounds we hear fundamentally affect our planet's outer radiation belt. This is precisely where satellites for TV broadcasting and telecommunications operate. A new study by Czech scientists from the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University published in the journal Nature Communications revealed that the behavior of these waves has a surprisingly strict order in time and space.

An international team of scientists has described a previously overlooked mechanism that regulates the levels of important proteins in human cells. A new study published in Nucleic Acids Research reveals that short regulatory “start–stop“ elements act as highly effective speed-limiting gates of protein synthesis. Compared with previously known regulatory sequences, these elements were found to suppress protein production even more efficiently. At the same time, they help maintain low but stable levels of important proteins in cells, even under stress conditions. The study brought together scientists from the United States, the Czech Republic, Canada, and Sweden. Leoš Shivaya Valášek, Head of the Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation at the Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences served as a co-author and corresponding author of the study.

Archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague and the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, together with colleagues from Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley, have been investigating the remains of the Andalusia internment camp near the town of Jan Kempdorp. In the 1940s, the camp was used to intern German civilians who, for various reasons, found themselves in British-controlled territories south of the equator.

A research team from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, led by David Staněk, has developed an experimental RNA-based approach that corrects a genetic defect linked to retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited eye disease that progressively impairs vision. Published in Molecular Therapy, the study shows that specially designed antisense oligonucleotides can repair faulty RNA processing and restore production of a key protein in patient-derived retinal cells. The findings provide proof of principle for a mutation-targeted strategy and may open new possibilities for the future development of personalized therapies for inherited retinal diseases.

The European Space Agency (ESA) at its June meeting proposed the ambitious Plasma Observatory satellite mission as the primary candidate for its next medium-class scientific mission (M7) planned for launch in 2037. The programme, which will explore the plasma environment around Earth, outcompeted rival candidate missions: a two-spacecraft Mars orbiter and a gamma and X-ray space telescope for observing the early Universe.

An international research team led by Hana Hanzlikova from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences has uncovered a hidden problem inside cells that contributes to a group of rare neurodevelopmental disorders affecting children. Their work reveals that defects in an important cellular RNA-processing system cause misprocessed RNA molecules to accumulate inside the cells. The researchers also identified this build-up as a measurable signal that reflects disease severity and could help improve future diagnosis of these conditions.

A research team led by Meritxell Alberich‑Jordà at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences has uncovered an unexpected protective strategy used by blood stem cells during chronic inflammation. In a study published in Science Advances, the researchers show that when persistent inflammation damages bone marrow function, blood stem and progenitor cells leave their usual home and settle directly in unexpected tissues. There, they actively cooperate with regulatory immune cells to limit inflammation and preserve blood formation, revealing a previously unknown partnership between stem cells and the immune system that may help explain how the body copes with inefficient blood cell formation during chronic inflammation.