News

Four leading research institutions, five days, and six motivated high school students who immersed themselves in the world of scientific discovery. For the very first time, the National Institute for Cancer Research (NICR) organized a Summer School for secondary school students, offering them a unique opportunity to experience first-hand what it means to work in research teams.

At the end of the summer holidays, Martin Sztacho, whose research group at NICR focuses on the architecture of cancer cells, actively participated in the 17th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. The program featured the latest insights in histochemistry and cytochemistry applied in medicine, biology, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence.

Don't forget that September 1, 2025, the deadline for submitting abstracts for the Czech Annual Cancer Research Meeting, is fast approaching!

Three days of an intensive program, top lecturers, professionals from various fields of academic and clinical oncology representing several European universities, and over 30 students who were not afraid to tackle challenging topics such as preclinical research, drug development, or bioinformatics. That was the 4EU+ Against Cancer Summer School – a project of the European University Alliance 4EU+, with Czech contributions to the academic program provided by researchers from the National Institute for Cancer Research (NICR).

From June 30 to July 11, 2025, the 12th annual Summer School of Experimental Surgery took place at the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Pilsen. This prestigious international educational event is traditionally organized by a team led by Václav Liška, whose research group is part of the NICR.

The Center for Precision Medicine of the University Hospital Brno and the National Institute for Cancer Research recently established strategic partnership aimed at connecting cutting-edge research and jointly contributing to the development of precision medicine in oncology.

For the third time, the Summer School focused on the tumor microenvironment and immunity took place in the inspiring surroundings of the Nové Hrady Castle in South Bohemia. The event, held under the auspices of the National Institute for Cancer Research (NICR) and the Czech Immunological Society, welcomed around twenty scientists, doctors, and, above all, postgraduate students from the Czech Republic and abroad.

Great news for all researchers and academics! The deadline for abstract submission has been extended. Now you can upload your abstract until September 1, 2025. Don't forget to register! We look forward to seeing you on November 24–26, 2025, in Olomouc!

From January to June 2025, the National Institute for Cancer Research (NICR) organized 28 interactive workshops for high school students. Approximately 250 students from grammar schools and secondary vocational schools across the Czech Republic participated in the program, specifically from Prague, Kutná Hora, Příbram, Brno, Hradec Králové, Havířov, Most, Beroun, and Litoměřice.

For the second time this year, the National Institute for Cancer Research awarded a special prize to students participating in the Secondary School Professional Activity (SOČ) program who focused their work on cancer research. The awards were presented during the 47th national competition, which took place on June 14–15, 2025, in Teplice.

From 3 to 7 June 2025, Dr. Mina Popovic from Union–Nikola Tesla University in Belgrade visited the Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. The visit took place thanks to the support of and within the activities of the National Institute for Cancer Research (NICR).

We would like to invite you to a lecture by Dr. Mina Popovic from Belgrade, in which she will present two novel hafnia strains from common carp as potential probiotics with biodegradation capabilities of microplastics.

At the beginning of July, the Sorbonne University in Paris will host a summer school organised by the European University Alliance 4EU+, which will be dedicated to cancer research. The Czech part of the academic programme will be fully provided by scientists from the National Institute of Cancer Research.

The annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) took place in Chicago on April 25–30. The programme included several studies by research groups from the National Institute for Cancer Research (NICR), from which we have selected the following information.

The conference "Accelerating Cancer Research and Innovation in Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures for Europe" offered a insight into how cancer research can transform clinical practice. Director of NICR Aleksi Šedo was among those invited to speak in Brussels, where he presented the activities and objectives of the national institute.

On the last day of March, Kurumi Nishimagi from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, visited the Laboratory of Cancer Cell Architecture at the NICR, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. At her home institution she is involved in research within the Usage of Synchrotron Light for Life Science programme, focusing, among others, on mechanisms of functional regulation of the genome and their application to the control of genomic functions.

After successful previous years, the Czech Immunological Society in cooperation with the Institute of Microbiology of the CAS is organizing the "Summer School on Tumor Microenvironment and Immunity" for the third time.

You can register now for the Czech Annual Cancer Research Meeting, which will take place on 24-26 November 2025 in Olomouc. The deadline for abstract submission is 30 June 2025.

Kari Hemminki, a world-renowned expert in the field of cancer epidemiology and genetic risk factors, whose research group is part of the NICR, was awarded an honorary doctorate by Charles University on 4 March.

We would like to invite you to a lecture by Prof. Baki Akgül from the Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, who will present the current knowledge on the oncogenic mechanisms of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs).

Leukemia, one of the most prestigious peer-reviewed journals in the field of hematology and oncology, recently published The Best of Leukemia 2024. The paper by one of the NICR team came in at an excellent 3rd place! 

Next CACR Meeting 2025 will take place from 24 to 26 November 2025.

Thank you for your cooperation this year and we wish you a peaceful Christmas, good health, well-being, energy and lots of good ideas in 2025!

Nearly a hundred selected high school students had the opportunity to visit some of the National Cancer Institute's research teams' laboratories during October and November. During intensive interactive workshops, they were able to experience how science is done, at least for a short while.

Under the auspices of the National Institue for Cancer Research, the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS organized two intensive practical workshops focused on protein crystallography and NMR spectroscopy, which were attended by about thirty participants.

To connect experts across medical specialties, debunking myths about cancer diagnosis and treatment, while providing patients and their loved ones with the most up-to-date information with the help of leading Czech doctors and researchers.

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Take a sweet break on the last Friday morning in October and enjoy what Zdeněk Andrysík and members of his NICR research team from the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University prepared for you.

PANDoRA - PANcreatic Disease ReseArch Consortium - is an international pancreatic disease research consortium that was founded in 2013 under the leadership of Dr. Federico Canziano of the DKFZ in Heidelberg.