prof. Ing. Valentine Provazník, Ph.D.

2. round (applications submitted from 03.07.2017 to 25.07.2017)

1. Analysis of gene expression in cardiomyopathy by bioinformatics methods

   Cardiomyopathy is a common cause of heart failure and cardiac transplantation. This study is aimed to explore potential cardiomyopathy-related genes and their underlying regulatory mechanism using methods of bioinformatics. The gene expression profiles from Gene Expression Omnibus database will be used. The differentially expressed genes will be searched between normal and cardiomyopathy-related samples using new bioinformatics methods. Further, potential transcription factors and microRNAs of these cardiomyopathy-related genes will be predicted based on their binding sequences. In addition, cardiomyopathy-related genes will be used to find potential small molecule drugs as potential therapeutic drugs for cardiomyopathy.

   Tutor: Provazník Valentine, prof. Ing., Ph.D.

2. Tracking of transplanted cells - methods of labeling and detection of cells

   The thesis deals with the research methods of labeling and detecting cells, which are used in routine or experimental transplantation (mesenchymal stromal cells, dendritic cells, hematopoietic cell, chondroblasts). The trend in recent years is to label the cells by more independent labels or integrated multimodal labels including nanoparticles. Thesis summarizes current knowledge and compares different labels from point of view of combination of options, long-term detectability, stability in the cell, cell biocompatibility and possibilites of quantification of a set of cells in a unit volume of tissue. The work tests the possibility of cell labeling different by commercial and experimental labels, their biocompatibility and subsequent possibility to detect labeled cells and the detection limits of cells in both the idealized in-vitro conditions and in the model of the real tissue iand also in the real tissue. The results will be used in ongoing projects solving paramagnetic nanoparticle-based delivery of DNA plasmid, endothelial cell monolayer studies, and monitoring adherent regenerative cells and characterization of their migration.

   Tutor: Provazník Valentine, prof. Ing., Ph.D.

1. round (applications submitted from 01.04.2017 to 15.05.2017)

1. High-frequency ECG body-surface mapping, preprocessing, evaluation and visualization

   This topic is focused on a study and design of techniques for mapping the distribution of the electrical activity of the heart on the chest surface using a non-invasive high frequency ECG records. The work will include elimination of interference signals coming from different sources, implementation of methodology for detecting artefacts from pacemaker etc. The work also involves evaluation of resting ECG recordings from electrode arrays used for temporal and spatial mapping of electrical potentials of the heart. This mapping will be focused on propagation of the ventricular depolarization within the duration of the QRS complex, and evaluation of the spatial distribution of high frequency components with respect to the different pathologies. Work will be handled in cooperation with St. Anne's University Hospital Brno.

   Tutor: Jurák Pavel, Ing., CSc.