Laboratory Orientation

Our laboratory combines analytical tools for the characterization of molecular structure: mass spectrometry (MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and electron microscopy (EM). The microbiology group (µBio) has anchored these three tools and supported via molecular and microbiology work run in GMO/BSL2 and other facilities. In medical topics, laboratory members provide instrumental support to research groups on campus & overseas with a focus on non-communicable and infectious diseases. The laboratory is spread across campus buildings C, U, and L. Practical instrument sharing with Palacky University in Olomouc, Purkinje University in Ústí nad Labem, and the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague is enabled through our part-time or full-time scientists. The latest laboratory international evaluation report can be found here.

Laboratory central analytical concept, named infection metallomics, exploits host-microbial consortia interactions moderated with antimicrobial therapies in the lung, central nervous system, and urogenital tract infections. The approach is based on isotopic data filtering and CycloBranch application. In the targeted and untargeted ways, the application quantifies the metal-containing interacting partners on the pathogen-host interface. The nuclear magnetic resonance group operates a four-channel 700 MHz instrument with a cryo-probe dedicated to small molecule and protein analysis. An analogous 600 MHz NMR instrument running in an HPLC-NMR configuration is used in metabolomics projects (murine lipoatrophy and diabetes mellitus). It can also be linked online to a Q-TOF mass spectrometer. The microscopy group runs multiple electron microscopes and optical microscopy equipment. An FEI NanoSEM 450 scanning electron microscope was equipped with a CBS detector for high-resolution imaging of nonconductive samples and an EDAX Octane Plus detector for EDS analysis and elemental mapping.



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