People

Prof. PharmDr. Petr Zimčík, Ph.D. (group leader)

petr.zimcik@faf.cuni.cz
Petr coordinates all the work of the team. He is also trying to do at least something in the lab – synthesis, photophysical and photochemical measurements, liposomes preparation. The attempts are not always successful, in particular the synthetic ones (Am I old to work in the lab?)

Doc. PharmDr. Veronika Nováková, Ph.D.

veronika.novakova@faf.cuni.cz
During her PhD, she was doing everything – starting from synthesis ending with liposomes preparation. She is our expert on photochemical and photophysical measurements. She explained phenomenon of ICT, developed the pH sensitive AzaPcs, sensors for metal cations and has found several synthetic approaches to AzaPcs with complicated synthesis. She is currently Peter's right-hand man, participating in the work of the entire group and supervising the team members.

Doc. PharmDr. Miroslav Miletín, Ph.D.

miroslav.miletin@faf.cuni.cz
Mirek is our oligonucleotide expert. He works on the development of new quenchers of fluoerscence. He prepared also some new delivery systems for photosensitizers (micelles, nanoemulsions, ...). He is also interested in binding of fluorescent AzaPcs to oligonucleotides.

PharmDr. Jiří Demuth, Ph.D. - member of the PRIMUS team

jiri.demuth@faf.cuni.cz

Jura works on the synthesis of aza-analogues of phthalocyanines usable as dark quenchers in oligonucleotide probes. Jura′s next topic is synthesis and study tetrapyrazinoporphyraznes suitable for supramolecular interaction into J-dimers. He participates also in preparation of unsymmetrical phthalocyanines for photodynamic therapy.

RNDr. Miloslav Macháček, Ph.D. - member of Molecular and Cellular Toxicity Group, member of the PRIMUS team

machamil@faf.cuni.cz

Slávek focused mainly on in vitro testing on photodynamic activity of phthalocyanines and their aza-analogues. Beside essential characteristics (such as phototoxicity, dark toxicities, subcellular localization), he performs advanced in vitro studies describing the mode of cell death, oxidative stress and effect of photosenzitizers on particular cell organelles.

Dr. Jibin Alex Abraham, Ph.D. - EFSA-CDN project

abrahamji@faf.cuni.cz

Alex focuses his synthetic effort to preapared unsymmetrical phthalocyanines.

PharmDr. Lucia Rychvalská, Ph.D.

kociscal@faf.cuni.cz

Lucka works on synthesis of phthalocyanines suitable for supramolecular assembly with various guest molecules (e.g. cucurbiturils) with the aim to prepare water-soluble non-aggregating photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy.

MSc. Mary Angelia Alfred - member of the PRIMUS team

alfredm@faf.cuni.cz

Angelle focuses on synthesis of switchable macrocycles (phthalocyanines, subphthalocyanines and porphyrazines) with sensitive moiety attached in the axial position. She also studies sensitivity and selectivity of target derivatives by the mean of UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Prepared derivatives are designed either as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy or as fluorescence sensors for bioimaging.

Mgr. Štefan Bednárik

bednaris@faf.cuni.cz

Štefan investigates an unique essambly of zinc phthalocyanines and their analogues into J-dimers. He tries to reveal important factors influencing the association constants, e.g. the type of peripehral groups, distance and position of nitrogen coordinating central zinc(II) in J-dimer.

Mgr. Jana Lapešová

lapesovja@faf.cuni.cz

Jana is an expert on supramolecular chemistry of cucurbiturils and bambusurils as she defended her Master Thesis at Masaryk University (Brno, Czech Republic) under the supervision of prof. Vladimir Šindelář, Ph.D. In our group, she decided to dedicate her PhD to devolepment of new switches based on cucurbituril host-guest chemistry.

MSc. Leon David Rodrigues

rodrigule@faf.cuni.cz

Leon focuses on the synthesis of in vitro activatable silicon phthalocyanines and their binding to oligodeoxynucleotides. His goal is to develop a highly active and selective photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy of cancer.