Charles University Research Centre (UNCE 204019/304019/2012)
Principal Investigator: Prof. Tomáš Šimůnek, Ph.D.
Time Period: 2012 – 2017
Budget: CZK 18,151,500 (≈ USD 900,000)
Cardiovascular toxicity of drugs is among the important complications of today’s pharmacotherapy. Numerous drugs have off-target potential to damage the heart and vessels; however, the most important problem has been associated with anticancer chemotherapy.
Main objectives of the Research Centre
- Research of molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular toxicity of traditional as well as novel anticancer drugs
- Study of possibilities to protect the heart using established and newly synthesized drugs, including the structure-activity and pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic relationships, effects on anticancer effectiveness and advanced drug delivery methods
- Study of vascular protection and development of novel drugs with vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy
This research center was characterized by multidisciplinary approach - from rational design and synthesis of potential drugs, through assessment of their therapeutic effects using in vitro and in vivo experiments, safety/toxicity determinations to analysis their pharmacokinetics. The research team was composed of 20 researchers (senior faculty staff and post-doctoral fellows) and about the same number of PhD or MSc students from 7 departments of the Charles University Faculties of Pharmacy and Medicine in Hradec Králové. Hence, this project aimed to bring together complementary skills, knowledge, and resources in new ways, in order to jointly address the research problems.
Main research areas and investigators
In vitro cardiovascular toxicology – Prof. Tomáš Šimůnek, Ph.D.
In vivo cardiovascular toxicology, molecular cardiobiology - Assoc. Prof. Martin Štěrba, Ph.D.
Syntheses of potential cardioprotective agents - Prof. Kateřina Vávrová, Ph.D.
Pathology and pharmacology of the heart and vessels, morphological analyses – Prof. Petr Nachtigal, Ph.D.
In vivo cardiovascular toxicology - Asoc. Prof. Přemysl Mladěnka, Ph.D.
Pharmaceutical analysis and pharmacokinetics of the cardioprotective agents - Assoc. Prof. Petra Kovaříková, Ph.D.
Vacular-targeted photodynamic therapy – Assoc. Prof. Petr Zimčík, Ph.D.