Biologically-active complexes and molecular magnets

The scientists from Palacký University in Olomouc have achieved further significant advancement in the research of novel highly effective potential anticancer drugs. In the national patent entitled “Copper complexes with the 2-phenyl-3-hydroxyquinolin-4(1H)-one derivatives, method of their preparation and use of these complexes as drugs in antitumour therapy” (CZ 303009 B6), which arose from the collaboration of the researchers from the Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials (RCPTM), Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, namely prof. Zdeněk Trávníček, Dr. Roman Buchtík, prof. Zdeněk Dvořák and Dr. Ján Vančo, the method of preparation of new compounds as well as their potential use as anticancer drugs is legally protected. The significant antitumour activity of the patented compounds was proved on a series of eight human cancer cell lines. These results of anticancer activity on cell models are so promising that the compounds will be further intensively studied on animal models and the mechanisms of their action will be studied on the molecular level. The studied compounds, thanks to their broad-spectrum cancerostatic action, have a potential to become an alternative to the commonly used platinum-based cytostatic drugs in the future.

We announce the first annual scientific conference of Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials. The conference is held on 25th November. The conference will be focused on scientifical results of the Centre. The conference will cover topics from all fields of interest in nanomaterial and optical research: Nanocrystalline oxides of transition metals in environmental, medical, catalytic, and optical applications; Carbon nanostructures, biomacromolecules and hybrid systems – synthesis, modeling of interaction and applications; Biologically-active compounds and molecular magnets on the basis of complexes of transition metals in interaction with nanocrystalline magnetic carriers; Advanced optical and photonic technologies; Advanced materials on the basis of nanoparticles of metals and metal hybrids with extraordinary reduction, antibacterial, sorption and catalytic properties; and Nanometric systems and nanotechnologies in new analytic approaches. The annual conference takes place at the hotel Akademie in Hrubá Voda (near to Olomouc) under the auspices of Prof. Radek Zbořil, Ph.D. , the General director of the Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials.