Funded projects under the Grant Programme for SAS PhD students in 2021

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) and especially its phosphorylated derivatives are involved in many regulatory processes and in signal transduction. One way how to transport PI in the cells is via phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs). The most studied PITPs are members of the Sec14p family from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sec14 family proteins contain the CRAL-TRIO domain which serves as a hydrophobic cavity capable of binding lipid molecules. The main role of Sec14p, the founding member of this protein family, is to transport PI or phosphatidylcholine (PC) between the membranes. Recent studies showed that Sec14-like proteins bind and transport other lipids as well. Proteins containing CRAL-TRIO domain are found in many species across Eukarya, including malaria causing pathogen Plasmodium falciparum. Several proteins containing CRAL-TRIO domains have been identified in Plasmodium, but no studies on them have been conducted so far. The goal of this project is to characterize one of the P. falciparum lipid transfer proteins. Using Clustal Omega and Swiss-model 3D tools we have identified protein PfC6KTD4, which showed close homology to the yeast Sec14p and possessed the crucial amino acid residues in the CRAL-TRIO domain. Thus, it is likely to be functional lipid transfer protein. We had this malarial protein synthesized and we used our methodology and experiences gained from our Sec14p-like proteins study in yeast and discovered that PfC6KTD4p is capable of binding cholesterol and additional yet to be identified lipid using mammalian cells.

RNA-seq analysis of dbl2Δ transcriptome of Schizosaccharomyces pombe indicates that the deletion of the dbl2 gene, that encodes a protein involved in DNA repair and homologous recombination, results in misregulation of more than 500 loci. A comparison of the expression profiles reveals that Dbl2 represses the same type of genes as the HIRA complex (histone chaperone complex). Interestingly, Dbl2 targets overlap with HIRA targets but simultaneous deletion of Dbl2 and HIRA (hip1, slm9) does not lead to a cumulative increase in expression, indicating that they function in the same pathway of gene expression. Measurement of genome-wide nucleosome occupancy showed, that both, Dbl2 and Hip1, affect the nucleosome occupancy in fission yeast. This project could elucidate the unexpected link between the homologous recombination and HIRA histone chaperone.

Patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia unfit for treatment with standard intensive chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation are often treated with hypomethylating agents (HMAs). However, a significant problem in the treatment of these patients is resistance to HMAs, the mechanisms of which are still not fully clarified. HMAs 5-azacytidine (AZA) and 5-aza-2ʹ-deoxycytidine (DAC) are (deoxy)cytidine analogs that enter the cell as an inactive prodrug and are activated by stepwise phosphorylation to the corresponding triphosphates. Therefore, one of the potential mechanisms of HMAs resistance is changes in the pathways involved in the metabolic activation of these substances. In this project, differences in these pathways between leukemic cells sensitive and resistant to HMAs will be studied. The effect of inhibition of de novo pathway of pyrimidine synthesis on these cell models will also be studied to avert acquired resistance to HMAs or to use it against resistant cells themselves. Clarification of the mechanisms of resistance could lead to the discovery of the "Achilles’ heel" of HMAs-resistant cells, which could ultimately lead to a prolongation and improvement of patients' lives.

Trace elements are essential for the proper function of physiological and biochemical processes in the organism. The using of trace elements in the organism depends on their absorption from digestive tract, where various interactions affect their transport. The project proposal investigates the trace mineral transport (Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe) across the intestine epithelium of poultry in ex vivo conditions. Transport kinetics of various trace mineral complexes using as feed additives in animal nutrition will be investigated and compared in different intestine segments of poultry, and we will focus on competitive mineral-mineral interactions during their transport through the intestinal cells. We will use the Ussing chamber system as a model of intestinal absorption. Our results can add new knowledge to mineral interaction issue during their absorption across the gut of monogastric animals, and will be verified in further in vivo experiments. By modification and validation of the method, it could be used as a reliable model to study the intestinal absorption of diverse substances comparable to in vivo methods; moreover, it reduces the number of used animals in experiments.

Carbohydrate-processing enzymes are essential for the proper development of cells, their differentiation, proper functioning of the immune system and many other important cellular processes. This group of enzymes also includes glycoside hydrolases (GH) and glycosyltransferases (GT), which play an important role in the cellular glycosylation process in animals and humans. Disorders of glycosylation as well as increased expression of some GH or GT are associated with the development of various serious diseases, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease or cancer. Therefore, there is a growing interest in the development of inhibitors of these enzymes as potential drugs. Current research shows that modified carbohydrates or carbohydrate mimetics exhibit inhibitory activity towards GH and GT and therefore have potential in the development of new drugs for the abovementioned diseases. In order to understand their interactions with the enzyme, it is necessary to obtain information about their mutual interactions at the atomic level, and various spectral methods are used for this. This project is primarily focused on monitoring the interactions of modified carbohydrate structures based on psicose, fructose and tagatose with various GH and GT enzymes using the STD-NMR (Saturation transfer difference NMR) method. All studied substances were proposed as possible inhibitors of GH and GT enzymes at the Institute of Chemistry of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, where they were also prepared.

This project will focus on the development of ternary nanocomposites systems of layered nanoparticles modified by cationic surfactants and subsequently functionalized with photoactive dyes. In this case, a photosensitizer, methylene blue (MB) an organic dye with antibacterial properties was chosen [1]. The modified and functionalized particles will be applied to modify the surfaces of some technical polymers. The nanocomposite will be designed to have the active MB molecule on the surface of polymer matrices to create photoactive and antimicrobial properties at the interface. 1. Donauerová, A., et al., Photophysical and antibacterial properties of complex systems based on smectite, a cationic surfactant and methylene blue. Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology, 2015. 151: p. 135-141.

At the present time, oncological diseases are among the leading causes of death for human population, with early diagnosis being the best prevention. New, rapid and sensitive methods need to be developed to enable an early identification of diseases, where the use of aptamer-based biosensors appears to be a valid option. DNA aptamers, short single-stranded sections of DNA, form spatial 3D structures with high affinity and are capable of binding cellular receptors and other biomolecules, being an alternative to antibodies. The project aims to validate a new diagnostic method based on the knowledge about unique affinity properties of DNA aptamers for the early detection of leukemia. Aptamer-based biosensors have the ability to eliminate the limitations of using antibodies such as false positivity or negativity, high cost, and complex manufacturing. In terms of the objectives of the project, the mechanisms of interactions of DNA aptamers and antibodies with a specific marker located on the surface of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells will be analyzed. The sensitive method of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), which enables real-time monitoring of interactions, immunochemical methods and visualization of interactions by confocal microscopy will be used to determine the project objectives.

Bacteria and bacteriophages are part of the evolutionary race. Bacteriophages as obligate intracellular parasites of bacteria are involved in regulation and control of bacterial population in the environment. Bacteriophages encode various lytic proteins, which have potential to be used as alternative antimicrobials for elimination of pathogenic bacteria. Most important are endolysins and virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases (VAPGHs). Both proteins actively degrade the peptidoglycan of host cell wall, but at late and early stage of phage lytic cycle, respectively. Endolysins of phages infecting gram-positive bacteria usually have a two-domain modular protein structure composed of catalytic and binding domain. The modular structure of endolysins allows the creation of a new hybrid proteins with refined properties by combining particular domains from different enzymes. The main goals of the project are: i.) determination of potential lytic activity of SLT domain located on the multifunctional tail of the bacteriophage BFK20 and ii.) preparation of a new hybrid protein by combination of catalytic and binding domain of BFK20 endolysin gp24’ and SLT domain of BFK20 gp15 with expected enhanced lytic activity against corynebacterial.

Increasing antibiotic resistance in animal husbandry is an impulse/motivation to look for alternatives to maintain animal health. Most breeders prefer additives of a natural origin. Beneficial bacteria and their antimicrobial substances - bacteriocins - have a great potential in this regard. The project is therefore focused on testing the inhibitory spectrum of antimicrobial substances – mundticines, produced by fecal strains Enterococcus mundtii from horses because they have not been studied up to now. The intention is their further use in the breeding of horses or other animals.

Polyploidy is one of the most crucial evolutionary and speciation mechanisms in the plant kingdom. In the genus Daphne L. (Thymelaeaceae), the basic diploid ploidy level has been predominantly known so far, indicating that polyploidy does not play a significant role in the evolution of the genus. Nevertheless, preliminary results of our study of two related and endangered species D. arbuscula and D. cneorum indicate the existence of polyploids in D. cneorum, which could be associated with the adaptation to different ecological niches. Therefore, the major aim of the project will be a detailed analysis of the cytotype variability of both mentioned species in Central Europe with a special focus on the Carpathians and Pannonian Basin. Using flow cytometry (PI and DAPI) and direct chromosome counting, we plan to examine the variability at the ploidy level and the absolute genome size in both species, especially concerning their wider niche diversity. The project will also aim to test interactions between the identified cytotypes. The data obtained will contribute not only to a better understanding of the biology and ecology of both endangered species but even will help to shed more light on the mechanism and factors responsible for polyploidy in the otherwise diploid genus Daphne.

Annotation Changing of natural environmental conditions (heat waves and long-term summer drought) as the impact of climate change lead to the decline of Norway spruce forests vitality and survivability in European mountain ecosystems. Therefore, this project is focused on the assessment of the physiological responses of Norway spruce seedlings originated from different regions of Slovakia (650-1500 m a.s.l.) under simulated drought and high temperatures. The project is a part of broader conceived research on spruce provenances and represents a separate whole in the form of a controlled experiment in laboratory conditions at the Institute of Forest Ecology SAS with a comprehensive evaluation of changes at the level of assimilatory organs. Methods of chlorophyll a fluorescence represent non-destructive tools to assess the effects of environmental stresses on the photosynthetic apparatus of trees. Moreover, biochemical analyses of the detection of the concentration photosynthesis-related pigments represent a reliable tool for the estimation of the physiological vitality of the assimilation apparatus and its protective components (protective pigment-protein complexes such as carotenes and xanthophylls). The determination of the concentration of abscisic acid (ABA) and its metabolites are necessary for assessing the impact of drought on spruce seedlings, hence this phytohormone plays a specific key role in the control of stomatal closure. As a part of the project, I will also apply and verify a new methodology for the estimation of antioxidant activity that reflects the degree of oxidative stress in plant cells. The project will contribute to a better understanding of the control mechanisms of the physiological performance of this tree species and would provide the answer which provenances of Norway spruce are more resistant to heat and dry stress factors. Key words: drought, heat stress, plant ecophysiology, antioxidant activity, abscisic acid

Protein carbonylation is an irreversible posttranslational modification caused by oxidative imbalance. It occurs in plants under environmental stress factors, such as ionizing radiation. Carbonyl groups on certain amino acids marker damaged proteins and route them for degradation. The central goal of this project is to detect and quantify the carbonylated proteins as the direct indicator of oxidative stress in irradiated plants. The first part of the study will be focused on the standardization of the protocol for biotinylation-based affinity chromatography followed by mass spectrometry to discover the carbonylated proteins. During the second stage, these advanced techniques will be used to dissect the influence of radionuclide contamination on protein carbonylation in wild aquatic plant—common reed (Phragmites australis).

High biodiversity of the Balkan Peninsula, which has played an important role in glacial plant survival and postglacial colonization of adjacent areas, is noted for a great proportion of endemics. The aim of this project is to contribute to better understanding of the impacts of Quaternary climatic changes on the evolution of Balkan mountain flora, as well as to outline possible effects of future climate change on mountain endemic species. To this end we focus here on Cardamine acris (Brassicaceae), a species confined to wet habitats of Balkan high mountain ranges, to elucidate its genetic structure and reconstruct phylogeographic history. Simultaneously, emphasis will be placed on observing the degree of its hybridization with ecologically parapatric relatives to assess the role of introgression for shaping species’ genetic structure. We will use an integrative approach, employing microsatellite markers, ecological niche modelling and flow cytometric screening of DNA content variation. With the obtained findings we expect to provide significant insights into the complexity of evolutionary processes acting in high mountain organisms, especially those with specific ecological requirements, and they may also become helpful for the estimation of future impacts of climate change on plant diversity.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a primary deficiency of antibodies characterized by hypogammaglobulinaemia, impaired production of specific antibodies after immunisation and by susceptibility to infections. Although the disease is mainly a result of B cells pathology, in non-negligible proportion of patients malfunction of T cells is present, what can lead to wrong diagnosis of combined immunodeficiency (CID). A distinction between CVID and CID could be possible using quantification and defining ratio of TREC and KREC molecules which originate during maturation of T and B cells. In spite of the fact that 39 genes are already associated with CVID, only 5-25% cases are identified with genetic cause and molecular mechanism, given by variability of this disease at the phenotypic as well as genotypic level. In case of heterogenous disease like CVID, the best method for both identification of genetic cause and in silico study of mechanism and biological pathways of diseases is the whole genome or whole exome sequencing. The aim of this project will be to verify possibility of differential diagnosis of patients with CVID and CID by quantification of TREC and KREC excision molecules and subsequently to identify possible causative and disease modulating variants of patients with CVID by using NGS and to design a gene panel for further molecular genetic analysis of CVID.

Wound healing is a complex regenerative process. It is controlled by interactions between cells, components of the extracellular matrix, and signaling molecules. After skin injury, the skin's immunological and protective mechanisms are lost, as a result of which microorganisms can easily penetrate the wound area and cause a chronic infection, which can lead to treatment difficulties and even life-threatening complications. There are currently several materials applied in practice with a wound-healing function, but most of them have only a protective effect. The development of advanced materials for clinical application in regenerative medicine with the ability to provide multiple functions at once, ensuring the protection of the affected area as well as stimulating the healing process, is important especially for patients with chronic injuries. The use of nanomaterials in regenerative medicine provides an innovative way to treat skin injuries. Due to the possibility of their modification by various therapeutic substances, they represent a promising platform. The aim of this work is to evaluate the biological effects of newly prepared nanocomposites (nanohydrogels). The model system represents different types of skin cells and 3D skin models. The experiments are aimed to determining the cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of nanocomposites and their individual components in vitro.

Current understanding of the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes complex alterations in neurodevelopmental processes. With the growing repertoire of synaptic genes implicated in ASD, it is becoming increasingly clear that synaptic dysfunction at multiple levels may underlie the pathophysiology of ASD. Scaffolding proteins represent key components of postsynaptic densities, where they link several membrane proteins and ion channels with a dynamic network of the cytoskeletal proteins. One group of these molecules at excitatory synapses includes SH3 domain and ankyrin repeat-containing (Shank) proteins, which are important candidates for modelling ASD in mice (Shank3-deficient mice). At inhibitory synapses, gephyrin is a key scaffolding molecule, which contributes to maintaining an appropriate balance between excitation (E) and inhibition (I), crucial for information processing, by regulating GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) receptors trafficking. Alterations in the E/I balance are also considered as a part of the pathophysiology of ASD. Therefore, in this project, the goal is to examine whether Shank3 deficiency is associated with the altered density of glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses using lentiviral vectors to selectively transfect primary neuronal cells isolated from different brain regions.

The tumor microenvironment is often characterized by hypoxia and associated with acidosis. However, the presence of drugs administered to treat other coexisting diseases of cancer patients, such as cardiovascular diseases, also appears to be important. Hypoxia-induced carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX), as an important component of tumor cell adaptation machinery, is involved in pH regulation through interactions with its protein partners, leading to proliferation, invasiveness, and metastasis. Metabolon formed by the interaction of CA IX with bicarbonate transporters have been identified. The aim of this work is proteomic analysis of the presence and composition of CA IX interactom in colorectal cell line HCT116, cell line HCT116 5-FU resistant to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and in HCT116 P50 cells adapted to propranolol under altered microenvironment conditions in 2D and 3D models. We will monitor the effect of the commonly used chemotherapeutic 5-FU and also the effect of the beta-blocker propranolol used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases on individual cell lines and on the CA IX interactom.

Communication between cancer cells and adjacent stroma plays a significant role in several features of cancer including disease progression, metastasis, angiogenesis, immune responses, or therapy efficacy. Effect of stromal cells including fibroblasts, mesenchymal stromal cells or immune cells has been widely studied also in breast cancer. However, these studies mostly focused on common experimental models based on established cell lines with lower clinical reliability. Current development of patient-derived in vitro model of breast cancer organoids thus brings new possibilities to study interactions within tumor microenvironment in the setting that closely recapitulates in vivo conditions. Presented project therefore proposes development of breast cancer organoid co-culture model and its further use to study the effect of mesenchymal stromal cells on cancer progression and therapy efficacy in breast cancer.

Over the last few decades, we have witnessed an increase in the average age of populations, especially in developed countries. However, this seemingly positive aspect has led to a rising prevalence of age-related diseases, including cancer, ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or neurodegeneration. A common biological process accompanying these pathological conditions is senescence. Although primarily a tumor-suppressor mechanism that prevents the proliferation of damaged cells, senescence can also be one of the main causes of aging and a factor influencing the onset and progression of various diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). While senescent cells in peripheral tissues have been the focus of several studies, their role in diseases of the central nervous system remains relatively unexplored. Therefore, the aim of our research is to clarify the correlation between the senescence response and the degree of neurodegeneration in different stages of PD. The results obtained in the proposed experiments will help us to understand the interconnection between senescence and progressive neurodegeneration, and subsequently can also be used to identify new diagnostic and therapeutic targets in PD.

Testicular tumors are a relatively rare disease, but they are the most often diagnosed type of cancer in boys and young men. In addition, each year the number of patients with testicular cancer increases. This disease is relatively well treatable thanks to the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin. Nevertheless, there are tumors resistant to cisplatin, which poses a significant problem in clinical practice. Moreover, cisplatin is a very toxic agent causing severe adverse side effects. We believe that another approach to therapy may be to target the metabolism of these tumors, which has been shown to be very effective in other types of cancers. However, a lot remains unknown about the metabolic status of testicular tumors. We hypothesize that cisplatin-sensitive and resistant cells modulate their metabolism in a different way. We therefore believe that elucidating the metabolic preferences of testicular tumors will reveal new approaches to treatment of this cancer and thus improve the prognosis and survival of patients who do not respond to conventional cisplatin therapy.

Nowadays depression is considered as a serious multifactorial mental illness with not fully understood etiology. During depression, the function of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is significantly disturbed and the availability and concentrations of neurotransmitters, especially serotonin (5-HT), noradrenaline (NE) and dopamine (DA) are reduced. Despite wide range of antidepressants on the market covering different mechanisms of action on monoamine systems and receptors, studies showed their unwanted side effects. For these reasons we decided to focus our research on new potential antidepressant Sme1EC2M3, with neuroprotective and antioxidant properties which may have a triple reuptake inhibitory effect of 5-HT, NE, DA.

Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases whose one of the main hallmarks is the formation of neurofibrilary tangles consisting of pathological tau protein forms. Tauopathies include diseases like Alzheimer´s disease, Pick´s disease and many more. The procceses which lead and contribute to tauopathies are currently not sufficiently investigated and understood. In our earlier project we applied a new strategy for the identification of new potential tau interaction partners. We also confirmed five out of the eight choosen proteins as tau interaction partners with several different in vitro methods. The aim of this project is to further validate those five proteins as new tau interaction partners, using the two-hybrid systems (yeast and bacterial). We are expecting the results from this research to be contributing to the knowledge of tau functions in physiological and pathological conditions. This knowledge might also lead to a discovery of new biomarkers, or a development of new terapeuthic approaches in the treatment of Alzheimer´s disease, as well as to a better understanding of processes leading to tauopathies.

This research focuses on the role of remote vocational school classes located in rural areas in close vicinity of segregated Roma settlements in the context of Roma social inclusion in Slovakia. The policy of locating such schools in close proximity of Roma settlements was set up in reaction to low educational attainment of Roma minority, with purported aim to bring the schools close to localities in which Roma children live and thus to facilitate for them better access to vocational education. Hailed by authorities as an inclusive educational policy, this has been considered by many activists and experts as highly controversial, since it may strengthen isolation and segregation of Romani youngsters from general society. The number of remote school classes has increased over the last period, though the policy has not been evaluated by authorities and its impact on social and labor market integration is ambiguous. Since the research into this phenomenon has been practically absent, this research will represent a significant scientific contribution. While the research will examine the impact of this policy on social exclusion and social mobility of young Roma, it augments our understanding and knowledge in patterns of Roma marginalization in Slovakia.

The aim of my project entitled Exploring Event in Art is to try to analyze the turn in philosophical hermeneutics, which is related to the concept of the event. This change is related to a turn in the work of Martin Heidegger - with his later phase. He began to develop his theses about the poetic / artistic being of a subject and the concept of the event (Ereignis). This late phase and critique of Being and Time was followed by Claude Romano, who further develops the central concept of the event and ontology and tries to present his own existential analytic. Here I would like to focus on examining and describing the similarities and differences between this two authors, as well as the usability of their theories, in order to change the view of the ontology of the work of art and subject (Da-sein, l’advenant). My initial hypothesis is this: subject is not a self-contained authentic event-ecstasy (as it is formulated in Heidegger's Being and Time), but he is open to events, including artistic events. I believe that art is an ideal input to the study of human ontology and a transforming event that can change him. The result of the project should be, in addition to the analysis, reflection and comparison of both authors, also the elaboration of a new approach to the work of art through the relationship to the subject without a fixed identity and possibly a sketch of the interpretive method.The output will be the organization and participation in an online conference, the publication of a scientific study and possibly other texts from an online conference in a Slovak philosophical journal.

This project studies decision-making in Roma families with respect to labor migration of Roma abroad. As argued by the New Economics of Migration theory, migration is not an individual decision, but a collective decision. The Roma family is a specific case characterized by strictly defined social roles in the family. Using qualitative methods of research, we will study to what extent migration is influenced by the family and how individuals within a family shape decisions about employment abroad. This project contributes to research about Roma migration and about decision-making about migration, intertwining different fields of research - migration studies, sociology, ethnic studies and gender studies.

The proposed project deals with labour migration of Romani secondary school graduates (further on as „educated Roma“), whereas brain drain does not only concern majority, but concerns minorities as well. This phenomenon and reasons why educated Roma decide to migrate are not sufficiently mapped in the relevant literature. Career paths of Roma are shaped by the environment they originate from. Researching decisions Roma make and reasons which drive their decision to migrate, we want to find out, how aspirations-capability framework, de Haas’ migration theory, can be applied in the context of labour migration of the Roma migrating from Slovakia. Researching this topic is relevant, as Slovakia faces lack of available job seeking workers on one hand and high unemployment within Romani communities on the other hand. We need to understand why young, educated Roma migrate for work, what motivates them and what hinders their employment in Slovakia.

People often rely on their intuitions when making judgments. But these intuitions often result in many irrational decisions or unsubstantiated beliefs (e.g. pseudoscientific and conspiracy beliefs). However, recent research showed that logic and intuition do not have to be necessarily in opposition, and people can develop logically correct intuitions. Therefore, the main goal of this project is to analyze the predictors of logically correct intuitions and the relationship of such intuitions with pseudoscientific and conspiratorial beliefs. Specifically, I aim to focus on mindware automatization, cognitive abilities, and thinking dispositions as potential predictors, and strategy use as a possible moderator.

The school inclusion of students with various types of disadvantages is still a challenge, not only in Slovakia. Children who are "different" in any way are currently still placed in special schools, and those that are integrated - face prejudice or discrimination, especially from peers. The project will focus on the perception of adolescents with mental and behavioral disorders, while these may also have different socio-economic, ethnic or religious backgrounds. Therefore, it is relevant to examine the role of belonging to one vs. several potentially stigmatized social categories. The research will focus on the perception of students belonging to one minority group (adolescents with mental disorders, behavioral disorders, or Roma) and also on the combination of belonging to two minority groups (so-called double stigmatization). We will specifically examine intergroup attitudes - cognitions (stereotypes), emotions (prejudices), behavioral tendencies and prosocial behavior of adolescents towards disadvantaged peers in the school environment. In the case of successful implementation, the research will bring findings that are absent in the current scientific literature, especially in Slovakia.

My research is focused on strongly disordered superconductors. In these systems, the mean free path of electrons is at the level of the lattice constant, which amplifies the Coulomb interaction on strongly localized charge carriers. The enhanced electron-electron interaction drives the metal to an insulating state. This effect is accompanied by the suppression of superconducting properties, and in the case of a critical disorder a direct transition from the superconducting to the insulating state (SIT) can be visible. My thesis is dealing with the research of the mechanism of the SIT in strongly disordered MoC and MoN systems, where the disorder is introduced by reducing the thin film thickness. At my experiments, I use a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (LT-STM) as well as transport measurements. My preliminary results show the strong presence of superconducting fluctuations in these systems, which strongly affect the determination of the transition to the normal state. Therefore, we decided to design a new experimental set-up, which allows the determination of the critical temperature of the phase stiffness, at which the long-range superconducting order breaks and the fluctuations of the amplitude and the phase of the superconducting order parameter start to manifest. It is well known, that the phase stiffness is directly proportional to the absolute value of the magnetic penetration depth λ of the superconductor. Accordingly, we want to develop a new method for measuring the absolute value of the magnetic penetration depth using a two-coil measuring technique of the mutual inductance M. The experimental study of the phase coherence break-down of the superconducting condensate enables direct study of the mechanism of Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition (BKT) in superconductors.

Protein amyloid aggregation is related to more than 50 incurable diseases such as Alzheimer´s disease (AD) or systemic amyloidoses. A great scientific effort has been put into identification effective inhibitors with the aim to limit the negative impact of the amyloid aggregates. An excellent strategy for design of inhibitors of amyloid aggregation is synthesis of molecular hybrids that consist of known small molecular inhibitors. We will investigate two types of molecular hybrids: i) coumarin homodimers connected via linker of different length and ii) carbohydrate-modified aromatic amino acids/their dipeptides, respectively. Their anti-amyloid activity on globular protein lysozyme and intrinsically disordered protein Aβ peptide will be studied. Based on the obtained data, the structure – anti-amyloid activity relationship of the effective molecular hybrids will be identified. Additionally, the toxicity of the molecular hybrids and their complexes with the amyloid aggregates on cells will be evaluated.

The aim of this project is development and research of new, unpublished, new generation high-entropy alloys whose primary function will be in hydrogen storage. Commercial use of H2 rely on its efficient and safe storage. One of the most efficient ways to store H2 is chemicaly bond it to a alloy lattice in a form of metalhydrides. The highest bulk density of hydrogen, was reported for the Mg2FeH6, 150 kg.m-3, which is more than twice the density of liquid hydrogen. However, as in a recent study by Sahlberg et. al. Sci. Rep 6, 36770 has proven the highly entropy TiVZrNbHf alloy is capable of storing far greater amounts of H2 up to 210 kg.m-3, giving a "superior" value of 2.5 in terms of hydrogen to metal atoms (H/M) . Much higher mass storage capacities are expected to be achieved with other high entropy alloys (HEA), consisting of lighter elements. We will produce and characterize a brand new series of low density HEA’s. Their selection and design will be based on the theoretical algorithms implemented by us to predict the formation of highly entropic phases. Once prepared, they will be tested for absorbed hydrogen capacity, absorption and desorption kinetics, as well as cyclic stability. We will use our knowledge in the field of metal alloypreparation as well as detailed study of atomic structures of materials with a high degree of internal disorder.

With a growing number of people with heart rhythm disorders, there is a need to deepen our knowledge about the solution of the inverse problem of electrocardiography. The inverse problem of electrocardiography noninvasively identifies the origin of the abnormal heart electrical activity and therefore can be used in clinical practice as a guidance during the radiofrequency ablation procedure. To solve the inverse problem, body surface potentials measured by the multi-lead ECG measuring system and a patient-specific torso geometry are used. Unfortunately, the inverse problem is ill-posed and thus the current research is oriented to identify the impact of the quality of the input data on the inverse solution. The main goal of this project is to propose and test a two-step inverse solution that is based on the study of the input data. As part of the method, an algorithm for selecting the most significant electrodes will be proposed and implemented. The most significant electrodes will be used in the second step of the solution in order to achieve more accurate localization. The two-step inverse solution will be tested on well-defined datasets so that it can be later used for clinical data. This study can bring new findings about the sensitivity of the inverse solution with respect to the input data, using a single dipole as an equivalent cardiac electrical generator.

A material from the group of layered transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is at the centre of the project due to its special properties and potential use in electronics and optoelectronics. Molybdenum ditelluride is interesting due to thermally induced structural phase transitions between three crystalline forms of MoTe2 with somewhat similar layered structures: hexagonal, monoclinic and orthorhombic. Each of these structure has unique properties which may lead to different application. Semiconducting hexagonal structure has been studied for optoelectronic device applications. Metallic monoclinic MoTe2 hosts various collective electron phases such as charge density waves and superconductivity. MoTe2 stabilises both semiconducting and metallic polytypes; for that, it is essential to growing high-quality thin films. In our project, we propose to precisely define the growth conditions for each of the crystallographic MoTe2 structures prepared by tellurisation of predeposited thin Mo films (Mo thickness 1-10 nm ) sputtered in a CVD chamber. Growth parameters such as temperature, heating rate, annealing time, layer thickness, cooling process, reducing gas flow through reaction chamber and pressure will be optimised to get thin films of MoTe2. As-prepared samples will be characterised by various experimental techniques including Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoemission.

CuS nanoparticles possess interesting optical, electrical and magnetic properties which make them well-applicable in different fields, mainly in energy conversion and biomedicine. The project is focused on the verification of fast and ecological two-step mechanochemical synthesis of stable nanosuspension CuS-casein. The Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology, namely Taguchi design will be applied to find the optimum synthesis parameters. The variables will be: the amount of CuS nanoparticles, the concentration of the casein solution, the milling time and the centrifugation speed. As responses will be: the average hydrodynamic particle diameter (D50) by PCCS and the amount of copper determined by AAS. The identified optimum conditions could possibly be applied also for nanosuspensions preparation of other chalcogenide nanocrystals with biomolecules (such as casein, albumin or cysteine). At the end, the biological actvity of the obtained nanosuspension will be investigated.

Consumption affects each of us, it is a part of our daily lives and is constantly influenced by various factors. Currently, the most significant of these is the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected all aspects of our lives. In an effort to stop or to slow down the virus spreading, the government has taken various measures, including a lockdown, that changed our behavior. The pandemic also hit retail hard, with retailers having to comply with new regulations and consumers changing shopping behavior patterns. The project is focused on evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the urban and rural retail environment in Slovakia using unique data from the eKasa system. Based on the created database, it will be possible to point out new trends in retail over the last two years and analyze the impact of the pandemic on the development of retail in urban and rural areas.

Tectonic evolution of the Western Carpathians and their contact with surrounding tectonic units has been a topic of discussions for a long time. The contact zone between the internal and external Western Carpathians is also a part of this problem. The Tatra Mountains are located near such a contact zone. Interpretation of multiple available geophysical data indicates differences of questionable origin between the eastern and western part of this mountain range. 3D integrated geophysical modelling offers a tool for investigation of deep geological structure of the Tatra Mountains and their surroundings based on connection of different geophysical datasets and current knowledge of geological structure of the mountain range. This model will be the first of its kind in this area. It may bring valuable information not only on deep geological structure of this mountain range, but also on distribution of tectonic units in space. Overall, this may contribute to broaden the knowledge of tectonic evolution od the Western Carpathians.