Research carried out by two PhD students from Masaryk University’s Faculty of Science attracted attention at this year’s NANOCON international conference. Pavel Špaček, from the Department of Biochemistry, and Tereza Rybová, from the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology, both received awards at the 18th edition of the conference.
Taking place in Brno from 30 September to 2 October, this year’s NANOCON conference focused on the latest research in the field of nanomaterials and their applications. The programme featured lectures and poster presentations covering a fields ranging from nanomaterials for electronics and biomedical applications to the use of nanotechnology in environmental protection. As is traditional, the conference also included competitions for young scientists.
Pavel Špaček: Nanomaterials for the Sensitive Detection of Tumour Biomarkers
PhD student Pavel Špaček, from the Department of Biochemistry, presented a paper at the conference entitled ‘Photon-Upconversion Nanoparticle-Based Immunoassays for High-Throughput Biomarker Detection: Comparing Two Single-Molecule Approaches’. His research focuses on using photon-upconversion nanoparticles and other nanomaterials to develop sensitive immunochemical methods for detecting tumour biomarkers.
These nanoparticles can convert near-infrared radiation into light of shorter wavelengths Using these nanoparticles reduces unwanted optical background noise and increases detection sensitivity. Pavel has been working on this topic for a long time, having joined the Immunassays and Nanosensors research group whilst still an undergraduate. His work has the potential to contribute to the development of more sensitive diagnostic methods and enable the earlier diagnosis of cancer. He capped off his presentation by winning the Dr Tasilo Prnka Prize in the category for presentations by authors under the age of 33.
Tereza Rybová: Plasma-functionalised membranes for water purification
Tereza Rybová, of the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology, presented her research project, ‘Plasma-Reduced Graphene Oxide/Nanofibre Composite Membranes for Advanced Water Purification’, at the Environmental Applications poster session. Her research focuses on using atmospheric plasma to modify nanomaterials to make water purification more efficient.
The study combines plasma technologies, graphene oxide and nanofibre materials. Thanks to the properties of these materials, the resulting composite membranes can remove organic substances and heavy metals from water, offering a new way to tackle environmental problems using plasma technologies and nanomaterials. She was awarded second place.
Young Scientists’ Awards
NANOCON is one of the leading conferences specialising in nanomaterials and their practical applications. The programme includes a poster competition, where the top three entrants receive awards while other participants may receive honourable mentions. The second competition is the Dr Tasil Prnka Prize, which is open to presenters aged 33 or under. Participants deliver an oral presentation on their own research, which is then assessed by members of the programme committee.
Congratulations to both winners!
Photo: Petr Žwak
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