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Today, over 600 employees are involved in research across these fields,
which results in more than 250 publications per year, including papers in
the most cited and prestigious journals, such as Nature and Science.
History
The Institute was formed by a group of chemical enthusiasts from the
Czech Technical University shortly after the end of World War II, and the
Institute was officially established on January 1 st, 1953. The greatest credit
for establishing and developing the Institute belongs to professor Frantiek
orm, a talented scientist who went on to become the chairman of the
Czech Academy of Sciences.
The Institutes most famous figure is Antonn Hol, one of the most
successful Czech scientists and organic chemists. In 1960, he began his
career at IOCB, where he made his most influential discoveries. These
discoveries have yielded successful treatment for AIDS and type B viral
hepatitis.
Dr. Hol directed the Institute for eight years from 1994-2002. He holds
over 60 patents and has co-authored 600 scientific papers. His work has
been cited more than 10,000 times. Among his many honors, he received
the EU Descartes Award for Scientific Research and was a member of the
Learned Society of the Czech Republic.
Research Teams
In total, the Institute employs 46 research groups.
Each group, aside from those of Distinguished and Honorary Chairs, are
reviewed regularly (every four years for Junior groups and every five for
Senior groups) by the International Advisory Board. The Board determines
if research should continue and provides feedback and suggestions for
future goals.
Research at IOCB
IOCB understands that organic chemistry and biochemistry are not isolated
and self-explaining disciplines, but rather integral parts of a complicated
and much larger matrix of systems, pathways, and interactions.
Collaborations/TTO
IOCB Technology Transfer Office (TTO) was established in 2014 with the
role of transferring certain aspects of research into the practical field. This
includes finding partners to do supplementary research, intellectual
property protection, and patents. IOCB TTO is an LLC owned 100% by
IOCB which allows for easier communication with commercial partners,
more flexibility, and fewer restrictions.
IOCB TTO has vast experience and realistic expectations when it comes to
these transfers. They pride themselves in being open in communication,
receptive to feedback and adaptable to the interests of any potential
collaborators. IOCB has a history of drug discovery and pharmaceutical
cooperation, successfully leading to the development of antiviral (Atripla TM
and TruvadaTM) and peptidic drugs. Essentially, IOCB TTO is the agent that
takes the product from the lab, to the market.
Students
IOCB is also very welcoming for international students, with over 20% of
PhD students coming from abroad. Interested international students may
consider the Summer Student Program, which was created specifically for
international students to experience living and working in Prague.
Employee Life
IOCB hosts a variety of events and activities just for employees, including
the bi-annual scientific retreat, where both junior and senior groups share
promising results, new discoveries, and successful publications. IOCB also
frequently organizes Happy Hours popular and informal get-togethers for
employees with exhibitions and music.
Interacting with the international science community is crucial for IOCB.
The Institute invites experts in different fields from all over the world for the
IOCB Invited Lectures series, which is held approximately once a month. In
addition, there are numerous lectures, seminars, workshops, and journal
clubs organized regularly by different research groups.