Research activities
The research focuses on the synthesis, structure validation, physicochemical property studies and analytical evaluation of novel biologically active compounds
Research acitivity
The research activities of the department are focused on synthesis, structure verification, study of physicochemical properties and analytical evaluation of new biologically active substances. We are engaged in the development and preparation of substances with biological activity especially in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, anti-cancer substances with a strong emphasis on inhibition of specific enzymes, antimicrobial substances, anti-inflammatory substances of natural origin and their analogues and substances affecting the passage of drugs through the skin barrier.
We are also involved in the design and synthesis of novel peptide inhibitors, especially aminopeptidase N, as potential antivirals, carcinostatics or CNS-influencing agents, including purification and structural characterization by spectral methods (NMR, IC, MS). We are collaborating on the structural characterization of compounds isolated from plant material and studying the use of instrumental colorimetry in the CIE L* and b* system for pharmaceutical and biochemical purposes.
A part of the research is oriented on the development of synthetic methods with a focus on catalytic reactions mediated by organocatalysts, transition metals used mainly in asymmetric synthesis, chemistry of fluorinated and perfluorinated substances, synthesis of heterocycles, total synthesis of natural substances of various origins and also the use of enzymes in organic synthesis, as well as optimization of synthetic procedures, the development and optimisation of non-biological methods aimed at the evaluation of active substances, analysis of chemical structure and physicochemical properties, testing of biological properties and in silico evaluation of potential drugs, determination of in vitro antiradical activity of prepared compounds, study of drug incompatibilities and determination of drug content in various pharmaceutical formulations.
We are also involved in separation techniques (thin-layer and high-performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis), which we use for new applications for innovations in pharmacopoeial procedures, separation of weak acids and bases, separation of sugars, their isomers and derivatives in various dosage forms and food supplements.
We also focus on the study of permeation of large groups of drugs across biological membranes and optimization of structures of potential permeation enhancers.
We cooperate with universities, research institutions and private companies
Research activities of the department are carried out on the basis of domestic and international cooperation. The Institute cooperates with a number of domestic university and research institutes, e.g. CEITEC Brno, Faculty of Medicine of MU, Faculty of Science of MU, Faculty of Pharmacy of Charles University in Hradec Králové, Faculty of Chemistry of BUT, Faculty of Pharmacy of Comenius University in Bratislava, Institute of Instrumentation of the CAS, Institute of Biophysics of the CAS in Brno, etc. Cooperation with pharmaceutical industrial enterprises cannot be omitted.
The academic staff and PhD students were researchers or co-investigators of a number of grant projects (GAČR, TAČR, FRVŠ, IGA VFU Brno, IVA VFU Brno, IMA VFU Brno). Teachers also participate in the creation of teaching texts (scripts) and monographs, published in printed and/or electronic form.
The results of the scientific research work of the Institute are published in mostly foreign impacted scientific journals. The team also focuses on patenting the results achieved.