<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cdn.muni.cz/news-url?linkId=ru177rNPs5Vzp8HhaZSeLaoBtl%2fJ8kUiBnDXV7AZ9YqPj2SFExNGZGMN%2bofqJnGfrDwLMA%3d%3d&amp;userId=zkacc8Uyr3faM3iVD%2fISNKAwweaYXN4E%2bSX69mQzHxdOjEI2aoscgJ670Q%2f3VtgRHZ8XiwsoKrSRloDz7rLUqCPMw%2b4%3d">Pavel Kadeřávek</a> has been the new head of the Josef Dadok&nbsp;National NMR Centre since 1 July. We interviewed Pavel three months into his new role to find out if he has found his feet in his new position, and what first steps he has already taken.<h5>Pavel, what led you to work in the shared NMR lab at CEITEC MUNI?</h5>I started working with NMR at the beginning of my undergraduate studies and I have to say that I was fascinated by this method in a way. In NMR, it is possible to manipulate the spin system in a rather sophisticated way, which not only has a certain charm, but also allows the design of a plethora of experiments and their optimisation for individual applications. This methodological development has always been close to my heart, and I am also interested in the technical side of NMR, all of which is offered by working in a shared NMR lab.<h5>Could you elaborate on what research topics the NMR lab currently covers?</h5>The NMR lab at CEITEC covers a wide range of research topics. In general, they include the development of new NMR methods as well as applications in chemistry, biochemistry or materials science and are based on measurements in both liquid and solid phases. Most of the measurements performed in our laboratory are aimed at studying the structure, dynamics and interactions of biomolecules measured in solution. However, we are also able to do specialized measurements directly in cells, a method that was introduced and is mostly developed by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ceitec.eu/non-coding-genome/rg109">Lukáš Trantírek's group</a> at CEITEC.<h5>When you took over the role of head of the shared laboratory before the holidays, I remember you saying that one of your tasks would be to develop collaboration with scientific groups. Are you succeeding in moving in that direction?</h5>It is true that I consider collaboration with scientific groups to be important and mutually beneficial, but I think it is too early to assess how well we are doing. Moreover, we have been very busy lately with technical problems and repairs of our equipment. Nevertheless, we are trying not to give up on this goal and to collaborate with other research teams – for example in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ceitec.eu/advances-in-magnetic-resonance/a4783">Advances in Magnetic Resonance workshop</a>, which we are co-organizing with colleagues from CEITEC BUT from Peter Neugebauer's group on 17 and 18 October.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_The_first_three_months_of_Pavel_Kaderavek_leading_the_NMR_laboratory_1_fabf1c3e21.jpg" alt="CEITEC: The first three months of Pavel Kadeřávek leading the NMR laboratory." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_The_first_three_months_of_Pavel_Kaderavek_leading_the_NMR_laboratory_1_fabf1c3e21.jpg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="2736" height="1824"><h5>What benefits do you think a shared lab brings to the scientific community and external partners?</h5>Shared labs like ours provide researchers from different institutions with access to highly specialised instruments and methods that might otherwise be costly and technically challenging to operate. This enables even smaller research teams to carry out cutting-edge projects. At the same time, we offer expert advice and research collaboration, leading to a deepening of knowledge and the creation of new scientific contacts. For our external partners, whether from academia or industry, access to NMR spectroscopy is a valuable tool to address their research questions.<h5>How are you involved in the education of students and young scientists?</h5>Our NMR lab is open to students and young scientists interested in advanced magnetic resonance methods. We regularly organize workshops and professional courses that allow to gain theoretical knowledge and practical experience in NMR. At the same time, we try to create a space for scientific collaboration so that students can work on real research projects under the guidance of experienced experts.<h5>What are your future plans for the development of the NMR laboratory at CEITEC?</h5>One of our main goals is to further develop NMR spectroscopy techniques, such as introducing new techniques in the use of electron polarization to amplify NMR signals.&nbsp; We also want to strengthen our position within the international scientific community by getting involved in other projects and organising professional workshops and seminars. A forthcoming action in this direction will be the organization of a winter school under the COST Action (CA21160. For our students, the theoretical part of this will be available in the course <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://is.muni.cz/auth/predmet/sci/jaro2025/NCBR003">NMR data for structural bioinformatics</a> (NCBR003) at the beginning of the spring semester. I would also like to expand our collaboration with other scientific institutions and industrial partners to apply our knowledge and equipment to various scientific and industrial challenges.

The first three months of Pavel Kadeřávek leading the NMR laboratory

On October 4, 2024, Professor Josef Dadok, the founder of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in Czechoslovakia and a prominent figure in the field internationally, died in the United States at the age of 98. Professor Dadok worked in Brno in the 1950s and 1960s, where he led the development of the first NMR spectrometers at the Institute of Instrumentation of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, later mass-produced by the national company Tesla Brno, making Czechoslovakia one of the world leaders in this field.In 1967 Josef Dadok went to the USA for a work placement, from where he did not return due to political developments in Czechoslovakia after 1968, but where he continued to develop NMR technologies at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Here he developed the first superconducting spectrometer with a magnetic field of 14.1 T and an operating frequency of 600 MHz, which was for many years the most powerful device of its kind.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Pamatka_Josefa_Dadoka_zije_na_CEITEC_dal_prostrednictvim_spickoveho_vyzkumu_v_oblasti_spektroskopie_3_bf932352cd.jpg" alt="CEITEC: The memory of Josef Dadok lives on at CEITEC through cutting-edge research in spectroscopy" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Pamatka_Josefa_Dadoka_zije_na_CEITEC_dal_prostrednictvim_spickoveho_vyzkumu_v_oblasti_spektroskopie_3_bf932352cd.jpg 125w," sizes="100vw" width="961" height="1201">In 2013, Professor Dadok was awarded an honorary doctorate from Masaryk University and Brno University of Technology for his outstanding contribution to Czechoslovak science and technology. The National Centre for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance CEITEC MUNI bears his name in his honour. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://nmr.ceitec.cz/?_gl=1*pzdx3f*_ga*ODg2MDE3MjgzLjE3MzU4MzczMjI.*_ga_L74QG6CYBE*MTczNjE4ODMyMS4yLjAuMTczNjE4ODMyMS4wLjAuMA..">"The Josef Dadok National NMR Centre</a> was inaugurated in 2013 with the personal participation of Prof. Dadok and still serves users from all over the world. Its name commemorates Josef Dadok's fundamental contribution to the development of this technology not only in Czechoslovakia but also on the international scene," says <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ceitec.eu/radovan-fiala/u17058?page=publication">Radovan Fiala</a>, who started his professional career at the Institute of Instrumentation of the CAS in Brno, in the department founded by Josef Dadok."The pioneering work of Josef Dadok has been followed up by the development of a spectrometer that can simultaneously measure electron spin resonance and nuclear magnetic resonance by revolutionary fast scanning. Our instrument will serve interdisciplinary research at the Josef Dadok National NMR Centre at CEITEC MUNI," adds <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ceitec.eu/petr-neugebauer/u91434?page=publication">Petr Neugebauer</a>, head of the magneto-optical and THz spectroscopy research group at CEITEC BUT.Many other scientists also keep Josef Dadok's legacy in spectroscopy alive and continue to build on this legacy, as Professor Josef Dadok was not only an outstanding scientist and engineer, but also an inspiring mentor and colleague who influenced many generations of researchers.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Pamatka_Josefa_Dadoka_zije_na_CEITEC_dal_prostrednictvim_spickoveho_vyzkumu_v_oblasti_spektroskopie_2_5bfe3171b6.jpeg" alt="CEITEC - The memory of Josef Dadok lives on at CEITEC through cutting-edge research in spectroscopy" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Pamatka_Josefa_Dadoka_zije_na_CEITEC_dal_prostrednictvim_spickoveho_vyzkumu_v_oblasti_spektroskopie_2_5bfe3171b6.jpeg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067">

The memory of Josef Dadok lives on at CEITEC through cutting-edge research in spectroscopy

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Since its establishment in 2011, CEITEC has quickly developed into a cutting-edge infrastructure for research which performs highly alongside the best institutes in Europe. Among the main priorities of CEITEC are the promotion of a motivating and dynamic international scientific environment, the provision of state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and the policy of open communication and equal opportunities.

The memory of Josef Dadok lives on at CEITEC through cutting-edge research in spectroscopy

The first three months of Pavel Kadeřávek leading the NMR laboratory

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