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Immunoassays and Nanosensors

Research group Immunoassay and Nanosensors develops highly sensitive tools for the detection and visualization of clinically and environmentally important analytes. The group employs various kinds of transducers and labels to find optimal solution to advanced bioanalytical problems. Great focus is devoted to the use of nanomaterials, which not only enhance sensitivity but also enable novel detection formats.

doc. Mgr. Zdeněk Farka, Ph.D.

Research Group Leader

Zdeněk Farka works as an Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University. He received his Ph.D. degree in Structural biology in 2017 under the supervision of Petr Skládal at CEITEC, Masaryk University, Czech Republic. He completed research internships at the University of Regensburg, Germany, with Hans-Heiner Gorris, and at the University of Rouen, France, with Niko Hildebrandt.

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About Zdeněk Farka

Contact Information

  • Office – C05/317
  • Phone – +420 549 49 7674
  • E-mail – farka@mail.muni.cz

Education and Academic Qualifications

  • 2022 – Habilitation (Assoc. Prof.) in Biochemistry, Masaryk University
    Thesis: Advanced lmmunochemical Biosensors and Assays: From Label-Free to Single-Molecule Detection
  • 2014–2017 – Ph.D. in Structural Biology, Masaryk University
    Thesis: Bioelectronic interfaces studied with scanning probe microscopy
  • 2012–2014 – Mgr. (M.Sc.) in Analytical Biochemistry (with honors), Masaryk University
    Thesis: Interaction of antibodies with microbial cells studied using biosensors
  • 2009–2012 – Bc. (B.Sc.) in Biochemistry (with honors), Masaryk University
    Thesis: Interaction of antibodies with Bacillus atrophaeus studied using biosensors

Reseach Activity

  • Number of publications in WoS – 51
  • H-index – 17
  • Number of citations (without self-citations) – 1,083

Awards

  • 2022 – Rector's Award for Outstanding Research Results Achieved by Young Scientists under 35, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2022 – MUNI Scientist Award for Outstanding Research Results, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2021 – First prize in Materials Science for Life section, Interdisciplinary Meeting of Young Life Scientists, Czech Republic
  • 2019 – Small Bronze Medal of MU, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2019 – Honorable Mention in Dr. Tasilo Prnka Prize, NANOCON 2019, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2018 – First prize in Jean-Marie Lehn Prize for Chemistry, Solvay and Embassy of France in the Czech Republic
  • 2018 – Second prize in Shimadzu Award for young chemists and biologists, 70. Congress of the Czech and Slovak Chemical Societies
  • 2017 – Dean’s Award, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2017 – CEITEC MU Award for extraordinary scientific contribution for the scientists under the age of 35, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2017 – Honorable Mention in Dr. Tasilo Prnka Prize, NANOCON 2017, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2016 – Best Poster Prize in Symposium 02, 67th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry, The Hague, Netherlands
  • 2016 – First prize in Biomaterials section, Interdisciplinary Meeting of Young Biologists, Biochemists and Chemists, Milovy, Czech Republic
  • 2016 – First prize in Young scientists’ section, XVI. Workshop of Physical Chemists and Electrochemists, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2014 – Rector’s Award for the Best Students in Master’s Programmes, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2014 – First prize in Young scientists’ section, XIV. Workshop of Physical Chemists and Electrochemists, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2013 – Dean’s Award, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2012 – First prize in Young scientists’ section, XII. Workshop of Physical Chemists and Electrochemists, Brno, Czech Republic

Research Focus

  • Development of immunochemical assays and sensors:
    Detection and immunohistochemical imaging of diagnostic biomarkers (prostate and breast cancer, heart infarction, liver damage)
    Detection of pathogens (Salmonella, Escherichia coli, causative agents of American and European foulbrood)
    Detection of food and environmental contaminants (mycotoxins, pesticides, drugs)
  • Application of nanoparticles as immunoassay labels:
    Luminescence nanoparticles (photon-upconversion nanoparticles, quantum dots)
    Catalytic nanoparticles (Prussian blue nanoparticles)
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Research Group Members

Postdoc: Ekaterina Makhneva, Ph.D.

Ph.D. students: Mgr. Eliška Macháčová, Mgr. Dorota Sklenárová, Mgr. Matěj Pastucha, Mgr. Radka Obořilová

Master's degree students:  Bc. Pavel Špaček, Bc. Terezie Zatloukalová

Bachelor's degree students: Martin Kopecký, Martin Naňo

 

Methodic Approaches

International Collaborations

Recent Publications

Complete list of publications is available at the MUNI website.

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