Interview with CEITEC poster competition winners

• What motivates you in your scientific work?

Finding the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything...

• What do you see research in your field leading to in the future?

Once we have a detailed understanding of the biochemical and molecular biological basis of processes in cellular organisms, we will be able in future to influence and better treat in a more targeted fashion malfunctions in these processes that result in disease.

• Don't the results speak for themselves? Is it necessary to present science?

Even if you have obtained excellent results, they are not going to know how to present themselves. No-one is going to fund further research, no matter how excellent, if they do not know what it is good for. 

• Do you have any experience abroad? What has it brought you? Do you think that in today's world international cooperation is absolutely essential?

I was on a three-month placement in the UK. It was a wonderful experience. I learned new methods and gained important results and contacts. In science I think that the exchange of techniques and knowledge are in general incredibly important. Research cooperation with other laboratories working on the same or similar areas is definitely far quicker and more effective than if we instead compete and keep results secret from each other.

• What motivates you in your scientific work?

For me, motivation is learning something new, as yet undiscovered. What drives me is not just curiosity and an enjoyable pastime, but also the final result – discovering something that will be of benefit to all of us and our environment.

• What do you see research in your field leading to in the future?

Research in this field may bring many benefits in the future. More specifically we can talk of perfecting the preparation and modification of substrates for further application in the areas of micro- and nanotechnology (for example Plasmonic structures, solar cells, sensors, microelectromechanical systems, etc.).

• Don't the results speak for themselves? Is it necessary to present science?

Looking at things overall there are many cases where the results of research do speak for themselves. It is enough to take a look around. New methods and technologies are constantly being invented. That is true both todayand in the past. However most people are not aware of what is new, what is now being investigated. For that reason it is definitely essential to present science. Within the scientific community it is also crucial to present your research in order to have a chance to consult with more experienced colleagues and also to initiate possible cooperation with other institutions.  

• Do you have any experience abroad? What has it brought you? Do you think that in today's world international cooperation is absolutely essential?

My own experience abroad has been from participating in international conferences, since I have yet to have any longer term placement in a foreign institution. However, despite this I have had the opportunity to familiarise myself with the results of many foreign scientists working in both similar as well as totally different fields. I have gained a lot from new findings and they have helped me better target my own work. On the question of whether international cooperation is essential, the answer can only be ‘yes’. The reason being the transfer of needed knowledge and experience, the broadening of the technological and scientific base and joint research projects.

• What motivates you in your scientific work?

What I really like about science is the way it is like detective work. You have a problem to which you do not know the answer, and by careful detective work you can arrive at a solution. You look at a given problem from several different perspectives. You make several guesses but you do not know which is correct so you have to test them all to find out. At the same time it is wonderful to know that if you manage through your curiosity and efforts to arrive at a result, it may be that you discover something that can have a great influence on people around you. It means that you can help and do so in many ways.

• What do you see research in your field leading to in the future?

Our team is trying to develop a sufficiently sensitive biochip/biosensor, which will in future contribute to the diagnosis of early stages of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis or tumours.

• Don't the results speak for themselves? Is it necessary to present science?

Of course the results can speak for themselves, but are unlikely to reach society at large, or if they do they may not be well understood, and for that reason I believe we should try our utmost to communicate our work to the public. Unfortunately it does not work like that at present. People then have the feeling that scientific work is superfluous and that there is no reason to provide it with scientific support. For this reason more and more often I encounter financial shortfalls and it does not appear that things will improve. In Slovakia for example things have already gone so far that the government has decided to make such major cuts in the science budget that if they are approved, a fifth of scientists will lose their jobs, which will of course result in science not developing as well or as rapidly as it should. And that is a tragedy, since it will harm everyone, only no-one will be aware of it. Where would today’s medicine, economics, culture, etc.  be without scientists and their work? And where would we be heading without them?

• Do you have any experience abroad? What has it brought you? Do you think that in today's world international cooperation is absolutely essential?

Of course. In today’s world if you want to reach the top in your field, cooperation with foreign colleagues/scientists is essential. A lot of people imagine that scientists go around the world from conference to conference and have a great time. They should however be aware that conferences are about gaining new information in the fields and branches they work in, and as well as new knowledge, making fresh contacts and setting up possible cooperation. Our team has several foreign cooperation projects, which also include placements abroad. Thanks to these opportunities we can not only broaden our knowledge, but we are also able to gain a completely different perspective on a particular issue, which helps us in our research.

• What motivates you in your scientific work?

I have been doing research since university and interestingly I have not changed the field in which I decided to work. Really, I have been carrying out research in plasma chemistry since 2000 and still I have the passion and strong motivation to pursue my goals in this field. What drives me? The huge technical problems of modern society. These problems, such as healthcare quality, decreasing carbon emissions or the development of sustainable energy sources must be solved and it should be done pretty quickly. I am strongly motivated, as my feeling is that my research is linked, at least partially, with the solution to these problems. The journey towards a solution is far from its end, but I am sure that my outcomes and my achievements will be another brick in the wall.

• What do you see research in your field leading to in the future?

As I already mentioned, I have never changed my field and the reason is that I know that my work is very diverse, since plasma processing has many applications, from photovoltaics to wound healing. My current topic is at the frontiers of materials science and life science and it concerns physics, chemistry and biology. I am sure that future emerging technologies require work at the boundary, because if you stay just within one focused area of work, you cannot arrive at a breakthrough solution. For example, one of the most demanding research areas, cancer treatment, is progressing but not as quickly as we would wish. From my point of view the reason is related to the complexity of a solution that will require brainstorming by physicians, biologists, chemists and material scientists. I know that my work can contribute to this topic, as plasma technologies is a unique technique activating that surface and enabling immobilisation of bio-molecules and drugs on any kind of surfaces. By applying plasma techniques to biodegradable materials a novel drug carrier can be synthesized. Therefore, the major goal of my work is the development of low cost, selective and effective cancer treatments. Indeed, material scientists cannot pursue that goal alone and we need to cooperate with many researchers from different fields, and this is not easy.

• Don't the results speak for themselves? Is it necessary to present science?

Of course. The same results can be presented so differently that in one case the audience will admire you and in another case show their contempt. Fortunately for me I have seen hundreds of both excellent and terrible presentations and I know where to draw inspiration from. For me a presentation is a movie, like a song, like a story. It must be truthful, eye- and ear-catching, and dynamic. I consider the presentation as a sort of art; you should be well prepared to give a good presentation. Indeed, a good presentation leads to good outcomes: new contacts, collaborations, gains in your h-index. I can hardly imagine that after a boring presentation the scientist would receive the same outcome. The most difficult part of presenting is to adapt your slides to a certain audience. Are they experts in your field or do they have no idea about your methods? Of course the latter case is the most difficult one, but this is exactly where you may get valuable contacts so as to progress, to diversify.

• What has experience abroad brought you? Do you think that in today's world international cooperation is absolutely essential?

Indeed. I am a very lucky person, as I have worked in many different countries: Russia, South Korea, Luxembourg, Belgium and now here in Czech Republic. I know what the Korean style of work is, the so called seven-eleven (meaning 7AM-11PM). This is a very exhausting approach, but we were able to solve technical problems within 1-2 months, while in Europe all that research would require 1-2 years. However, in EU there more passion in research, deeper analysis, fundamental work; while in Asia, everything is applied research. I am able to mix both styles: deeper analysis if I have time and Korean style at the deadline. Finally, I think that we must cooperate with researchers abroad as much as possible. New ideas, new methods and new views: these are what every good scientist should look for.

• What motivates you in your scientific work?

The work itself in the group focussing on Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is fascinating particularly for its variety. I am involved in a variety of projects and I have the freedom to choose further interesting applications for LIBS and the direction of my research. Furthermore, the LIBS method can be used for a spectrum of applications, which means that I constantly encounter varied obstacles and challenges. I am fortunately part of a well-balanced group, which I value since it is not always the case. Therefore I do not have to bother about construction, electronics or writing software and can concentrate fully on research activities and improving my expertise.

• What do you see research in your field leading to in the future?

In the last decade, the LIBS method intended for elemental analysis has ousted competing methods in various branches of industry, construction, archaeology, etc. due to its undemanding and robust instrumentation. This means that we can use LIBS on site and do not need to take a sample to the laboratory and subject it to complex preparation. In this way the measuring process is speeded up while at the same time costs are reduced. With the help of this method we can carry out rapid qualitative and quantitative analyses and individual samples can be classified by comparing their spectra. The LIBS method brings with it, as well as benefits, certain limitations which can to a certain extent be compensated for or even used to our advantage. Overall however I see the future lying in the LIBS analytical method, as is illustrated by its use in the Curiosity rover that is currently roaming the surface of Mars.

In our group we are working with the rLIBS instrument, intended for remote elemental analysis. Thanks to this device we are able to measure for example the facades of buildings, load-bearing structures and difficult to reach or dangerous samples at distances of up to 20-30 m. We are subjecting the system to long-term testing and preparing it for selected applications. It is necessary to approach each application individually and adapt the whole system to the application, with which we return to the initial question.

• Don't the results speak for themselves? Is it necessary to present science?

It is essential to present results and compare them with those of other research groups from around the world, in order to keep the research up to date. It is just as important to present and promote the results outside the select group of experts and researchers working on the LIBS method and general elemental analysis. Cooperation with industry and seeking commercially viable applications is an inseparable part of research. From my personal perspective work on an instrument with definite commercial potential is more attractive than theoretical modelling, but everyone has a different approach. At present a spin-off called AtomTrace is being set up at CEITEC BUT, coming from the research group of Prof. Kaiser and which is primarily focussed on transferring LIBS technology to various branches of industry.

• Do you have any experience abroad? What has it brought you? Do you think that in today's world international cooperation is absolutely essential?

I spent a two-and-a-half-year placement at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin, where I was in the LIBS group under Dr. Gornushkin and Prof. Panne, who I recognise as the foremost authorities on LIBS. During this placement I learned above all independence and suffered through the LIBS methods from A to Z. Nonetheless, I would recommend a foreign placement to everyone as a source of vast experience. Now I am back at Brno University of Technology and am trying to put the experience gained to work to the benefit of the whole group.

I see foreign cooperation as having great advantages. We have been working with groups from Spain and Italy for some time. More recently we established contacts to Germany and Finland, and as part of a grant project we have worked with research institutions in the USA and China. Each such cooperation has benefited our LIBS group and helped us to make rapid progress.

• What motivates you in your scientific work?

A thirst for knowledge, having fun and working with inspiring people.

• What do you see research in your field leading to in the future?

I study localised plasmons, which are interesting in terms of their application due to their local influence on optical processes. They can be employed for the sensitive detection of biomolecules or to improve the efficiency of solar cells.

• Don't the results speak for themselves? Is it necessary to present science?

While unprocessed results do indeed provide a fully available description of a particular system, the language is obscure. The scientist acts as a translator into comprehensible language. For example, we can compare the complex diversity of forms of a body’s motion in a gravitational field on the one hand, and the simple elegance of Newton’s laws on the other. Therefore, presentation is the core of science.

• Do you have any experience abroad? What has it brought you? Do you think that in today's world international cooperation is absolutely essential?

I spent about three years abroad in total during four longer placements. Some were very beneficial, others less so. It is important to collaborate with bright and open-minded people, whether in the Czech Republic or abroad.