Two Hungarian women scientists will join the LERCO project

The Biophysics Research Programme has succeeded in recruiting two important scientists to its team. Since February, Dr. Kinga Böde from the HUN-REN Biological Research Centre in Szeged and the outstanding scientist, former Head of the Department of Plant Biology at the University of Pécs, Prof. Éva Hideg, have joined the Scientific Programme 2 entitled Biochemical and Biophysical Methods for the Analysis of Living Systems, Part 2 - Biophysics as Postdoc Researchers and have been appointed as an Excellent Researcher. In her new position, she will oversee the implementation of one of the main activities of this research programme focusing on new methodological approaches for the assessment of oxidative stress in biological systems.

„Věříme, že tato spolupráce přinese nové vzrušující výsledky a přispěje k excelenci skupiny v oblasti základního výzkumu i aplikací,“ said research team leader Assoc. RNDr. Vladimír Špunda, CSc.

Prof. Éva Hideg during her lecture at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Physics, OU in 2023.

Prof. Éva Hideg is one of the most cited Hungarian plant biologists with an h-index of 43. Her research has long focused on plant stress physiology and oxidative stress. Her research focuses on the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are intensively produced in plants exposed to high doses of UV-B radiation. He also investigates the importance of UV radiation as an environmental signal affecting the control of normal plant development and their acclimatization to current environmental conditions.

An important aspect of her research is also the investigation of protective processes that reduce the extent of damage caused by ROS, in particular processes involving low molecular weight antioxidants belonging to the group of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of specialized enzymes.

The Biophysics team's research may then result in more resilient plants better able to adapt to external conditions affected by climate change.

The research team is now planning to develop new techniques for detecting reactive oxygen species. Together, they will also pursue follow-up domestic and international research grants and projects that are essential for the further development of this cutting-edge facility.