Scientific activity
The research team focuses on using mass spectrometry in lipidomic and metabolomic analysis, especially in conjunction with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography or ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography. The main objective is to develop new analytical methods validated for the quantitative analysis of lipids in large series of biological samples. A critical application is the analysis of blood from patients with malignant cancer to find dysregulated lipids and use them for early cancer detection through multivariate data analysis.
International cooperation
Prof. Markus R. Wenk, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Dr Gerhard Liebisch, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Germany
Dr Kim Ekroos, Lipidomics Consulting, Finland
Dr Harald C. Köfeler, Medical University in Graz, Austria
Five of the most important projects
Programme: ERC Advanced, Project name: Oncolipidomics: Why is lipidomic dysregulation pattern in blood similar for various cancers?, Provider: ERC, Main beneficiary: University of Pardubice / Faculty of Chemical Technology, Principal investigator: Prof. Ing. Michal Holčapek, Ph.D., Project period: 2023–2028.
Programme: ERC CZ, Project name: Hmotnostní spektrometrie při hledání lipidových biomarkerů pro včasnou diagnostiku rakoviny (Mass Spectrometry in the Search for Lipid Biomarkers for Early Cancer Diagnosis), Provider: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Main beneficiary: University of Pardubice / Faculty of Chemical Technology, Principal investigator: Prof. Ing. Michal Holčapek, Ph.D., Project period: 2013–2018.
Programme: OP JAK, Project name: Záchrana životů prostřednictvím výzkumu v oblasti včasné detekce a prevence rakoviny: Molekulární, genomické a sociální factory (Saving Lives through Research on Early Detection and Prevention of Cancer: Molecular, Genomic and Social Factors), Provider: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Co-beneficiary: University of Pardubice / Faculty of Chemical Technology, Principal investigator: Prof. Ing. Michal Holčapek, Ph.D., Project period: 2024–2028.
Programme: GACR Standard Projects, Project name: Spojení vícerozměrné chromatografie a hmotnostní spektrometrie v kvantitativních přístupech pro detailní charakterizaci lipidomu lidské plazmy (Coupling Multidimensional Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry in Quantitative Approaches for Detailed Characterization of the Human Plasma Lipidome), Provider: GACR, Main beneficiary: University of Pardubice / Faculty of Chemical Technology, Principal investigator: Prof. Ing. Michal Holčapek, Ph.D., Project period: 2021–2023.
Programme: GACR Standard Projects, Project name: Charakterizace lidského lipidomu a metabolomu pro personalizovanou zdravotní péči a hledání biomarkerů: studie rakoviny ledvin (Characterization of the Human Lipidome and Metabolome for Personalised Healthcare and Biomarker Discovery: The Kidney Cancer Study), Provider: GACR, Main beneficiary: University of Pardubice / Faculty of Chemical Technology, Principal investigator: Prof. Ing. Michal Holčapek, Ph.D., Project period: 2018–2020.
Five of the most important scientific publications or patents of the team in the last five years
D. Wolrab, R. Jirásko, E. Cífková, M. Höring, D. Mei, M. Chocholoušková, O. Peterka, J. Idkowiak, T. Hrnčiarová, L. Kuchař, R. Ahrends, R. Brumarová, D. Friedecký, G. Vivo-Truyols, P. Škrha, J. Škrha, R. Kučera, B. Melichar, G. Liebisch, R. Burkhardt, M.R. Wenk, A. Cazenave-Gassiot, P. Karásek, I. Novotný, K. Greplová, R. Hrstka, M. Holčapek. Lipidomic profiling of human serum enables detection of pancreatic cancer. Nat. Commun. 2022, 13, 124. Available from: DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27765-9
J.G. McDonald, C.S. Ejsing, D. Kopczynski, M. Holčapek, J. Aoki, M. Arita, M. Arita, E.S. Baker, J. Bertrand-Michel, J.A. Bowden, B. Brügger, S.R. Ellis, M. Fedorova, W.J. Griffiths, X. Han, J. Hartler, N. Hoffmann, J.P. Koelmel, H.C. Köfeler, T.W. Mitchell, V.B. O’Donnell, D. Saigusa, D. Schwudke, A. Shevchenko, C.Z. Ulmer, M.R. Wenk, M. Witting, D. Wolrab, Y. Xia, R. Ahrends, G. Liebisch, K. Ekroos, Nat. Met. 2022, 4, 1086–1088. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-022-00628-3
Z. Vaňková, O. Peterka, M. Chocholoušková, D. Wolrab, R. Jirásko, M. Holčapek. Retention dependences in reversed-phase UHPLC/MS enable highly confident identification of lipid species in human plasma. Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2022, 414, 319. Available from: DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03492-4
M. Holčapek, E. Cífková, M. Lísa, R. Jirásko, D. Wolrab, T. Hrnčiarová, A method of diagnosing pancreatic cancer based on lipidomic analysis of a body fluid, European patent EP 3514545, datum žádosti 22. 1. 2018, uděleno 7. 10. 2020. Available from: https://patents.google.com/patent/EP3514545B1/
M. Holčapek, D. Wolrab, R. Jirásko, E. Cífková, A method of diagnosing cancer based on lipidomic analysis of a body fluid, EP3575793, datum žádosti 29. 5. 2018, uděleno 19. 7. 2023. Available from: https://patents.google.com/patent/EP3575793A1/
Most important awards received
Neuron Prize 2023 for connecting science and business
Rudolf Lukes Prize 2023, Experientia Foundation
Dutton Award – American Oil Chemists' Society Award for distinguished contribution to the analysis of oils and fats (2022)
Award of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports for outstanding results of research, experimental development and innovation in the field of natural sciences (2021)
Plaque of the Rector of the University of Pardubice for outstanding scientific performance and exceptional contribution (2020)
Vladimir Hanus Award for the best work in mass spectrometry for the years 2022, 2019 and 2016 (J.M.M. Spectroscopic Society)
Power List 2020, 2015 and 2013 awards for the world's 100 most influential scientists in analytical chemistry (The Analytical Scientist magazine)
Selected excellent figures at UPCE working in the field
