Masaryk University awards the honorary doctorate degree to outstanding personalities for their extraordinary and internationally recognised contribution to the development of science, humanities, culture or the arts. Professor of Medicine and haematologist Jennifer Ruth Brown has made a significant contribution to the development of medicine, while molecular biologist Professor Dirk Inzé has contributed to the development of the biological sciences. The ceremony took place in the Karl Engliš Grand Auditorium of the Faculty of Law. In keeping with tradition, both scientists took an oath before being awarded their degrees, and the ceremony was presided over by the MU Vice‑Rector for Research and Doctoral Studies Šárka Pospíšilová.
“I see the honorary doctorates awarded to Professor Brown and Professor Inzé not only as an expression of our recognition of their lifelong work and outstanding achievements in the field of medical and biological sciences, but also as a token of our gratitude for their significant contribution to the development of these disciplines at Masaryk University,” says Martin Bareš, Rector of Masaryk University, adding that he is pleased that in both cases the honorary doctorate was awarded to someone who has a long‑term cooperation and close ties with Masaryk University. Jennifer Ruth Brown is in regular contact with MU scientists and experts on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and Dirk Inzé, as a member and later chairman of the CEITEC International Scientific Advisory Board, actively supported the transformation of CEITEC into one of Europe’s leading scientific research institutions.
Jennifer Ruth Brown captivated by blood cells under the microscope
Professor Jennifer Ruth Brown is Director of the Center for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia at the Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute in Boston as well as Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She was educated at Yale University, where she graduated with honours in molecular biology, and then at Harvard Medical School, where she received her MD and PhD in molecular genetics in 1998. After completing her internship and residency in internal medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital, she trained in haematology and oncology at the Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute. Since 2004, she has been on the faculty of both the Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, where she also directs a clinical‑translational research program focused on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. She studies the development of novel targeted therapeutics for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and the genomics of the disease and her research focuses on the translation of genomic technologies into clinical practice. Professor Brown also has a long‑standing interest in the genetic predispositions that lead to the development of different types of leukaemia. She is the author of a major study of gene variants that contribute to the development of these diseases.
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Martin Repko highlights Professor Jennifer Ruth Brown’s outstanding contribution to the understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. “Her tireless work and dedication to her patients has had a profound impact on modern approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of this disease,” says Martin Repko. “Professor Brown played a key role in the clinical development of drugs such as idelalisib and ibrutinib, leading to their approval for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. These drugs have significantly improved outcomes for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and in fact, these patients now have the same chance of survival as their leukaemia‑free peers thanks to the new therapy,” he adds.
“I am deeply honoured to have been selected for an honorary doctorate – the first honorary degree I have ever received. I wasn’t expecting it,” says Jennifer Ruth Brown about the award. As she says, she became fascinated with medicine as a young child when she was studying the insects that drowned in her family’s swimming pool. She eventually moved from biochemistry and molecular biology to haematology, which captivated her. “How beautiful blood cells look under the microscope! This eventually led me to non‑malignant haematology, then to the study of lymphomas – until I became interested in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia early in my academic career,” she says as she recounts her career path. Thanks to her research and a combination of next‑generation targeted inhibitors, about one year of treatment is now enough to induce a durable remission in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Recently, Professor Jennifer Ruth Brown’s research group has focused on setting up clinical trials using combinations of new targeted drugs. “I am extremely hopeful that a combination of several inhibitors, perhaps together with new types of immunotherapy, will allow us to cure the disease completely in the years to come without the use of chemotherapy,” says Brown, who is also attending the Czech Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Group conference in Brno. As to her ties with the MU scientific and medical community, she highlighted the cooperation with Mark Mráz and establishing contact with Šárka Pospíšilová and Michael Doubek.
Dirk Inzé advocates the use of gene editing in agriculture
Professor Dirk Inzé is one of the most influential figures in modern plant science. In a long career spanning more than four decades, he has been at the forefront of scientific discoveries that have revolutionised our understanding of plant growth, stress responses and the molecular networks that regulate plant development. His long‑term research goal of achieving a comprehensive understanding of the molecular pathways that control plant growth has opened new perspectives in identifying regulatory networks that can be targeted by advanced breeding and genome editing technologies. His work has provided fundamental insights that are important for crop improvement and global food security.
As Professor Emeritus at Ghent University and formerly a long‑time Scientific Director of the VIB Centre for Plant Systems Biology, he led one of Europe’s foremost research institutions in plant biotechnology. His work has bridged the gap between basic research and applied innovation, ensuring that scientific progress is translated into sustainable agricultural solutions. Under his leadership, the VIB Centre for Plant Systems Biology has become not only a cutting‑edge research institution, but also a catalyst for innovation, supporting the creation of a number of start‑up companies and contributing to the formation of one of the largest agribiotech clusters in Europe.
“In addition to pioneering research, Professor Inzé is dedicated to mentoring, collaboration and scientific leadership. His influence extends far beyond the laboratory and he has been active in shaping international science policy, particularly in promoting the use of gene editing in agriculture. As the founder of the EU‑SAGE network, he brought together 131 European plant science institutes to support the development of European policy on genome editing,” said Pavel Plevka, the director of CEITEC MU. Although Inzé was a leading figure in his field, who could choose to sit on the advisory boards of the world’s most prestigious institutions, he did not hesitate to support the newly established research institution CEITEC – which was only an EU‑funded project at the time – recognising its potential.
“He would fly to Brno every year and, with his expertise and vision, helped us grow from an unknown institution into an internationally recognised research centre. He played a key role in establishing CEITEC as a place for cutting‑edge science, world‑class education and real‑world impact,” says Plevka. “By awarding him an honorary doctorate, we want to recognise his scientific genius and, just as importantly, celebrate his vision, leadership and unwavering commitment to using science for the benefit of society,” he adds.
“I am very proud to receive an honorary doctorate from Masaryk University. From the very beginning of my interest in science, and especially in plant science, my path has crossed with the name of the city of Brno, famous of course for the monastery where Gregor Johann Mendel, through his careful work on peas, created the Mendel’s laws of inheritance,” said Inzé in his acceptance speech. He also mentioned his visit to the Mendel Museum two years ago, describing its existence and exhibitions as a commendable initiative by Masaryk University, and commented on his time at CEITEC: “I hope it will have the means to continue to excel. CEITEC at Masaryk University is a place where you can do amazing research and get the best possible education.” He then went on to talk about his career path, which he described as being defined by three key pillars: science, entrepreneurship and science advocacy.
“The combination of science, entrepreneurship and science advocacy creates, at least for me, an interesting synergy that drives society forward. I can only encourage those in science – and I know many already embarked on this path – to step out of the ivory tower of science and become actively involved in technology transfer and in collaboration with policy‑makers and the society at large. Here at Masaryk University and CEITEC, you are in a position to take up this challenge,” says Inzé.