For the past four years Hana Sedláčková has spent many hours in the laboratories of the Bohunice campus. She first came to them in the third year of her grammar-school studies and now she is there as a second-year student of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Science. She is conducting research into Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome, for which this year the GE Foundation granted her a two-year award of 3000 euro.
“I'm studying the RecQ4 protein, a mutation of which causes this insidious disease," says Sedláčková, who works in the laboratory of Recombination and DNA Repair. “Typical clinical symptoms are a red rash, cataracts, skeletal defects and a heightened susceptibility to cancer of the skin, bones and even blood. It is a very rare disease and as yet we don't know very much about it. We don't even know its true nature and exactly how it arises."
Conditions for application for a GE Foundation award included an essay addressing university and secondary-school studies, research and free-time activities. Selected applicants were invited to give a presentation of their work to a Fulbright committee. “Mine was successful, and I'm pleased that my work was valued so highly," says the student, smiling. Also, in May the laboratory received an award of 50,000 crowns from the Sigma-Aldrich company for a presentation of Sedláčková's work at the 13th Interdisciplinary Meeting of Young Biologists, Biochemists and Chemists.
Sedláčková has been interested in Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome since secondary school. Two years ago she recorded a success with her work on the molecular basis of the disease in the Česká hlavička [Young Czech Head] competition. “Biology has always been close to me," she says. “Even at primary school I entered various competitions. At secondary school I went in for the biology 'Olympics', thanks to which I got a place at an event that included a lecture on molecular biology, a subject which grabbed my attention."
When she was offered the chance to work at the laboratory, she didn't hesitate. She describes her early days as a biochemist thus: “When I was at secondary school I had no idea what went on in a laboratory. First of all I learned – quickly – how to apply the methods of biochemistry. After that we agreed on further cooperation." Although she performs her laboratory experiments in test tubes only, she believes that in time they will have a practical impact. As she was learning about how research works, she was surprised that she was given to work with expensive instruments, she adds.
“It was interesting," Sedláčková says, before going on to describe her work. “I realized that research wasn't about coming along and knowing straight away how to cure cancer. It's very painstaking work. It's about looking for answers to individual questions, most of which lead to many more questions."
Even though she is now performing basic research, she hopes and believes that in future her work will contribute to the effective treatment of disease. “I like research that is connected with a particular illness – cancer, for instance. Although I perform laboratory experiments in test tubes only, I believe that in future they will have a practical impact."