Research group for the Plants and Microalgae NanoBioTechnology (PM-NanoBioTech)

The current challenges for the agriculture sector include increasing crops yield without expanding agricultural land and reducing the environmental damage (pesticides, hormones, mechanization) thus preserving natural resources, soil, and water for future generations. We believe that only “green revolution 4.0” based on nanobiotechnology of microalgae and plants including the nanomaterials; CRISPR/Casxyz system; smart vertical and urban farming has the potential to completely change the current agricultural sector. The research group is divided into the Laboratory of microalgae and the Laboratory of plants.

The main research is related with follows topics:

  • the effect of nanomaterials on the soil-plant environment / microalgae and
    cyanobacteria
  • using nanomaterials as new generation of pesticides and fertilizers
  • nanomaterials in biotechnology as potential delivering system for Crispr/Casxyz
    system
  • bioremediation of pollutants by microalgae
  • microalgae as a green factory for production of bioactive compounds for food and
    pharmaceutics
  • CRISPR system in biotechnology and research of secondary metabolites.
  • epigenetic (methylation and miRNAs) regulatory mechanisms of secondary
    metabolism network

Photo

Ing. Dalibor Húska, Ph.D.

Head – Research group for the Plants and Microalgae NanoBioTechnology
Assistant Professor


Phone: 420 545 133 280
Address: ÚCB AF, Zemědělská 1, 61300 Brno – Building D
Office: BA02N2028
Email: dalibor.huska@mendelu.cz


Team members

Topics of Ph.D. theses

  • Optional topic
  • Free topic – area of ​​nanoparticles and plants
  • Free topic – area of ​​plant / microalga genetic engineering study of secondary metabolism
  • Free topic – the field of nanotechnology in agriculture
  • Free topic – area of ​​nanomaterials and microalgae and biotechnology
  • Free topic – space applications in the field of nanomaterials, microalgae and biotechnology

 

Projects

  • IGA project: Green source of vitamin B12  (Ing. Durďáková)
  • IGA project: Optimization of CRISPR efficiency in unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii  (Ing. Zvalová)
  • IGA project: Výzkum a vývoj plastožravých sinic (degradace PET), (Mgr. Pěnčík)
  • IGA project: Algae based microrobots for antibiotic remediation (Ing. Debnárová)
  • IGRÁČEK:  An Invisible Threat: Nanoplastics VS. microalgae, bacteria and plants SGC- (Mgr. Pěnčík)
  • OP PIK: Development of unique, rare bioactive complexes formed by unicellular microorganisms and native extracts from selected synergizing herbs obtained by a new innovative method of subcritical extraction (in cooperation with UNION COSMETIC)
  • H2020: Galileo Enhanced Solution for Pest Detection and Control in Greenhouse Fields with Autonomous Service Robots (776324-GREENPATROL). 2017-2020. (https://www.greenpatrol-robot.eu/)
  • H2020: InteGRated systems for Effective EnvironmEntal Remediation, GREENER, Grant Agreement No. 826312. 2019-2023. (https://www.greener-h2020.eu/en/normal/home)

Publications

  • AKELLA, S. — MA, X. — BAČOVÁ, R. — HARMER, Z P. — KOLÁČKOVÁ, M. — WEN, X. — WRIGHT, D A. — SPALDING, M H. — WEEKS, D P. — CERUTTI, H. Co-targeting strategy for precise, scarless gene editing with CRISPR/Cas9 and donor ssODNs in Chlamydomonas. Plant Physiology. 2021. IF 8.34
  • BAČOVÁ, R. — KOLÁČKOVÁ, M. — KLEJDUS, B. — ADAM, V. — HÚSKA, D. Epigenetic mechanisms leading to genetic flexibility during abiotic stress responses in microalgae: A review. Algal Research. 2020. IF 5.01
  • HAMMERSCHMIEDT, T. — HOLÁTKO, J. — PECINA, V. — HÚSKA, D. — LÁTAL, O. — KINTL, A. — RADZIEMSKA, M. — MUHAMMAD, S. — GUSIATIN, Z M. — KOLÁČKOVÁ, M. — NASIR, M. — BALTAZÁR, T. — AHMED, N. — BRTNICKÝ, M. Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity. Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture. 2021. IF 2.64
  • Pattinson, M., Tiwari, S., Zheng, Y., Campo-Cossio, M., Arnau, R., Obregón, D., Ansuategui, A., Tubío, C., Lluvia, I., Rey, O., Verschoore, J., Lenza, L., & Reyes, J. (2019). GNSS precise point positioning for autonomous robot navigation in greenhouse environment for integrated pest monitoring. 12th Annual Baška GNSS Conference (BASKA), Baška, Krk Island, Croatia. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2620125
  • Obregón, D., Arnau, R., Campo-Cossio, M., Arroyo-Parras, J.G., Pattinson, M., Tiwari, S., Lluvia, I., Rey, O., Verschoore, J., Lenza, L., & Reyes, J. (2019). Precise Positioning and Heading for Autonomous Scouting Robots in a Harsh Environment. IWINAC 2019. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 11487. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19651-6_9
  • Gutierrez, A., Ansuategi, A., Susperregi, L., Tubío, C., Rankić, I., & Lenza, L. (2019). A Benchmarking of Learning Strategies for Pest Detection and Identification on Tomato Plants for Autonomous Scouting Robots Using Internal Databases. J. Sensors, 2019, 5219471:1-5219471:15.
  • Pattinson, M., Tiwari, S., Zheng, Y., Fryganiotis, D., Campo-Cossio, M., Arnau, R., Obregón, D., Martin, J., Tubio, C., Lluvia, I., Rey, O., Verschoore, J., Húska, D., Lenza, L., Gonzalez J.R. Galileo Enhanced Solution for Pest Detection and Control in Greenhouses with Autonomous Service Robots, 2020 European Navigation Conference (ENC), 2020, pp. 1-10, doi: 10.23919/ENC48637.2020.9317451.
  • CHALOUPSKÝ, P.; KOLÁČKOVÁ, M.; ZAHÁLKA, M.; JÁNOVÁ, A.; HYNŠTOVÁ, V.; VACULOVIČOVÁ, M.; HÚSKA, D. Decolouration of selected diazo dyes by unicellular algae. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment, 2021, vol. 35, ISSN 1310-2818. IF 1.632
  • RANKIC, I.; ZELINKA, R.; RIDOSKOVA, A.; GAGIC, M.; PELCOVA, P.; HUSKA, D. Nano/microparticles in conjunction with microalgae extract as novel insecticides against Mealworm beetles, Tenebrio molitor. Sci. Rep., 2021, vol. 11. p. 1-9. ISSN 2045-2322. IF 4.379
  • JANOVA, A.; KOLACKOVA, I.; BYTESNIKOVA, Z.; CAPAL, P.; CHALOUPSKY, P.; SVEC, P.; RIDOSKOVA, A.; CERNEI, N.; KLEJDUS, B.; RICHTERA, L.; ADAM, V.; HUSKA, D. New insights into mechanisms of copper nanoparticle toxicity in freshwater algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Effects on the pathways of secondary metabolites. Algal Res., 2021, vol., p. 1-11. ISSN 2211-9264. IF 4.401
  • JURKOW, R.; KALISZ, A.; HUSKA, D.; SEKARA, A.; DASTBORHAN, S. Sequential changes in antioxidant potential of oakleaf lettuce seedlings caused by nano-TiO2 treatment. Nanomaterials, 2021, vol. 11. p. 1-14. ISSN 2079-4991. IF 5.076
  • KALISZ, A.; HUSKA, D.; JURKOW, R.; DVORAK, M.; KLEJDUS, B.; CARUSO, G.; SEKARA, A. Nanoparticles of cerium, iron, and silicon oxides change the metabolism of phenols and flavonoids in butterhead lettuce and sweet pepper seedlings. Environ. Sci. Nano, 2021, vol. 8. p. 1945-1959. ISSN 2051-8153. IF 8.131
  • Kolackova, M., Chaloupsky, P., Cernei, N., Klejdus, B., Huska, D., & Adam, V. (2020). Lycorine and UV-C stimulate phenolic secondary metabolites production and miRNA expression in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 122088.
  • V. Hynstova, D. Sterbova, B. Klejdus, J. Hedbavny, D. Huska, V. Adam, Separation, identification and quantification of carotenoids and chlorophylls in dietary supplements containing Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 148 (2018) 108-118.
  • M. Kolackova, A. Moulick, P. Kopel, M. Dvorak, V. Adam, B. Klejdus, D. Huska, Antioxidant, gene expression and metabolomics fingerprint analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana treated by foliar spraying of ZnSe quantum dots and their growth inhibition of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 365 (2019) 932-941.
  • C.A. Matthewman, C.G. Kawashima, D. Huska, T. Csorba, T. Dalmay, S. Kopriva, miR395 is a general component of the sulfate assimilation regulatory network in Arabidopsis, Febs Letters, 586 (2012) 3242-3248.
  • R. Matyasek, E. Dobesova, D. Huska, I. Jezkova, P.S. Soltis, D.E. Soltis, A. Kovarik, Interpopulation hybridization generates meiotically stable rDNA epigenetic variants in allotetraploid Tragopogon mirus, Plant Journal, 85 (2016) 362-377.
  • A. Strejckova, M. Dvorak, B. Klejdus, O. Krystofova, J. Hedbavny, V. Adam, D. Huska, The strong reaction of simple phenolic acids during oxidative stress caused by nickel, cadmium and copper in the microalga Scenedesmus quadricauda, New Biotechnology, 48 (2019) 66-75.
  • H. Sturikova, O. Krystofova, D. Huska, V. Adam, Zinc, zinc nanoparticles and plants, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 349 (2018) 101-110.
  • Bacova, R., Klejdus, B., Ryant, P., Cernei, N., Adam, V., & Huska, D. The effects of 5azacytidine and cadmium on global 5methylcytosine content and secondary metabolites in the freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Scenedesmus quadricauda. Journal of phycology, 55(2), (2019) 329-342.
  • Huska, D., Leitch, I. J., De Carvalho, J. F., Leitch, A. R., Salmon, A., Ainouche, M., & Kovarik, A. (2016). Persistence, dispersal and genetic evolution of recently formed Spartina homoploid hybrids and allopolyploids in Southern England. Biological invasions, 18(8), 2137-2151.