About group
Our research interests can be broadly defined as the study of the interaction of EM fields with matter, and focusing in particular on the interaction of EM fields with biological systems. By studying these interactions, we are trying to identify the biological effects of EM fields - especially the beneficial effects, which can be used in medicine for the development of new treatment methods.
The results of our studies of the interaction of EM fields with matter can also be used for the development of new green industrial technologies. In addition to pursuing all the mentioned issues, our team is actively engaged in the five basic areas of research, as specified in the text.
Historically, the oldest areas of our research activities are the medical applications of EM fields. The focus of our work in this area is the development of new emitting structures (the so-called applicators) for the EM or microwave thermotherapy, and especially for its application in physical therapy (the so-called diathermy for the treatment of rheumatic diseases), oncology (i.e. hyperthermia for the treatment of neoplastic diseases), urology (for the treatment of benign hyperplasia of the prostate) and cardiology (termoablace for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias). t the same time, we provide physical and technical consultation to teams of doctors, who use applied microwave thermotherapy in clinical practice, in particular, doctors from the Institute of Radiation Oncology at FN Bulovka, where the hyperthermia treatment of cancer patients has been in progress since 1982.
The other sphere of our research is the theoretical base for promising new diagnostic methods based on the measurement of reflection coefficient and the transmission (or attenuation) of the EM waves in the study that diagnosed the area. It uses the fact that different types of biological tissues have different values of the dielectric parameters.
Another important focus of our activities are exposure chambers for experimental research on the effects of EM fields on biological systems, both for thermal and non-thermal research. These exposure chambers or systems are developed and tailored according to the requirements of the biological and medical institutions involved. For example, for the research of the thermal effects of EM fields, we developed technical equipment for the Institute of Microbiology. The exposure chamber for research into non-thermal effects of EM fields was developed according to the requirements of the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Pilsen.
The fourth area of our research is the study of the principles according to which EM fields may be generated in biological systems.. In cooperation with the Institute of photonics and electronics of the CR, we are participating in the development of an extremely sensitive system for measuring signals radiated by biological nanostructures, and on the basis of study and analysis of these nanostructures.
Lastly, we dedicate ourselves to the research and development of promising industrial technologies based on the use of EM fields, which are beneficial for the investigation of the environment, such as the heating and drying of materials and energy-saving microwave methods.
Our team has also organized several major international scientific conferences here in Prague:
- ESHO 2007 (Europ. Soc. for Hyperthermia Oncology),
- PIERS 2007 (Progress in EM Research),
- Czech&Slovak Microwave Week 2008 and
- ISMOT 2011 (Int.Symp.he Microwave and Optical Technology).
Purpose
New technologies based on the use of EM fields, as a rule, using the microwave principles, play an increasingly important role in the field of modern medicine (see, e.g. MRI, ECG, EEG, hyperthermia, thermotherapy, thermoablacis, etc.). It can be expected that technology-based EM fields have great potential to bring many important new contributions to therapy and diagnostics in the near future,thereby increasing the likelihood of successful treatment for many patients. We also consider it very important to develop new industrial green technology, which in the future may play an important role in the protection of the environment.
