From Labs to Life: PhD Journeys Unplugged
From coffee breaks to career tips, students explored the twists and turns of the PhD journey with those who’ve walked the path before them.
Peter Fabian Wins Prestigious 2023 Chi-Bin Chien Award for Contributions to Zebrafish Community
Peter Fabian, a researcher at the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University, has been awarded the prestigious 2023 Chi-Bin Chien Award by the International Zebrafish Society (IZFS). This international award, recognizes Dr. Fabian's outstanding scientific work in the field of zebrafish research.
Dr. Fabian, who joined the Department of Experimental Biology as a new research group leader last year, is a developmental biologist with a focus on understanding the fundamental processes that underlie the development and maintenance of vertebrate organs, particularly their importance for human health. His research aims to understand the role of stem cell maintenance and metabolism in human health, as well as to study the basic mechanisms of how different cell types arise and contribute to the formation of complex organs in vertebrate bodies.
"Humans and zebrafish share 70% of the same genes, and 84% of human genes known to be related to human disease have a counterpart in zebrafish. We share not only genes but also all primary tissues and organs," explains Dr. Fabian. "This makes zebrafish an important model organism for studying human biology and disease."
Dr. Fabian's skills in zebrafish genetics, in vivo imaging, and single-cell approaches were honed during his postdoctoral studies in the laboratory of Prof. Gage Crump at the University of Southern California. He began his research career as a doctoral student in the laboratory of Dr. Zbynek Kozmik at Charles University in Prague, where he also studied evolutionary biology with Dr. Robert Cerny.
"I consider it a priority to share my knowledge and skills with the scientific community, both in the Czech Republic and worldwide," says Dr. Fabian.
Dr. Fabian's achievement in the field of developmental biology is a testament to his hard work and dedication to scientific research. His contributions to the zebrafish community are invaluable and have opened up new avenues for research that could lead to important breakthroughs in human health. Masaryk University is proud to have such a talented researcher on its faculty and congratulates Dr. Fabian on his well-deserved award.
