Assistant professor
Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic. Office: Complex University Campus at Bohunice, Kamenice 5, building D32/311
- phone: +420 549 49 8960
- zakja@mail.muni.cz
RESEARCH INTEREST
– Evolutionary ecology of fish with particular emphasis on foraging and nutritional ecology
– Relationship of nutrition to essential fish life histories
– Husbandry improvement for annual killifish, model organisms in ageing research
EDUCATION
2022
PhD (cum laude) in Zoology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
2022
RNDr. (rerum naturalium doctor) in Zoology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
2017
MSc. in Zoology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
2015
BSc. in Fishery, Faculty of Fisheries and protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Czech Republic
2014
BSc. in General Biology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
9/2022-until now
Assistant professor, Vertebrate Research Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
3/2022-9/2022
post-doc, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2022
Vojtěch Jarošík Award
2022-2024 (declined to accept due to accepting postition at MUNI)
PPLZ -Czech Academy of Sciences Programme for Support of the Postdoctoral Researchers
2021
Charles University Grant Agency
PROFESSIONAL STAYS ABROAD
2021 (8-10)
John Fitzpatricks’ lab, Stockholm university, Sweden
2017 (7-8)
Tom van Doorens’ lab, Centre de recherche en écologie expérimentale et prédictive – Ecotron IleDeFrance, France
2016 (1-6)
Fieldwork in southern Mozambique investigating natural life cycle of Nothobranchius annual killifish
Selected publications
- Žák J., Koushik R., Dyková I., Mráz J. & Reichard M. (2022). Starter feed for carnivorous species as a practical replacement of bloodworms for a vertebrate model organism in ageing, the turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. Journal of Fish Biology, 100 (4), 894-908.
- Žák, J., Vrtílek, M., Polačik, M., Blažek, R., & Reichard, M. (2021). Short‐lived fishes: Annual and multivoltine strategies. Fish and Fisheries, 22(3), 546-561.
- Žák, J., & Reichard, M. (2021). Reproductive senescence in a short‐lived fish. Journal of Animal Ecology, 90(2), 492-502. [IF = 5.1]
- Žák, J. (2021). Diel pattern in common carp landings from angling competitions corresponds to their assumed foraging activity. Fisheries Research, 243, 106086.
- Žák, J., Dyková, I., & Reichard, M. (2020). Good performance of turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) on pelleted diet as a step towards husbandry standardization. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 8986.
All publications can be found at Google Scholar