Babák Myeloma Group

Babák Myeloma Group (BMG) is involved in research of monoclonal gammopathies, especially multiple myeloma, its extramedullary development and plasma cell leukemia. Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematological malignancy characterized by bone marrow infiltration of malignant plasma cells. These cells are dependent on the bone marrow microenvironment. If they lose this dependence, they migrate out of the bone marrow infiltrating soft tissues or even forming small tumors in the so-called extramedullary disease. Plasma cell leukemia is a rare but most aggressive form of monoclonal gammopathies with 20% of circulating plasma cells in peripheral blood.

BMG has been involved in research of so-called liquid biopsies (biopsies of body liquids) that are less invasive for the patients and could become more important than standard biopsies in the future as they can comprise the entire heterogeneity of the tumor. The main focus of BMG are non-coding RNA molecules.

BMG is part of the Czech Myeloma Group (CMG) that organizes and coordinates research and clinical activities in the field of monoclonal gammopathies in the Czech Republic. Within the framework of the CMG, we collaborate with all centers in the Czech Republic.

The head of the group, Assoc prof. Sabina Sevcikova, PhD, (ORCID ID0000-0002-7194-6771), is a co-author of more than 80 publications (based on WoS); her H index is 15. She is a member of the board of CMG, scientific officer for the Czech-Slovak Biological Society and a member of the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), an international group of clinicians and researchers that coordinates activities and guidelines for treatment. She is a successful supervisor of several PhD students as well as master and bachelor students. She teaches both at the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science. She is a member of the Editorial board of Klinicka onkologie. She is also a successful PI of several grant projects.