Kateřina Kaňková Research Group:
Diabetic Complication Molecular Pathophysiology
„Molecular pathophysiology of diabetes and its complications“
The long-term research interest of prof. Kaňkova RG spans the (A) study of process whereby chronic disorders of glucose metabolism (but also other abnormalities associated with diabetes mellitus) lead to the development of diabetic complications, namely diabetic kidney disease (DKD). DKD represents serious complication increasing the cardiovascular risk and significantly impairing quality do life of diabetic subject. Experimentally we focus on mechanisms of gluco- and lipotoxicity, role of reactive metabolites, alterations of thiamine metabolism and pentose phosphate pathway incl. genetic determination of activity of these processes and pathways. Recently, our focus embraced also (B) study of the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), namely exploring the possibilities to predict the degree of glucose intolerance postpartum and the issue of maternal GDM impact on postnatal development of offspring and (C) the study of the role of diabetic milieu on tumour development (such as colorectal cancer). KK has been involved in the above mentioned research for almost 25 yrs during which she built a fruitful and productive interdisciplinary collaboration with clinical endocrinologists, nephrologists, gynaecologists and biochemists and completed more than 13 research projects awarded by both national (GAČR, IGA, AZV) and international grant bodies. Thanks to this support, KK together with her colleagues published over 85 papers with over 850 citations (h-index 17). KK was awarded by several prizes incl. those from Czech Diabetes Society (Syllaba prize in 2018, CDS/Servier prize for best published paper in diabetology in 2007, 2008 and 2009), Prof. Ježek Award from Czech Hepathology Society/Schering-Plough for best paper in 2007, laureate of “Women in Science Fellowship” from L’Oréal/UNESCO/Academy of Scinece ČR in 2006 and MUNI Rector prize in 2002. KK is a member of several societies such as Czech Diabetes Socienty, Czech Medical Society J. E. Purkynje, Pathophysiology Society, European Association for Study of Diabetes, European Diabetic Nephropathy Study Group, Biochemical Society UK). KK has been acting for a long time as an evaluator of FP7, H2020, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong and national grant agencies proposals, served as a member of Metabolic panel of the Agency for Medical Research ČR (P01 AZV), organised Student medical conference of FoM MUNI in 2008-11 and form 2013 serves as a coordinator of „MD-PhD program“ within the General Medicine programme (denoted “P-PooL”) in FoM MUNI.