The Lipidomics Section of the Czech Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ČSBMB) is a platform for sharing ideas and experiences in the field of lipids and lipidomics. It aims to promote scientific and innovative research, collaborations and educational activities in the Czech Republic. The Lipidomics Section organizes conferences and lectures on matters related to lipidomics.

Lipidomics is a branch of science that deals with the study of biochemical pathways of lipids in biological systems. Lipids are structurally diverse chemical compounds that perform many key functions such as structural components of cell membranes, reservoirs and sources of energy, or as signaling molecules. The word lipidome indicates total lipids in the cell, tissue or organism at a given time, and is a subset of the metabolome. Lipidomics is a relatively young field that is developing in the context of rapid advances in medicine, analytical chemistry and information technology. Lipids play important roles in the pathogenesis of many metabolic diseases such as obesity, atherosclerosis, stroke, hypertension or diabetes. The analysis of lipidome means the identification and quantification of thousands of molecular species of lipids, examination of the structure and interactions with other compounds, characterization of their dynamics and changes that occur. Information from these studies plays important roles in explaining diseases pathogenesis at the molecular level.

The idea to establish a lipidomics society was adopted at a joint meeting of the analytical chemists dealing with lipids, which was held in 2009 in Dolní Malá Úpa (Krkonoše Mountains). The Section was formally created on February 23, 2010 at a meeting of the ČSBMB committee. An informal meeting of the newly founded section at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i. in Prague (November 21, 2010) hosted 42 participants. The first conference took place at the University of Pardubice (The First Czech Lipidomics Conference, June 28 - 29, 2011). Lectures were focused on the lipid analysis, fatty acid metabolism and their importance in the prevention and treatment of diseases, metabolism of membrane lipids, the use of liposomes, biology of insect lipids and other topics. A five-membered committee of the Section was elected. The second conference in Znojmo (The Second Czech Lipidomics Conference, June 25 - 27, 2012) attracted 59 participants, mostly chemists, biologists and physicians. The scientific program of the conference addressed roles of lipids in pathogenesis of diseases and disorders, the importance fatty acids in the diet, structural and quantitative analysis of lipids, lipid-based systems for drug delivery and other topics. The conference program included lectures of three foreign invited speakers: Dr. Harald Köfeler (Medical University of Graz), prof. Andrew D. Miller (King's College London) and Dr. Jürgen Schiller (University of Leipzig). The next annual conference was hosted by the University of Pardubice (3rd European Lipidomics Meeting, July 2 - 4, 2013). It was an international conference, which follows a successful series of conferences Graz Lipid Mass Spec Meeting in Austria. Since then, Czech Lipidomics conference is organized biannually.

Chairman
Ondřej Kuda, Ph.D. (Institute of Physiology AS CR, v.v.i., Praha)

Members
Michal Holčapek, Ph.D., Prof. (University of Pardubice)
David Friedecky, Ph.D., Prof. (Palacky University)
Miroslav Lísa, Ph.D. (University of Hradec Kralove)
Josef Cvačka, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. (Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Praha)

Contact us
E-mail: lipidomics@csbmb.cz