At the end of last week, on October 9–10, 2025, the final meeting of the CarDia National Institute project took place at the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKEM) in Prague. Physicians and researchers gathered to jointly evaluate the outcomes of the three-year research effort and discuss possibilities for further collaboration between clinical and basic science.
The CarDia National Institute project, carried out between 2022 and 2025 and funded through the National Recovery Plan (supported by the European Union), brought together leading experts in biomedical research. The participating institutions included IKEM, the Institute of Physiology CAS, the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry CAS, the First and Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, and Masaryk University.
The project’s goal was to uncover new biological mechanisms and pathways that will lead to more effective prevention, diagnostics, and treatment of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases.
Under IKEM’s coordination, the project was implemented efficiently and cost-effectively. Over 3.5 years, it achieved a number of significant scientific results and generated many publications in prestigious journals, even though the initial plan had foreseen a five-year duration.
The project also included investment in key research infrastructure:
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Magnetic resonance imaging for advanced visualization in small laboratory animals at IKEM
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State-of-the-art instrumentation for comprehensive metabolite and other low-molecular compound analyses at the Institute of Physiology CAS
These facilities will substantially strengthen the capacity of Czech research in basic and translational studies. The project additionally stimulated new scientific collaborations among the participating institutions.
The CarDia National Institute project is in line with the main priorities of the Czech Government in healthcare, which emphasize prevention and early treatment of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disorders—critical health and social challenges of today. Its focus and outcomes thus align with the strategic objectives of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic.
A major challenge for the future remains securing long-term funding for such important research so that achieved results can be further developed and the resources already invested can be used effectively.
