Eight outstanding scientists received the 10th Neuron Awards 2019 at the National Museum

On 6 November the prestigious Neuron Awards for science were presented in the hall of the National Museum. For the tenth time the Neuron Endowment Fund for the support of science gave the awards, including a financial prize, to seven male and one female scientist of international renown. This year the fund's patrons devoted CZK 6 million to personal awards for scientists, CZK 66 million in total to date. The highest distinction — the Neuron Award for lifelong contribution to science — went to the plant biologist Jiří Friml for his research into the plant hormone auxin, which makes plants organisms more resilient than humans. The Neuron Award for a significant scientific discovery was received by the mathematician Jan Nekovář, whose mathematical proofs in the field of number theory contributed to the award of the 2014 Fields Medal (the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in mathematics). Six young talented scientists were also honoured: Vladimir Lotoreichik (mathematics), Petr Kohout (biology), Ondřej Pejcha (physics), Martin Balko (computer science), Michal Šimíček (medicine) and Lucie Kalousová (social sciences). The public can meet the laureates at a debate on 7 November from 5 p.m. at Opero in Prague; reserve a place at rsvp@nfneuron.cz.

"In the ten years of the fund's existence we have honoured 85 top scientists with the Neuron Awards, supported Czech science with almost 70 million crowns, brought the work of our scientists to wider public awareness and developed modern patronage in science. The jubilee 10th presentation of the Neuron Awards took place at the National Museum and in the Pantheon — a place that reminds us that we are a nation with great names, including scientific ones. We believe that the names and stories of this year's Neuron Award laureates will resonate with the Czech public once again," says Monika Vondráková, co-founder and chair of the fund's administrative board.

During the gala evening the awards will be presented to this year's laureates by figures from across our society: Eva Jiřičná, Ondřej Vetchý, Petr Pavel, Tomáš Halík, Yemi and Tomáš Šebek.

The 2019 Neuron Award for lifelong contribution to science

In the field of biology

Jiří Friml honoured for his lifelong research into the plant hormone auxin, which makes plants organisms more resilient than humans. He discovered that it is auxin that allows plants to adapt flexibly to changes in the external environment — and to survive. A double holder of prestigious ERC grants, he now works at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria. His findings could soon make growing crops more efficient or improve their quality.

"I value the Neuron Award very much, more than any other international distinction I have ever received. It is very pleasant to know that people at home know about me and value my work. And I also take it as recognition of all my plant science colleagues from the Czech Republic; they are really excellent, at world level, and it is a joy to work with them," says Jiří Friml.

The 2019 Neuron Award for a significant scientific discovery

In the field of mathematics

Jan Nekovář honoured for discoveries in the field of number theory. His mathematical proofs from the theory of elliptic curves contributed to the award of the Fields Medal (the "Nobel Prize" for mathematics) in 2014. He currently works as a professor at the Sorbonne and is considered one of the most notable Czech mathematicians.

"I value the award of the Neuron Award very much. It puts me in the select company of those who won the award in previous years," says Jan Nekovář.

The 2019 Neuron Awards for young promising scientists

In the field of social sciences

Lucie Kalousová honoured for research into the relationship between social inequality and the health of the population. Our health is influenced not only by health care or genetic disposition but also by factors such as education, income or the neighbourhood we live in. She studies why the relationship between socioeconomic status and health is stronger in some countries (the USA, for instance) and weaker in others (Sweden, for instance), and how such a strong relationship can be prevented.

"The Neuron Award is a joy and an honour for me that will motivate me to further work in the years to come. It is also valuable proof for me that the Czech scientific community values interdisciplinary research that tries to contribute to solving complicated social problems located outside laboratories," says Lucie Kalousová.

In the field of biology

Petr Kohout honoured for his research into the beneficial relationship between fungi and plants — mycorrhizal symbiosis. With his research he was one of the first in this country to point out that fungi can influence the shape of our whole landscape — they create a dense network in the soil that connects plants, distributes nutrients efficiently and helps them communicate with one another. That has an influence on the quality of the soil and on the shape of whole plant communities.

"I regard the Neuron Award as one of the most prestigious scientific distinctions in the Czech Republic, decided by leading experts in the field. Receiving this award at the beginning of a scientific career I take above all as motivation for further research," says Petr Kohout.

In the field of physics

Ondřej Pejcha honoured for significantly enriching current knowledge about the behaviour of supernovae and of other deaths and transformations of stars. He holds a prestigious ERC grant and is one of the most talented astrophysicists in this country.

"For me the Neuron Award means prestigious recognition of the scientific results I have obtained with my collaborators. It puts me in the company of people I respect. Receiving the Neuron Award represents for me above all a commitment to do my work as well as possible in the future," says Ondřej Pejcha.

In the field of medicine

Michal Šimíček honoured for investigating the processes that cause malignant diseases and their drug resistance. Although he was educated and worked for a long time at prestigious institutions abroad in Belgium, London and Cambridge, he did not hesitate to return to his native Ostrava to get a top-class research centre going there, where he is developing a unique cell therapy technology for treating cancer.

"Above all it is a great honour, an encouragement and a commitment for the future. At the same time this award demolishes the ingrained prejudice about Ostrava as a purely industrial city. If one manages to put together a good team and build the necessary facilities, top biomedical research can be done in regions outside established scientific centres too," says Michal Šimíček.

In the field of computer science

Martin Balko honoured for solving mathematical problems in combinatorics that scientists had been unable to deal with even for decades, with the help of computers.

"To receive an award as prestigious as the Neuron Award for young scientists really is a great honour and I am delighted. I greatly value any support for science and I think the Neuron Awards are a wonderful way to raise the prestige of science in the Czech Republic and also the motivation of young scientists, both of which I consider very important," says Martin Balko.

In the field of mathematics

Vladimir Lotoreichik honoured for his research in spectral theory and shape optimisation. He is trying to prove mathematically that a certain shape of body optimises energy among all shapes that satisfy certain geometric conditions.

"I am a self-critical person, so I am surprised that I received the Neuron Award. I am pleased that my research is recognised in this way. It motivates me for further work and at the same time I feel a great responsibility," says Vladimir Lotoreichik.

The media partners of the 2019 Neuron Awards are: Czech Television, Deník N, Reportér, Hospodářské noviny and Vesmír.

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