The Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IEB) was founded on 1 January 1962. Today, it has 14 laboratories located in two cities, Prague and Olomouc, 3 core labs and a breeding station in Střížovice, 70 km northeast of Prague.

The institute primarily conducts fundamental research in plant biology, namely in plant genetics and molecular biology, cell biology, physiology, phytopathology and biotechnologies. However, IEB is also active in applied research.   

In plant genetics and molecular biology, the projects are focused on structural and functional plant genomics, molecular biology of pollen, regulation of reproduction or integrative structural biology.

Physiological topics include hormonal and ecological control of plant growth and development, mechanisms of transport and action of growth regulators, physiology of plant viruses, and plant pathophysiology.

In biotechnologies, the institute investigates production methods for medicinally valuable proteins in plants and mechanisms of phytoremediation.   

Some projects are aimed at practical applications. For example, studies of plant hormones resulted in the synthesis of compounds which delay skin aging, show promising cytostatic effects or stimulate crop growth.

IEB is also very successful in the breeding of apple cultivars resistant to some serious diseases.   

The institute collaborates with many research institutions and universities in Czechia as well as in other countries. IEB researchers teach at several Czech universities and students from these schools work on their master and doctoral theses at the institute.

You can find more details about our current research in a scientific report that summarises the activities of our institute from 2021 to 2023.