Rector’s Award 2025 for MUDr. Volodymyr Porokh

Dr. Volodymyr Porokh has been affiliated with the Department of Histology and Embryology at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, since 2016, when he first showed interest in the biology of embryonic stem cells as a young medical student. Even as an undergraduate, he participated in several research projects and contributed to publications in prestigious scientific journals. He has continued this work during his doctoral studies.

His current research focuses on the development of oocytes and early embryos, specifically on the molecular mechanisms regulating germ cell division and differentiation. This work contributes to a better understanding of biological principles that remain poorly explored but are key to the advancement of reproductive medicine.

The results of his research were published in 2024 in the journal Nature Communications, for which he was awarded the MUNI Scientist Award and the Professor Ladislav Pilka Prize. As part of the Boehringer Ingelheim PhD Fellowship program, Dr. Porokh completed a two-year research internship in the laboratory of Professor Mary Herbet at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.

In addition, Dr. Porokh is actively involved in the development of the newly launched Specialist in Clinical Embryology and Assisted Reproduction Technology study program, significantly contributing to the advancement of specialized education in reproductive biology and embryology at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University.