The University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice has succeeded in the call of the Operational Programme Jan Amos Komenský (OP JAK) and is launching the implementation of an ambitious biomedical project called MEDDA – Medical Database (Evolution in Medical Diagnostics). The project addresses current needs in healthcare and scientific research by connecting top laboratories, clinical workplaces, and data technologies to jointly contribute to improving care for the most vulnerable patients – premature infants.
The core of the project is the creation of a modern data platform that will link laboratory and clinical data and enable their effective use in the search for new diagnostic possibilities. Specifically, it focuses on identifying early biomarkers for late-onset neonatal sepsis (LOS) – a serious infection that affects one of the greatest risks for babies born before the 32nd week of pregnancy. Early detection of infection would allow for earlier, more precise treatment.
The project brings together four partners: the Faculty of Science of the University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice Hospital, the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the technology company Anycare s.r.o., which provides its own system for real-time data collection and analysis. The project’s results have potential applications beyond the region – in other hospitals in the Czech Republic and abroad.
The Faculty of Science of the University of South Bohemia (FSc USB) plays a key role in the MEDDA project both scientifically and organizationally. The faculty is responsible for developing and managing the research database, as well as for the processing of biological samples, bioinformatic analyses, and the use of artificial intelligence methods. FSc USB also coordinates the educational part of the project – linking students with practical experience and enabling their direct involvement in research with real-world impact.
Experts from the Department of Medical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Department of Informatics, and the Centre for Biomedical Research and Clinical Diagnostics are participating in the project. The biological part of the project is led by Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Jindřich Chmelař, Ph.D., head of the Centre for Biomedical Research and Clinical Diagnostics, while the informatics part is led by Assoc. Prof. Ing. Ivo Bukovský, Ph.D., an expert in artificial intelligence and data analysis.
Thus, the MEDDA project provides the faculty with an opportunity to connect theoretical research with practical application and contributes to the education of a new generation of experts capable of working at the intersection of natural sciences, medicine, and data technologies.
