Svoboda Jan

Jan, Prof., Ph.D., D.Sc.
(* 14. 8. 1934. – † 13. 3. 2017)

General and molecular biology and genetics, retroviruses and oncogenes

• Member of Learned Society since 1994 (Founding member)

Educational and professional preparation:

• 1957, Faculty of Biology, Charles University (CU), Prague; graduate biologist;
• 1960, Ph.D.; 1966, DrSc.;
• 1997, Professor of cellular and molecular biology CU

Employment and academic positions:

• 1953-1957, as undergraduate, scientific assistant, Biological Institutes, CSAS, Prague;
• 1957-1960, post-graduate student, Central Biological Institute, CSAS;
• 1960, research scientist, Institute for Experimental Biology and Genetics (since 1976, Institute of Molecular Genetics) CSAS;
• 1963-present, Head, Department of Cellular and Viral Genetics; removed from this position in 1972 on the basis of a report and decision by Communist Party;
• 1967-1968, research scientist, Department of Experimental Biology and Virology, Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratories, London;
• 1989-1992, member, Steering Committee for Academy Institutes;
• 1991-1999, Director, Institute of Molecular Genetics (IMG), AS CR;
• 1999-present, research scientist, IMG, AS CR;
• 1977-present, external member, Department of Animal Physiology and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Science (FS) CU;
• 1980, visiting research scientist, Institut Pasteur, Lille, France;
• 1982, visiting Professor, UCLA, Los Angeles, Calif. (USA);
• 1984, 1987, Visiting Professor, Microbiology Department, University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Medicine, Columbia, Mo. (USA);
• 1991, Visiting Professor, Microbiology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn. (USA);
• 1993, Professor, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri-Columbia (USA)

Membership in selected domestic scientific bodies:

• Editor-in-Chief, Folia Biologica, Prague;
• Member: Czechoslovak Biological Society; Czech Immunological Society; Gregor Mendel Genetic Society; J. E. Purkyně Czech Oncological Society; Czech Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Society;
• 1996-present, member, professional committee for post-graduate doctoral studies in developmental biology and molecular and cellular biology, genetics and virology, FS CU;
• 1997-present,  member,  professional  committee  for  post-graduate  studies in biomedicine (biochemistry and pathobiochemistry), First Faculty of Medicine (FFM), CU;
• 1999-present, member, Commission for State Doctoral Examinations and member, Commission for Defence of Theses in virology, FS CU;
• 2003-present, member, professional committee for doctoral studies in biochemistry  and  pathochemistry, FFM, CU, Second Faulty of Medicine, CU, Third Faculty of Medicine, CU, and Faculty of Medicine, CU in Plzeň.

Membership and positions in international organizations and societies:

• European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
• Union Internationale Contre le Cancer, UICC (reviewer of International Cancer Technology Transfer Fellowships for Faculty [Reverse ICRETT] projects)
• International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS)
• European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) (Chairman of the nominations committee)
• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• International Association for Comparative Research of Leukaemia and Related Diseases (member of World Committee)
• European Tissue Culture Society
• European Tumour Virus Group
• 1965, WHO Consultant in Immunology
• 1965-1969, Member, UICC Committee of Virology and Immunology.

Notable awards:

• 1967, Jane Coffin Child Memorial Award subsidy (for study of cancer)
• 1980, Czechoslovak State Prize in Science
• 1981, Prix Lacassagne, La Ligue Francaise contre le Cancer, Paris
• 1984, G. Mendel Silver Plaque
• 1999, J.E. Purkyně Honorary Medal, AS CR
• 2002,  Josef  Hlávka  Medal, Foundation of Josef, Marie and Zdeňka Hlávka, AS CR
• 2003, Lifetime Achievement Award, Institute of Human Virology, USA

Selected publications:

• J. Svoboda: Presence of chicken tumour virus in the sarcoma of the adult rat inoculated after birth with Rous sarcoma tissue. Nature 186, 980-981 (1960)
• J. Svoboda: Malignant interaction of Rous virus with mammalian cells in vivo and in vitro. Nat. Cancer Inst. Monogr. 17, 277-298 (1964)
• J. Svoboda: Basic aspects of the interaction of oncogenic viruses with heterologous cells. Int. Rev. Exp. Pathol. 5, 25-66 (1966)
• J. Svoboda, I. Hložánek: Role of cell association in virus infection and virus rescue. Adv. Cancer Res. 13, 217-269 (1970)
• J. Svoboda: Rous sarcoma virus. Intervirology 26, 1-60 (1986)
• J. Svoboda: Rous sarcoma virus. In: Portraits of viruses (F. Fenner, A. Gibbs, Eds.), pp 267-327. Karger, Basel (1988)
• J. Svoboda: Molecular biology of cell nonpermissiveness to retroviruses. Has the time come? Gene 206, 153-163 (1998)
• J. Svoboda, J. Geryk, D. Elleder: Heterogeneous pathogenicity of retroviruses: Lessons from birds, primates, and rodents. Adv. Canc. Res. 87, 59-126 (2003)