Barbora Špačková Group
It is very easy to answer many of these fundamental biological questions.
You just look at the thing!
Richard P. Feynman: There is Plenty of Room at the Bottom, 1959
Freely difusing protein Thyroglobulin in its native state. Špačková, B., et al., Nature Methods 19, 751–758 (2022).
Our mission
We are pioneering next-generation technologies for single-molecule analysis. We strive to equip scientists with powerful tools for advancing our understanding of life at the nanoscale.
Our research is motivated by the need to push beyond the limitations of traditional single-molecule imaging techniques, which often alter the natural behavior of biomolecules, leading to incomplete or skewed results. By developing label-free, real-time microscopy methods, we aim to provide a more accurate view of molecular dynamics, from bimolecular interactions to complex cellular processes.
Research
Label-free
imaging
Our primary research area is the development of cutting-edge single-molecule tools that utilize the power of nanofluidic systems and advanced optical microscopy. By refining and advancing Nanofluidic Scattering Microscopy (NSM), we aim to unlock new levels of sensitivity and precision as well as new functionalities in the study of individual biomolecules.
Protein-Protein Interactions
Microtubule dynamics play a critical role in many cellular processes. Employing the tether- and label-free principles of NSM in investigations of microtubule structure, dynamics, and function present a unique opportunity to provide a rich pool of information that is currently lacking.
Microtubule
dynamics
In studying protein-protein interactions, we utilize NSM to observe how proteins bind, unbind, and interact in real-time, without the need for fluorescent labels. This allows us to capture the true dynamics of these processes, which are critical for understanding molecular mechanisms and optimizing drug efficacy in a more natural biological context.
Team
Daniel Dvořák
SW DEVELOPER
Čeněk Potužník
SW DEVELOPER
Adéla Potužníková
BC STUDENT
Partners and collaborators
Prof. Dr. Stefan Diez
Technische Universität Dresden
Dr. Vladimíra Petráková
J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry
Daniel Špaček
Neuron Collective
Publications
High-resolution single-molecule mass measurement of megadalton assemblies in solution
T. Roesel, E. Efraimidis, N. Hansen, Y. Yancheva, M. Hekrdla, K. M. Tych, V. Petrakova, B. Spackova
Light Scattering Contrast Inversion of Single Metal Nanoparticles Inside a Nanofluidic Channel
L. Wilske, J. Fritzsche, B. Špačková, B. Yeroshenko, C. Langhammer
Label-free mass and size characterization of few-kDa biomolecules by hierarchical vision transformer augmented nanofluidic scattering microscopy
H.K. Moberg, B. Yeroshenko, J. Fritzsche, D. Albinsson, B. Špačková, D. Midtvedt, G. Volpe, C. Langhammer
Roadmap for deep learning on microscopy
G. Volpe, C. Wählby, L. Tian, M. Hecht, A. Yakimovich, K. Monakhova, L. Waller, I. F. Sbalzarini, C. A. Metzler, M. Xie, K. Zhang, I. C. D. Lenton, H. Rubinsztein-Dunlop, D. Brunner, B. Bai, A. Ozcan, D. Midtvedt, H. Wang, T. Li, N. Sladoje, J. Lindblad, J. T. Smith, M. Ochoa, M. Barroso, X. Intes, T. Qiu, L.-Y. Yu, S. You, Y. Liu, M. A. Ziatdinov, S. V. Kalinin, A. Sheridan, U. Manor, E. Nehme, O. Goldenberg, Y. Shechtman, H. K. Moberg, C. Langhammer, B. Špačková, S. Helgadottir, B. Midtvedt, A. Argun, T. Thalheim, F. Cichos, S. Bo, L. Hubatsch, J. Pineda, C. Manzo, H. Bachimanchi, E. Selander, A. Homs-Corbera, M. Fränzl, K. de Haan, Y. Rivenson, Z. Korczak, C. Beck Adiels, M. Mijalkov, D. Veréb, Y.-W. Chang, J. B. Pereira, D. Matuszewski, G. Kylberg, I.-M. Sintorn, J. C. Caicedo, B. A. Cimini, M. A. Lediju Bell, B. M. Saraiva, G. Jacquemet, R. Henriques, W. Ouyang, T. Le, E. Gómez-de-Mariscal, D. Sage, A. Muñoz-Barrutia, E. Josefson Lindqvist, J. Bergman
Label-free single-molecule optical detection
T. Roesel, A. Dahlin, M. Piliarik, L. W. Fitzpatrick, B. Špačková
Media
2026-02-11 | INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS | Science, family, and the courage to go against the grain. Women in science spoke openly about obstacles and changes | En | Cz
2025-11-04 | MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT | The first transnational Dioscuri Symposium | En
2025-09-30 | INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS | Falling Walls Lab success. Tereza Roesel thrilled with second place and audience award | En | Cz
2024-10-15 | A / MAGAZINE | Light - Illuminating the invisible | En | Cz
2024-09-20 | INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS | Freedom of research and innovations | En | Cz
2024-09-16 | FORBES | Nevěřili, že to bude fungovat | Cz
2024-08-19 | CZECH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | Let's not be afraid to be ambitious | En | Cz
2024-08-09 | PHYSICS WORLD | Peering inside the biological nano-universe | En
2024-05-21 | CZECH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | The nanoworld of molecules and future electronics | En
2024-05-20 | INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS | From brain drain to brain gain | En | Cz
2024-05-17 | MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT | Strengthening the European Research Area | En
2024-05-17 | CZECH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | Opening Ceremony of Dioscuri Centres | En
2024-05-07 | TELEVISION NOVA | V hlavní roli mozek | Cz
2024-03-18 | VĚDA A VÝZKUM | Od spinkalorimetriky po patent na mikroskopickou metodu | Cz
2023-11-09 | WIRED | V biologickém nanovesmíru | Cz
2023-09-27 | CZECH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | Barbora Špačková nahlédne do biologického nanovesmíru v novém Dioscuri centru | Cz
2023-09-27 | INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS | Taking a peek into the biological nano-universe | En | Cz
2023-09-25 | MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT | Three new Dioscuri leaders in the Czech Republic | En
Funding
-
2025 – 2029
Ultrasensitive nanoplatform enabling on-site and continuous water pollutant detection based on analyte fingerprinting (WATERsense)
EU-Horizon Europe, European Innovation Council Pathfinder Open
-
2024 – 2029
Dioscuri Centre
for Single-Molecule OpticsDioscuri Programme - Max-Planck Society, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space
-
2024 – 2029
Sensors and Detectors for Future Information Society (SenDISo)
Johannes Amos Comenius Programme - Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic
-
2022 – 2026
Rapid Nanofluidics Valves for
Single-Molecule Imaging (RAVASI)
EU-Horizon Europe, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships -
2022 – 2025
Life of a single biomolecule in a motion picture
Czech Science Foundation