Petra Kührová: I do science with passion and devotion

At high school, Petra Kührová was torn between pursuing a career in medicine or teaching mathematics and chemistry, but she eventually excelled as a theoretical chemist. In CATRIN’s Carbon Nanostructures, Biomolecules and Simulations research group, she tries to understand the behaviour of DNA and RNA — molecules that carry genetic information. Using molecular dynamic simulations, she models interactions between atoms in these biomolecules.

While she completed her master’s degree in teaching mathematics and chemistry at Palacký University, she also engaged in theoretical chemistry and devoted her thesis to it, continuing in this discipline as a doctoral student. She is now a prominent member of a team that ranks among world leaders in elucidating the behaviour of nucleic acids and pushes the frontiers of their simulations.

“Theoretical chemistry gives me a lot of flexibility. The only condition is to have an internet connection, which enables me to work from anywhere. This allows me to combine work with family life,” explained the scientist, who is also active in the FemCOSY international group, which supports women in science.

Dynamic simulations enable not only changes in the structure of molecules to be studied but also the effects of these changes on their biological functions. An important part of her work is to observe how nucleic acids interact with their environment, for example with nanoparticles. “This research is crucial not only for understanding the basic biology of living organisms but also for developing new therapies. The constantly improving performance of computers plays a crucial role. We use the computer infrastructure at VSB-TUO and within the EuroHPC entity,” said the scientist. Petra does not dream of scientific awards or articles in prestigious journals, even though she has these accomplishments under her belt. “The important thing for me is to do science with passion and devotion. I don’t work just to keep myself busy, but for the adventure of exploring the unknown,” she concluded.