The Department of Experimental Medicine (DEM) is a part of the Dog and Cat Clinic (DCC) dedicated to the implementation and coordination of scientific and research activities. Research and development are integral parts of the mission of the academic staff at VETUNI. The Department of Experimental Medicine at the clinic houses a state-of-the-art facility for conducting the most demanding scientific experiments on model animals. The technical facilities of DEM are utilized by the academic staff of the clinic and collaborating departments based on the needs of their research projects and objectives. In the implementation of research projects, the department closely collaborates with the Department of Imaging Methods of DCC, a workplace equipped with ultra-modern appliances and staffed with top experts in the fields of radiology, ultrasonography, and computed tomography.
DEM collaborates with top experts in the field of human medicine, such as those from the Surgical Clinic of the University Hospital in Bohunice and the Surgical Clinic of the University Hospital in Ostrava. Additionally, other research programs at DEM are traditionally carried out in close and long-standing cooperation with doctors from the Department of Paediatric Surgery and Traumatology at the University Hospital in Brno, as part of several IGA research projects funded by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, or in collaboration with orthopaedic surgeons from the Trauma Hospital in Brno.
A significant focus of DEM's research activities is the validation of new therapeutic procedures, particularly in the fields of surgery and orthopaedics. These procedures utilize newly developed biomaterials, nanotechnologies, and stem cell transplantation.
The DEM also hosts the research activities of the Centre of Excellence of the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), which serves as the organizational umbrella for the creation and operation of a European centre of excellence integrating research in the life sciences and advanced materials and technologies. Additionally, a separate CEITEC organizational unit, the Central European Institute of Technology, VETUNI (CEITEC VETUNI), has been established at the university level. Furthermore, the DEM participates in the International Clinical Research Centre – ICRC Brno project, carried out by the St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno (FNUSA). Its strategic partner is the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research from the USA (Mayo Clinic), focusing on medical research primarily in the fields of cardiovascular, neurological, and oncological human diseases. VETUNI collaborates in the part of the project-oriented towards experimental validation of new findings in animal models, especially pigs. The ICRC VETUNI activities are coordinated by Assoc. Prof. MVDr. Michal Crha, Ph.D.
An important aspect of DEM's research activity is the implementation of contract research aimed at verifying new materials and procedures in animal models. These experiments primarily focus on improving human health and quality of life. Examples of this research collaboration partners include Synthesia and the Swedish company Arcimboldo.
On the premises of the DEM, teaching activities for VETUNI students are also conducted. For example, the department offers teaching in the newly conceived subject of Minimally Invasive Endoscopically Assisted Surgery in Practice, coordinated by Prof. MVDr. Alois Nečas, Ph.D., MBA, using model animals. Additionally, the department serves as a hub for specific research activities involving students, where projects related to IGA VETUNI are addressed.
