Monday 30th July 2003 CONFERENCE OPENING of Theology, Faculty of Medicine, Philosophical Faculty, Pedagogical The 6th International Symposium Faculty, Faculty of Science, Faculty on Bio-catalysis and Biotransforma- of Physical Culture and Faculty tions – BIOTRANS 2003 was officially of Law. The total number of students launched on Saturday 28 June at is 14 858 (January 2001). Number 5 pm in the conference hall of the 1949 gives the total of both teachers Faculty of Law. Miroslav Mašláň, and other employees in 2002. vice-rector of the Palacký University, Martin Novotný, vice-mayor of Olo- mouc, Jan Březina, president of the Prof. Romas Kazlouskas Region of Olomouc, Jan Graubner, archbishop of Olomouc, Václav Pačes, Hanuš Medal president of the Czech Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, to David H. G. Crout Václav Hanke, representative of the Ministry of Education, Youth and During the opening ceremony pro- Sport welcomed all participants. fessor David H. G. Crout was Romas Kazlauskas held the opening awarded the Hanuš Medal from the lecture on Creating enantioselective Czech Chemical Society on the hydrolases for organic synthesis: com- occasion of his retirement. This award bining rational and random methods. should honour not only his scientific achievements documented by nu- BIOTRANS 2003 merous publications and lectures but also his didactic activities. David František Šantavý in numbers hosted number of doctoral and postdoctoral students, many of them (1915 – 1983) also from the Czech Republic. Professor of Medical Chemistry He was a chairman of one Biotrans Prof. MUDr. František Šantavý, DrSc. conference, organized in Warwick was born in Hroznová Lhota, Southern in 1993. He was also founder and Moravia in the family of a teacher. “spiritus movens” of the Biotrans- He matriculated at the Medical Faculty formation Club, which published very of the Masaryk University in Brno. valuable Biotransformation abstracts. In 1951 he became Director of the Thank you very much, David! Institute of Medical Chemistry of the Altogether 423 participants from Medical Faculty of the Palacký Uni- 38 countries have registered versity in Olomouc. The scientific interest in the conference. Palacký University interest of prof. Šantavý centred upon Many participants are linked to uni- few information about the organiser the chemical structure, biosynthesis versities or public research institutes and biological effects of alkaloids (72 %), 28 % of participants are from Palacký University, Olomouc was of the plants of families Liliaceae research centres or institutes of bio- re-established by the Act of the (Colchicum and related plants), Papa- technology companies. The young Interim National Assembly, passed veraceae (Poppy plants) and Asteraceae generation (age limit 30 years) is on February 21, 1946. It followed up (genus Senecio). He published the strongly represented – 40 %. with the tradition of the old Olomouc results of his experimental work in Registered participants submitted 330 university, which was established in about 370 scientific papers. abstracts of contributions, circa 20 % 1573 and closed in 1860. Therefore the Olomouc University can justly be of them will be publicly presented. For any questions, problems All abstracts will be published in considered the second oldest univer- Chemické listy 97(6), 2003 and sity in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. and emergency call this number: complete texts of lectures will be At present the Palacký University, 00420777119190 available in Journal of Molecular Olomouc is formed by seven faculties: non-stop service for participants. Catalysis B: Enzymatic. St. Cyril and Methodius Faculty OLOMOUC largest complex of historical mo- Modern Olomouc also has plenty to numents in the Czech Republic. offer visitors. The town is the seat of short trip to its history A bronze model of the town’s the Regional authority of Olomouc historical centre is located on the district, Palacký University, the Olo- upper square. Since the year 2000 mouc Archbishopric and a head- Olomouc has been registered in the quarters of the Czech army ground UNESCO list, merited by the Holy forces. Trinity Column, which is located on The town also offers sporting and the upper square. Also not to be cultural opportunities. In the evening overlooked is the group of six it is possible to see various cultural baroque fountains, also a Jewel of the presentations in the Moravian Theatre historical centre. or a concert in the Moravian philhar- 2002 saw the construction of a new monic, or to take in exhibitions in the and thus in chronological order the galleries, Art Museum or Historical seventh Olomouc fountain, Arion’s and Geographical Museum. As fountain, which supplements the concerns sport, the town offers group of fountains in the town centre. gymnasiums, as well as bowling, The author of the fountain is the well- squash and swimming facilities. known sculptor Ivan Theimer. You may obtain more detailed information in the Olomouc Tourist Among other important monuments Information Centre on the upper in Olomouc are: St. Wenceslas’ square, under the arches of the town The history of the town of Olomouc, Cathedral, the Přemyslid Palace, hall, or in the branch at the railway which lies on the banks of the river and the Archbishop’s palace. The station. Morava, reaches back to the tenth last of these is an important church We wish you a pleasant stay century AD. At that time it was known building, where the emperor Franz in our town! primarily as a crossing of important Josef I ascended to the Austrian trade routes. Within the course of the throne. Also noteworthy are The- centuries the town grew and at resa’s gate, the baroque church present it has a population of appro- of Our Lady of the Snows, St. Mi- BALLET EVENING ximately one hundred thousand, chael’s Church, the former Dominican making it the metropolis of the monastery, the neo-baroque Jan On Sunday night the participants Olomouc region. Sarkander chapel, the town hall were invited to the Moravian Theatre The historical centre of the town is a with astronomical clock, the gothic Olomouc to see the ballet performance protected monumental reservation cathedral of St. Moritz, the Hradisko Sun and Shadow. and after Prague forms the second monastery etc. WELCOME MIXER – Saturday night at the Faculty of Law The opening session was followed by the Welcome mixer, where the participants could refresh and taste Moravian wine, Czech beer and local specialities. The party later continued outside with grilling and folk music.The president of the organising committee Vilím Šimánek took a chance to chat informally with the participants. Informal discussions during the Welcome mixer Conference sponsors HISTORY OF THE JESUIT CONVENT had occupied the site of college, the Interest of sponsors in BIOTRANS plots on which the Boarding School 2003 was extraordinary. 66 local and were built had been mostly built up international sponsors support the with burgher houses. There used to be conference. late-Gothic one-nave Corpus Christi One of the world important bio- church. The early-Gothic Minorite technology companies – LONZA BIO- Church did not meet the Jesuit’s TECH s.r.o. – is the general sponsor. requirements for capacity and they Major supporters are: B.R.A.I.N. AG, began to consider a radical conversion. Česká spořitelna a.s., DEGUSSA AG, In addition to the church, the college IVAX Pharmaceuticals s.r.o., KO- building was subject to frequent MERČNÍ BANKA a.s., MERCK s.r.o., conversion projects after 1567. The MONSANTO ČR s.r.o., RHODIA complete conversion of the college, CR s.r.o., SETUZA a.s., SHIMADZU including the construction of the new Handelsgesellschaft mbH, SKANSKA Renaissance school building with CZ a.s., WALMARK a.s. stone arcades around the entire large Other supporters are: AVENTIS court was finished in 1582. Pharma s.r.o., BERST a.s., BIO-RAD At the beginning of the Thirty Years s.r.o., CANBERRA-PACKARD s.r.o., War in 1619, the Jesuits were expelled Coca-Cola Beverages Česká repub- from Olomouc and college was turned lika s.r.o., DOPRAVNÍ PODNIK into a mint and storage areas. The MĚSTA OLOMOUCE a.s., D+P a.s., The monumental compound of the Jesuits returned to the city in 1621 DSM N.V., DVOŘÁK-CONSULTING former Jesuit college buildings is the but college was in poor condition. s.r.o., ELSEVIER SCIENCE, FARMAK largest Baroque architectural complex During the Thirty Years War the a.s., FAVEA s.r.o., František Vybíral, in Olomouc. It comprises the college Jesuits already considered a further Ing., FREEMONT s.r.o., Genencor building (Military Administrative extension of the college. Designed by International, Inc., GTS CZECH a.s., Archiv), the Church of Our Lady of the Peter Schüller, the oldest part of the Hanácká realitní kancelář s.r.o., Snows, the school building (deposi- Old Boarding School (Old Convict) HANÁCKÝ MASOKOMBINÁT Olo- tory facility of museum), the Boarding was erected on the site of burgher mouc a.s., HARYSERVIS, HELAGO– School (art departments of Palacký houses between 1661 and 1667. The –CZ s.r.o., HPST s.r.o., CHROM- University) and the St. Franciscus construction of the Baroque school SERVIS s.r.o., INTRACO MICRO Xaverius seminary (Theological Falulty). building was commenced in 1701. In s.r.o., INVENTIA s.r.o., I-THERM s.r.o., Jesuit construction development area parallel to the Baroque reconstruction KAHAN s.r.o., K-STAV Olomouc s.r.o., is bordered by the city walls with the of the college, another conversion of LABICOM s.r.o., LAB MARK a.s., Jewish Gate and a prismatic fortifica- the St. Franciscus Xaverius seminary MEDESA s.r.o., MEDKONSULT s.r.o., tion tower. As the order house of the and the construction of the Church MEGA a.s., MEGA BOOKS Inter- Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) of a lower of Our Lady of the Snows were under national s.r.o., MERCI s.r.o., MERIT but most common type became way.