Prof. Jaroslav Kulda
a nominee for the Distinguished Achievement Award 2010
of The World Federation of Parasitologists
Výbor České parazitologické společnosti jednomyslně schválil nominaci prof.
RNDr. Jaroslava Kuldy, CSc. na ocenění „WFP Distinguished Achievement
Award 2010“ udělované Světovou federací parazitologů u příležitosti kongresu
ICOPA XII v Melbourne. Nominací na tuto cenu vyjadřuje ČPS své uznání za
celoživotní přínos pana profesora Kuldy československé a později české
parazitologii jak v oblasti vědy, výzkumu a výuky, tak během jeho práce ve
funkci předsedy ČPS. Více o tomto ocenění najdete na internetových stránkách
World Federation of Parasitologists www.wfpnet.org
Text nominačního dopisu:
Nominee: Prof. Jaroslav Kulda (*1934),
member of the Czech Society for Parasitology (CSP)
It is a pleasure of the Czech Society for Parasitology to recommend Prof.
Jaroslav Kulda for the World Federation of Parasitologists Distinguished
Achievement Award in 2010. Professor Kulda has significantly contributed to
the advancement of Czech parasitology not only as an excellent and
internationally recognized researcher and scientist, but he has also trained
generations of younger parasitologists and has had substantial merit in gradual
development of the Czech Society for Parasitology since its founding in 1993 –
he acted as the first President of the CSP between 1993 and 1999. Indeed, his
contribution to modern parasitology has been of worldwide significance.
Scientific and research interests of Jaroslav Kulda have been focused on
cellular biology of parasitic protists and their interactions with hosts – especially
structure and function of organeles, virulence factors, mode of action of
antiprotozoal drugs, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of resistance to
drugs. Most of his research concerned flagellate protozoans – trichomonads,
diplomonads and some other metamonads.
Between 1973-78 J. Kulda participated in discovery and characterization
of a new organelle in anaerobic protists – the hydrogenosome. Concurrently, this
team brought the first evidence that hydrogenosomal metabolism of pyruvate is
linked with production of ATP by substrate phosphorylation (J. Biol. Chem.
1978, 253: 1207-1214). During the next decade, he and his team have
demonstrated connection between the development of resistance against various
derivatives of 5-nitroimidazole and the loss of activity of some hydrogenosomal
enzymes (for review see Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Anaerobic
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Protozoa, D. Lloyd et al., ed., Harwood Acad. Publishers 1989, pp. 137-160). In
nineties, the biochemical mechanisms of anaerobic resistance to metronidazole
in Tritrichomonas foetus and Trichomonas vaginalis have been described by his
team
(Microbiology SGM 2002, 148:2467-2477, Antimicrob. Agents.
Chemother. 2005, 49:5033-5036; reviewed in Int. J. Parasitol. 1999, 29:199212). Both the general knowledge in parasitic protists and the interest in
morphology, taxonomy and ultrastructure of parasitic flagellates, together with
rich experience in cultivation of these parasites and concurrent acquaintance of
cell biology were exploited in monographic chapters written by J. Kulda for the
compendium of J. P. Kreier – Parasitic Protozoa: "Flagellates of Human
Intestine and of Intestines of Other Species" (1st ed. Vol 2 , pp. 1-138, Academic
Press 1978) and "Giardia in Humans and Animals" (2nd ed. Vol. 10, pp. 225422, Academic Press 1995). This experience has been also fundamental for
present fruitful cooperation of Prof. Kulda with researchers focused on
molecular taxonomy and phylogeny of metamonads (FASEB J. 1993, 7:223231, J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 1997, 44:626-635, Mol. Phyl. Evol., 2004, 32:711723; Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 2006 56:305-312, Protist 2010, 161:400-433).
Since 1973, J. Kulda has been involved in teaching of the biology of
parasitic protozoans within the framework of several courses at the Faculty of
Science, Charles University in Prague. Following his habilitation he became the
Head of the Department of Parasitology and Hydrobiology (1990). This was a
great opportunity to „bring a wind of change“ to the system of parasitological
education into the Department. Together with his younger colleagues, he drew
up a new modern curriculum for parasitology students which combines basic
education in „organismal parasitology“ with up-to-date knowledge of cellular
and molecular biology and immunology. Several new courses have been
introduced under his leadership of the Department, reflecting the above
mentioned progressive orientation – e.g. „Biochemistry of Parasites“,
„Immunology of Parasitic Infections“, „Molecular Taxonomy“, „Biochemical
and Molecular Interactions of Parasites and Hosts“ etc. Recently, Prof. Kulda is
still actively involved in teaching of the last-named course and of an advanced
„Practical Course in Protozoology“. Besides, in the near past he has been
leading „Parasitological Laboratory Techniques“, „Parasitology for Medical
Students“ and „Parasitology for Foreigners“ (in English) – the latter two were
designed in cooperation with his colleagues for students of medicine at the 1st
Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. During the most active period of his
scientific and pedagogic life, J. Kulda supervised 24 MSc. theses and 10
doctoral (Ph.D.) students – some of them followed his steps and became
successful and renowned parasitologists, too. Besides, he has always been
giving hand willingly to other students who needed his advice or consultation.
The „Field course in Parasitology“ at a faculty field station, in which Prof.
Kulda participated as a protozoologist has been one of the most popular courses
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for students – inventive and friendly character of Prof. Kulda came up even
more intensively in the field, outside the more or less sterile laboratoty walls.
photo Iva Rohoušová
Prof. Kulda, together with his late colleagues dr. Čerkasov and dr.
Čerkasovová can be considered as founders and promoters of biochemical
parasitology in the former Czechoslovakia through to the Czech Republic.
Already in 1973/74 they established an informal working group associating
researchers, scholars and students from two departments of the Faculty of
Science (Animal Physiology and Parasitology and Hydrobiology) and the
Parasitological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, enabling the
students immediate participation in research and training within an excellent
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team. This biochemical parasitological school succeeded through eighties
onwards, retained its continuity and became world-renowned within
parasitological/protistological quarters. Nowadays, it is followed by the team of
the Laboratory of Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Dept. of
Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague – current place of
work of Prof. Kulda.
The ability of J. Kulda to provoke and maintain cooperative atmosphere
could be clearly seen during his work as the President of the CSP. Although
personally performing mainly basic research, he has been always encouraging
contacts and discussion between researchers and specialists from the field of
clinical parasitology. His cooperative spirit can be documented also by the fact
that he was the principal organizer of three international symposia (see the CV).
Jaroslav KULDA – Curriculum Vitae:
Born:
Nationality:
Affiliation:
March 19, 1934, Náchod, Czechoslovakia
Czech
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science
Academic qualification:
1957 Graduated in Biology: Zoology-Parasitology (MSc. level)
Faculty of Science, Charles University Prague.
1965 RNDr., CSc. (Ph.D. equivalent) in Biology – Parasitology – Protozoology
Charles University Prague and Institute of Parasitology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences,
Prague
Postdoctoral:
1967 – 1969 University of Massachusetts, Department of Zoology, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
(laboratory of B.M. Honigberg)
Career Development:
1958-1962
Clinical and Field Parasitologists, Department of Microbiology,
District Center for Epidemiology and Hygiene, Liberec, Czechoslovakia
1962-1965
Postgraduate student and Research Assistant, Institute of Parasitology,
Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague
1966
Research Instructor in Parasitology, Institute of Biology,
Cuban Academy of Sciences, Havana, Cuba
1967-1969
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Zoology,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
1970-1973
Research Scientist, Charles University in Prague, Institute of Zoology
1973-1989
Research Scientist, Senior Research Scientist, Charles University in Prague,
Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology.
1990-1999
Associate Professor
1999-present Professor
1990-2000
Head of the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science,
Charles University in Prague
Symposia organized:
International Symposium on Trichomonads and Trichomoniasis
Organized under the auspices of the WHO, Prague July 2-7, 1985
Anaerobic Protozoan Parasites: From Basic Science to Drug Targets.
COST-B Expert Meeting and Satellite Symposium of the XIth International Congress of
Protozoology, Prague July 21-24 2001
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Cell Organelles of Protozoan Parasites: From basic Science to Drug Targets
COST – B22 Expert Meeting, Prague June 5-7, 2006
Membership in societies, commissions and committees:
International Society of Protistologists; Czech Society for Parasitology; Czechoslovak Biological
Society; Czech Zoological Society; Society for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Czech Medical
Society of J.E. Purkyně; Management Committee of the COST B22 Action – Drug Development for
Parasitic Diseases (2003-08); Management Committee of the COST B9 Action – Anti-Protozoal
Chemotherapy (1999-2002); International Commission for Protozoology (1993-98); Scientific Council
of the Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague (1997-2003); Scientific Council of the
Parasitological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (1991-98); Branch Committee for
Postdoctoral Studies in Parasitology, Charles University in Prague (2000-recent); Advisory Comittee
for Parasitology of the Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Czech Health Institute
(1993-recent); Czech Science Foundation, Comission for Molecular and Cellular Biology (1993-98).
Publication activity + 10 best publications:
Together 68 original research papers in scientific journals (1954-2010), 3 review articles, 7 chapters in
books, 2 monographs, 23 invited lectures at conferences, universities and institutes.
• Kulda J., Honigberg B.M. (1969). Behavior and pathogenicity of Tritrichomonas foetus in chick
liver cell cultures. J. Protozool. 16: 479-495.
• Čerkasov J., Čerkasovová A., Kulda J., Vilhelmová D. (1978). Respiration of hydrogenosomes
of Tritrichomonas foetus. I. ADP-depended oxidation of malate and pyruvate. J. Biol. Chem.
253: 1207-1214.
• Čerkasovová A., Čerkasov J., Kulda J. (1984). Metabolic differences between metronidazole
resistant and susceptible strains of Tritrichomonas foetus. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 11: 105-118.
• Kulda J., Tachezy J., Čerkasovová A. (1993). In vitro induced anaerobic resistance to
metronidazole in Trichomonas vaginalis. J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 40: 262-269.
• Nohýnková E., Dráber P., Reishig J., Kulda J. (2000). Localization of gamma-tubulin in
interphase and mitotic cells of a unicellular eukaryote Giardia intestinalis. Europ. J. Cell. Biol.
79: 438-445.
• Rasoloson D., Vaňáčová Š, Tomková E., Rázga J., Hrdý I., Tachezy J., Kulda J. (2002).
Mechanisms of in vitro development of resistance to metronidazole in Trichomonas vaginalis.
Microbiology (SGM) 148: 2467-2477.
• Hrdý I., Cammack R., Stopka P., Kulda J., Tachezy J. (2005). Alternative pathway of
metronidazole activation in Trichomonas vaginalis hydrogenosomes. Antimicrob. Agents
Chemother. 49: 5033-5036.
• Nohýnková E., Tůmová P., Kulda J. (2006). Cell division of Giardia intestinalis: Flagellar
developmental cycle involves transformation and exchange of flagella between mastigonts of a
diplomonad cell. Eukaryotic Cell 5: 753-761.
• Tůmová P., Kulda J., Nohýnková E. (2007). Cell division of Giardia intestinalis: Assembly and
disassembly of the adhesive disc and the cytokinesis. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton. 24: 288-298.
• Čepička I., Hampl V., Kulda J. (2010). Critical taxonomic revision of parabasalids with
description of one new genus and three species. Protist 161: 400-433.
Compiled by
Libor Mikeš
In Prague, May 31, 2010
President of the Czech Society for Parasitology
Signed and stamped on behalf of the Czech Society for Parasitology
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