Laboratory for the study of craniofacial evolution & development

Dr. Robert Černý

Group leader

Robert specializes in the evolution and development of cranial structures, skeletal elements, and evolutionary shifts in vertebrate body plans. His research particularly focuses on the evolutionary trajectories of early-diverging ray-finned fishes and their significance in understanding vertebrate evolution.

FULL CV

Agáta Horáčková

Ph.D. student

Agáta is interested in the evolution and development of cranial skeletal structures, with a particular focus on trabeculae and the adenohypophysis.

Master’s thesis (2019), Bachelor’s thesis (2017)

Martin Dušek

Master’s student

Martin studies the evolution and development of the vertebrate spiracle region, currently focusing on ‘basal’ ray-finned fishes such as the Senegal bichir and the sterlet sturgeon.

Bachelor’s thesis (2024)

Adam Križan

Master’s student

Adam’s research is focused on a comparative developmental analysis of the buccohypophyseal canal. He investigates how this cranial structure forms and varies during early embryonic development across early-diverging fish lineages.

Bachelor’s thesis (2025)

Václav Vodrážka

Master’s student

Václav is currently conducting a comparative and developmental analysis of rostral (pre-trabecular) cartilages formation. His work focuses on understanding how these structures originate and differ during embryonic development across evolutionarily important ray-finned fishes.

Bachelor’s thesis (2025)

Zuzana Klaciková

Research assistant

Zuzana has a background in molecular and developmental biology. She is responsible for the molecular part of the adenohypophysis project, focusing on the gene expression analysis.

Master’s thesis (2025)

Jesus Emmanuel Jimenez-Jimenez

Technician

Jesus is responsible for the husbandry and breeding of bichirs at our facility.