Funded by Visegrad Grant 

Three institutions with strong backgrounds in taxonomy, phylogenetics, and genomics of insect-related fungi bring together researchers to share expertise with each other and students. In a series of workshops organized in three V4 countries we will tighten collaborations and stimulate knowledge exchange. A citizen science campaign and lectures open to the general public will also be organized. 

Project No. 22420237

Role of FSci in the project: Principal applicant

Project duration: 01 October 2024 - 31 March 2026

Total project cost: 37 878 EUR

Head of project: Danny Haelewaters, PhD (he/him/his)

                           Ghent University & Meise Botanic Garden

                           University of South Bohemia | Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí

                           Website | X | Beetlehangers

Upcoming events and meetings

31 March to 4 April 2025: Citizen science campaign, workshop, and open lecture, České Budějovice, Czechia

https://fb.me/e/2vyolN3FV

FUNGAL GENOMICS
8 to 12 September 2025: Workshop on fungal genomics and open lecture, Szeged, Hungary
https://fb.me/e/7LFch4JtW

FUNGAL PHYLOGENETICS
16 to 20 February 2026: Workshop on fungal phylogenetics and open lecture, Urwitałt, Poland
https://fb.me/e/4Tbh84ai1 

Read about our latest papers:

• Biological knowledge shortfalls impede conservation efforts in poorly studied taxa—A case study of Laboulbeniomycetes
• Singleton-based species names and fungal rarity: Does the number really matter?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnrrCY-IeBw

Polish partner (Julia Pawłowska):

University webpage: https://en.uw.edu.pl/
Faculty of Biology webpage: https://www.biol.uw.edu.pl/en/home-page/
Institute webpage: https://ibe.biol.uw.edu.pl/en/835-2/

Hungarian partner (László Nagy):

Institute webpage: https://www.brc.hu/en 
Lab webpage: http://group.szbk.u-szeged.hu/sysbiol/nagy-laszlo-lab-index.html

Sources

de Groot MD, Christou M, Pan JY, Adriaens T, Maes D, Martinou AF, Roy HE, Verbeken A, Haelewaters D. Beetlehangers.org: harmonizing host–parasite records of Harmonia axyridis and Hesperomyces harmoniae. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 18(4): 665-679. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-023-10037-2

Haelewaters D, Matthews TJ, Wayman JP, Cazabonne J, Heyman F, Quandt CA, Martin TE. 2024. Laboulbeniomycetes as a case study for biodiversity shortfalls in poorly studied groups. Journal of Biogeography 51(1): 29-39. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14725

Haelewaters D, Okrasińska A, Gorczak M, Pfister DH. 2020. Draft genome sequence of the globally distributed cockroach-infecting fungus Herpomyces periplanetae strain D. Haelew. 1187d. Microbiology Resource Announcements 9(6): e01458-19. https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01458-19

Fruiting bodies of Hesperomyces harmoniae (Laboulbeniales) on the integument of the invasive alien ladybird Harmonia axyridis Coccinellidae)

https://www.visegradfund.org/

as amended on 26 April 2024

Article I
General Provisions

This provision of the Dean of the Faculty of Science (hereinafter referred to as FSc) is issued in response to the upcoming amendment to Act No. 111/1998 Coll. on Higher Education, and its purpose is to prepare the environment of the FSc for the future legal obligation of providing guaranteed doctoral study income.

According to this provision, students who are undertaking their first study in one of the doctoral study programmes at FSc are entitled to a doctoral study income, if they are studying within the standard study period in full-time form.

Article II
Amount of Support

Effective from the summer admission procedure term to doctoral study programmes (DSP), held in June 2024 and onwards, newly admitted students are required to receive financial support (in addition to the regular doctoral scholarship) for the entire standard period of study. The amount of financial support is determined for different sources of funding as follows:

   1) at least a 50% employment contract with a minimum gross salary base of CZK 34,000, provided from any grant title (especially GAČR) for the duration of the project or usually for at least two consecutive years

or

   2) when support is not provided from a grant title, the doctoral student is supported by a stipend amounting to at least 25% of a base of CZK 34,000, funded by the department's resources, or by at least a 25% employment contract with a minimum base of CZK 34,000 gross salary, funded by the department's resources, or by the budget of institutions with extended accreditation of a specific doctoral study programme (DSP).

The decision on the form of support is within the authority of the heads of departments, with consideration of the current situation of individual students and their mandatory participation in health insurance, as outlined in Annex 1 of this provision.

Financial support is guaranteed by the signature of the head of the department, or the director of the institution with extended accreditation of a specific DSP, and the grant principal investigator or grant proposal author on the admission protocol.

Article III
Other Provisions

This document comes into effect on the day of issuance.

In České Budějovice

prof. RNDr. František Vácha, Ph.D.
Dean of the Faculty of Science USB

Annex 1

Information on compulsory participation of doctoral students in health insurance*:

1. student (citizen of the Czech Republic) – health insurance is covered by the state during the standard period of full-time form of the first doctoral study

Exceptions are cases where the student is over 26 years old and is also employed (regardless of the extent of employment) or is self-employed.
Student from the EU countries – up to 26 years of age, they are insured in the country where the family's primary earner is a resident, i.e. most often where the parents live. In the Czech Republic, their EU health insurance card is valid for necessary health care. Over 26 years old, they must arrange commercial insurance in the Czech Republic
Exceptions are cases where the student has permanent residence in the Czech Republic, or is employed or self-employed.

2. student from non-EU countries (i.e. third countries) - must always arrange commercial insurance in the Czech Republic.

Exceptions are cases where the student has permanent residence in the Czech Republic, or is employed or self-employed.
In case the student is employed at USB, the payment of health insurance to the relevant health insurance company is handled by the USB payroll office.

* This information may change with changes in Czech legislation.

Students of cross-border study programmes admitted to study at FSci USB are provided with financial support in the form of an extraordinary scholarship during their studies at the partner university with which the study programme is accredited. This is a non-reimbursable support. The Dean of the Faculty decides on the amount of support in a given study program and academic year.

Article I
Supporting Students in Bachelor's Degree Programmes

Students of the Biological Chemistry Bachelor's programme receive support in the Winter semester of the 1^st year, in the Summer semester they receive support only if they applied for support through the Erasmus programme but did not receive it. In September of the 1^st year, support is paid at double the amount to cover initial expenses. It is not necessary to apply for support from September to January of the 1^st year (the supporting documents will be prepared by the Study department).

To receive the support from February to May, students must present themselves at the Study Department of the FSci USB by the deadline in the second half of February and submit proof from the foreign partner university that they have completed courses worth at least 20 ECTS credits in the 1^st semester of their studies; if they fail to do so by the deadline, the financial support will be stopped.

If a student goes to a foreign partner university again in the 3^rd year of his/her bachelor studies, the support is paid for the period of time defined as the shortest necessary duration of stay at the partner university (for the Biological Chemistry programme in the period September to March) only if the student has applied for support under the Erasmus programme and has not received it.

The amount of support is set by the Dean in each academic year and may vary.

Article II
Supporting Students in Master's Degree Programmes

In the 1^st year of the Master's programme, or in the year during which the student is studying at the partner university, support in the amount determined by the Dean is paid from September to January.

The amount of support is set by the Dean in each academic year and may vary.

To receive the support from February to June, students must present themselves to the Study Department of the FSci USB by the deadline in the second half of February and provide proof from the foreign partner university that they have completed courses worth at least 20 credits in the previous semester of study; if they fail to do so by the deadline, the financial support will be stopped.

Students in the higher years during the standard period of study may apply for support during the period of study at the partner university, for example during the time needed to complete their master's thesis; the dean decides on the granting of support on the basis of an individual application.

Article III
Other provisions

This document replaces the text of 13 September 2023.

In České Budějovice

Prof. RNDr. František Vácha, Ph.D.
Dean of the Faculty of Science USB