Jan Borovička as a guest on popular TV shows and at the NPI seminar

Mycologist and biochemist RNDr. Jan Borovička, Ph.D. from the Department of Neutron and Ion Methods at NPI has recently appeared as a guest on two popular shows hosted by Lucie Výborná. The first interview was broadcast by Czech Television in October and another episode followed in November on Czech Radio Radiožurnál. Dr. Borovička also elaborated on his research topic during an institute seminar held at NPI.  

In the interviews, Lucie Výborná and Jan Borovička discussed a broad range of topics related to the world of fungi and their scientific study. A substantial part of the conversation focused on Dr. Borovička’s research, particularly the interdisciplinary links between mycology, geochemistry and radioanalytical methods. He explained, for instance, why certain fungi strongly accumulate metals and metalloids such as arsenic, and how modern instrumental techniques help analyze sample composition and environmental context. The discussion also turned to research on boletes and rare species that occur only sporadically in Czech nature. Another topic was the ecological roles and diversity of fungi, including an explanation of why some species may pose risks. The interviews also included numerous practical notes on identifying edible and poisonous mushrooms. 

Dr. Borovička also addressed current trends in mycology and the importance of science communication. He did not shy away from more personal questions either — for example, how he first became interested in mycology and what the work of a scientist combining fieldwork with laboratory analysis entails. 

Dr. Borovička delved into the core scientific aspects of his research during the institute seminar titled From neutrons to arsenic and new mushroom species. 

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