The fact that AZV ČR has over the past 10 years become a solid part of the support of research activities in the field of health care and a partner of many different research institutions and their senior and junior scientists is evidenced, among other things, by the kind "birthday wishes" that you will be able to read or listen to on this subpage, which we appreciate immensely.

Professor David Cibula
Winner of the Minister of Health Award for 2023

"AZV I would wish her to remain critical and objective even in such a small country where everyone knows each other. And to be more flexible, able to respond to how science evolves, and thus be able to provide the kind of support that quality projects will need."

Professor Pavel Kršek
Winner of the Minister of Health Award for 2023

"On the occasion of this year's 10th anniversary, AZV is to be congratulated and thanked for its support, which helps the Czech health sector to keep phase with the world's top medicine. I would especially like to wish the Agency to heal as many patients as possible thanks to the practical results of medical research. And I would add that these lucky healed people often do not even need to know that it was the support from AZV that helped them :-)."

Associate Professor Jan Rusz
Winner of the Minister of Health Award for 2023

"AZV I would wish for the years to come independence and the ability to withstand various political pressures so that it can continue to promote the highest possible quality instead of quantity. As the level of medical research in ČR continuously increases, and as it becomes more and more difficult for evaluators to decide which projects are the best, I would also wish the agency a higher and stable budget so that it can support as many quality projects as possible."

Professor Daniel Růžek
Winner of the Minister of Health Award for 2023

"AZV I wish that it continues to be a successful institution supporting quality medical or biomedical research and that it has the necessary support from political and governmental representations that would be reflected in the allocated budget. At the same time, I wish it to maintain a high standard of work, a fair evaluation process, quality panellists and evaluators and, last but not least, many excellent projects that push the boundaries of our knowledge."

Doctor Pavel Krejci
Winner of the Minister of Health Award for 2023

"AZV ČR I would especially like to wish it to continue to function and do a great job. We like the agency and would like it to like us too, which it does from time to time.  By being successful in our applications for project support on a regular basis, we have continuity of funding and stability, which research cannot do without. After all, the development of modern therapies is often a work that takes decades."

Professor Petr Konvalinka
Chair Technology Agencies ČR

"Applied research, development and their results are absolutely crucial to improving the quality of life for all of us. It is important to remember this key role and to support R&D activities in all areas. I am glad that 10 years ago AZV took up this task in the field of health care. On this anniversary, I would like to wish the Agency continued success in helping to advance modern medicine and improve healthcare. I wish that in the next decade it will continue to contribute to a series of inspiring discoveries and innovations that save lives, simplify lives or enhance health."

Professor Petr Baldrian
Chair Grant Agencies ČR

"The grant agency ČR provides support for basic research in all disciplines. An important role is also played by the biological and medical sciences, where we support dozens of projects each year. I am delighted that for the past ten years many of these projects have been able to find their way into the field thanks to the Medical Research Agency ČR, which helps them find the practical key to curing human diseases. On behalf of the Grants Agency ČR , I wish AZV another successful decade in supporting the journey to health!"

Doctor Miloslav Ludvík
Director of Motol Hospital, Executive Chair Association of Hospitals ČR

"AZV is absolutely indispensable and essential in the field of medical research for the medical sciences, especially for teaching hospitals like ours. The Motol University Hospital considers research activities as one of its priorities, which helps to maintain health care at a high international level and pushes it even further with new findings based on projects AZV that are being addressed in our hospital.

Moreover, the Motol Hospital has an almost personal relationship with AZV . Its establishment in 2014 took place at the time when the Minister of Health was MUDr. Martin Holcát, the long-term deputy for LPP of our hospital. He initiated and prepared the establishment of AZV together with Prof. Miroslav Ryska, the first chairman of AZV, and thus contributed greatly to the creation of a professional agency for the field of medical research, which took the entire field to a new, higher and more competent level. We are now pleased to see the development of AZV, the increasing number of supported projects and the improvement of their quality. Motol University Hospital has representatives in the sectoral committees, has been a long-standing investigator of many grants and has enjoyed the awards of the Minister of Health that have come to our hospital during the agency's operation. We wish AZV all the best for the next 10 years and then for long-term development, without which it is impossible to imagine progress in medical sciences in our country."

Doctor Pavel Doleček
Deputy Minister for Science, Research and Innovation

"AZV has undoubtedly established itself as an integral part of the Czech research, development and innovation system during its decade of existence. Recent developments can certainly be observed with respect, with themes of progressive improvement in agency programme management practices and project support emerging in our national debate on good science and research governance. But equally crucial is the emphasis on supporting young researchers and greater emphasis on the international dimension of biomedical research. I wish you many more decades!"

Professor Jiří Chomiak
Chair Panel P10: Musculoskeletal Medicine

"I was nominated to AZV in 2021, and to panel 10 as its Chair. However, I was associated with the previous agency way back when grantmaking first started, but then as a young budding 'scientist' I could not be nominated to the agency. I now see AZV as a very dynamic institution that is trying hard to involve important experts in the evaluation process while establishing clear rules - and I am very happy to be included in this process. I wish the agency continued long-term development and scientists of all ages every success in submitting projects."

Professor Roman Chlíbek
Chair Panel P09: Public Health and Nursing

"Worried about whether I was the right expert for AZV , I was most helped when the former Chair agency, the now deceased Professor Ryska, said to me, 'You are getting better and better, it is clear that we have chosen you well.' AZV I would wish for plenty of willing and able reporters, contrarians and young scientists. And also enough funding for science. I see the greatest meaning of the agency's work in the fact that new research findings ultimately serve our patients and raise the quality of Czech healthcare to world-class levels."

Professor Jaroslav Hrabák
Chair Panel P05: Immunity disorders and infectious diseases

"Compared to the life of a human, AZV ČR would still have several years to reach adulthood. Nevertheless, it can be said that over the past decade it has become an important and quite indispensable institution funding medical research. Without the grants awarded by AZV ČR , many excellent results that bring Czech medical science to a level comparable to that of the world would not have been realised. In the years to come, I wish the Agency to continue to succeed in its mission and that the projects awarded to it continue to deliver world-class results and their number continues to increase."

Professor František Duška
Chair Panel P06: Organ Function Disorders and Intensive Care Medicine

"Ten years with AZV ČR in the service of science. I still count not only the successes, but also the evenings and weekends spent in 'service' to our dear agency. Congratulations on our tenth anniversary and I look forward to more time spent together. Here's to many more years of success!"

Professor Jan Lebl
Chair Panel P07: Age-specific disease groups

"The tenth birthday in human life is part of childhood, a ten-year-old has - figuratively speaking - a whole life ahead of him. The tenth birthday of a mature, successful and renowned institution such as AZV, is an occasion for taking stock. It is obvious that AZV is making a major contribution to the development of Czech biomedical research. It fulfils its mission because it serves both research teams and patients. And, as if by the way, it has brought us into the leading group of European countries in terms of publication outputs in biomedicine."

Associate Professor Marek Mechl
Chair Panel P08: Biomedical Technologies

"This is my fifth year as a panellist with the agency, so my time in this role is running out and I must admit I will miss it. At first I had no idea how much work my position would entail, and there really is no shortage of it. On the other hand, however, I have found it extremely positive to be able to discuss with colleagues from other disciplines, in our biomedical technology panel, the often complex issues of individual funding applications. I wish the Agency 'good health', financial, organisational and social. That is, that it is seen as an integral part of scientific life in our country, which it undoubtedly is, because without it, scientific work and its support would be very limited."

Professor Evžen Růžička
Chair Panel P04: Neuroscience and Mental Health

"AZV ČR has become an indispensable driver of Czech medical research in its first 10 years of operation. Its support opens the door to new discoveries and innovations that improve patients' lives. In the years to come, I wish the AZV grant writers and all those involved in the work of the Agency every strength, wise decisions and may they continue to push the boundaries of medical knowledge."

Associate Professor Jiří Šána
Chair Panel P03: Cancer

"Over the past ten years, AZV has become a pillar of Czech biomedical research actively supporting innovation and the search for new solutions to improve healthcare and quality of life for patients. Its position and importance has grown so much in that time that it is now a respected partner of the broader medical and scientific community and can hold its head high against other Czech, and in many ways similar foreign agencies. To all those who have contributed to building its name so far, a big thank you, and in the years to come I wish it and us to persevere in its efforts and commitment to supporting medical research and proving that it is possible to go beyond what many initially thought impossible."

Professor Milan Štengl
Chair Panel P02: Diseases of the circulatory system

"Dear AZV, a big congratulations on the 10th anniversary and thanks for your continuous support for the development of biomedical research in ČR! What to wish? Lots of great projects with international renown, and within the organization, continue to patiently cultivate a culture of objective and quality evaluation with lots of enthusiastic panelists and referees. In human life, 10 years is still a childhood, if this analogy applies to grant agencies, then I wish you a peaceful adolescence and successful development in the next decade, of course with increasing financial support..."

Professor Martin Haluzík
Chair Panel P01: Metabolic and Endocrine Diseases

"AZV has come a long way in its 10-year history and has become a respected institution with clearly set mechanisms and decision-making processes. In the years to come, I would like to wish it even greater international networking, including maximum use of foreign opponents, as much funding as possible, and also the preservation of the tradition of the previous Internal Grant Agency of the Ministry of Health ČR - i.e. the support of applied research that can, in a reasonable time, produce results of real use in clinical medicine."

Professor Jiří Litzman
Chair Scientific Council AZV ČR

"I really appreciate that AZV has become a part of my life for 10 years. As I know the work of the agency from the 'inside', I wish all its staff to work as one family for the development of medical research in ČR. But above all, I wish AZV, that researchers are happy to submit their projects and trust in their correct and objective assessment. As often as possible, their hopes will be turned into supported projects whose results will help patients, and our country can be justly proud of them."

Professor Zdeněk Krška
Vice-Chairman of the Board AZV ČR , Member of the Board of the ČLS JEP

"AZV celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Historically, it is a continuation of the well-known internal grant agency - IGA, which has fundamentally influenced clinical research in medicine, set important quality attributes and significantly advanced science and education. The transformation led to the creation of AZV, which both systemically (by adopting the nature of panels, the way of public competition and evaluation etc.) and often in terms of personnel (in a limited scientific environment ČR) continues and improves the level of opportunities for applied biomedical research. AZV had to cope with, among others, the evaluation should take place with more distance, but already now it can be concluded from the feedback that the activities of AZV are perceived very positively and its position as dignified and representative. For the years to come, I wish AZV very sincerely on behalf of all clinics the same enthusiasm, patience, consistency and calmness in their work, as well as a reduction in administration!"

Professor Jan Bartoníček
Member of the Board AZV ČR

"AZV ČR would like to wish - by the hands of my friend, animator, director, graphic designer and painter Pavel Koutsky - especially good health!"

Professor Vladimír Komárek
Member of the Board AZV ČR , Chair of the UK Grant Agency

"I served for many years on the IGA committee of the Ministry of Health ČR and was very happy ten years ago that Professor Ryska saved medical research and was instrumental in the creation and success of AZV ČR . It is a pity that Mirek cannot join us in celebrating the tenth birthday of an agency that helps bring the latest scientific findings into clinical practice. I wish the Agency not only enlightened leadership in the years to come, but most importantly, as much funding as possible to ensure that our healthcare system is at the highest possible level in line with current developments in world medicine."

Professor Aleksi Šedo
Member of the Board AZV ČR , Director of the National Cancer Research Institute

"And we have our first round! At the age of 10, we would expect a person to 'develop dexterity' and 'form a ladder of life values'. I think AZV is well on its way in both. It has clear structure and processes, parental support and good character. She has the will to be useful and to excel - thanks to those who make up her extended family, who understand the common vocabulary and who, with her support and their talents, are moving biomedicine forward. So it is to be expected that the jubilarian will successfully overcome even the perils of puberty! Congratulations!"

Professor Eva Zažímalová
Member of the Board AZV ČR , Chairperson of the Academy of Sciences ČR

"AZV ČR celebrates 10 years this year and is thus transitioning from the age of childhood to the age of adolescence.  But it has actually grown up and can easily withstand comparison with other similar (and much older) agencies even in scientifically advanced countries. I very much appreciate its openness and willingness to support projects that combine the latest scientific knowledge with applications directly in medical practice. I wish the Agency good conditions for its work and I keep my fingers crossed for many years to come!"

Professor Milan Kolář
Member of the Board AZV ČR , Dean of LF UP in Olomouc

"The tenth anniversary of AZV provides an opportunity to look back at the agency's activities. I have had, and still have, the privilege of participating in AZV since its inception, first as a member of the Scientific Council and its Vice-Chairman, then as a member of the Board. Working for the Agency, which I personally see as an integral part of applied research in Czech health care, brought me, and still brings me, extraordinary pleasure from the opportunity to collaborate in its development. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the expert panels, the Scientific Council and the Bureau, as well as the office of AZV. Unfortunately, I cannot do so by name, but let me express my great thanks at least to the first chairman of AZV, Professor Rysk, who was at the birth of the Agency and is unfortunately no longer with us, and also to the current chairman, Professor Slaby, for his excellent work and undoubtedly very positive contribution to our Agency. I wish AZV further successful development and quality projects with significant impact on clinical practice. I am confident that this will continue to be successful in the period ahead."