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Petra Dražová at the Octopus 2026 Conference in Strasbourg

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 19:47:00 +0100

From 14 to 16 October 2026, Dr Petra Dražová, an assistant professor at the Institute of Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law, attended the Octopus 2026 international conference in Strasbourg. Together with Associate Professor Marek Kordík, she represented the Faculty of Law of Comenius University Bratislava. The conference was organised by the Council of Europe to mark the 25th anniversary of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. It brought together nearly 500 participants from 106 countries, providing a forum for exchanging experience among academics, public authorities, international organisations and the private sector. The Faculty’s representatives attended plenary sessions and workshops focusing on:

the cross-border collection and preservation of electronic evidence;
the practical interaction between the Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention and the EU e-evidence package, particularly in cooperation with online service providers;
the impact of artificial intelligence on cybercrime and the challenges it presents for detecting and prosecuting criminal offences.

The insights and experience gained provide input for research and teaching at the intersection of information technology law and criminal law, particularly in cybercrime, electronic evidence and international cooperation.

Cybersecurity Situational Awareness at the Bratislava Legal Forum 2026

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 19:26:00 +0100

As part of APVV-23-0137 – Legal and Technical Aspects of Cybersecurity Situational Awareness, the Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law Section convened on 17 September 2026 during the Bratislava Legal Forum 2026 international academic conference. Held at the Faculty of Law of Comenius University Bratislava, the event provided a forum for discussing the legal and technical aspects of security and resilience in digital environments. Associate Professor Jozef Andraško, the project’s principal investigator and one of the section’s academic coordinators, opened the session and welcomed participants. Topics directly relevant to the project included situational awareness in cybersecurity and cyber defence, the cyber resilience of digital products, software supply chain security, and the relationship between patent law and research in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. The programme was conducted in English. Alongside Slovak experts, participants included Karen Sandrik from Marquette University Law School in the United States, Elham Almograby from the University of Miskolc in Hungary, Michalina Szpyrka from the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and Martin Szabó from the Faculty of Law of Palacký University Olomouc in Czechia. The event formed part of the activities of the project supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency.

Invitation to the Conference on Intelligent Mobility and Road Safety

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 18:58:00 +0100

The Faculty of Law of Comenius University Bratislava and the Faculty of Informatics and Information Technologies of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava invite you to a conference exploring the legal and technical aspects of intelligent mobility. The conference will take place on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, from 9:00 to 13:00 at FIIT STU, Ilkovičova 2, Bratislava, in Room 1.65 – Aula Minor. The event is organised as part of APVV-23-0519 – Legal and Technical Challenges of Intelligent Mobility to Improve Road Safety, supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency. The programme will feature opening presentations by Jozef Andraško and Marek Galinski, followed by two panel discussions:

9:40–10:40 | Automated Vehicles on Slovakia’s Roads: Law, Technology and Business
A discussion on safety, technological capabilities, the role of humans and regulatory requirements. Panellists will be Marek Galinski and Michal Fico, with Jozef Andraško moderating.
11:00–12:00 | Accidents Involving Automated Vehicles: Data Collection and Preservation
A discussion on obtaining vehicle data and its use in accident investigations. Panellists will be Petra Dražová and Lukáš Šoltés, with Marek Kordík moderating.

Attendance is free of charge, and no advance registration is required. We look forward to welcoming you!

Teaching Experience from the Faculty of Management Presented at the ENLIGHT Conference in Bern

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 15:34:00 +0100

Miriam Filipová and Arusa Khalid from the Faculty of Management, Comenius University Bratislava, presented their teaching experience at the international ENLIGHT Teaching & Learning Conference, held from 22 to 24 October 2026 at the University of Bern, Switzerland. Under the topic of “Context and Learning,” their contributions explored a shared question: how can we design learning experiences that help students understand the broader context and apply their knowledge in practice? Miriam Filipová presented a pilot project management course designed for part-time Master’s students. Working on team projects based on topics of their own choice enabled students to connect project management methodologies with their professional experience while developing communication, collaboration, conflict management, and self-regulation skills. Student reflections indicated a stronger connection between theory and practice and a more thoughtful approach to project management. Arusa Khalid led a workshop on designing scenario-based role plays and creating psychologically safe learning environments in international classrooms. Participants developed their own scenarios, identified barriers to engagement, and explored ways to foster communication, collaboration, and learning across cultures. Both contributions demonstrated how university teaching can create opportunities for hands-on experience, reflection, and the development of competencies that students can apply beyond the university environment.

Young Scientists Presented Their Research

pr@fpharm.uniba.sk — Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:19:00 +0100

The research topic of Dr. Eva Kráľová from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology focused on whether combination therapy can help with diabetic complications. Educating lower secondary school students in medication literacy is the research focus of Mgr. Karin Kapsdorferová from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. PharmDr. Peter Šišovský from the State Institute for Drug Control and the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology examined dietary supplements that promise longevity and whether they truly possess these miraculous effects. Colleagues from the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University, led by Mgr. Daniel Lutz, investigated whether and how generative artificial intelligence changes the way clinical reasoning is approached in the teaching of clinical pharmacology. In his research, MUDr. Martin Loziňák from the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University focused on whether certain probiotics can serve as an effective complementary treatment for depression and anxiety. Subtitled the Prof. F. Švec and Prof. P. Švec Memorial, the event took place for the 31st time. This long-standing traditional event offers young talents the opportunity to present the results of their work, discuss them with experts, and establish new contacts.

Application Portal Opens on December 1

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 10:55:00 +0100

Dr. Jarmila Prieložná Awarded by the Rector for Best Dissertation

pr@fpharm.uniba.sk — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 17:04:00 +0100

"The work of doctoral student Jarmila Prieložná brings new approaches to treatment. She researches biodegradable materials that ensure active ingredients against pain or cancer reach exactly where they are needed. I am delighted that she is the one receiving the University Rector's Award in the field of natural sciences today," says Ján Klimas, the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Comenius University. Her work exemplifies a multidisciplinary intersection of pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmaceutical technology. Thanks to teamwork, Dr. Prieložná achieved unique results published in prestigious scientific journals and presented her findings at numerous domestic and international scientific conferences. "Due to their properties, the chitosan nanoparticles I worked with offer tremendous potential in treating serious diseases. Their effective use for drug transport can improve the efficacy and safety of treatments," explains Jarmila Prieložná, who is currently preparing for maternity leave, though she plans to continue her scientific career upon her return. "The Rector's Award is a great honor for me and a very pleasant surprise at the same time. I view it as recognition of several years of work, effort, and the support of the people who accompanied me during my doctoral studies. I deeply appreciate this award, and it motivates me in my future work," she told us. For her first-author scientific publication, she received the "Highly Cited Paper" recognition in the Web of Science database, placing it in the top 1% of most cited works in the field of pharmacology and toxicology. The publication is titled: “Prieložná Jarmila, Mikušová Veronika, Mikuš Peter: Advances in the delivery of anticancer drugs by nanoparticles and chitosan-based nanoparticles. International Journal of Pharmaceutics X (ELSEVIER), 2024, vol. 8, 100281”.

Rector’s Day Off – 17 November 2026

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 11:01:00 +0100

On the occasion of International Students’ Day, the Rector of Comenius University Bratislava has...

Doctoral colloquium - Fatana Jafari (16.11.2026)

Damas.Gruska@fmph.uniba.sk — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 09:21:00 +0100

Fatana Jafari:
Explainable Deep Learning for White Matter Lesion Analysis in Brain MRI: From 3D Architecture Evaluation to Hybrid CNN–Transformer Models Abstract:
Detecting white matter lesions (WMLs) in brain MRI can be challenging, especially when lesions are small and have low contrast. This research explores deep learning methods for WML detection and analysis using 3D FLAIR MRI scans. Several 3D deep learning architectures were trained and evaluated using a dataset collected at St. Cyril and Methodius Hospital in Bratislava. Explainable AI (XAI) methods were also used to better understand model predictions and identify the image regions that influence them. Building on these experiments, the research focuses on developing a hybrid model that combines Xception and Vision Transformer to capture both local image features and broader contextual information. Different patch sizes are being explored to improve the detection of small lesions. Grad-CAM, SHAP, and LIME are also being investigated to understand model decisions and compare the highlighted regions with lesion annotations. The aim is to develop deep learning methods that make white matter lesion detection more accurate and easier to interpret. More information Youtube channel

CU zoologist helps uncover nine species of iconic cave ‘dragons’

pr@uniba.sk — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 16:18:00 +0100

The olm is an amphibian with a pale body, rudimentary eyes and external gills. It is exceptionally long-lived and can live for more than a century. Its unusual appearance and way of life have made it a symbol of the caves of the Dinaric Karst and one of the world’s best-known cave animals. For centuries, legends in the karst regions of the western Balkans held that these creatures were baby dragons. In 1768, the olm became the world’s first cave-dwelling vertebrate to be scientifically described. Yet even more than 250 years of research were insufficient to reveal its true species diversity. Nine species hidden under one name An international team of zoologists reassessed what was known about the genetic, morphological, geographical and ecological diversity of olms in the Dinaric Karst, an area stretching from north-eastern Italy through Slovenia and Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results confirmed earlier suggestions that populations thought to belong to a single species actually represent nine distinct species. Their evolutionary lineages diverged approximately 4 to 16 million years ago. Three of these species were formally described as new to science. They are Proteus bosniensis from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Proteus ikae from Croatian Istria and Proteus maurii from north-eastern Italy. The nine species include the unique black olm (Proteus parkelj) from Slovenia, which has dark colouring and well-developed eyes, unlike its pale relatives. Another surprise concerns Slovenia’s world-famous Postojna Cave. The olms, among the cave’s main tourist attractions, were previously thought to belong to P. anguinus. The study identifies them as a distinct species, P. xanthostictus. Revisiting forgotten discoveries from 176 years ago The research also has a remarkable historical dimension. As early as 1850, the Austrian zoologist Leopold Fitzinger distinguished seven species of olm, but these taxa were subsequently synonymized and the genus came to be treated as essentially a single species. The researchers analysed 259 museum specimens, including 47 historical specimens examined by Fitzinger himself that are still held in Vienna. “I find it fascinating that almost two centuries ago, naturalists were able to recognise differences that we are now confirming with modern methods. Fitzinger had only observation and measurement to go on. Now, 176 years later, we are returning to some of his conclusions,” explains zoologist Daniel Jablonski, who collaborates with the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Daniel Jablonski has been studying the amphibians and reptiles of the Balkans for more than twenty years. The region is a major focus of his research in evolutionary biogeography, in which he examines the origins, distribution and history of species. The new study of olms builds on his long-standing research into the biodiversity of the Balkans and the processes that have shaped it. The research also has a personal dimension for him. “I first encountered olms as a ten-year-old boy during a visit to a cave in Istria. That experience played a decisive role in shaping my interest in the fauna of the Balkans.” Twenty-nine years later, he helped describe the Istrian species Proteus ikae, the earliest-diverging extant lineage of Proteus, which separated from all other living olms around 16 million years ago. Crucial implications for the conservation of cave life The study revealed that some species have much smaller geographical ranges than previously thought. The authors’ preliminary assessment, based on criteria set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), suggests that seven species would qualify as Endangered and two as Critically Endangered. “Although genetic differences between populations had been known for some time, the public saw the olm as a single species with a wide range. Nine species have now been formally recognised, some of them found in extremely small areas. If a species is confined to a single underground water system, severe pollution could threaten its entire population. Its extinction would mean the irreversible loss of millions of years of evolution,” warns Jablonski, adding, “Until we know the true species diversity, we cannot properly assess the risk of extinction.” The study brought together experts from several European countries and applied a taxonomic framework consistent with that used by the Taxonomic Committee of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH). The first author of the study is Christophe Dufresnes from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. He led the research jointly with Daniel Jablonski from Comenius University Bratislava and the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Both were also corresponding authors of the paper. Photo 1: Young individuals of the newly described endemic species Proteus bosniensis from north-western Bosnia and Herzegovina. Photo: D. Jablonski. Photo 2: Documentation of the historical olm collection in the holdings of the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Photo: C. Dufresnes. Photo 3: The oldest evolutionary lineage of olms from Croatian Istria, estimated to be 16 million years old, was described as a new species, Proteus ikae. Photo: D. Jablonski. Photo 4: Diversity and distribution of individual olm species in the Dinaric Karst according to the new study.