A UAB undergraduate student gained hands-on experience in cutting-edge biomedical research, contributing to work that could help researchers better understand how influenza viruses replicate and identify potential targets for future treatments.
Jakub Hel, a biophysics and chemistry major in UAB’s Science and Technology Honors Program, received a Summer 2026 Internship Award at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB Prague).
During his internship in Dr. Tomas Kouba’s laboratory, Hel contributed to a research project focused on optimizing sample preparation for the H7N9 influenza virus elongation complex. The work aimed to prepare the protein complex for high-resolution structural imaging using a Krios cryo-electron microscope, an advanced technology that allows researchers to examine biological structures at the atomic level.
Understanding the structure of the elongation complex can provide insight into how the influenza virus produces the genetic material needed to replicate in the human body. This knowledge may help researchers identify potential targets for antiviral drug development and contribute to future treatments.
Hel’s responsibilities included optimizing sample preparation protocols, piloting electron microscopes and using computational techniques to help produce a final structural map of the protein. Working with the institute’s advanced imaging technology expanded his understanding of what is possible in structural biology and strengthened his interest in pursuing research in the field.
One of the most memorable moments of the internship came during a tour of IOCB Prague, where Hel saw how different research groups collaborate throughout the drug development process, from identifying biological targets to designing potential treatments.The experience helped him recognize the connection between laboratory research and its potential impact on patients.
“The tour of the institute allowed me to see how my research work can lead to improved outcomes for real patients,” Hel said.
The opportunity to conduct research at IOCB Prague was particularly appealing to Hel because of the institute’s reputation for drug discovery and its collaborative research environment, which brings together scientists working across structural biology, biophysics and medicinal chemistry. The international experience also allowed him to learn more about biomedical research efforts abroad while visiting family in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Looking ahead, Hel plans to pursue a PhD at the intersection of structural biology, biophysics and medicinal chemistry. He hopes to apply his experience to structure-guided drug design, using the atomic structures of proteins to inform the development of potentially life-saving medications.