Mgr. Václav Hönig, Ph.D.

Job Position: Research Scientist - Laboratory of Arbovirology

Contact details

Phone: +420 387775145
E-mail: honig@paru.cas.cz
Web: gisak.vsb.cz/klistata/
Room: 324

Description

Ecology, eco-epidemiology, and molecular epidemiology of zoonotic vector-borne and rodent-borne diseases caused by viral and bacterial agents; ecology of ticks; detection and identification of pathogens using molecular biology methods; pathogen-vector-host interactions; flaviviruses, alphaviruses, hantaviruses, coronaviruses

Curriculum vitae

Education

2015: University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, and Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Parasitology, Ph.D. (Parasitology)

2007: Masaryk University, Brno, Faculty of Biological Science, M.Sc. (General Biology – Microbiology)

2005: University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Biological Sciences, B.Sc. (Biology & Biomedical Laboratory Techniques)

Other education, courses, trainings, qualifications

- certificate of professional competence to design experiments and experimental projects under the Section 15d (3) of Act No 246/1992 Coll., on the Protection of Animals against Cruelty – experimental animal handling

- PREFEKT – Systemic complex education of R&D scientists in management and administration

- responsible person for the management of Hazardous and Highly Hazardous Biological Agents and Toxins (Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 2020-present)


Professional Experience

2016 - present     Postdoctoral Scientist, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic & Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic

2020                  Core member of the COVID-19 diagnostic team, Biology Centre AS CR

2011-2016          Head of R & D department, project manager, GEN-TREND, s. r. o., Czech Republic

2008-2012          Research Assistant, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

2009-2011          Research Assistant, University of South Bohemia, Faculty Science


Stays Abroad

2009          Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland

2009          Institute of Applied Statistic, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria; AKTION scholarship

2009, 2010      several shorter visits, Institute of Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich


Teaching Activities

  • Medical Virology Course, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia (since 2018)
  • Teaching assistant in practical courses: Biochemistry, Medical virology and workshops POSTICK Spring school 2011
  • Consultant or supervisor of 7 bachelor, 8 master, 2 doctoral theses

Reviewer for scientific journals and research funding bodies

Clinical Microbiology Reviews, Eurosurveillance, Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, Epidemiology and Infection, Slovak Research and Development Agency etc.


Research focus

ecology, eco-epidemiology and molecular epidemiology of zoonotic vector-borne and rodent-borne diseases caused by viral and bacterial agents; ecology of ticks; detection and identification of pathogens using molecular biology methods; pathogen-vector-host interactions; flaviviruses, alphaviruses, hantaviruses, coronaviruses

Specific skills and methods

molecular biology-based detection and typisation methods (PCR, qPCR, RT-PCR, SSCP, RLB, sequencing), Luminex - MagPix technology work with laboratory and wild rodents, birds, work with infectious agents – BSL2, BSL3, basic method in statistics, experience with GIS and spatial modeling, bioinformatics and web design


Participation in recent relevant research projects

Team member:

Ticks and tick borne infectious diseases in the conditions of South Bohemia and Bavaria; Ziel 3; European Development Fund of the European Union; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science

AKTION 53p19; Spatial mapping of ticks and tick-borne infectious diseases of the region of South Bohemia and Upper Austria; Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science

Innovation of a diagnostic product – enhancement of the method of detection of periodontal pathogens; The Enterprises and Innovations Operational Programme – Innovations; Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic; GEN-TREND s. r. o.

Czech-Austrian Center for Supracellular Medical Research; INTERREG – Austria – Czech Republic; European research and development fund; Biology Centre AS CR, Institute of Parasitology

Role of urban wildlife in circulation of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens with emphasis on Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Czech Science Foundation; Biology Centre AS CR, Institute of Parasitology

Neurovascular unit cells interactions leading to the blood-brain barrier breakdown during tickborne encephalitis; Czech Science Foundation; Biology Centre AS CR, Institute of Parasitology

Molecular mechanisms of tick-borne encephalitis pathogenesis; Czech Science Foundation; Biology Centre AS CR, Institute of Parasitology

PI or Co-PI:

Development, extension and support of collections of biological material and support of their use in applied research and technology, ROZE – Strategy AV21, Biology Centre AS CR, Institute of Parasitology

Methodological platform for rapid reaction against viral pandemics: methods of diagnostics and treatment of COVID-19, Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, Biology Centre AS CR

National Centre of Competence MATCA: Materials, Advanced Technologies, Coatings and their Applications: project COVID-19, Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, Biology Centre AS CR

PRAGMATICK: Prevention, anticipation and mitigation of tick-borne disease risk applying the DAMA protocol; COST Action; 2022-2026; Biology Centre AS  CR, České Budějovice; work group co-leader

Tick-borne bacterial diseases in urban environments - where does the real danger lurk?; Czech Health Research Council; 2023-2026; Biology Centre AS  CR, České Budějovice; PI


Selected Publications in journals with impact factor

Total of 31 publications in journals with IF, h-index 14, 613 citations (in Scopus).

  1. Bianchini F, Crivelli V, Abernathy ME, Guerra C, Palus M, Muri J, Marcotte H, Piralla A, Pedotti M, De Gasparo R, Simonelli L, Matkovic M, Toscano C, Biggiogero M, Calvaruso V, Svoboda P, Cervantes Rincón T, Fava T, Podešvová L, Shanbhag AA, Celoria A, Sgrignani J, Stefanik M, Hönig V et al. Human neutralizing antibodies to cold linear epitopes and subdomain 1 of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Sci Immunol. 2023; 26:eade0958.
  1. Hönig V, Kamiš J, Maršíková A, Matějková T, Stopka P, Mácová A, Růžek D, Kvičerová J. Orthohantaviruses in reservoir and atypical hosts in the Czech Republic: Spillover infection and indication of virus-specific tissue tropism. Microbiology Spectrum. 2022; 10, e01306-22.
  1. Fortova A, Hönig V, Palus M, Salát J, Pychova M, Krbkova L, Vyhlidalova T, Kriha MF, Chrdle A, Růžek D. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated neurofilament heavy subunit as a marker of neuroaxonal damage in tick-borne encephalitis. 2022; Journal of General Virology 103: 1743.
  1. Migné CV, Hönig V, Bonnet SI, Palus M, Rakotobe S, Galon C, Heckmann A, Vyletova E, Devillers E, Attoui H, Ruzek D, Moutailler S. Evaluation of two artificial infection methods of live ticks as tools for studying interactions between tick-borne viruses and their tick vectors. Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 11;12(1):491.
  1. De Gasparo R, Pedotti M, Simonelli L, Nickl P, Muecksch F, Cassaniti I, Percivalle E, Lorenzi JCC, Mazzola F, Magrì D, Michalcikova T, Haviernik J, Hönig V, et al. Bispecific IgG neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants and prevents escape in mice. Nature. 2021; 593(7859): 424-428.
  1. Beliavskaia A, Hönig V, Erhart J, Vyhlidalova T, Palus M, Cerny J, Kozlova I, Ruzek D, Palomar AM, Bell-Sakyi L. Spiroplasma isolated from third-generation laboratory colony Ixodes persulcatus ticks. Front Vet Sci. 2021; 8:659786.
  1. Helmová R, Hönig V, Tykalová H, Palus M, Bell-Sakyi L, Grubhoffer L. Tick-borne encephalitis virus adaptation in different host environments and existence of quasispecies. Viruses. 2020; 12(8):902.
  1. Majerová K, Hönig V, Houda M, Papežík P, Fonville M, Sprong H, Rudenko N, Golovchenko M, Černá Bolfíková B, Hulva P, Růžek D, Hofmannová L, Votýpka J, Modrý D. Hedgehogs, squirrels, and blackbirds as sentinel hosts for active surveillance of Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia burgdorferi complex in urban and rural environments. Microorganisms. 2020; 30;8(12):1908.
  1. Hönig V, Svec P, Marek L, Mrkvicka T, Zubrikova D, Wittmann (Vögerl) M, Masar O, Szturcova D, Ruzek D, Pfister K, Grubhoffer L. Model of risk of exposure to Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis virus infected ticks in the border area of the Czech Republic (South Bohemia) and Germany (Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019; 16(7): pii: E1173.
  1. Hönig V, Carolan HE, Vavruskova Z, Massire C, Mosel MR, Crowder CD, Rounds MA, Ecker DJ, Ruzek D, Grubhoffer L, Luft BJ, Eshoo MW. Broad-range survey of vector-borne pathogens and tick host identification of Ixodes ricinus from Southern Czech Republic. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2017; 93(11).
  1. Strnad M, Hönig V, Ruzek D, Grubhoffer L, Rego ROM. Europe-wide meta-analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato prevalence in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2017; 83(15): pii: e00609-1
  2. Hönig V, Svec P, Halas P, Vavruskova Z, Tykalova H, Kilian P, Vetiskova V, Dornakova V, Sterbova J, Simonova Z, Erhart J, Sterba J, Golovchenko M, Rudenko N, Grubhoffer L. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in South Bohemia (Czech Republic) - Spatial variability in Ixodes ricinus abundance, Borrelia burgdorferi and tick-borne encephalitis virus prevalence. Ticks Tick-Borne Dis. 2015; 6: 559-567.

Applied research output

  • 3 functional samples (Gfunk), 1 utility model (Fuzit), 3 specialized map with scientific content (Nmap)

Publications
Total found: 34 records
Prančlová V., Hönig V., Zemanová M., Růžek D., Palus M. (2024) Robust CXCL10/IP-10 and CCL5/RANTES production induced by tick-borne Encephalitis virus in human brain pericytes despite weak infection International Journal of Molecular Sciences 25 : 7892.
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147892
Bianchini F., Crivelli V., Abernathy M.E., Guerra C., Palus M., Muri J., Marcotte H., Piralla A., Pedotti M. , de Gasparo R., Simonelli L., Matkovic M., Toscano C., Biggiogero M., Calvaruso V., Svoboda P., Cervantes Rincón T., Fava T., Podešvová L., Shanbhag A.A., Celoria A., Sgrignani J., Štefánik M., Hönig V., Prančlová V., Michalcikova T., Procházka J., Guerrini G., Mehn D., Ciabattini A., Abolhassani H., Jarrossay D., Uguccioni M., Medaglini D., Pan-Hammarström Q., Calzolai L., Fernandez D. , Baldanti F., Franzetti-Pellanda A., Garzoni C., Sedlacek R., Růžek D., Varani L., Cavalli A., Barnes C.O., Robbiani D.F. (2023) Human neutralizing antibodies to cold linear epitopes and subdomain 1 of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein Science Immunology 8 : eade0958.
DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.ade0958
Fořtová A., Hönig V., Salát J., Palus M., Pýchová M., Krbková L., Barkhash A.V., Kříha M.F., Chrdle A., Lipoldová M., Růžek D. (2023) Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) as a biomarker in paediatric and adult tick-borne encephalitis patients Virus Research 324 : 199020.
DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.199020
Kevély Á., Prančlová V., Sláviková M., Haviernik J., Hönig V., Nováková E., Palus M., Růžek D., Klempa B., Koči J. (2023) Fitness of mCherry reporter tick-borne encephalitis virus in tick experimental models Viruses-Basel 14 : 2673.
DOI: 10.3390/v14122673
Lesiczka P.M., Hrazdilová K., Hönig V., Modrý D., Žůrek L. (2023) Distant genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum from Ixodes ricinus attached to people Parasites and Vectors 16 : 80.
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05654-y
Pilipenco A., Forinová M., Mašková H., Hönig V., Palus M., Scott L.N., Víšová I., Vrabcová M., Houska M., Anthi J., Spasovová M., Mustacová J., Štěrba J., Dostálek J., Tung C.P., Yang A.S., Jack R., Dejneka A., Hajdu J., Vaisocherová-Lísalová H. (2023) Negligible risk of surface transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in public transportation Journal of Travel Medicine 30 : taad065.
DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taad065
Fořtová A., Hönig V., Palus M., Salát J., Pýchová M., Krbková L., Vyhlídalová T., Kříha M.F., Chrdle A., Růžek D. (2022) Serum and cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated neurofilament heavy subunit as a marker of neuroaxonal damage in tick-borne encephalitis Journal of General Virology 103 : 1743.
DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001743
Hönig V., Kamiš J., Maršíková A., Matějková T., Stopka P., Mácová A., Růžek D., Kvičerová J. (2022) Orthohantaviruses in reservoir and atypical hosts in the Czech Republic: spillover infection and indication of virus-specific tissue tropism Microbiology Spectrum 10 : 5.
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01306-22
Kovacech B., Fialova L., Filipcik P., Skrabana R., Zilkova M., Paulenka-Ivanovova N., Kovac A., Palova D., Paulikova Rolkova G., Tomkova K., Turic Csokova N., Markova K., Skrabanova M., Sinska K., Basheer N., Majerova P., Hanes J., Parrak V., Prcina M., Cehlar O., Cente M., Piestansky J., Fresser M., Novák M., Sláviková M., Borsova K., Cabanova V., Brejová B., Vinař T., Nosek J., Klempa B., Eyer L., Hönig V., Palus M., Růžek D., Vyhlídalová T., Straková P., Mrazkova B., Zudova D., Koubkova G,, Novosadova V., Procházka J., Sedlacek R., Zilka N., Kontsekova E. (2022) Monoclonal antibodies targeting two immunodominant epitopes on the Spike protein neutralize emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern Ebiomedicine 76 : 103818.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103818
Migné C.V., Hönig V., Bonnet S.I., Palus M., Rakotobe S., Galon C., Heckmann A., Výletová E., Devillers E., Attoui H., Růžek D., Moutailler S. (2022) Evaluation of two artificial infection methods of live ticks as tools for studying interactions between tick-borne viruses and their tick vectors Scientific Reports 12 : 491.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04498-9
Agudelo M., Palus M., Keeffe J., Bianchini F., Svoboda P., Salát J., Peace A., Gazumyan A., Cipolla M., Kapoor T., Guidetti F., Yao K.H., Elsterová J., Teislerová D., Chrdle A., Hönig V., Oliveira T., West A.P., Lee Y.E., Rice C.M., MacDonald M.R., Bjorkman P.J., Růžek D., Robbiani D.F., Nussenzweig M.C. (2021) Broad and potent neutralizing human antibodies to tick-borne flaviviruses protect mice from disease. Journal of Experimental Medicine 218 : e20210236.
DOI: 10.1084/jem.20210236
Beliavskaia A., Hönig V., Erhart J., Vyhlídalová T., Palus M., Černý J., Kozlova I., Růžek D., Palomar A.M., Bell-Sakyi L. (2021) Spiroplasma Isolated From Third-Generation Laboratory Colony Ixodes persulcatus Ticks. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8 : 659786.
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.659786
de Gasparo R., Pedotti M., Simonelli L., Nickl P., Mueckschh F., Cassaniti I., Percivalle E., Lorenzi J.C.C., Mazzola F., Magrì D., Michalcikova T., Haviernik J., Hönig V., Mrazkova B., Polakova N., Fortova A., Tureckova J., Iatsiuk V., Di Girolamoa S., Palus M., Zudova D., Bednar P., Bukova I., Bianchini F., Mehni D., Nencka R., Straková P., Pavlis O., Rozman J., Gioria S., Sammartino J.C., Giardina F., Gaiarsak S., Hammarström Q.P., Barnes C.O., Bjorkmann P.J., Calzola L., Piralla A., Baldanti F., Nussenzweig M.C., Bieniasz P.D., Hatziioannouh T., Procházka J., Sedlacek R., Robbiani D.F., Růžek D., Varani L. (2021) Bispecific antibody neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants, protects mice from disease and prevents escape Nature 593 : 424–428.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03461-y
Forinová M., Pilipenco A., Víšová I., Lynn N.S., Dostálek J., Mašková H., Hönig V., Palus M., Selinger M., Kočová P., Dycka F., Štěrba J., Houska M., Vrabcová M., Horak P., Anthi J., Tung C.P., Yu C.M., Chen C.Y., Huang Y.C., Tsai P.H., Lin S.Y., Hsu H.J., Yang A.S., Dejneka A., Vaisocherová-Lísalová H. (2021) Functionalized terpolymer-brush-based biointerface with improved antifouling properties for ultra-sensitive direct detection of virus in crude clinical samples ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 50 : 60612–60624.
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c16930
Lesiczka P.M., Hrazdilová K., Majerová K., Fonville M., Sprong H., Hönig V., Hofmannová L., Papežík P. , Růžek D., Zurek L., Votýpka J., Modrý D. (2021) The Role of Peridomestic Animals in the Eco-Epidemiology of Anaplasma phagocytophilum Microbial Ecology 82 : 602–612.
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01704-z

Documents to download:
Lesiczka_2021_MicrobEcology (pdf)
Majerová K., Gutiérrez R., Fonville M., Hönig V., Papežík P. , Hofmannová L., Lesiczka P.M., Nachum-Biala Y., Růžek D., Sprong H., Harrus S., Modrý D., Votýpka J. (2021) Hedgehogs and Squirrels as Hosts of Zoonotic Bartonella Species Pathogens 10 : 686.
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060686

Documents to download:
Majerova_2021_Pathogens (pdf)
Modrý D., Hofmannová L., Papežík P. , Majerová K., Votýpka J., Hönig V., Růžek D., Hrazdilová K. (2021) Hepatozoon in Eurasian red squirrels Sciurus vulgaris, its taxonomic identity, and phylogenetic placement Parasitology Research 120 : 2989-2993.
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07229-1

Documents to download:
Modry_2021_ParRes (pdf)
Helmová R., Hönig V., Tykalová H., Palus M., Bell-Sakyi L., Grubhoffer L. (2020) Tick-borne encephalitis virus adaptation in different host environments and existence of quasispecies Viruses 12 : 902.
DOI: 10.3390/v12080902
Majerová K., Hönig V., Houda P., Papežík P. , Fonville M., Sprong H., Rudenko N., Golovchenko M., Černá Bolfíková B., Hulva P., Růžek D., Hofmannová L., Votýpka J., Modrý D. (2020) Hedgehogs, Squirrels, and Blackbirds as Sentinel Hosts for Active Surveillance of Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia burgdorferi Complex in Urban and Rural Environments Microorganisms 8 : 1908.
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121908

Documents to download:
Majerova_2020_Microorganisms (pdf)
Zubriková D. , Wittmann M., Hönig V., Švec P., Víchová B., Essbauer S., Dobler G., Grubhoffer L., Pfister K. (2020) Prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate, Germany Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 11 : 101375.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101375

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CONTACT

Biology Centre CAS
Institute of Parasitology
Branišovská 1160/31
370 05 České Budějovice

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