Research Trainee Spotlight: Hana Horackova, PharmD, PhD
From the moment she first set foot in a laboratory, Dr. Hana Horackova, PharmD, PhD, knew what she wanted to do with her future.
Growing up in Prague, Czech Republic, Dr. Horackova was a first-generation college student and attended the historic Charles University, founded in 1348. She studied pharmacology and obtained her PharmD degree, for which she completed a thesis that involved biochemical research. “This was my first experience in a laboratory environment, and to my – and everyone else's – surprise, I realized I really enjoyed it,” Dr. Horackova says. “It was new and exciting, so I decided to pursue a PhD. This only reinforced my passion for science.”
After earning her PhD, Dr. Horackova became a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of CHLA’s Alexandre Bonnin, PhD, in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. “My research focuses on developmental neuroscience, specifically how prenatal inflammation (such as influenza-like infections) alters the fetal blood-brain barrier, as well as oligodendrogenesis and myelin development, which is the protective layer surrounding nerve fibers,” she explains. She is currently developing an in vitro 3D blood-brain barrier model for her work.
“My projects emphasize the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) theory, which connects early developmental insults with an increased risk of disease throughout an individual's lifespan,” Dr. Horackova says. “I aim to understand and describe the cellular and molecular mechanisms linking prenatal inflammation to a higher risk of neurodevelopmental alterations.” Dr. Horackova hopes to run her own lab and establish her own research group one day, allowing her to further develop her ideas and mentor future researchers.
Outside of work, Dr. Horackova enjoys backpacking, running, swimming, scuba diving, hiking, listening to music, and spending time with loved ones.
