Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic

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Dr. Stepanka Kuckova received the doctoral degree in 2006. She has experiences in application of analytical chemistry and biochemistry in the field of cultural heritage. She developed a completely new technique for unambiguous and fast identification of proteinaceous binders in colour layers of artworks using peptide mass mapping. This method is unique in comparison with techniques which are used up to now and has big chance to become popular in verification of the authenticity of the historical paintings, because it enables unambiguous and very fast identification of proteinaceous binders with extremely low consumption of samples. The method can serve also for determination of proteinaceous additives used in historical mortars. The publication of this method in Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry was highlighted in Analytical Chemistry.

Her scientific activities can be summarized in 3 book-chapters and more than 30 papers in peer-reviewed international journals and conference proceedings. She presented over 40 oral contributions and posters at scientific conferences till now.

Over the past five years she gained valuable skills in research projects and international collaborations dealing with organic analyses of work of arts. She was the Principal Investigator of “Characterisation and identification of proteinaceous binders in artworks by MALDI-TOF MS” the grant project no. 203/07/P360 (Czech Science Foundation) and she collaborated in Archlab Access grant within CHARISMA international project funded by the European Community (FP7 programme) and “Investigacion tecnico-cientifica de las pinturas de Alonso Cano en el Museo Nacional del Prado” in Spain.

She is working at the Institute of Chemical Technology and Charles University where she has teaching undergraduate courses of analytical chemistry, biochemistry and application of chemical methods, seminars of biochemistry and analytical chemistry, laboratory work courses of analytical chemistry, biochemistry and instrumental analytical techniques. She has supervised 15 bachelors, 6 diploma theses and 3 PhD theses as supervisor specialist.

Since 2001 she is member of the Czech Chemical Society and since 2010 member of MaSC group.

Her research interests are:

1. Identification of proteinaceous binders in paintings and historical mortars (MALDI-TOF MS, LC-MS/MS);
2. Identification of natural organic dyes, pigments and resinous components in artworks (MALDI-TOF MS, FTIR, GC-MS);
3. Characterization of ageing processes and influences of inorganic composition on organic compounds contained in artworks;
4. Identification of proteins in hard tissues (teeth, bones, aortic valves calcifications).