NEWS

An international team of scientists, including Vladimír Ulman from IT4Innovations, has presented the MIFA recommendations (Metadata, Incentives, Formats, Accessibility). These aim to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in bioimage analysis by making large, well-annotated datasets more accessible, allowing AI to learn more effectively and analyse microscopic images of cells, molecules, and tissues faster and more accurately.

The results of the latest call for European AI Factories have been announced in Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic is among the successful applicants.  The national consortium of six partners, led by VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, will establish the Czech AI Factory (CZAI). The initiative will include the acquisition of a powerful new AI supercomputer and the launch of a comprehensive portfolio of AI services provided by the consortium’s experts. Both will serve small and medium-sized enterprises, industry, and institutions from the public and research sectors.

At the EuroHPC User Days 2025 conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, participants explored the latest opportunities for accessing the supercomputers of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU). The programme included updates on 13 existing AI Factories and forthcoming supercomputers optimised for artificial intelligence. The conference’s plenary session also featured recommendations on how to submit a successful application for computational resources under EuroHPC JU calls.

Scientists from Czech and Japanese institutions have discovered a way to make a material that converts heat into electricity work much more efficiently. Their breakthrough focuses on thin layers of scandium nitride (ScN), sputtered on magnesium oxide (MgO) substrates. This material is especially valuable at high operating temperatures – where the new method delivers up to two-and-a-half times higher efficiency than previously known, almost defect-free versions. The basic core lies in twin domains, which are special structures that form in the material during preparation.

Discover the VLQ Quantum Computer in this special edition of the IT4Innovations newsletter.
Read the newsletter. →

Nearly 1,400 visitors attended IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center on Friday, 26 September 2025. As part of the 10th anniversary of Researchers’ Night at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, attendees had the opportunity to see the first Czech quantum computer, VLQ, for the first time, explore the supercomputers Karolina and Barbora, visit more than a dozen interactive stations, and attend lectures and workshops led by the centre’s experts. Almost 50 staff members and scientists from IT4Innovations were involved in preparing the event – the result was record attendance and an evening full of scientific adventure.

Ostrava, 23 September 2025 – Today, a new quantum computer named VLQ was officially inaugurated at IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center in the Czech Republic, in the presence of prominent Czech and European representatives. It is the second quantum computer launched in Europe under EuroHPC JU. This important milestone marks another step towards building a cutting-edge European quantum computing infrastructure and supporting research and innovation across the continent. The acquisition and operation of VLQ is jointly managed by the pan-European LUMI-Q consortium, which brings together thirteen partners from eight countries.

Newsletter 5/2025

Ostrava, 8 September 2025  – Researchers from IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava have launched a three-year research project to develop a new adaptive quantum error correction system for solving optimisation problems. The project leverages reinforcement learning, one of the most advanced methods in artificial intelligence, enabling quantum computers to independently design optimal quantum correction codes tailored to specific tasks and current noise conditions. The research, funded by the Moravian-Silesian Region's Vouchers for Universities programme, received a grant of nearly CZK 4.7 million.

IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center has launched a new central storage system called ARCHIVE, which is designed for the long-term, secure archiving of scientific data. With a capacity of over 10 petabytes (PB) and built on Nodeum and Quantum Scalar i6 technologies, ARCHIVE complements the centre’s existing infrastructure.

Norovirus is one of the most common causes of acute gastroenteritis worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year. This highly contagious virus spreads rapidly, particularly in places with high concentrations of people – such as schools, hospitals, or public places. It is a major cause of food- and waterborne illnesses and has therefore become the focus of an international team of scientists from Portugal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the Czech Republic.

An international team of scientists, including Silvie Illésová from IT4Innovations, has introduced a new quantum algorithm – SA-OO-VQE – in the prestigious Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation. The algorithm significantly facilitates the simulation of molecules involving multiple electronic states simultaneously. Only part of the algorithm is executed on quantum processors, while the remaining part runs on classical computers. Some of the computations were carried out on IT4Innovations’ supercomputers.

We are pleased to announce that submissions for talks and posters are now open for the 9th IT4Innovations Users' Conference, taking place on 30–31 October 2025 at IT4Innovations in Ostrava.

Are you interested in high-performance computing and want to get a head start on technologies that are changing science and industry? The pan-European Master's programme EUMaster4HPC offers a unique opportunity to study at two leading European universities and gain the knowledge and skills that will open the door to a career in supercomputing.

Ostrava-based researchers and doctors are developing a tool that could shorten colon cancer surgeries and reduce the risk of complications for patients. Using artificial intelligence and a supercomputer, a 3D model of blood vessels is being created, allowing doctors to see the precise location of arteries and veins in the abdominal cavity before surgery. The model's development is a joint effort between experts from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics (FEECS), the National Supercomputing Center IT4Innovations at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava and the University Hospital Ostrava, as part of the LERCO project.

Newsletter 4/2025

Barcelona, 2 July 2025 — The  EuroHPC Virtual Training Academy (EVITA) project officially launched with a two-day kick-off meeting held on July 1–2, 2025, at the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC). The event marked the first in-person gathering of all consortium members, setting the stage for collaborative efforts to develop a coordinated, high-quality training ecosystem in High-Performance Computing across Europe.

From 10 to 13 June, Hamburg, Germany, became the capital of supercomputing power. The 40th anniversary edition of the ISC High Performance conference, Europe's leading event in the field of high-performance computing (HPC), attracted 3,585 attendees from 54 countries. The event confirmed that Europe has powerful machines and a vision — and Czech IT4Innovations was there.

On May 21–22, 2025, Brno hosted the international conference Research Data Day & EOSC National Tripartite Event, bringing together leading figures of European research, data science experts, representatives of research infrastructures, and science policy makers. The two-day programme—featuring lectures, panel discussions, expert workshops, and networking opportunities—attracted over 200 participants from 40 institutions across the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Finland, and other European countries, both in person and online.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) represent a significant advance in catalysis. With their unique properties, such as the maximize atomic utilisation, improved selectivity, and ease of catalyst separation, they promise to make chemical processes more efficient and sustainable. However, their practical application presents a significant challenge: stabilising individual atoms on a suitable support to ensure the material retains high catalytic activity under reaction conditions.