I do not recall how nature bewitched me. Ever since I remember, I have always desired to find, observe, and explore all the living creatures around me. My passion greatly influenced my grammar school studies, and later I decided to study biology at Charles University. The following years broadened my horizons, but I also found it very hard to specialize - choosing only one of many intriguing research topics seemed nearly impossible. Then I learned about the Fish Evolution Research Group. Diverse approaches to the study of fish vision attracted me instantly. Soon I discovered a whole new world underwater with its own rules, characteristics, wonders, mysteries, and endless opportunities for further research.

My bachelor's thesis focused on cone mosaic in ray-finned fishes in general. In my master's project, I studied the effect of polyploidization on vision in the common barbel (Barbus barbus). I detected 14 opsin genes in the genome of this species, analysed their sequences, localised their expression in photoreceptors, and revealed changes in their expression over development.

Currently, I am working on my Ph.D. project dedicated to the visual adaptations of enigmatic mesopelagic fishes. I had a unique opportunity to participate in scientific cruises where I sampled various fish species. My main goal is to analyse opsin repertoire of all sampled species. I will further explore species with multiple rhodopsin genes and study their potential function in colour vision.