Based on the evaluation of the research groups by the International Advisory Board and consultations with the IOCB Board, the IOCB director Zdeněk Hostomský awarded the Distinguished Chair position to the senior group leaders Michal Hocek, Jan Konvalinka, and Ivo Starý.
This is the highest possible award at IOCB Prague granted in exceptional cases to esteemed scientists who are at the forefront of world science. Their groups must no longer undergo regular evaluations. Until now, the Distinguished Chair position has been held only by Pavel Hobza and Pavel Jungwirth, and the Distinguished Emeritus position by Josef Michl and Ivan Rosenberg. In the past, the position was held also by late Antonín Holý and Detlef Schröder.
IOCB Prague has also several new senior and junior groups after the former Junior groups of Edward Curtis and Milan Vrábel were promoted to Senior status, the research-service group led by Jiří Vondrášek was transferred to Senior status, and Targeted-research groups led by Eva Kudová and Miloslav Polášek were transferred to Junior status.
