From Brno to the microscope of the future: Jakub Dokulil blends physics, engineering and community

In Vienna, Jakub Dokulil is developing a cutting-edge microscope that tracks molecular movement in real time. For him, science is both an adventure and a team effort. He is a master’s student at the University of Vienna and a researcher at the Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), where he’s building a MINFLUX microscope. This state-of-the-art device allows scientists to observe processes inside living cells with nanometer and millisecond precision.

In the interview, Jakub shares how a childhood passion for physics led him from school competitions to international science projects. He explains the technical challenges of designing a microscope from scratch and reflects on the differences between studying in Brno and Vienna—praising the academic freedom but missing the close-knit community. Outside the lab, he founded a Czech and Slovak student association and recharges in the Austrian Alps. Science Without Borders features the story of a young physicist who doesn’t just use microscopes—he builds them.

Watch the new series from Radio Prague International and the Czech Centre Vienna in collaboration with Czexpats in Science.