Ivo Hais was born on July 5, 1918 in Prague. He studied at the Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, from 1937 to 1939 when the Czech universities were closed. During this involuntary interruption, he attended a two-year course of chemistry and technology at a Prague polytechnic school. He was also employed in the laboratory of clinical pathology headed by Prof. Richard Foit at the Bulovka Hospital. He worked as a chemist in the B. Fragner chemical and pharmaceutical factory at Dolní Měcholupy where he was first in charge of the department producing injections. He then worked under Dr. Zdeněk Mansfeld, expert in pharmaceutical chemistry, and under the biochemist Dr. J. V. Koštíř, a pioneer of chromatographic and photometric methods and later Professor of Biochemistry at the Charles University, who decisively influenced I. Hais’ subsequent research line. Hais also belonged to the research group of K. Wiesner et al. who were the first to prepare penicillin in our country. After the war, Hais continued to study medicine, during which time he worked in the laboratories of the 3rd Department of Medicine (headed by Prof. Jos. Charvát) and of the 1st Department of Surgery (headed by Prof. A. Jirásek).

After taking his degree in 1947 after a short stay in the Department of Biology of the SPOFA Research and Control Institute (VKÚ), where he worked under Dr. E. Knobloch, he was awarded a SPOFA scholarship at the Department of Biochemistry, University College, London, headed by Prof. F. G. Young. He realised the importance of paper chromatography for medicine (under the influence of Dr. C. E. Dent), biochemistry and analytical chemistry. The interest in this technique determined his further scientific and publication activities. After his return home in 1948, he acquainted Czech chemists and biologists with paper chromatography and through this efforts, this method spread rapidly in Czech scientific institutes.

While working in the VKÚ Department of Pharmacology, he also served as honorary lecturer at the Department of Pharmacology, Charles University Faculty of Medicine. He greatly developed his scientific activities and supervised the work of students of the Faculty of Science preparing their theses in biochemistry. He remained faithful to the subjects he then took up, either continuing or resuming work on them in later years. They include the metabolism and side effects of the anticoagulant Pelentan, urinary amino acids under various conditions, the photolysis of riboflavin.

When VKÚ was reorganised into the Research Institute for Pharmacy and Biochemistry (VÚFB) in 1951, I. Hais became head of its Department of Physiological Chemistry. The common denominator of most of his studies was the biochemistry of drugs, mainly the research of their fate in the organism and some of their effects. His group was chiefly concerned with anticoagulants, chloramphenicol, sulphonamides and drugs affecting the nervous system. In the study of these problems, he used chromatographic and radioisotope methods. In collaboration with the staff of the Department of Sports Medicine, Charles University Faculty of General Medicine, he demonstrated the presence of urocanic acid in sweat, thus paving the way for further investigation of this acid and for the verification of A. Ženíček’s hypothesis of its sunscreen effect in the epidermis.

He continued the study of urocanic acid when he became Head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Charles University Faculty of Medicine at Hradec Králové (1961), and summed up most of his results in his Docent’s Thesis (1965). His research subjects were then extended to the study of the wax of the Harderian gland, to the study of the effect of various factors, such as ionising radiation, on the fate of drugs and the activity of enzymes and also to the establishment of changes in urinary excretion of indolylacryloylglycine under different conditions. During his tenure of the Fellowship of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1962, he participated in the study of the mitochondrial cholesterol degradation in N. B. Myant’s MRC laboratory in London.

He refused to accept Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and the “normalization” that followed. He was therefore expelled from the Medical Faculty. Since 1970 he was allowed to work at the new Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové as a research worker of the Department of Biochemical Sciences but not allowed to teach. After the political changes in 1989 was rehabilitated and appointed University Professor (1990).

Research group of Prof. Hais was concerned with xenobiochemical research and the application of chromatographic methods. During last years, as a pensioner, he worked at the Biochemical Department as a consultant of his younger collaborators.

In addition to more than 150 original scientific works, Ivo Hais wrote or edited a number of reviews, chapters of textbooks and chromatography monographs. Among the latter, “Paper Chromatography” edited by I. Hais and K. Macek, appeared in 9 editions (in Czech, German, Russian, Hungarian, Rumanian and English). This monograph became one of the chief reference book of biochemistry. His membership of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Chromatography (since 1959) was connected with his participation in various bibliographic projects on chromatography and in international symposia. He was one of the founders of the Czechoslovak Biochemical Society and for several periods of office served in its Committee. He has been active in the Chromatography Section of the Czechoslovak Chemical Society.

Prof. Hais generously and patiently passed on his expert knowledge and experience to all who were interested. What was more, Prof. Hais’ personality combined a remarkable stock of knowledge in biological and chemical disciplines with linguistic talents (he spoke several languages fluently) and with a broad outlook in culture and social sciences. In both the Research Institute for Pharmacy and Biochemistry and the Faculty of Pharmacy, he promoted the foundation of amateur visual arts groups. He displayed specimens of his paintings, drawings, graphic art and sculptures in a one-man retrospective exhibitions. His efforts in literary sphere were less known. He was talented swimmer taking part in swimming competitions in his youth. He favoured for years skiing and hiking, enjoying the pleasure of movement, keeping fit and setting an example for his colleagues and students. He was biking daily to the Faculty up to his last days.

The sudden and unexpected death of Prof. Hais on the 25th of October 1996 made his colleagues and friends truly sad.

List of Publication
(1988—1996)

Original papers

1988

Vančurová I., Mělka M., Křepelka J., Nobilis M., Kvasničková E., Beneš M., Hais I. M., Skládaná M., Kejhová I., Pokorná S., Reichlová R.: N-oxidy derivátů 5-(dialkoamino)alkoxy-7-oxo-7H-benzo[c]fluorenu a způsob jejich výroby. Autorské osvědčení vynálezu 239413, Praha 1988, str. 1—3

1989

Dršata J., Přibová M., Hais I. M.: Inhibice dekarboxylasy aromatických aminokyselin protizánětlivými látkami flobufenem a kyselinou 2,4-difluorbifenyl-4-yloctovou. Českoslov. Farm. 38, 1989, 407—410

1990

Hais I. M., Nobilis M., Kvasničková E.: Evaluation of photometric high-performance liquid chromatographic data for the determination of benflurone metabolites in biological materials with and without concomitant use of standard. J. Chromatogr. 500, 1990, 643—653

Nobilis M., Vančurová I., Křepelka J., Mělka M., Lyčka A., Jirman J., Kvasničková E., Hais I. M., Miko M.: Polohové izomery x-hydroxy-5-(dimethylmanoethoxy)-7-oxo-7H-benzo[c]fluorenu. Autorské osvědčení vynálezu 267519, Praha 1990, str. 1—3

1991

Nobilis M., Kvasničková E., Šroler A., Hais I. M.: Elimination of benflurone and its metabolites in the faeces and urine of rats. Drug Metab. Drug Interact. 9, 1991, 220—226

Kvasničková E., Hais I. M., Nobilis M.: Relationship between NADH and NADPH as cosubstrates of N-oxidation of the cytostatic benflurone by FMO. In: Progress in Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, ed. Hlavica P., Vol. 8, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1991, p. 137—146

Dršata J., Hais I. M., Maloň P.: Interaction of Z-4,4-bis(4-ethylphenyl)-2,3-dibromo-2-butenoic acid with aminotransferases: Changes in absorption and circular dichroism spectra. Drug Metab. Drug Interact. 9 (1991) 255—268

1992

Drandarov K., Kvasničková E., Hais I. M.: Biotransformation of the sympathomimetic tetraminol in vitro. Arch. Pharm. 323, 1992, 589—561

1993

Drandarov K., Hais I. M.: Thin-layer chromatography of the positional isomers of some 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-naphtol and 3-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-naphtol derivatives. J. Chromatogr. 628, 1993, 103

Marklová E., Klein I., Hais I. M.: Urinary excretion of indolylacryloylglycine, indolylacetic and 5-hydroxyindolylacetic acids in burn patients. Sbor. Vědec. Prací LF UK Hradec Králové 36, 1993, č. 4—5, str. 299—303

1994

Kvasničková E., Hais I. M.: Flavinové monooxygenázy, mechanismus jejich účinku a substrátová specifita. Česká a Slovenská Farm. 53, 1994, 315—319

Kvasničková E., Nobilis M., Šroler A., Wsól V., Hais I.M.: In vitro and in vivo biotransformation ot two potential cytostatic drugs. In: In vitro and Ex vivo Test Systems to Rationalize Drug Design and Delivery, Crommelin D., Couvreur P., Duchéne D. (eds.), Edition de Santé, Paris, 1994, pp. 331—335

Kvasničková E., Wsól V., Szotáková B., Trejtnar F., Hais I. M.: Enzymic and chromatographic characterization of the in vitro and in vivo metabolites of the potential cytostaic oracine, Eur. J. Pharm. Sci. 2, 1994, 175

Hais I. M.: Český farmaceutický výzkum v době II. světové války a po ní. Vzpomínky pozorovatele. Příspěvky k historii československého chemického průmyslu 22, 1994, 64—97

1995

Kvasničková E., Riegrová A., Hais I. M.: Inhibition of microsomal monooxygenases by the enzyme inductor flumecinol. Folia Pharm. Univ. Carol. 20, 1995,

1996

Kvasničková E., Šroler A., Nobilis M., Wsól V., Machala M., Vortel V., Brejcha A., Hais I. M.: Activities of some biotransformation enzymes in the course of experimental pancreatitis. Chem. Listy 90, 1996, 743—744

Wsól V., Kvasničková E., Szotáková B., Hais I. M.: High-performance liquid chromatograhphic assay for the separation and characterization of metabolites of the potential cytostatic drug oracine. J. Chromatogr. 681, 1996, 169—175

Wsól V., Fell A. F., Kvasničková E., Hais I. M.: Separation of the stereoisomers of the main metabolite of a non-steroidal anitinflammatory drug flobufen by chiral HPLC. J. Chromatogr. 1996 (in press)

Short Communication and Contribution to Proceedings

1988

Kvasničková E., Popelková I., Hais I. M.: Interaction between haemoprotein-P-450 dependent monooxygenases and the cytostatic benflurone. 14th International Congress of Biochemistry, Prague 1988, Abstracts p. 486

Nobilis M., Hais I. M., Kvasničková E., Koruna I., Repka M., Lyčka A., Jirman J.: Physicochemical and enzymic approaches in the study of biotransformation of drugs. 14th International Congress of Biochemistry, Prague 1988, Abstracts p. 598

Šroler A., Kvasničková E., Hais I. M.: Activity of MFO system in male rats with experimental induced acute and protracted pancreatic lesion. 14th International Congress of Biochemistry, Prague 1988, Abstracts p. 599

Hais I. M., Kvasničková E., Nobilis M., Šroler A., Lyčka A., Jirman J.: Structure—retention relationships in characterization of drug metabolites. Benflurone and some other examples. 10th Intern. Sympos. Biomed. Applications of Chromatogr. and Electrophoresis, Žinkovy, 26.—29. 6. 1988, Abstracts p. A-13

Dršata J., Hais I. M.: The inhibition of aminotransferases by Z-2,3-dibromo-4,4-bis(4-ethylphenyl)-2-butenoic acid. Time course and changes in absorption spectra of enzymes. 14th International Congress of Biochemistry, Prague 1988, Abstracts p. 132

Veselá J., Dršata J., Hais I. M.: The influence of the cytostatic benflurone on the activity of ornithine decarboxylase of the rat liver regenerating after partial hepatectoctomy. 14th International Congress of Biochemistry, Prague 1988, p. 71

1989

Kvasničková E., Šroler A., Nobilis M., Hais I. M.: Biotransformace Hyrkanosidu in vitro. Konference Možnosti terapeutického a hospodářského využití čičorky pestré (Coronilla varia L.) v Československu, Hradec Králové 22. 6. 1989, Abstrakta str. 22

Kvasničková E., Riegrová A., Hais I. M.: Kinetics of the inhibition of microsomal monooxygenases by the enzyme inductor flumecinol. 3rd European Symposium of Foreign Compounds Metabolism, London 1989, Abstracts p. 92.

Kvasničková E., Hais I. M., Nobilis M.: Relationship between NADH and NADPH as cosubstrates of the N-oxidation of the cytostatic benflurone catalyzed by FMO. 4th International Symposium on the Biological Oxidation of Nitrogen in Organic Molecules, Munich 1989, Abstracts p. 46

Veselá J., Dršata J., Hais I. M.: Ornithindekarboxylasa jako marker nástupu proliferace po parciální hepatektomii u potkana. Sborník XIX. Máj. Hepatol. Dnů — Celoštát. Zjazd Českoslov. Hepatol. Spol. Nový Smokovec 1989, 17.—19. 5.

1990

Kvasničková E., Hais I. M., Nobilis M.: Vztah mezi NADH a NADPH při oxidaci terciárního aminu flavinovými monooxygenasami (FMO). XVI. Xenobiochemické symposium, Domažlice 1990, Abstrakta str. 27

Šroler A., Štyndl M., Nobilis M., Skopec M., Sedlmayer P., Pakostová A., Kvasničková E., Hais I. M.: Vliv experimantální pankreatitidy na aktivitu enzymů mikrosomální frakce a hepatocytů pokusných zvířat. XVI. Xenobiochemické symposium, Domažlice 1990, Abstrakta str. 6

Kvasničková E., Hais I. M., Nobilis M., Peřina M., Sova J.: N-oxidace dvou strukturně analogických terciárních aminů flavinovými monooxygenasami. XII. Celostátní biochemický sjezd, Bratislava 1990, Abstrakta str. F-34

1991

Nobilis M., Kvasničková E., Šroler A., Müllerová M., Hais I. M.: Identifikace metabolitů antidepresiva moxyfetinu HPLC analýzou a mnohokanálovou UV detekcí. XVII. Xenobiochemické symposium, Hradec Králové 1991, Abstrakta str. 20

Dršata J., Hais I. M., Maloň P.: Interakce aminotransferas s kyselinou Z-4,4-bis(4-ethylfenyl)-2,3-dibrom-2-butenovou: Změny UV-VIS a CD-spekter. XVII. Xenobiochemické symposium, Hradec Králové 1991, Abstrakta str. 27

Kvasničková E., Nobilis M., Šroler A., Müllerová M., Štyndl M., Hais I. M.: Biotransformace potenciálního antidepresiva moxyfetinu in vitro. XVII. Xenobiochemické symposium, Hradec Králové 1991, Abstrakta str. 19

1992

Šroler A., Wsól V., Kvasničková E., Hais I. M.: In vitro a in vivo biotransformace látky VÚFB 16956 — potenciálního cytostatika. XIII. Celostátní biochemické dny, České Budějovice 1992, Abstrakta str. 26

1993

Kvasničková E., Nobilis M., Šroler A., Wsól V., Hais I. M.: In vitro and in vivo biotransformation of two potential cytostatic drugs. European Symposium on In Vitro and Ex Vivo Test Systems to Rationalize Drug Design and Delivery, Paris 1993, Abstracts p. 28

Kvasničková E., Hais I. M.: Flavinové monoxygenasy — substrátová specifita a mechanismus jejich katalysy. 14. Biochemický sjezd, Brno 1993, Abstrakta str. 114

Kvasničková E., Hais I. M., Nobilis M.: NADH preference při N-oxidaci terciárního aminu flavinovými monooxygenasami. 14. Biochemický sjezd, Brno 1993, Abstrakta str. 117

1994

Kvasničková E., Wsól V., Szotáková B., Trejtnar F., Hais I. M.: Enzymic and chromatographic characterization of the in vitro and in vivo metabolites of the potential cytostatic oracine. 2nd European Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Berlin 1994, Abstracts p. 175

Wsól V., Kvasničková E., Šroler A., Szotáková B., Hais I. M.: Kvantitativní zastoupení dvou hlavních metabolitů potenciálního cytostatika oracinu u různých druhů laboratorních zvířat. XVIII. Xenobiochemické symposium, Brno 1994, Abstrakta str. 43

Kvasničková E., Buchta V., Wsól V., Nobilis M., Šroler A., Szotáková B., Hais I. M.: Mikroorganismy — model pro studium metabolismu léčiv. XVIII. Xenobiochemické symposium, Brno 1994, Abstrakta str. 23

1995

Kvasničková E., Szotáková B., Wsól V., Skálová L., Trejtnar F., Kuchař M., Hais I. M.: Metabolic transformation of the potential non-steroid antiinflammatory drug flobufene, their localization and interspecies comparison. European Conference on Specificity and Variability in Drug Metabolism, Besanson 1995. Abstracts p. 43

Wsól V., Clark B. J., Kvasničková E., Hais I. M.: The separation of optically active metabolites of potential cytostatic drugs using HPLC. European Conference on Specificity and Variability in Drug Metabolism, Besanson 1995, Abstract p. 48

Wsól V., Kvasničková E., Szotáková B., Hais I. M.: High performance liquid chromatographic assay for the separation and characterization of metabolites of the potential cytostatic drug oracine. 13th International Symposium on Biomedical Application of Chromatography and Electrophoresis, Prague, Czech Republic, 1995, p. P59

Kvasničková E., Wsól V., Szotáková B., Skálová L., Hais I. M.: Metabolické studie potenciálního cytostatika oracinu v podmínkách in vitro a in vivo. XIV. Biochemické dny, Bratislava 1995, Abstrakta str. 136

1996

Wsól V., Kvasničková E., Hais I. M., Fell A. F.: Enantiomeric resolution of a novel NSAID, flobufen, and its principal metabolite by HPLC. 8th International Symposium on Chiral Discrimination, Edinburgh 1996, Abstracts p. 68

Kvasničková E., Šroler A., Nobilis M., Wsól V., Machala M., Vortel V., Brejcha A., Hais I. M.: Activities of some biotransformation enzymes in the course of experimental pancreatitis. XV. Biochemický sjezd, Olomouc 1996, Sborník příspěvků str. 743—744

Books

1991

Devínsky F., Hais I. M., Kvasničková E. (eds.): Drug Metabolism and Drug Interactions, Freund Publishing House (U. K.) Ltd., London, England, 1991, 98 pp.

J. Dršata, E. Kvasničková