We are establishing cooperation with partners – an open lecture by Professor Eric Bortz at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

From February 17 to 21, 2025, within the framework of the joint project «Using fast nanopore sequencing (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in the context of unified health in Ukraine», Dr. Eric BORTZ, Ph. D., associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Alaska Anchorage (USA), visited the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, who has been cooperating with scientists in Ukraine since 2016. His research team is engaged in sequencing the genomes of pathogens, in particular tuberculosis, African swine fever, respiratory viruses and animal pathogens, to understand the reservoirs, risk of infection and transmission.

In accordance with the program of the visit, on February 19, Dr. Eric BORTZ gave a guest lecture for students of the 5th-6th year of study at the faculty of veterinary medicine on the topic «Genomic research in the study of transmission of bacterial and viral pathogens in Alaskan marine mammals».

Instructors, scientists and students of other courses were also invited to the lecture.

Although the lecture was delivered in English without an interpreter, its content was accessible, interesting and caused a lively discussion of the audience.

Professor E. BORTZ also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the structure of the faculty of veterinary medicine and visit a number of its departments. Associate professor Oleksiy MELNYK conducted a fascinating tour of the museum of anatomy. Professor, head of the department of veterinary surgery named after academician I. O. Povazhenko Mykola MALYUK presented updated laboratories, in particular the educational and scientific Center «Animal blood bank», and surgical halls of the department. Associate professor Valeriy MAZUR presented the laboratory «Center for animal reproductology with a sperm and embryo bank».

After the tour and acquaintance with the faculty of veterinary medicine, there was a discussion of prospects for further cooperation and opportunities for submitting new joint scientific projects with the dean of the faculty Mykola TSVILIKHOVSKYI and the director of the Research Institute of animal health, Professor Serhiy HOLOPURA.

Mykola TSVILIKHOVSKYI,
dean of the faculty of veterinary medicine

Olena ZHURENKO,
head of the department of
vertebrate physiology and pharmacology

Vadym ISHCHENKO,
associate professor of the department of
vertebrate physiology and pharmacology