research

VITAL – Virtual Innovation and Training for Advancing Faculty Leaders, Digital Competencies, and Research Excellence is an international strategic capacity-building initiative funded by a grant from the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange programme.

Within the project, TMA participates as a partner organization, and its implementation and coordination on behalf of the Academy are facilitated by the Faculty Development Department and the Research and PhD Department, ensuring strong institutional engagement.

The project is coordinated by the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain. VITAL is implemented by an international consortium bringing together partner universities from Spain (University of Santiago de Compostela), Italy (INFOR Elea Smart Business Academy), Ukraine (Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine - IFBG, Ternopil National Medical University, Ukraine - TNMU), and Georgia (Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy - TMA, Business and Technology University - BTU).

The project aims to mentor and empower early-career and junior faculty members at higher education institutions in Georgia and Ukraine in the following areas:

• Academic leadership
• Digital pedagogy
• Research competencies

The implementation of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project Digi-CHange – Digital Transformation and Curriculum Development for Healthcare Teams has commenced. The project aims to modernize medical and nursing education through the integration of digital health, artificial intelligence, and interdisciplinary collaboration into the teaching and learning process. Digi-CHange officially started in October 2025. The project consortium brings together higher education institutions and partner organizations from EU Member States (Ireland, Italy, Latvia) and partner countries (Georgia and Ukraine).

An important initial milestone in the project’s implementation was the first international meeting of the Digi-CHange consortium, held on January 8–9, 2026, and hosted by Riga Technical University. During the meeting, teams from the consortium member organizations discussed key project-related issues and jointly developed an action plan. This marked the project’s transition from the preparatory phase to coordinated implementation and confirmed the consortium’s shared vision for the educational reform envisaged by Digi-CHange.

A key message that emerged from the meeting was that digital transformation in healthcare is not limited to the integration of technologies alone. It aims to support the development of the practical, analytical, and collaborative skills and competencies required for future doctors and nurses to work effectively in digital clinical environments. Digi-CHange responds directly to this need by integrating digital health competencies across all levels of education. The project focuses on modernizing medical and nursing curricula so that they better reflect real-world clinical practice, where digital tools, data, and artificial intelligence are playing an increasingly important role in clinical decision-making. Through a team-based approach, Digi-CHange ensures the preparation of doctors and nurses for effective collaboration while upholding the principles of ethical and patient-centered care.

Key project activities include the integration of digital elements, artificial intelligence, and simulations into education and training, the establishment of Digi-CHange Labs, and the development of assessment tools for digital health competencies. In parallel, the project will implement a digital health awareness-raising campaign. By supporting higher education institutions in Georgia and Ukraine, Digi-CHange contributes to strengthening healthcare systems, developing professional competencies, and aligning education with European and global digital health priorities.

The three-year Digi-CHange project is funded under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programmed and will deliver sustainable results with impact extending beyond the project’s lifetime.

Medicine: Innovation and Challenges 2025 (MEDIC 2025)

On 25–27 November, Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA) hosted the international scientific conference “Medicine: Innovation and Challenges 2025 (MEDIC 2025)”. The three-day conference was held in a hybrid format. The event was accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®).

The conference aimed to highlight key topics shaping the development of the modern medical doctor — the importance of innovative educational approaches and research; the role of society in research processes; and the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating innovative technologies and artificial intelligence into healthcare and medical education.

The event featured distinguished speakers, including:

• Professor Josette Denekens — University of Antwerp; Honorary Professor at Tbilisi Medical Academy and Coordinator of Innovation in Medical Education Programs;
• Professor Janusz Janczukowicz — Medical University of Lodz; Executive Committee Member of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE);
• ProfessorIan Cree — Honorary Professor of Pathology at University College London; former Head of the WHO Classification of Tumours Programme; Professor at Tbilisi Medical Academy;
• Professor Andreas Kaufmann — Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin;
• Professor Thomas Schrader — Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences and Professor at Tbilisi Medical Academy;
• Professor Melita Kovačević — University of Zagreb; former Chair of the EUA Council for Doctoral Education;
• Professor Mladen Krajacic — Professor at Tbilisi Medical Academy;
• Michel Burbage — Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati;
• Professor Ekaterine Kldiashvili — Vice-Rector for Research, Tbilisi Medical Academy;
• Kakha Bregvadze — Co-head of the one step educational programmes in medicine, Tbilisi Medical Academy;
• Saba Iordanishvili — Assistant and Coordinator of Student Research Activities, Tbilisi Medical Academy.

TMA students and alumni, as well as doctoral and master’s students from partner universities, actively participated in the three-day conference, delivering presentations and engaging in interactive workshops.

Within the framework of the international conference, Professor Andreas Kaufmann of Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of Tbilisi Medical Academy.

On July 1–2, 2025, Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA) and Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) jointly hosted an international workshop titled “Integration of Molecular Pathology into Education and Modern Healthcare: Shaping the Future.”
The event brought together members of the partner universities research teams, invited Georgian and European experts — Professors Maria Pia Foschini, Luca Morandi, and Christian Mawrin.
The central focus of the workshop was the discussion of cutting-edge approaches in molecular diagnostics, including the practical implementation of personalized treatment mechanisms based on genomic markers. The speakers shared clinical and scientific insights, emphasizing the critical importance of integrating molecular pathology into medical education and health systems.
The event was held within the framework of a project funded by the Competitive Innovation Fund "Development of a molecular pathology curriculum and implementation in Georgian universities in order to improve higher medical education“. The project aims to integrate molecular pathology into the medical curriculum, thereby contributing to the modernization of medical education and providing a foundation for addressing current clinical challenges in healthcare practice.

On June 18 and 19, Professor Rebecca Singer from the University of Illinois Chicago (USA) visited Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA). She conducted two outstanding workshops focused on effective scientific communication.
On June 18, TMA faculty members engaged in a dynamic discussion moderated by Professor Singer on how to translate research findings into real-world practice and communicate them effectively to the public. The workshop titled “Beyond the Lab: Translating Health Research for Public Impact” was intensive, interactive, and centered around practical experience.
On June 19, Professor Singer led an interactive workshop for students titled “From Medical Jargon to Meaningful Communication: How to Bridge the Gap Between Medical Knowledge and Human Understanding.” Participants worked in small groups, explored the importance of communicating medical and scientific information to a broader audience, and completed several hands-on tasks.

On June 7, 2025, Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy hosted the international conference “Achieving and Sustaining High Standards of Patient Safety Through Continuous Quality Improvement.”
The conference brought together representatives from leading Georgian hospitals and academic institutions, as well as invited experts from the United States.
Key topics discussed at the conference included:
- Strengthening a culture of safety in clinical practice
- Incident analysis and integration of learning systems
- Data-driven approaches to quality management
- Enhancing patient-centered care based on experience
- Practical insights into achieving international accreditation.
The event was officially accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME).

From June 2–6, 2025  X, students from Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy participated in the international scientific student conference — ISCOMS 2025, traditionally held at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands.
Presentations were done by:
- Nino Gagua — Highlighting challenges and bringing change in rural healthcare through visual storytelling
- Lizi Mokvanidze — Comparative validation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol estimation formulas in a diverse population
- Ana Shekiladze — Rapid detection of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using golden nanoparticles.
ISCOMS is one of the largest and most prestigious student scientific congresses in (bio)medicine. It promotes the development of scientific communication skills and encourages the formation and advancement of innovative research ideas.

The XIV National Congress of Asthma and Clinical Immunology was held under the organization of the Georgian Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (GAACI) and with the support of Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA).

Professor Lali Mekokishvili, the dean of school of medicine at TMA,, who is also a member of the Executive and Scientific Council of GAACI, chaired two dermatology sessions. Aside from that, reports on topical issues of dermatovenereology were presented by Irma Buchukuri, Associate Professor of TMA, and Kakha Bregvadze, Co-head of One-step Educational Programmes.

Within the framework of the three-day congress, a student session was also held at Tbilisi State Medical University, where TMA’s students presented original research: Nino Chkhutishvili, Lela Koriauli, Teona Shavadze, and Devika Das Thiruthara Haridas.

The congress was attended by more than 500 delegates from 15 countries worldwide. Reports were presented by the President of the World Allergy Organization, the Vice President of the American College of Allergy, and other international scientists.

On 30 May 2024, an information session organized by the Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA) Grant Office “Horizon Europe” was held. The aim of the event was to provide the TMA’s academic community with detailed information on funding opportunities available under the 2025 WIDERA Work Programme (Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area) and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

Speakers were:

• Nino Rodonaia – National Contact Point for WIDERA
• Teona Maisuradze – National Contact Point for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

The event was held with the support of the Horizon Europe National Office of Georgia and was conducted in an interactive format, allowing participants to ask practical questions and discuss potential ideas for participation in upcoming Horizon Europe calls.

Every year on April 25, the world celebrates International DNA Day, honoring the discovery of the molecule that holds the genetic code of all living beings.

At our recent public lecture, "DNA: Evidence and Specificities in Modern Medicine," we explored some of the most fascinating and thought-provoking questions about genetics and healthcare:

What insights does our DNA reveal about who we are?
Can a single gene determine which treatment will be most effective for an individual?
What is personalized medicine — and how is it reshaping the future of healthcare?

During the session, we discussed how advances in genomics are revolutionizing diagnostics, treatment decisions, and patient care, moving toward a future where medicine is tailored to each person’s unique genetic profile.

On March 14 of this year, as part of Brain Awareness Week, the Science Club organized interactive activities, discussions, and presentations on the brain and emotions, focusing on the role of the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and neurotransmitters in shaping our feelings. The winning students in the quiz received symbolic gifts.

The students who gave the presentations were: Ana Koshadze, Ketevan Vepkhvadze, Mariam Tsiklauri, Ani Kajrishvili, Lika Titvinidze, Ana Kopaladze, Bela Amariani, Mariam Tsamalashvili, Natalie Paghava, Lizi Mokvanidze, Tako Dandurishvili, Gvantsa Gochitashvili, and Teona Datunashvili

Students debate was held at Tbilisi Medical Academy ti celebrate the International Day of Bioethics.

As part of the event a resolution was discussed: “This Assembly grants the priority of organ transplant recipients based on their social value (i.e., profession, role in society, etc.)”.

The discussion of the resolution was evaluated by a panel of debate judges: Tekla Bakhturidze, Aleksandre Katsadze, Giorgi Dumbadze, Giorgi Barakadze, and Khatia Devadze. 

Following the decision of the judges, the best arguments were recognised, and Barbare Maraneli and Aleko Chkhetia's team was declared the winner of the students debate. 

How relevant would a resolution be that states: “This Assembly grants priority status to organ transplant recipients based on artificial intelligence defined societal value (i.e., value to society, research contributions, etc.)”? 

On November 26-28, Tbilisi Medical Academy organized the international scientific conference "Medicine: Innovations and Challenges 2024 (MEDIC 2024)". The three-day conference was held in a hybrid format. The event was accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®).

The goal of the international scientific conference was to showcase research findings addressing societal challenges and advancing new knowledge. Additionally, the conference aimed to foster transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects and support the development of research skills among students and young researchers. This event served as a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange across various fields of medicine. Specifically, MEDIC 2024 covered topics such as personalized medicine, molecular pathology and medicine, digital health, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.

In addition, MEDIC 2024 stands out for its commitment to supporting interdisciplinary research projects in medicine. Its goals include promoting awareness and implementation of the concept "Science with and for Society", advancing technological transfer, fostering cluster specialization, and enhancing Georgia's participation in international grant projects.

Leading Georgian and international experts, experienced and young researchers participated in the event. 

• Prof. Ian A. Cree, Honorary Professor of Pathology at University College London, Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tumor Classification Department in 2017-2022, Professor of TMA; 

• Prof. Thomas Schrader, Professor at Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences and TMA; 

• Prof. Liron Pantanowitz, Head of the Department of Pathology at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; 

• Prof. Karim Qayumi, Professor of Surgery at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and founder of the simulation platform CyberPatient; 

• Dr. Simon Marty, Head of the Doctoral Education Council of the European University Association; 

• Prof. Melita Kovačević, Professor at University of Zagreb, Former Chair of the European University Association Council of Doctoral Education;   

• Jason Gibson, Representative of the Turnitin Platform, Trainer; 

• Tamar Alibegashvili, Georgian National Screening Center representative; 

• Levan Gogichaishvili, Head of the Department of General Surgery of Geo Hospital, Surgeon, Transplantologist; 

• Professors of TMA - Taras Gabisonia and Gela Beselia, Associate Professor Manana Loladze and others.

Within the framework of the event, special emphasis was placed on the participation of young researchers. TMA students and graduates played an active role throughout the three-day conference, delivering presentations and engaging in interactive workshops.

The 6th European Congress of Applied Microbiology and Beneficial Microbes was held on October 3-4 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Tbilisi Medical Academy students - Tamar Kobulashvili and Mariam Berdzenishvili, presented findings of their research project “Antibacterial activity of Georgian honey against bacteria isolated from skin wounds”. Tamar and Mariam conducted the project alongside with their colleagues - Nino Chkhutishvili and Levan Bakhtadze, under the mentorship of the Academy's Associate Professor - Mañana Loladze. 

From September 30 to October 2, Dubrovnik (Croatia) hosted the training “Quality of doctoral education”. The event was organised by the Organization for PhD Education in Biomedicine and Health Sciences in the European System (ORPHEUS). Associate Professor Maia Zarnadze, head of the Tbilisi Medical Academy's Faculty Development Department and Associate Professor Mañana Loladze, a member of the Scientific Grant Committee's working group, participated in the training. 

On September 30, within the framework of the project “InTech4Med - Innovation and Technology for Medicine” Tbilisi Medical Academy and Ilia State University held a workshop titled “Application of Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Medical and Public Health Education”. The event was led by the invited expert, Michelle Burbage PhD (University of Cincinnati, USA). The workshop was hosted by Ilia State University. 

On September 28 within the framework of the “InTech4Med - Innovation and Technology for Medicine” project, Tbilisi Medical Academy and Ilia State University jointly conducted the scientific conference “Medicine and Innovation”. The event was hosted by Ilia State University. 

On September 21, the scientific conference “Medicine and Art” was held. The event aimed to explore the connections between medicine and art in a fun and informative way. Topics discussed included medical-themed paintings, the role of music in the healing process and rehabilitation, as well as the impact of colours on mental health.

The conference was organised within the framework of the project “Medicine and Art - An Interdisciplinary Approach for the Science Popularisation” that were funded by the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia through the 2023 science popularisation targeted call for proposals.

From September 9-14, the EU TalentOn competition for young scientists was held in Katowice, Poland. Students from Tbilisi Medical Academy, Mariam Jorbenadze and Tamar Dandurishvili, took part in the competition. Mariam participated in the Cancer Prevention and Care research group, while Tamar was part of the Oceans and Water Restoration research group. 

Exploring perspectives on death and dying among final-year undergraduate medical students at Tbilisi Medical Academy, Georgia (Kakha Bregvadze, short communication)

Explore to real and virtual patients as professional perception and motivation for preclinical medical students (Magda Tvildiani & Tea Goderdzishvili, short communication, on demand)

Introducing GOTs (growth-oriented tests) - relative freedom with responsibility (Bidzina Chachkhiani & Vakhtang Deisadze, ePoster, on demand)

On August 5 within the framework of the "InTech4MED - Innovation and Technology for Medicine" project, Tbilisi Medical Academy and Ilia State University jointly conducted the course "Medical Data Analysis". The activity was hosted by Ilia State University.

The training covered a range of topics, including the relevance and innovation of research, hypothesis formulation, ethical considerations, database organization, and the application of artificial intelligence possibilities for academic purposes. The participants were also introduced to the simulation platform "Cyber ​​Patient" and its capabilities.

From July 29 to August 2, 2024, within the framework of the "InTech4MED - Innovation and Technology for Medicine" project, Tbilisi Medical Academy and Ilia State University jointly conducted the course "Medical Data Analysis". The activity was hosted by Ilia State University.

The course "Medical Data Analysis" was aimed at promoting the development of research skills of young scientists and students. It covered data analysis approaches, principles of data analysis using Python and R, data visualization, detection of outliers and missing values, correlations, and confidence ratios. The format of the "Medical Data Analysis" course was interactive and included a practical component that helped develop the skills needed for modern medical research.

The TMA Science Club organized a session titled "Insights from Nature." The students presented unique biological abilities of various living organisms, such as regeneration and cancer resistance. They discussed research data investigating mechanisms and applications of these biological phenomena, as well as how insights into them can be used to advance medicine.

Talks related to cancer resistance included how deer antlers manage to be one of the fastest growing cancer tissues with very low cancer rates, and molecular mechanisms of how elephants have one of the lowest cancer rates, despite their size. Talks on regeneration included mechanisms of incredible regeneration abilities of axolotl and zebrafish, and successful use of frog skin peptides on human cells and mice for unique wound healing. The students also discussed how bears can control insulin resistance and protein catabolism to avoid metabolic disorders and muscle wasting during hibernation, and potential use of spider silk for tissue and organ engineering. The session ended with one of the most successful examples of medical insights form nature – CRISPR protein, which after being discovered in E. coli, has been a crucial approach in genetic engineering and gene therapy.

On June 17, 2024, the hybrid conference "Art and Science of Pediatric Care" was organized by Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy. The achievements and challenges of pediatric medicine were consideredwithin the framework of the event. In particular, there were presented:

• Influenza prevention strategies 

• UNICEF's achievements in child care

• Innovative extended reality learning for pediatric nursing 

• Overview of rare diseases in Georgia 

• Insights on Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia 

• Jaeken syndrome

• Exploration of Autism Spectrum Disorders (TMA Science Club)

• Technological advancements in pediatric care (TMA AI Club).

In 1928, Alexander Fleming "accidentally" discovered penicillin. He also created the first sketches with microbes on agar, a method that is widely used today for science communication and is known as "microbial art."

Drawing with microbes ("microbial art"), along with other practical laboratory activities, virtual reality method, the simulation platform "CyberPatient," and the anatomical table, are among the activities scheduled for June 6 and 7 as part of the project "Medicine and Art - Interdisciplinary Approach for Science Popularization". These activities have been implemented for the participants and with their direct involvement.

Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy was represented at the International Student Congress of (bio)Medical Sciences (ISCOMS), one of the world’s leading student congresses in (bio)medical sciences.

Irakli Khuntsaria made an oral presentation titled "Novel Indicators of Neutrophil Behavior." Ana Gabritchidze and Giorgi Amiridze participated with a poster presentation titled "Cholinergic and GABAergic Neurons from the Basal Forebrain Modulate Memory Function and Neurotransmitter Markers in the Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus."

The congress was held from June 3-6, 2024, and was traditionally hosted by the University of Groningen.

The XIII Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunology Congress was held in Tbilisi on May 7-10 with the support of the Tbilisi Medical Academy and the organization of the Georgian Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (GAACI).

The event was dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the foundation of GAACI. The president of the Congress, academician Revaz Sepiashvili, spoke about the achievements of notable figures in the Georgian medical community, including Petre Shotadze. He solemnly presented a special named souvenir to a family member of Petre Shotadze, TMA associate professor Tamar Shotadze.

Lali Mekokishvili, Dean of the School of Medicine of the TMA, participated in the congress. She presented Petre Shotadze's memorial lecture, "Acne - how our views have changed," at the plenary session. Two dermatology sessions were organized by the Dean and involved the academic staff of TMA. Within these sessions, TMA associate professor, Irma Buchukuri, presented the theme "Vulgar Pemphigus: Modern Standards of Treatment." TMA students also took part in the congress. Nino Gagua, Lizi Mokvanidze, and Tamar Dandurishvili presenting their research findings at the session for students and young researchers.

The school "New Frontiers in Medicine and Biology: Modern Technologies of Clinical Immunology" was also held as part of the congress. It was led by professors from the University of Washington and members of the American National Academy of Sciences. Fifteen TMA students attending the congress participated in this activity.

Tbilisi Medical Academy presented oral presentation - Academic integrity challenges and solutions in the age of generative artificial intelligence.

TMA hosted Mathilde Lescat, associate professor of Sorbonne Université (France) and a member of the Board of Directors of the French Association of Microbiologists.
She introduced the peculiarities of teaching microbiology to the Georgian audience on the example of France and discussed the importance of educational games.

Once upon a time in a petri dish, bacteria played a game of 'hide-and-seek' with antibiotics. Penicillin joined the game but was surprised to see bacteria dressed as tiny ninjas with strong shields. Other bacteria were dancing 'Plasmid Shuffle' and sharing maps of special codes.

Super-heroes Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin, and their friend PhageMan joined the game. They applied a maneuvr 'Disco-Destruction.' It combined drugs and attacks from a helpful virus to outsmart the bacteria.

In order to discuss the issues of antibiotic resistance in a fun and interactive way, on December 21, within the framework of the "InTech4MED: Innovation and Technology in Medicine" project, Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy conducted a hybrid workshop "Antibiotic resistance – game of bacterial thrones".

From November 28 to November 30, 2023, the international scientific conference "Medicine: Innovations and Challenges 2023 (MEDIC 2023)" was held in a hybrid format, organized by the Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA). The event received accreditation from EACCME®.

The primary objective of the MEDIC 2023 conference was to address current issues in medicine and healthcare, presenting innovative and interdisciplinary research and their outcomes while facilitating interactive activities. Throughout the event, dedicated attention was given to activities aimed at developing the research skills of young scientists and students.

Within the framework of the international scientific conference, discussions covered topics related to doctoral education, research evaluation, ensuring academic integrity in the era of artificial intelligence, and vital themes in medicine such as stem cells, molecular oncology, neurosciences, antibiotic resistance, personalized medicine, patient safety, and medical data analysis.

A satellite symposium was also conducted as part of the "Medicine: Innovations and Challenges 2023 (MEDIC 2023)" conference. The symposium focused on presenting the results of the project "HPV in Georgia," a collaborative effort between TMA and Charite – Universitatsmedizin Berlin.

In the early 20th century, the research of Frederick Bunting and Charles Best was pivotal to the care of patients with type 1 diabetes. They discovered insulin. The collaboration between Bunting and Best not only led to the discovery of a biologically active protein, it was a major scientific discovery that changed the lives of millions of people around the world.

Insulin is an effective combination of science and technology in the field of medical research. A new era for healthcare has begun with the chain of events from the laboratory to the pharmacy. However, with the discovery of insulin, innovation only began. Drug delivery devices and digital technologies have completely transformed diabetes management, improving patient well-being.

On November 14, within the frames of the project „InTech4MED: Innovation and Technology in Medicine“ hybrid event was held. It aimed to discuss the details of this extraordinary scientific achievement and clinical simulation case.

From September 15 to September 24, 2023, TMA hosted an international expert, Professor Mladen Krajacic. During the two-day training, the microbiology expert presented the following topics to the students and academic staff of the Academy: Viruses – much more than disease agents and Bacteria – much more than disease agents.

During the meeting, the speaker talked about viruses and bacteria such as natural cohabitants of the human body, of which some are not just harmless bystanders, but contribute significantly to our well-being and normal biological functioning.  Also, the speaker reviewed how we can use viruses, bacteria, and their structural elements and enzymes as cellular/molecular tools in biotechnology and molecular medicine. 

Mladen Krajacic is a Tenured Full Professor at the University of Zagreb (Department of Biology). As a Head of the Laboratory and principal investigator in several research projects, he has been leading molecular biology investigations on viruses, subviral agents (viroids and satellite RNAs), and non-cultivable bacteria. The results of his investigations have been published in prominent scientific journals, of which some belong to the top 10% in the field. 

In 2010 he founded the Division of Microbiology in the scope of the Department of Biology. He was a member of the University Council for Natural Sciences, as well as the Biology Board at the National Scientific Council.

He has long-lasting experience in the evaluation of academic/research institutions, study programs, and research grants, serving as an evaluator on both national and international levels.

The Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy are realizing the project “The Role of HPV in Cancer in Georgia” which is funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research. 

This project aims to organize and implement the discussion of HPV involvement in cancer development and an appraisal of the current status of epidemiology, screening, and treatment to foster the development of screening activities and research. 

Within the frames of the project, on June 19-24, 2023 TMA team visited Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Berlin, Germany).

The students of the Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy participated in the International Student Congress Of (bio)Medical Sciences – ISCOMS 2023. They presented data of the realized research projects in the form of:

 - Poster “The peculiarities of humoral and cellular immune response after SARS-CoV-2 infection” – Elene Lipartia and Suliko Gogichashvili 

- Poster “Nanoparticles as a viable method for increasing the sensitivity of ELISA in the detection of IgG class antibodies” – David Marjanidze 

- Oral presentation “The role of SARS-CoV-2 and the development of Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases (ARDs)” – Tanuja Subhash Bakshi, Elene Lipartia, Elene Liluashvili, Pragya Sharma. 

The ISCOMS is one of the world’s leading student congresses in (bio)medical sciences. It is not just any regular congress, this is a non-profit organization made up of students that aims to promote student research and the international exchange of it.

Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA) held an International Students Symposium "Medicine and Science 2022" on December 7 within the framework of the 30th anniversary week. The event aimed to promote student research and scientific cooperation. It was attended by the students of universities of Georgia (Ilia State University, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University - TSU, Tbilisi State Medical University - TSMU, TMA), Hungary (University of Pecs), Poland (Medical University of Lodz) and Ukraine (Tirnopil National Medical University, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev, Paladin Institute of Biochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine). The members of the scientific committee of the event were professors: Andreas Kaufmann (Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany), Mladen Krajcic (University of Zagreb, Croatia), Osvaldas Ruksenas (University of Vilnius, Lithuania).

The scientific committee nominated the following teams in the category of best presentations:

Mariam Kevkhishvili and Konstantine Gachechiladze (TMA) - from exclusion to avoidance;

Gyorgy Bokerya (TSU) - Aortic valve neocuspidization with glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium (Ozaki procedure) in Georgia.

The members of organizing committee of the International Students Symposium "Medicine and Science 2022" were TSA students, they also nominated their favorites:

Tamar Dandurishvili - Amygdala and hippocampal subregions mediate outcomes following trauma during typical development

Diana Mamuladze - Pros and cons of alternative medicine.

At October 19^th the training “Academic integrity as a component of social responsibility” was held at Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy. The event has been performed by Jason Gibson (Senior Professional and Educational Services Consultant, Turnitin). He presented the software Turnitin and reviewed the following themes:

• What is academic integrity and why it is so important
• What can we do to improve levels of integrity and how does Turnitin help.

Specific focus was given for review and understanding of document metadata and authorship report interpretation.

The training “Academic honesty as a component of social responsibility” was held within the framework of the World Bioethics Day 2022, which is dedicated to the theme “Social responsibility for health”. 

The lecture was given by Professor Rebecca Singer from University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing (USA). Professor Singer is  Fulbright Fellow and visiting professor in Medical University Sofia. 

Synopsis of the lecture:

Public health problems are complex, and we are continually seeking out creative, evidence-based, and acceptable solutions that include bio-medical, social and political dimensions. Practitioners and researchers recognize the importance of participatory research approaches that include the communities experiencing challenges as a way to build our knowledge and skills so that together we will have a clearer understanding of the problems that we face. We will then leverage these relationships to help us address these challenges collectively. The talk were focused on community-based participatory research as an effective approach to addressing public health challenges faced by our communities. The history of the approach, core principles and challenges were explored with highlighting public health research in Bulgaria, Georgia and the United States to demonstrate its potential.

On May 6^th, 2022 by organization of Science Club of Tbilisi Medical Academy there were performed hybrid symposium “Personalized Medicine”. In the frames of the event the students of Tbilisi Medical Academy and Ataturk University presented the following themes:

• The advantages of personalized practices (Bhumika Choudhary, TMA)
• Avatar mouse models and personalized medicine (Tamar Dandurishvili, TMA)
• OMICS sciences providing data for personalized medicine (Sohaib Kmail, TMA)
• Potential biomarkers associated with suicide and major depressive disorder (Yigit Arslan, Ataturk University)
• Nutrigenomics (Tony Varghese & Shahina Habeebulla, TMA)
• Towards population-specific pharmacogenomics in the era of next-generation sequencing (Sumeyye Ilgi, Ataturk University)
• Role of cytochrome p450 in personalized drug therapy (Saba Bagdavadze, TMA).

On April 27, 2022 Dea Goderdzishvili, Medical Education and Research Specialist of Tbilisi Medical Academy made an oral presentation “Body Interact as a Tool for Clinical Reasoning Development” at Body Interact Global Network online event. The presentation aimed sharing of data of Body Interact simulation platform pilot application at Tbilisi Medical Academy. Dea especially focused on evaluation of simulation platform possibilities from student and medical educator perspectives.

On April 10, 2022, the staff member of Scientific-Research and PhD Department of Tbilisi Medical Academy - Saba Iordanishvili. gave oral presentation ´´Rs2232365 polymorphism of FOXP3 gene as a risk factor of cervical cancer development´´ at the international multidisciplinary congress EUROGIN in the frames of twining project ´´The Role of HPV Cancer in Georgia´´. The twining project is funded by German Ministry of Education and Research and is realised in collaboration with Charité Universitätsmedizin.

Within the frames of the campaign #ICAREABOUTYOU the Tbilisi Medical Academy in collaboration with the National Screening Center conducted a webinar “The Personalized Aspects of Breast Cancer”. The event aimed to provide the general practitioners the scientific evidence on genetical aspects of breast cancer and their importance in the process of this disease management.

• Dr. Nicole de Paula - the founder of the Women Leaders for Planetary Health and co-founder of an interdisciplinary research group on Planetary Health at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil;
• Ms. Melvine Anyango Otieno - 2019 Planetary health Campus Ambassador turned to PHA next-generation fellow, currently pursuing MSc in Environmental Health at University of Eldoret, Kenya;
• Ms. Andisheh Jahangir - currently working with Relief International, an International Humanitarian NGO, as a health officer in Iran.
• Ms. Mila Plaisant – VI semester student of Hochschule Furtwangen University -Physiotherapy, who has been working with Environmental Physiotherapy Association, Health for Future (Germany);
• Mr. Felix Bittner – Coordinator of the “Health for Future” movement in Germany.

Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy strives to facilitate development and enhancement of scientific potential among TMA students. Hence, during 2017, in the frames of TMA Scientific-Research Grant programme, was funded a project, which was designed and implemented by Youth Scientific Union of Georgia (YSU) and involved active participation of TMA students. The project aimed to assess among laboratory mice circulating corticosterone and growth dynamics of Erlich carcinoma under stress conditions.
With active support from TMA, were organized trainings for project-involved young scientists, regarding planning and maintenance of experimental studies. Should be also noted, that an important part of the project was carried out on the TMA-based laboratory, under active supervision and contribution of TMA Department of Objectively Structured Examinations and Clinical Skills.
It is noteworthy, that on different levels of implementation, project involved participants from Ivane Beritashvili Experimental Biomedicine Centre, National Centre for Disease Control. (NCDC) Tbilisi State Medical University (TSMU), Lugar Center Tbilisi, Immunology Laboratory of Agrarian University of Georgia, Non-Governmental Organization – “Association of Laboratory Animal Science” and Students’ Scientific-Research Club “Vitalis”.
Intermediate results of the study were introduced to scientific audience at Ivane Beritashvili Experimental Medicine Centre, in October 2017 on “Young Scientists’ and Students’ Scientific Conference”. The conference was organized in frames of annual Science and Innovations Fair of Georgia.
Currently, final results of the study are being processed and summarized. Final results of the study are expected to be delivered in terms of a scientific article.
TMA encourages students’ involvement in scientific-research activities, expresses gratitude towards project-involved students for their active and valuable contribution and intends to support further scientific-research projects and events.