ICGEB Director-General at ”Nicolae Testemitanu” University

Between 27-29 September 2022, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy was honored by the visit of Dr. Lawrence Banks, Director-General of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) from Trieste, Italy.

On the first day, the ICGEB representative had a meeting with the administrative team of the University – rector, vice-rectors, deans, representatives of the National Institute for Health and Medical Research, who participate directly in strengthening the partnership between institutions, initiating and developing valuable research projects at national and international level.

Rector of Nicolae Testemitanu University, professor Emil Ceban, cordially welcomed professor Lawrence Banks, noting that this meeting represents an important stage for the development of university science in the Republic of Moldova. Further, professor Ceban gave a brief overview of the University. 

”The University Management Information System, which considerably improved the communication process and the information circulation within the institution, has a special role in achieving effective institutional management. In the pandemic conditions, we appreciated the importance of this system for the complex activity of the institution and, first of all, for the training and research process. The policy promoted by the University is oriented towards the integration of education and training with scientific research and innovation. In order to optimize and continuously develop the quality of the research and education process, their adjustment to the requirements of the time at the national and international level, the Strategy for Strengthening the Field of Research at Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy for the years 2020-2030 was approved. At the same time, the implementation of the strategic principle education through research requires the participation in the research process of all teaching, scientific-didactic and scientific staff, as well as young people”, pointed out professor Ceban. Moreover, the rector emphasized that according to the Webometrics Report, presented at the end of July 2022, our university ranks 1st nationally and holds the first place in the ranking of the country’s institutional repositories as well.

Dr. Lawrence Banks mentioned that the Republic of Moldova constituted a priority for the centre represented by him, especially in the last five years since it became an ICGEB member, standing out among the 66 partners of the organization due to ”a mutually beneficial collaboration, with common ideals oriented towards the prosperity of the population”. The Director-General of ICGEB stated that he would like to see the spectacular evolution of the University in this regard.

”We try to promote and support partnerships to improve people's health and access to nutrition. At the same time, we believe that the development of technologies must benefit everyone. Thus, we want to offer assistance to the Republic of Moldova in order to develop local production capacities, quality control and research in the field of pharmaceuticals. We also want to increase the capacity of Nicolae Testemitanu University through exchanges of students and young researchers, who will come to the ICGEB laboratories to get familiar with the achievements of the Centre and with the successful practices of all 66 member states. We appreciate quality education, that's why in recent years we have generated several new programs to promote science in the world and we want to expand them in Moldova as well. We hope that in the near future the Regional Research Centre will become a reality and will contribute to the development of partnerships and scientific activities. We are doing science in different environments and this is an interesting experience”, the Director-General of ICGEB pointed out.

For his part, academician Stanislav Groppa, vice-rector for research activity, presented the latest activities aimed at modernizing the University's research infrastructure, the premises to be used by the RRC groups, the managed national and international projects and the scholarship opportunities offered to researchers. According to professor Groppa, the Research and Innovation Strengthening Strategy is a document that enhances institutional scientific activity, whose outcome has international relevance and effectiveness. In the context, it was mentioned that the establishment of the National Institute for Health and Medical Research aims to reorganize the structural-functional activity of the Central Scientific Laboratory into a Research Centre in the field of Health and Biomedicine, which will become a fundamental modern study and translational research structure. 

”We have cooperation relations in the field of research and education with over 90 universities, faculties, medical centres and clinics in over 30 countries. Also, the partnership with the diaspora originating from the Republic of Moldova was encouraged – DiaMed network represents a virtual space for dialogue and collaboration between researchers in the scientific medical field, which consists of 300 representatives from Romania, Ukraine, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, UK, Poland, Canada and USA. We tend to gain access to more international research centres and projects, with the active involvement of all structures, to improve the research capacity and increase the quality in this segment at the University”, reiterated the vice-rector. 

Professor Ghenadie Curocichin, the representative of the Republic of Moldova at the ICGEB Board of Governors, spoke about the premises and actions taken that allowed our country to join the ICGEB and for Nicolae Testemitanu University to become the national contact point, responsible for collaboration with the international organization, as well as about the benefits for researchers and the national health system. In the professor's opinion, the research projects won by the University may be considered preliminary steps in the establishment of the Regional Research Centre (RRC). One of the advantages is that Nicolae Testemitanu University is the main institution within the Doctoral School Consortium in the field of Medical Sciences which brings together medical and research institutions. At the same time, the Republic of Moldova has the opportunity to access European funds, especially since it has recently obtained EU candidate status, a fact that will help the country to develop the research field further. A potential contribution to the quality of research can also be ensured by our diaspora. If established and functioning, the RRC could provide many benefits.

Professor Mihail Todiras presented the reconstruction project of the Central Scientific Laboratory and the concept of creating a Research Centre in the field of Health and Biomedicine, which could serve as a Regional Research Centre in Moldova.