Olga Strilbytska, a research associate in the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, spent six weeks at a research laboratory at the University of Cagliari—one of Italy’s oldest universities. The University of Cagliari, located in the heart of Sardinia, is one of the leading research centers in Southern Italy and an active participant in the EDUC Alliance. The internship took place with the support of the EDUC R&I Fellowship program, funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe.

The EDUC R&I Fellowship is a program of short- and medium-term research mobility for researchers at all career stages, bringing together nine partner universities from seven European countries, including the University of Cagliari (Italy), the University of Potsdam (Germany), Masaryk University (Czech Republic), the University of Pécs (Hungary), and Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University (Ukraine). The program aims to acquire new competencies, build international research partnerships, and generate innovative research ideas.

The host was the research group led by Professor Christina Kokko, which specializes in the biochemistry of neuropeptides and molecular markers of neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. The laboratory employs methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, Western blot, and gel chromatography on animal models and human samples.

The topic of the fellowship project is “Advanced Methodological Approaches for Investigating Biomarkers of Disease Pathogenesis.” It is precisely these advanced methodological approaches to studying biomarkers in the context of disease pathogenesis that represent the intersection of interests between both research teams. During the internship, particular attention was paid to the potential applications of modern methodological approaches for studying post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the associated neurobiological changes.

This fellowship is a prime example of how membership in the EDUC Alliance provides researchers at our university with real access to leading European laboratories and fosters the development of long-term international partnerships.

Based on the results of the internship, the parties outlined areas for further collaboration. They discussed the preparation of joint publications, the possibility of submitting joint grant applications, and ideas for future research. The experience gained and methodological approaches are planned to be integrated into their own research projects.