International research collaboration works best when universities contribute their expertise as equal partners. Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University (CNU) demonstrates this through the EDUC Alliance and the EDUC-WIDE project.

Researchers from CNU’s Fluorescence Spectroscopy Laboratory in the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology—Shvadchak Volodymyr and Andrii Shturmak—recently tested potential inhibitors of amyloid fibril growth at the request of the Università degli Studi di Cagliari (Italy). The work was carried out within EDUC-WIDE WP8, which facilitates access to research infrastructures across partner universities.

The research supports a team led by Cristina Cocco at Cagliari, which is investigating peptides with potential applications for dementia-related conditions. Amyloid fibril formation is a key pathological process in Alzheimer’s disease, so identifying compounds that inhibit their growth is important for new therapeutic approaches. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, CNU provides high-throughput testing and specialised capabilities for this joint effort.

For CNU, the collaboration shows how Ukrainian universities can act as equal research partners in European university alliances—contributing infrastructure and experimental expertise to global scientific challenges.