For three months, Alina Zayachkivska, a master’s student at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, underwent a research internship at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (Saarbrücken, Germany). The trip took place within the framework of the received grant from FEMS (Federation of European Microbiological Societies). This international European scientific organization promotes the exchange of scientific knowledge in Europe and the world. Members of the organization (represented in Ukraine by the Society of Microbiologists of Ukraine) may apply for scholarships, grants and/ r financial support to participate in scientific congresses. Alina won a grant for a short travel to conduct research in the laboratory of Professor Andriy Luzhetsky at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland. Research interests of Professor Luzhetsky’ group is focused on the metabolic engineering of actinobacteria. The internship lasted three months. During this period, Alina studied the induction of the synthesis of secondary metabolites in actinobacterial cells. The research is aimed at finding new biologically active substances with antibiotic activity. During the internship the student mastered such modern methods of molecular biology and biochemistry as polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry and others.
It is worth noting that Alina won this grant not from the first time, but she did not give up and applied again and succeeded. Her comment “There are many opportunities for young people. All you need to do is not to give up in case of failures, because they are just an experience that leads to your goal.”