The Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, established in 2002 by Prof. Volodymyr Lushchak, has not so long but impressive history within Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University located in Ivano-Frankivsk. The city situated between beautiful Carpathian Mountains, the Green Pearl of Central Europe, and picturesque Dnistro canyon.
The current Department ranks among the top of the Ukrainian university biochemistry departments. The graduate programme in the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology accepts qualified applicants to Bachelor of Science (BSc), Master of Science (MSc), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and Doctor of Sciences (Dr.Sc) providing education and research training at the Department including extensive laboratory work.
The major areas of focus of the biochemistry research at the Department are in the fields of free radical and metabolic processes in biological systems with especial interest to medical problems. Specific research interests include:
– molecular mechanisms of organisms’ adaptation to environmental stresses;
– mechanisms of action of xenobiotics;
– regulation of gene expression in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells;
– developmental biochemistry;
– signal transduction, growth control and cell cycle;
– nonenzymatic processes in vivo (free radical oxidation and glycation)
– molecular mechanisms of aging and anti-aging interventions;
– nutrition and regulation of metabolism;
– molecular mechanisms of metabolic and other disturbances or pathologies
Research subjects
Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a unicellular model to study cellular biochemistry and molecular mechanisms of adaptation of higher eukaryotes and human
Mice and Drosophila melanogaster as models to study human disturbances and age-related declines
Fish as a model to study human-induced environmental changes
Plants as a model to study adaptation to environment
Programs of Study in Biochemistry
The Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at Precarpathian National University offers degree programmes in Bachelor of Science (BSc), Master of Science (MSc), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Sciences (Dr.Sc).
Graduate training combines integrated coursework in biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, virology, microbiology, biotechnology, gene expression, signal transduction with extensive research training. We use experimental model systems to address the cellular and molecular mechanisms of biological processes, particularly those that underly organisms’ adaptation to stressful environmental factors, aging, and human diseases.
Students may take advantage of the full breadth of training in biochemistry offered at the Department through educational courses, scientific seminars (carried in both – Ukrainian and English), and research. Our research encompasses the areas of biochemical adaptations, regulation of gene expression, nonenzymatic processes in vivo, metabolism regulation, aging, metabolic and other disturbances or pathologies.
Students enjoy a highly interactive and creative environment that provides excellent preparation for a variety of careers in the biochemistry and cell biology sciences. In addition to the coursework mentioned above, a new curriculum dedicated to professional development is being offered to enable our graduates to pursue careers in a variety of sectors, including biochemistry, biomedicine, biotechnology, academia. Especial attention is paid to professional training in English with the possibility not only operate with scientific literature, but also to advance oral skills due to which many students passed language barrier. Combination of different training activities provided good internationally recognized level of students many of which either worked or work in different Western University laboratories such as in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA and Canada.