Dnipro state agrarian and economic university

 

 

On September 21, 2018, a colleague from Germany, Ms. Alona Maiakovska, a graduate student at German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ, Heidelberg) visited Biotechnology Faculty of DSEAU. The planned meeting of teachers and students of the faculty and scientist from abroad took place thanks to the efforts of the International Department of our University and the Department of Water Bioresources and Aquaculture of  DSAEU.

During the meeting of teachers and the 3rd year students with Ms. A. Maiakovska, the very interesting issues about academic mobility, European science, opportunities for linguistic internships abroad, plans for further cooperation with the Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University were discussed.

A. Maiakovska noted that the powerful Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg was interested in an unusual hydrobiont of our water bodies - the marble cancer Procambarus virginalis (Lyco, 2017), the study of a unique genome which in the future could defeat a terrible disease of the same name.

This marble cancer representative of crustaceans is interesting for scholars of the whole world to what exists in European natural waters as a clone - the descendants of one single female! That is, for breeding P.virginalis, males or male sexual products are not needed, which in itself is a unique phenomenon for tens of thousands of species of water invertebrates!

German scientists are trying to investigate the tumultuous inhabitants of the reservoirs of the whole of Europe. Ukraine did not remain alone - in the artificial pit of the Dniper River in 2015, the only P.virginalis population settled in the country  was found by a professor R.O. Novitskii.

After meeting with a team of biotechnology faculty, Ms. Alona Maiakovska took part in the selection of hydroecological tests in a reservoir where marble crayfish live, and received several biological samples of P.virginalis for genetic experiments.

As a result of cooperation between the scientists of DSAEU and DKFZ, an agreement was reached on the joint publication of further research results of "Ukrainian" marble cancer, increasing the academic mobility of DSAEU faculty and students.

Dean of Biotechnology Faculty, prof. S.G. Peschan

Head of the Department of Water Bioresources and Aquaculture,

prof. R.O. Novitskyi