CMDB is providing undergraduate students with an application-oriented theoretical and practical training. The objective of the highly interdisciplinary training course “Molecular Methods in Biomedical Sciences” is to provide students with the necessary skills set to successfully apply to recognized international Master and PhD programs. Moreover, we aim to develop promising career perspectives in the academic sector and/or in industry, such as in pharmaceutical companies and private enterprises engaged in providing and developing services and products for biomedicine and biotechnology. Our training course will strengthen undergraduate education through providing cross-disciplinary training and developing scientific skills such as self-contained experimental work and self-critical evaluation of results. Moreover, the course will teach good scientific practice and foster collaborative interactions as basis for successful research.
The training course is currently offered as an elective course which can be included as a minor subject in the accredited study programs at the Natural Science Faculty at SSU and the medical program at TSMU.
4-5 students / year are admitted to the training course. Deadline for application is March 1st 2020. Based on the submitted applications, we will select candidates for a personal interview (April 2020) and will communicate our final choice to the selected students until May 1st 2020.

The regular duration of the training course will be two years.

Lectures: As a theoretical basis for practical training in the laboratory, students have to attend lectures, which are complementary to their main study program. i.e. not a component of the existing study programs in biology/medicine. Typically, these additional lectures will be held on one afternoon every two weeks:

• Human Physiology for Students of Natural Sciences I-III
• Molecular Biology of the Cell I-III
• Human Pathology for Students of Natural Sciences I-III
• General Microbiology I-III
• Medical Microbiology
• General Virology I-II
• Medical Virology
• Immunology: Introduction I-III
• Techniques in Molecular Biology I-II
• Techniques in Protein Biochemistry
• Cell Culture Techniques

Practical training and seminars:

1st and 2nd semester:
Techniques in Molecular Biology: Preparation of human genomic DNA & RNA from blood; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Agarose Gelelectrophoresis; cDNA Synthesis and RT-PCR; Multiplex-PCR
Other skills: Literature search; Introduction to online databases and tools; Powerpoint presentation; Excel analysis of quantitative data measurements
3rd and 4th semester
Techniques in Molecular Biology: Real-time PCR; Plasmid preparation; Restriction analysis; Cloning of DNA fragments
Protein-Biochemistry: tbd.
Other skills: How to write scientific papers, prepare personal applications and grant proposals

After selection of students the first year of the training course "Molecular methods in Biomedical Sciences" started in October 2016. 

One of our students,  Rusudan Tskitishvili, successfully applied for the LISA Summer Academy in Hannover and visited Hannover in August/September 2017.

After selection of new students the training course "Molecular methods in Biomedical Sciences" started in November 2017. 

Three of our students, Khatuna Lobjanidze, Tamari Askurava, Irakli Tskhakaia successfully applied for the LISA Summer Academy in Hannover and visited Hannover in August/September 2018.

After selection of students the training course "Molecular methods in Biomedical Sciences" three talented students, Ana Burduli, Tinatin Gigashvili, and Irakli Tskhakaia started in November 2018. 

Three of our students, Ana Burduli, Tinatin Gigashvili and Ana Mikaberidze successfully applied for the LISA Summer Academy in Hannover and visited Hannover in August/September 2019. Below please find images of their visit:

After selection of students the first year of the training course "Molecular methods in Biomedical Sciences" started in November 2019. Unfortunately, due to the SARS-CoV2 pandemic LISA Summer Academy 2020 had to be cancelled and no application was possible for our students.

For application please download the documents below. Three copies of the cover sheet and completed application form, additional information and certificates as requested in the form, as well as supporting letters of two referees have to be sent by mail to Prof. M. Pochkhua.