TNMU PhD Student Participated in Scientific Internship at Laboratory of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek (Croatia) as Part of “Cedars – RECOOP Solidarity Fellowship” Program

For three months (September 1, 2022 – November 28, 2022), Tetiana Homeliuk, a post-graduate student of the Department of Functional and Laboratory Diagnostics, acquired new knowledge and skills at the Department of Biology of the Josip Juraj Strosmayer University of Osijek (Croatia) as part of the “Cedars – RECOOP Solidarity Fellowship” program.

Internship in the laboratory of biological and pathophysiological research of the aforementioned university took place under the guidance of the scientific mentor Senka Blazhetje, who provided all the necessary information about the stay at the university and helped during the internship.

While working in the laboratory, our PhD student worked with specialists from various fields of research. She studied the effect of a high-fat, high-sugar diet during pregnancy, performed immunohistochemical analysis of various markers (tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine b-hydroxylase (DBH), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), oxide synthase nitrogenase (NOS), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), neurokinin A and inflammatory markers CD64 and CD163), specific for different types of uterine innervation. All analyses were performed on samples from the RECOOP Grant #12 SENIOR SCIENTIST (RCSS) GRANT 2018-2020 #012 program “Role of obesity-induced low-grade inflammation in adipokine signalling in pregnant rat uteri”.

In addition, Tetiana Homeliuk was engaged in the study of the morphology of the uterus and was involved in the new process of introducing the physiological analysis of various organs at the Faculty of Medicine in the laboratory of Professor Maria Heffer. This enabled her to master innovative methods of researching body organs and systems.

Acquired research skills regarding the systemic impact of food on the body, the ability to perform immunohistochemical analysis using the IMAGE J program, working in an interdisciplinary team, and improving the English language gave our post-graduate student the opportunity to conduct deeper research as part of her scientific project.

Internship at the Josip Juraj Strosmayer University of Osijek (Croatia) enabled Tetiana Homeliuk to expand not only scientific, but also historical and cognitive knowledge, since Croatia, like today’s Ukraine, also has experience of struggling for its own independence.

“Cedars – RECOOP Solidarity Fellowship” is a great opportunity to gain important knowledge, practice and experience, as well as open new horizons, immerse yourself in the traditions of another state and meet a huge number of interesting people.

Tetiana Homeliuk expresses her deepest appreciation to the curator of the academic mobility program “Cedars – RECOOP Solidarity Fellowship” Dr. Sandor Vari and scientific director Senja Blazhetje for the opportunity to be a participant in the program and the experience gained.

Tetiana Homeliuk, PhD student of the Department of Functional and Laboratory Diagnostics.