Azernews.Az

8th-grade students of the European Turkish Lyceum visited the Institute of Biophysics.

Azernews reports, citing Azertag, that the purpose of the visit was for schoolchildren to connect the theoretical knowledge they gained in biology classes with the real research process, as well as to form a broader understanding of biomolecular and medical research.

During the tour of the Institute's "Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry" laboratory, the students were explained the process of studying cell surface receptors and signaling proteins involved in the development of cancer diseases - including lung, breast, and colon carcinomas. In this context, stages such as gene isolation, cloning into plasmid vectors, and transformation into E. coli cells, and the extraction of total RNA from healthy and diseased tissues with TRIzol and other reagents was demonstrated. The students also observed how the process of studying proteins such as HER1, HER2, and RAS in signaling pathways was carried out.

Then, the students visited the “Structure, Dynamics and Function of Biomolecules” laboratory. Here, they were informed about the formation of amyloid by proteins during neurodegenerative diseases, the kinetic characteristics of this process, factors that slow down the formation of amyloid, and the mechanisms of decomposition of the formed structures. At the same time, the development of a classification model for the diagnosis of lung cancer based on the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra of human blood plasma using artificial intelligence technologies and the possibilities of applying this direction for future wide screening were explained to the students.

The trip was important in terms of introducing the students to a real scientific environment, closely observing laboratory processes, and increasing their interest in biology. The students not only strengthened their theoretical knowledge, but also had the opportunity to see more clearly the role of biomolecular research in medical diagnostics and scientific development.