Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
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At the end of January, Novosibirsk State University hosted its second January School of Synthetic Biology and Industrial Pharmacy. This intensive educational program brought together students from across the country eager to make the most of their holidays: mastering modern bioinformatics methods, working in labs, and networking with pharmaceutical industry leaders.
Among them was Maria Gordeeva, a fourth-year student majoring in Pharmacy at the RUDN Medical Institute.
At the intersection of biology and digital
The school's program included an intensive course in bioinformatics. Participants learned to visualize protein structures using AlphaFold 3, PyMOL, and Chai Discovery, construct phylogenetic trees (NCBI Datasets, MEGA12), and analyze transcriptomics data in RStudio (DESeq2 package).
"The most important thing was deepening the knowledge I'd already acquired, applying it in practice, and mastering new techniques. Conducting molecular docking using a real-life example was very helpful, given the importance of digitalization in the modern world. The most challenging part was systematizing the vast amount of information, as the program covered both medical and natural science disciplines. But it was easy to get answers from the mentors and participants, who were always willing to help," says Maria Gordeeva.
The students were particularly interested in understanding the mechanism of action of Nirmatrelvir, an inhibitor of the main SARS-CoV-2 protease. They were able to visualize how the molecule interacts with the viral target.
In parallel with theoretical work, work continued in the molecular biology lab. The students were tasked with transforming Komagataella phaffii yeast cells, obtaining a plasmid with the target gene and preparing competent cells. The results were verified using real-time PCR (Q-PCR).
Pharmaceutical case
During industrial pharmacy classes, students were fully immersed in their future profession. They were given a task: using a brief description of its therapeutic action and associations, identify a given medicinal plant, justify their choice, perform calculations, and prepare an infusion. The plant they were looking for turned out to be oregano.
In addition, lectures and meetings with representatives of leading companies were held daily at the school: Helicon, Diam, KhimMed, Pharma, R-Pharm, Vector-Best, and VkusVill. Jan Zubavichus, Deputy Director for Research at the SKIF Center for Collective Use, gave a lecture to students on the potential of synchrotron radiation for biology and pharmaceuticals.
"Each lecturer shared unique experiences and offered advice on implementing their expertise in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields. Such interactions are invaluable for future professionals," said Maria Gordeeva.
Cultural accent
The school organizers also took care of the children's leisure time: they visited the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, Russia's largest musical theater. The students saw the ballet "The Hunchback of Notre Dame de Paris."
"The magnificent architecture, the stunning sets and the performers—it was a real gift after the intensive studies," says Maria Gordeeva.
But the main result of the week's work at the school for the student was a firm commitment to continue studying bioinformatics.
"I discovered a huge desire to fully master bioinformatics and apply the skills I've acquired in my research," says Maria Gordeeva.
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