NOO Modules/Workshops

Green and digital biomedical knowledge for interdisciplinary interfaculty further education of students and employees in biotechnological/biomedical companies or healthcare, with the aim of more effective integration into the labor market
No. Contract C3330-22-953012 of 23 December 2022; no. NRP 3330-22-3525
Pilot project coordinator: prof. dr. Uroš Potočnik and Assoc. Helena Sabina Čelešnik, PhD (USA)
Project implementation period: 1 January 2023 – 31 December 2025

Content description of the project:
The project is implemented by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Maribor in the period from 1/1/2023 to 31/12/2025. The rapid development of new biomedical technologies, such as multi-ohm technologies and in vitro models, plays a key role in competitiveness in the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology industry, in clinical laboratories, and public health institutions.  Some technologies, such as next-generation sequencing, genetic testing and pharmacological tests, are becoming part of routine work and (pre)clinical diagnostics, but their use requires interdisciplinary retraining of employees, which public institutions and companies have difficulty following. When using next-generation sequencing and other multi-omic technologies that generate massive amounts of data, new applications and tools are being used that require additional training in bioinformatics. Interdisciplinary skills are also necessary for the establishment and operation of modern biotechnological and biomedical companies. Along with effective risk management and accident prevention, these place a significantly lower burden on the environment than heavy industry and are important for the green transition. All of this requires top knowledge and competence (e.g. training for safety when working with genetically modified organisms, mastery of biological safety) and following relevant legislation (e.g. pharmacovigilance).
Due to all of the above, there is a growing demand for retraining of employees. We are also increasingly noticing the need at the level of higher education programs in the field of science and life sciences. These are often (too) narrowly focused on the chosen field of study (e.g. chemistry, computer science), but do not provide knowledge from an interdisciplinary perspective. Thus, there is a growing interest in acquiring the skills, knowledge and competences needed in the case of employment in a wider interdisciplinary field through lifelong learning and micro-evidence, such as will be offered during the project at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Maribor.

Project team
Center for Human Genetics and Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor:
dr. Uroš Potočnik
Anja Bizjak
dr. Helena Sabina Čelešnik
dr. Boris Gole
dr. Larisa Goričan
dr. Gregor Jezernik

Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor:
dr. Uroš Maver
dr. Lidija Gradišnik
dr. Jan Rožanc
dr. Boštjan Vihar
dr. Tanja Zidarič

Institute of Physiology of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor:
dr. Andraž Stožer
dr. Lidija Križančić Bombek
dr. Jurij Dolenšek
dr. Jasmina Kerčmar
dr. Maša Skelin Klemen
Jan Kopecky
Eva Paradiž Leitgeb
dr. Viljem Pohorec
Nika Polšak
dr. Simon Sedej

Medical tutoring at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Maribor:
Jan Bitežnik

Financing
The pilot project "Green and digital biomedical knowledge for interdisciplinary cross-faculty further education of students and employees in biotechnology/biomedical companies or healthcare, with the aim of more effective integration into the labor market" is financed by the European Union - NextGenerationEU and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

About NextGenerationEU

(https://www.gov.si/zbirke/projekti-in-programi/nacrt-za-okrevanje-in-odpornost/o-nacrtu-za-okrevanje-in-odpornost/)
On July 21, 2020, the leaders of the member states of the European Union reached an agreement on a large-scale package of funds for the reconstruction of Europe. The multi-annual financial framework until 2027 has been generously increased with a package worth 750 billion euros (in 2018 prices) for the NextGenerationEU recovery. It is a temporary instrument with which the member states will strengthen their economies and social systems and thereby jointly create the Europe we want to live in.
The Recovery and Resilience Mechanism is the central part of the NextGenerationEU package, which also consists of the React-EU initiative (additional cohesion funds for the programming period 2014¬-2020) and additional funds for other European programs or funds, such as Horizon 2020, InvestEU, rural development and the Just Transition Fund.
Development areas
Slovenia will direct European funds for recovery and resilience to the green transition, digital transformation, support for the economy, research and development, education, healthcare, social security and housing policy.
The Slovenian NOO envisages the implementation of 34 reforms and 52 investments on four pillars:
- green passage;
- digital transformation;
- smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;
- healthcare and social security.

Workshops
Basics of biological safety
Bioinformatics and biostatistics
Digitization of biobanks
Biochemistry and laboratory diagnostics
Use of cell lines
Methods in Molecular Biology
Use of proteins in biotechnology and biomedicine
Applications of genetic technology