A new master recognized at European level – By Nadia Clementi

MAGI-Balkan, the Diagnostic and Research Center on rare genetic diseases with headquarters in Tirana in Albania, has been working for several years to respond to the health needs of the individual, through the qualifying requirements for students' academic training, and through their intellectual growth and awareness of the medical profession.
 

 
With this objective in mind, a training course in Biotechnology was held in Tirana, Albania, from 28th of October to the 1st of November, organised by the Public University of Tirana, the European Biotechnology Society «EBTNA» and MAGI-Balkan.
 

 
The course, addressed to students of the department of biotechnology of the faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Tirana, has allowed them to participate in training lessons in advanced biotechnology and the development of a new Master's program recognized at European level.
 

 
During the first three days, theoretical lessons in biotechnology were held at the Faculty of Medicine in Tirana, ending with a practical part at the MAGI-Balkan headquarters. The program of the School of Biotechnology in Tirana is available at their website.
 

 
The organizer and contact person at the Public University of Tirana was Professor Ariola Bacu, the referent for the scientific society EBTNA was Prof. Munis Dundar, the representative for MAGI-Balkan was Dr. Natale Capodicasa.
 

 
The course was also attended, as guests of the EBTNA scientific society, by Professor Oscar Vicente (University of Valencia), Prof. Donald Martin (University of Grenoble), Prof. Robert S. Marks (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev), and Prof. Gary T.M. Henehan (Technological University Dublin).
 

 
MAGI-Balkan's guests include the president of MAGI, Dr. Matteo Bertelli, Prof. Tommaso Beccari (University of Perugia) and Prof. Liborio Stuppia (University of Chieti).
In doing the honors, Dr. Natale Capodicasa spoke of MAGI-Balkan as a model to be proposed in the fight against rare genetic diseases in other Balkan countries.
Our goal, said Dr. Natale Capodicasa - has been to create a reality in which rehabilitation, genetics, clinical biochemistry and outpatient care will be under the same roof.
 

 
The course was presided over by Dr. Matteo Bertelli, who in his speech made known the rare genetic diseases diagnosed for the first time in Albania during the 5 years of activity of MAGI-Balkan. These include X-Linked Ichthyosis, Adenomatous Colon Polyposis, Essential Tremor, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis X Linked by genetic mutation.
On this occasion he announced the results of 9 publications in pub-med written by Albanian interns in MAGI laboratories in Italy in 2019, 3 publications and a special issue written by the Albanian interns in MAGI laboratories in Italy in 2018, 4 articles published in the past years at MAGI-Balkan by Dr. Natale Capodicasa, of which one in collaboration with the current Rector of the Public University of Tirana Prof. Mynyr Koni.
 

 
Prof. Liborio Stuppia has dealt with the recent diagnostic progress allowed in the field of genetic diseases by the advent of new technologies for DNA analysis, in particular Next Generation Sequencing, giving examples of some diagnoses that have been allowed by the application of this method and in particular of the importance of this new approach in the field of identification of mutations in genes susceptible to hereditary tumors.
 

 
The practical course at the MAGI-BalKan Centre was coordinated by Dr. Paolo Maltese in collaboration with doctors Astrit Dautaj, Vilma Bushati, Danjela Kurti and Kristjana Dhuli.
 

The event ended successfully with the announcement of a new agreement for the creation of Albania's first biotechnology spin-off company, which will be created by extending MAGI-Balkan's statute and involving some Professors of Tirana Public University, in particular those teaching degree courses in Biotechnology, Mathematics and Statistics and Computer Science.

Nadia Clementi - [email protected]