In the period 5-13 June 2021 the National Center for Materials Study and Testing (NCMST) of the Technical University of Moldova in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences of Moldova and the State University of Medicine and Farmacy “Nicolae Testemițanu” organized a Summer School which covered the fields of nanotechnologies and biomedicine in the framework of the 21st century’ challenges. Due to the pandemic restrictions, the School was organized online, which offered the possibility to engage more participants. About 60 researchers and students from different national higher education institutions and research organisations, along with several high school students were selected to attend the Summer School.
The program of the School covered the fields of nanotechnology and nanoengineering, with lectures delivered by professors from Moldova and Romania, as well as lectures from the fields of tissue engineering, artificial organs and epidemiology, delivered by professors from the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Moldova and Hannover Medical School, Germany. The participants had the unique possibility to attend virtually the lectures and to address questions to five Nobel Prize Laureates in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, and Peace, who delivered public lectures at the Academy of Sciences of Moldova within the Science Week (7-12 June 2021). The theoretical program finished with a lecture on research data management and open access to scientific outputs, delivered by the director of the Information Society Development Institute in Moldova.
All the School attendees received a Certificate of participation and had the opportunity to visit the laboratories of the National Center for Materials Study and Testing at the Technical University of Moldova. During the visit the participants were familiarized with the tools for manufacturing and characterization of nanomaterials including photolitography, plasma etching, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, etc.
The Summer School was organised in the framework of the NanoMedTwin project, as part of WP3, focused on researcher scientific training at NCMST.
Participants' feedback:
Tatiana Malcova, Ph.D. student at the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy wrote: ''I consider it is very important to have interdisciplinary collaboration. Contemporary science requires a multilateral approach in solving the problems and events like this do it possible. So, I strongly recommend you not to hesitate the opportunity to apply for such projects. It allows you to see the world through a wider lens."
Veronica Stefanet, student at the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy wrote: "The lectures I enjoyed the most were the ones of Acad. Ion Tighineanu, Dr. Serghei Cebotari, Dr. Tudor Braniste, Prof. Viorel Nacu, Prof. Randy Sheckman and Dr. Igor Cojocaru. These lectures were presented in a very interesting manner and included subjects that I find really useful and interesting."
Ioana Cojocaru, high-school pupil, "Ion Creanga" Lyceum: "I enjoyed all the lectures that were presented during the summer school but Prof. Cebotari's was outstanding in my opinion. I aim to become a cardiothoracic surgeon in the future and his lecture was extremely useful, interesting and well-presented. Prof. Cebotari's valuable experience in the medical field and his own cases that were presented left a very strong impression and lots of important information about the artificial heart were delivered."
Cristian Curca, high-school pupil, "Aristotel" Lyceum: "I really enjoyed Dr. Serghei Cebotari's lecture on "The Artificial Heart", held at 11 AM on the 5th of June 2021. It showed me the extents humanity has gone to in order to save lives, as well as what awaits us in the future and how current technologies can be improved."
