Department of Pharmacology

International cooperation

Researchers of Bogomolets National Medical University — Acting Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Prof. N.M. Kobyliak and Head of the Department of Pharmacology Prof. G.V. Zaychenko – visited Milan (Italy) on 6–8 October 2025 at the invitation of a well-known pharmaceutical company.

The purpose of the visit was to report on the results of the joint research project “Preclinical study of efficacy of combined composition rectal cream Procto-Glivenol® on a model of acute anal fissure in rats”, which was carried out at the Department of Pharmacology (under the supervision of Prof. G.V. Zaychenko, with the participation of assistant P.V. Symonov and postgraduate student M.V. Tymofeiev), in accordance with international agreement No. 988 of 25.07.2024 between Bogomolets National Medical University and the chemical and pharmaceutical company Recordati S.p.A.

As part of the visit programme, a meeting of the NMU delegation took place at the headquarters of the company Recordati S.p.A.. After the report on the main results of the research work, a lively discussion and consideration of the obtained data took place.

Particular attention was drawn to the experimental model reproducing a complicated anal fissure in animals, and to the approaches to assessing the macroscopic, microscopic and histological results of treatment. The Italian colleagues emphasized the high methodological level of the work and the significance of the results obtained for expanding the indications for the use of the medicine Procto-Glivenol®, supplementing the clinical study programme with new indications for use and changes to the patient information leaflet. Comprehensive answers were given to all questions from those present. The preclinical study data obtained open up prospects for further clinical trials of the drug for the new indication “acute anal fissure”.  The report was approved unanimously by all company representatives present.

The host party organized and conducted a tour of the research laboratories of the preclinical research department R&D of the pharmaceutical company Recordati S.p.A. The review of modern equipment models for pharmacological, chemical, analytical and biopharmaceutical research was accompanied by a demonstration of modern methods of their use in the development of synthetic and biotechnological medicines. During the introduction to the company’s scientific potential, issues of joint developments and the possibility of carrying out certain fragments of pharmaceutical research by NMU postgraduate students at the company’s research laboratories were discussed

During the working meeting, a draft of a scientific publication based on the results of the research project was discussed; Prof. N.M. Kobyliak proposed publishing the obtained preclinical study data on the new therapeutic properties and molecular mechanism of action of the investigated drug in the leading European journal “Pharmaceuticals”, and the consent of the Italian colleagues was obtained.

Issues of further development of cooperation between Bogomolets National Medical University and the company Recordati S.p.A., and areas of future research and key aspects of a new research project for 2026–2027 were proposed.

During the official visit, the Italian colleagues were informed about the educational and scientific potential of Bogomolets NMU, which will help raise the University’s prestige at the international level. Communication with colleagues  made it possible to outline the prospects for new mutually beneficial research projects.

The EURIZON Project: New Opportunities for Ukrainian Science

From 18 to 25 January 2025, the Head of the Department of Pharmacology of Bogomolets NMU, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Ganna Volodymyrivna Zaychenko, and the Head of the Department of Modern Technologies of Medical Diagnostics and Treatment of Bogomolets NMU, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Larysa Valentynivna Natrus, took part in a research internship in Germany within the framework of the grant project EURIZON (ID# 268). The visit programme included visits to the University of Berlin and Ruhr University in the city of Bochum, which made it possible to expand scientific cooperation and exchange experience with leading European specialists.

Since 2024, Bogomolets NMU has been implementing a research project within the framework of the prestigious EU grant Horizon 2020 Research – EURIZON. The project is aimed at deciphering the molecular mechanisms of the effect of metformin on the medial preoptic area of the brain and at correcting reproductive disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The visit of Professors G.V. Zaychenko and L.V. Natrus was carried out within the framework of the programme “Staff exchange programme for selected EURIZON Fellowship teams”, which is supported by the European Union and aimed at integrating Ukrainian researchers into the international research community.

Internship at the Charité University Hospital

On 20–21 January 2025, Professors G.V. Zaychenko and L.V. Natrus undertook an internship at one of the most renowned medical centres in Europe — the Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies at the Charité University Hospital. This medical institution is one of the world’s leading research complexes, carrying out more than 1,000 research projects in cooperation with universities from various countries.

During the internship, particular attention was paid to methods of regenerative therapy and the latest pharmacological developments for the treatment of neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and endocrine diseases. Professors G.V. Zaychenko and L.V. Natrus  became acquainted with the capabilities of flow cytometry — a technique that opens up new prospects in assessing the viability of cell preparations. The use of these technologies is of particular importance for the treatment of severe wounds in military personnel and civilians.

As part of the internship, a joint seminar was also held with the German colleagues, where the results of experimental research were discussed, directions for further cooperation were identified, and a plan was developed for publication in a scientific journal indexed in Scopus.

Visit to Ruhr University in Bochum

On 22–23 January 2025, Professors G.V. Zaychenko and L.V. Natrus visited the Center for Translational Medicine at the university hospital Marien Hospital Herne of Ruhr University. This institution is one of the most modern educational and scientific centres in Germany, offering more than 185 educational programmes and actively cooperating with more than 300 universities worldwide.

The visit programme included:

• Familiarization with the modern research laboratories of the university hospital;
• A joint seminar with doctoral students on methods of immunological monitoring and flow cytometry;
• Discussion of treatment strategies for renal pathologies with the Head of the Department of Nephropathy and Dialysis, Timm Westhoff;
• Identification of possible areas of cooperation in research related to the pharmacological correction of diabetes.

Results of the Internship

The research internship made it possible to acquire new research competencies in the field of experimental pharmacology, in particular the development of innovative medicines for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and renal immunopathologies. The experience gained will be used to update educational programmes at NMU, as well as in the training of postgraduate students and students of the “Medicine” and “Pharmacy” specialities.

In addition, the visit contributed to establishing international cooperation between Bogomolets NMU and leading European universities, which opens up new prospects for participation in international grant programmes and joint scientific research.

Head of the Department of Pharmacology of Bogomolets NMU Took Part in the International “COVID-19 CONNECT” Masterclass in Berlin

On 18–19 October 2024, the Head of the Department of Pharmacology of Bogomolets National Medical University, Professor Ganna Volodymyrivna Zaychenko, and Professor Olha Anatoliivna Holubovska took part in the international scientific and practical masterclass “COVID-19 CONNECT”, held in Berlin, Germany. The event brought together leading specialists in infectious diseases, pulmonologists, family doctors, cardiologists and clinical pharmacologists from around the world, including from Europe, Asia and South America.

The masterclass focused on current issues in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 in 2024, as well as on preparing multidisciplinary teams to respond to new infectious challenges. Leading European experts presented reports covering such topics as the latest epidemiological data, the evolution of the disease, the characteristics of patients in different risk groups, and the effectiveness of modern treatment methods, in particular the use of real-world evidence (RWE) and randomized controlled trials (RCT) in selecting therapy for high-risk patients.

One of the key topics was the effectiveness of the drug PAXLOVID in reducing the risk of hospitalization among patients with COVID-19. The presented research results indicate that in patients with rheumatic diseases and type 2 diabetes, the use of this drug significantly reduces the risk of severe outcomes.

Participation in the event allowed the representatives of Bogomolets NMU not only to become acquainted with advanced international practices, but also to share their experience with foreign colleagues. The knowledge gained will be integrated into the educational process of the Department of Pharmacology: lecture materials will be updated, including sections concerning antiviral drugs, and a thematic meeting of the student scientific society will be held. This will contribute to improving the quality of teaching and updating the knowledge of students of the medical, dental and pharmaceutical faculties.

Events such as “COVID-19 CONNECT” are extremely important for maintaining a high level of professional competence among medical specialists and for building scientific cooperation

2024

From 30 August to 2 September 2024, one of the most important events in the field of cardiology took place in London — the international cardiology congress ESC 2024. Professor Ganna Volodymyrivna Zaychenko, Head of the Department of Pharmacology of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Bogomolets National Medical University, took part in this event.

This year’s congress brought together more than 31,800 delegates from around the world, including 5,400 lecturers and speakers. The central theme of the congress was “Personalization of Cardiovascular Care”, aimed at improving treatment outcomes for patients with cardiac diseases.

Important scientific projects were presented at the congress, including the “Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases” — an initiative of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the University of Oxford. This project assesses the economic impact of cardiovascular diseases in the ESC member states, which makes it possible to better understand the costs of treating and preventing such diseases.

Particularly important were the new clinical guidelines of the ESC 2024, among them:

• Guidelines for the treatment of peripheral arteries and the aorta;
• Updated guidelines for the treatment of arterial hypertension;
• Guidelines for the treatment of atrial fibrillation;
• Guidelines for patients with chronic coronary syndromes.

Participation in the congress was an important step in raising awareness of the latest approaches to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as well as in updating the curricula of the Department of Pharmacology. This will contribute to the integration of Ukrainian doctors and pharmacists into the European scientific community and to improving the quality of the educational process for the University’s students. The materials obtained at the congress will be used to update lecture material and to hold thematic meetings of the student scientific society.

2023
A delegation of Bogomolets National Medical University, comprising the Head of the Department of Pharmacology Ganna Zaychenko, postgraduate student Anna Horbach and postgraduate student Dmytro Kozak, attended the 19th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, held from 2 to 7 July 2023 in Glasgow (Scotland, United Kingdom). The intensive scientific programme included more than 140 scientific symposia, engaging plenary lectures and masterclasses; the sessions of the educational section were especially rich, with round tables, discussions and the exchange of experience in teaching pharmacology under modern conditions held throughout the week. Considerable attention was paid to issues of drug safety and pharmacovigilance. The department’s young researchers had the opportunity to communicate with colleagues and present reports at the poster session.

An important item in the programme of the stay in Scotland was a visit to the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Dundee and the institute of health, which is a research division of the University.

In November 2023, the Head of the Department was invited to the European workshop “Covid-Connect” in Madrid (Spain), at which the main results of clinical trials of the first anti-COVID antiviral medicine were presented. Specialists from five world centres for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 shared their experience in prescribing the new drug. Training was conducted on the effective and safe use of the new drug in various categories of patients. A certificate of participation in the event was obtained.

From 15 to 22.11.2023, the Head of the Department of Pharmacology Prof. Ganna Zaychenko completed an internship at a leading European pharmaceutical company producing phytopreparations, “Bionorica”. The latest knowledge on the development and the preclinical and clinical study of phytoneering medicines, as well as practical skills in quality control of raw materials and finished medicinal products, were acquired.

A visit was made to the University of Regensburg, where an internship took place at the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene and the Department of Pharmacology. New knowledge was gained on preventing antibiotic resistance and the rational use of antimicrobial agents. A certificate of internship was obtained.

2020

In February 2020, the Head of the Department of Pharmacology Ganna Zaychenko completed an internship at the Higher Linguistic School in Częstochowa (Poland) — Wyższa Szkoła Lingwistyczna, Czestochowa, Poland. Certificate. International scientific professional development course for the educational project “The Innovative Methods and Technologies of Teaching: The Newest in the European Educational Practice (Medicine)”, 6 cred. (180 hours), passed an English language examination and obtained an international B2 certificate.

2019

On 27–30.06.2019, the international 5th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, EAN Congress-2019, was held in Oslo (Norway). The scientific forum  brought together more than 3,000 participants from 67 countries around the world.
More than 40 doctors, researchers and educators from Ukraine took part in the congress, among them the Head of the Department of Pharmacology of Bogomolets NMU, Professor Ganna Zaychenko.
Among the important scientific issues considered, the following attracted attention: early stroke prevention, the role of medicines in stimulating neurogenesis and in treating neurodegenerative diseases, and the place of blood-derivative medicines in neurorehabilitation and in improving cognitive functions after injuries and strokes and in patients with diabetic encephalopathy. Original drugs based on monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of migraine were presented. A visit to a stand with interactive VR visualization technologies of the mechanisms of action of such an anti-CGRP drug was of interest.

From 23 to 26 June 2019,  the Head of the Department of Pharmacology attended the 35th Congress of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (35th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, 2019, Austria), which took place in Vienna (Austria), where more than two thousand professionals from around the world discussed pressing issues in reproductive medicine. Among other things, the congress presented new clinical guidelines on the management of patients with recurrent pregnancy loss, and new reproductive technologies and medicines to support them were discussed. Given that the Department of Pharmacology conducts research in the field of reproductive pharmacology, on which G. Zaychenko gave a report, participation in such a scientific forum was not only interesting but also useful. A certificate was obtained (Certificate ESHRE, 0.5 cred. (16 hours)).

Over the course of 5 weeks, from 07 July to 03 August 2019, Professor G.V. Zaychenko improved her level of English at the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom); as a result, a certificate was obtained (Cambridge Academy of English, English Language course, 84 h). In addition to language training, during this period visits were made to specialized departments of pharmacology and to the university library. For the purpose of exchanging experience, a visit was made to the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Oxford. During discussions with colleagues from similar departments, didactic issues of teaching pharmacology at various levels of medical training, the content of modern textbooks, and the features of delivering a modern lecture were discussed.

From 20 to 24 October 2019, the Head of the Department of Pharmacology, Professor Ganna Zaychenko, was invited as a visiting professor to the S.D. Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University. During her stay, lectures on pharmacology were delivered for students (“Pharmacology of Anticoagulants”), and for the teaching staff a masterclass lecture on pharmacology teaching methodology was given; a memorandum of cooperation was signed between KazNMU and NMU.

In Almaty, where the international congress “Man and Medicine” was held, Prof. G.V. Zaychenko delivered a scientific report, “The Many Faces of Resveratrol. A Pharmacologist’s View”, which presented the results of many years of research on resveratrol conducted at the Department of Pharmacology of NMU. At the invitation of Academician V.N. Lokshin, Prof. G.V. Zaychenko visited the most modern reproductive medicine clinic, “Persona”, where she became acquainted with the experience of using various hormonal medicines to correct reproductive functions.

2018

On 2–9 July 2018, the 18th Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, organized by the Japanese Pharmacological Society, which is part of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR), was held in Kyoto (Japan).

Representatives of Bogomolets National Medical University also set off on this long and fascinating journey to the Congress — the Head of the Department of Pharmacology, Professor Ganna Zaychenko, and a 3rd-year student of the 1st Faculty of Medicine, head of the student scientific society of the Department of Pharmacology — Dmytro Muzychko.

The scientific and cultural programmes of the congress were extremely interesting. More than 80 symposia, a huge exhibition of scientific equipment, medicines, scientific literature and pharmacology textbooks. Among the plenary lecturers were Nobel Prize laureates and world-renowned pharmacologists.

His poster report on the results of an experimental study of a photoprotective cream with nanocerium was presented by D. Muzychko in English; young researchers from various countries took an active  part in the discussion of the report.

The organizers offered congress delegates more than twenty masterclasses. One of them made it possible to touch Japanese culture through the opportunity to try on a real kimono. Communication with colleagues from 83 countries, virtual tours of research laboratories, a visit to the University of Kyoto, and a trip to the capital — Tokyo — left the most pleasant memories of visiting the country where the sun rises first.

The congress programme included interesting workshops with the participation of leading medical education institutions on modern methods of teaching pharmacology to future doctors; among them, the most interesting were the issues of learning from e-textbooks and training teachers in the latest educational technologies.