M.P. Skakun Institute of Pharmacology, Hygiene and Medical Biochemistry

M.P. Skakun Institute of Pharmacology, Hygiene and Medical Biochemistry

Address: Maidan Voli, 1

Tel.: (0352) 52-39-87

Department of Medical Biochemistry

Department of Pharmacology with Clinical Pharmacology

Department of General Hygiene and Ecology

M.P. Skakun Academic and Research Institute of Pharmacology, Hygiene and Medical Biochemistry (ARI) was created on June 8, 2005 by the decision of the Academic Council of I.Ya. Horbachevsky Ternopil State Medical University (TSMU) and by the order of chancellor of Ternopil State Medical University corresponding member of NAMS, Professor L.Y. Kovalchuk. The Institute is a part of the Medical Faculty.

The first director of ARI Professor Yaroslav Honsky, MD, PhD, DSc

ARI was created in order to train modern specialists who would possess sufficient medical knowledge and skills, and to conduct comprehensive research according to the specialization of the institute. At present the Institute includes basic structural units: three departments with their classrooms and lecture halls, equipped in accordance to the requirements of TSMU educational process. Each department has a computer lab where students can acquire knowledge on a subject by using virtual learning and control software, videos, tutorials, presented at the University WEB-portal – Intranet and Moodle etc.

Videoconference hall of TSMU at ARI

Department of Pharmacology with Clinical Pharmacology (Head of the Department, Professor Olexandra Oleshchuk, Head of the course of Clinical Pharmacology, Professor Volodimir Shmanko), Department of General Hygiene and Ecology (Head of the Department, Professor Mikola Kashuba), Department of Medical Biochemistry (Head of the Department, DMSc. Svitlana Pidrutchna) are the basic structural units of the Institute which provide educational and methodological activities for several disciplines and specialties, and ensure the conduction of scientific researches in a certain direction.

The first director of ARI Professor Ya. Honsky was elected via secret ballot on

August 29, 2005 at the joint meeting of the Departments. From 2008 to 2012 Kostyantin Pashko held the position of Director of the Institute. Academic Council of the Institute is an advisory body to the Director of the Institute, who is a chairman of the Council. The first meeting of the newly established Academic Council was held on 15.09.2005. The meeting included 41 participant teachers with scientific degrees.

Based on the decisions of the Academic Council Director of the Institute issues orders obligatory to be implemented by teachers, students and staff of the Institute. Cyclic methodical commission takes into consideration current issues of educational and teaching work of the Institute. The staff of the Institute carries out a significant amount of training and research. Each department is equipped with interactive whiteboards, video systems, PCs. A total of 6 interactive whiteboards, 17 video systems and 94 computers allow teachers to organize the educational process at the advanced level.

Computer classes of ARI

The teaching process in the departments of the Institute is carried out using so called ‘tape’ and ‘one-day’ systems. According to the standards of higher education, lists of practical skills that are included in the line of practical skills (Matrikules) were set up. Special training videos were created to ensure proper assimilation of practical skills in all departments of the Institute. Examination tests in three languages for each subject were created in order to evaluate students’ knowledge. They are constantly replenished and can be effectively used to determine the resulting level of knowledge on all topics of the subject.

Interactive whiteboards at the Department of Pharmacology with Clinical Pharmacology

Practical classes at the Department of Medical Biochemistry

Practical classes at the Department of General Hygiene and Ecology

The process of creation of department resources of modern training videos continues. These may be used during skills building sessions and in the course of unsupervised work. The Studio of virtual training programs continues to operate in Ternopil State Medical University. The involvement of qualified software engineers in this process accelerates the creation of virtual programs and which are used by ESI departments when studying each topic of any appropriate discipline. It significantly augments the organization of the educational process.

Appropriate test bases were submitted to The Center of Independent Testing of Students in TSMU. The test bases of all departments of the Institute contain more than 100,000 tests: the Department of Pharmacology with Clinical Pharmacology – over 35,000 tests, the Department of General Hygiene and Ecology – over 33,000, the Department of Medical Biochemistry – more than 40,000. After each examination session the invalid tests are deleted from the database and replaced by new ones.

All learning materials, including curriculum of disciplines, the presentation of lectures and training videos, training materials for lectures and practical classes, on the subjects are available on the Moodle system web-pages of all ESI departments. All educational materials and additional methodological support in English are developed as means for preparation for skills building sessions, lectures presentations and guidance for students, practical skills algorithms. These are available on paper and on the web-site, so students can freely access them via Intranet network twenty-four-hours a day.

One of the virtual training programs created by teachers of medical biochemistry department

Teachers of ARI are authors and co-authors of eight textbooks on relevant subjects, including national, and over 10 manuals used in Ukrainian universities, institutes and colleges.

Scientific researches in the Institute of Pharmacology, Hygiene and Medical Biochemistry, are conducted in the following areas: planning and implementation of theses; implementation of departmental and interdepartmental research projects; performance of contractual researches; organization of scientific conferences; organization of students’ researches. Departments’ students’ research groups address the scientific work of students.

The staff of the Institute received about thirty scientific patents for utility models, as well as evidences of innovations.

In the underground level of the administrative building a new research laboratory of the Institute is being constructed and equipped. Its total area is 200 m².

It is designed for biochemical, pharmacological, immunological studies, etc. in accordance to the principles of GLP (Good Laboratory Practice). Laboratory design will provide proper distribution of a variety of activities and ensure each type of the research to obtain reliable results.

To optimize researches, expand their range and improve the scientific level the Laboratory is planned to be equipped by a number of new devices, refrigeration centrifuge (for fractional allocation organelles of cells and the implementation of studying microsomal, mitochondrial systems, etc.), high performance liquid chromatography systems for electrophoresis of proteins and nucleic acids, system for Western-blot analysis, fluorescent microscope, automatic biochemical analyzer, microplate luminometer, homogenizers of tissue samples. The creation of cell cultures laboratory, equipped with a CO₂ incubator, inverted microscope, laminar boxing, is also scheduled.

Researches within the scope of interdepartmental scientific research ‘The biochemical mechanisms of toxicity of nanoparticles of various nature and other anthropogenic and biogenic toxicants in biological systems’ (supervisor Professor M. Korda) are ongoing.

Researches within the scope of ‘The efficacy of medical preparations of metabolic type of action and enterosorption in pathological processes of different etiology’ are completed. In particular, the cardioprotective, hepatoprotective and nefroprotective activity of quercetin-containing medicines was demonstrated in experimental diabetes mellitus, the justification of Thiotriazolin usage in acetaminophen liver damage was given, the role of nitric oxide in internal organs dysfunction and the pathogenesis of obstetric pathology in experimental antiphospholipid syndrome was established (supervisor Professor K. Posokhova).

In recent years, the Institute scientists participated in three studies of government contractual work with total budget of over 200,000 UAH.

Teachers of the departments pay much attention to national-patriotic work. They act the mentors to both Ukrainian and foreign students. The staff of the Institute participates in charity, helping children with impaired vision and others; on a regular basis participate as volunteers to help Ukrainian soldiers who fight in the ATO, and their families.

Teachers of the Institute often publish educational and teaching articles in periodicals, including newspapers ‘Medical Academy’, ‘University Hospital’, etc.

The staff of the Institute will continue to further modernize the educational process on the basis of research and innovation, usage of high-tech methods of information and computer technology; raise the level of scientific research to the highest international standards, its planning and implementation in accordance with the requirements of the present and future requests.

The main principle of the Departments’ staff is to provide the most effective adaptation of foreign students to study and live in Ukraine, conditions for the successful and harmonious development of their professional, moral and physical qualities as future doctors.