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Regular Meeting of the Scientific Departments The general director of the center, Professor Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Farhan, conducted his periodical meeting with the heads of department and their coordinators. Many matters concerning the scientific departments were discussed in this meeting, including updates on ongoing research versus what has been completed by the researchers in the center, new scientific visits, new regulations for applying to postgraduate studies, as well as discussions on joint research projects between departments. The director emphasized the need for compliance with official working hours and the importance of reminding through the attendance record in the departments at the center

Scientific Collaboration with Alchemy Company The Director General of the Center, Professor Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Farhan, received a delegation from Alchemy Scientific Company, headed by the sales representative of the Indian company SRL. This initiative is part of the company’s plan to arrange a series of visits to institutions interested in chemical materials related to Culture Media, PCR, Electrophoresis, and Biochemicals, with the aim of fostering scientific collaboration. The visit was coordinated by the Head of the Continuing Education Unit, Assistant Professor Dr. Suad Ghazi. A field tour was conducted to introduce the delegation to the center’s departments and the available equipment

The Biotechnology Research Center Concludes Its Scientific Workshop The Biotechnology Research Center at Al-Nahrain University concluded its scientific workshop titled “Novel Elucidating in NGS Technique for Motile Genetic Elements in Bacteria.” The workshop shed light on advanced techniques such as nitrogenous base sequencing analysis through the NGS technique, aimed at diagnosing the horizontal transfer of genetic material between organisms in general and bacteria in particular. It also covered various important and modern applications, emphasizing the significance of analysis and the use of advanced bioinformatics tools and software in analyzing the results of genetic sequencing studies of organisms. The workshop recommended the need to adopt and keep pace with the rapid advancements in the field of genetic diagnostics

Participation in a Master’s Thesis Defense Committee Dr. Ghaida Hussein, Associate Professor from the Environmental Biotechnology Department at the Center for Biotechnology Research, Al-Nahrain University, participated as a member of the defense committee for the Master’s thesis titled: “Investigating the Influence of Piper cubeba Extract on Biofilm Formation and Expression of csgA and fimH Genes in Escherichia coli”. The thesis was presented by Zahraa Faris from the College of Biotechnology at the same university. The study aimed to investigate the effect of Piper cubeba extract on biofilm formation and the expression of the csgA and fimH genes in Escherichia coli. The research involved studying 100 urine samples collected from patients suffering from urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Baghdad between September and December 2023. The bacterial samples were identified using culture techniques and Vitek2 testing. The findings revealed that 52% of the isolates were Escherichia coli, while 48% belonged to other bacteria such as Staphylococcus spp. and Klebsiella spp.. Antibiotic sensitivity testing showed high resistance among the bacteria to several antibiotics. Additionally, 88% of the isolates were capable of forming biofilms, and the virulence genes fimH and csgA were detected in most E. coli isolates. Methanolic extracts of Piper cubeba were tested against four resistant isolates, demonstrating antibacterial activity, reducing biofilm formation, and increasing the expression of certain virulence-related genes. The study recommended that Piper cubeba extract holds promising therapeutic potential against antibiotic-resistant UTIs. After successfully defending her thesis, the researcher was awarded an Excellent grade

Cooperation Agreement with the College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University The Director General of the Biotechnology Research Center at Al-Nahrain University, Professor Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Farhan, led a delegation from the center on a visit to the College of Biotechnology at the same university. The visit aimed to sign a joint cooperation agreement between the center and the College of Biotechnology. The most important provisions of the agreement include conducting joint research, exchanging scientific visits for training and expertise sharing, exchanging books, publications, and theses, as well as joint supervision and participation in committees for discussing research at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The visiting delegation was warmly received by the Dean of the College of Biotechnology, Professor Dr. Mohsen Hashem Rassan, along with several faculty members. The scientific cooperation agreement was signed between the two parties to serve scientific research and the advancements in modern biotechnology, contributing to the progress of our university and our beloved country