Students of the 8th grade of European Azerbaijan School visited the Institute of Biophysics

Students of the 8th grade of European Azerbaijan School visited the Institute of Biophysics.
The purpose of the visit was to help the students connect the theoretical knowledge they gain in biology classes with real research processes, as well as to broaden their understanding of biomolecular and medical studies.

During the visit, the students were introduced to the Institute’s “Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry” laboratory. They were informed about research on cell surface receptors and signal transduction proteins involved in the development of cancer diseases — including lung, breast, and colorectal carcinomas. Stages such as gene isolation, cloning into plasmid vectors, transformation into E. coli cells, and extraction of total RNA from healthy and diseased tissues using TRIzol and other reagents were demonstrated. The students also observed how proteins such as HER1, HER2, and RAS are studied within signaling pathways.

Later, the students visited the “Structure, Dynamics and Function of Biomolecules” laboratory. Here, they were given information about amyloid formation by proteins during neurodegenerative diseases, the kinetic characteristics of this process, factors that slow amyloid formation, and mechanisms of amyloid degradation. They also learned about the creation of a classification model for lung cancer diagnostics using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra of human blood plasma with the help of artificial intelligence technologies, and the future potential of this approach for large-scale screening.

The visit played an important role in familiarizing students with a real scientific environment, allowing them to closely observe laboratory processes and increasing their interest in biology. The students strengthened their theoretical knowledge and gained a clearer understanding of the role of biomolecular research in medical diagnostics and scientific progress