At the end of the academic year, Professor Viktoriia Harbuzova, Head of the Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology with a Course in Medical Biology, chaired the department’s final meeting. During the meeting, the faculty conducted a comprehensive review of the department’s activities over the past academic year, evaluated achievements across its key areas of work, and identified strategic priorities for the coming year.
The meeting focused on the department’s accomplishments in education, research, methodological development, and international cooperation. Participants also reviewed the outcomes of work with students, the implementation of research projects, publication activity, and student participation in scientific conferences, competitions, and educational outreach initiatives.
It was emphasized that throughout the academic year the department successfully operated four student scientific associations: the Mental Health Club, the Physiology Student Research Group, the Molecular Genetics Laboratory, and the Workshop of Young Biologists. Members of these groups actively presented the results of their research at international and national scientific conferences, student research competitions, and other academic events, demonstrating a high level of scientific engagement and achievement.
Among the department’s most notable accomplishments were the outstanding achievements of its students. Daria Neicheva, supervised by Associate Professor Antonina Biesiedina, won First Prize in the All-Ukrainian Student Research Competition. Yelyzaveta Snizhko, also supervised by Associate Professor Biesiedina, received a First-Degree Diploma at the 30th Congress of Students and Young Scientists “The Future is Behind Science”, hosted by I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University.
The department’s students also successfully represented the Educational and Scientific Medical Institute at major international scientific events. Karina Soloshchenko, under the supervision of Associate Professor Besedina, presented her research at the MUISC 2026 International Student Congress hosted by Maltepe University in Istanbul. Anastasiia Protsenko, Yelyzaveta Snizhko (supervised by Associate Professor Besedina), and Anna Kobyletska (supervised by Assistant Zoya Levchenko) presented their research at the Avicenna International Student Scientific Conference 2026 (AISC-2026) held at Avicenna Batumi Medical University. These achievements demonstrate the high quality of the students’ scientific training and the department’s successful approach to developing young researchers.
In recognition of its outstanding work in fostering student research, the department was awarded Third Place in the university competition “Best Department for the Organization of Student Research Activities in 2025.”
Career guidance and educational outreach among school and college students in Sumy remained one of the department’s major priorities throughout the year. Together with university students and pupils from secondary schools, the department organized numerous educational events, including Biology Quizzes, Brain Awareness Week, Brain Ring, Physiological Oscar, and many other interactive activities designed to promote biology, physiology, and biomedical sciences among young people.
Students also became actively involved in a government-funded research project entitled “Medical and Social Justification for Optimizing the Healthcare Model for Patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Considering Molecular Genetic Risk Factors.” Participation in this project provided valuable research experience and strengthened students’ practical and scientific competencies.
Special attention during the meeting was devoted to defining the department’s strategic priorities for the coming academic year. These include further improvement of the educational process, expansion of student research activities, strengthening international cooperation, and implementing innovative approaches in both teaching and scientific research.
The final departmental meeting became an important milestone for evaluating achievements, identifying future development priorities, and consolidating the efforts of the academic staff to implement new educational and scientific initiatives in the upcoming academic year.
