TOMSK, May 26 – RIA Tomsk.Tomsk State University (TSU) has opened a new master's program where students will be trained in bioinformatics and genetic engineering to combat dangerous human and animal diseases, the university's website reported Wednesday.
It is specified that the first enrollment of master's students will be opened during the 2021 admissions campaign. TSU aims to train specialists who can extract data about the genomes of living organisms, interpret them correctly and, "by manipulating genes, create "living machines" that have properties or perform functions that have not existed in nature until then."
"Graduate students will be trained to analyze the genomes of living organisms and edit them using bioinformatics and genetic engineering techniques to address global challenges to humanity – combating dangerous human and animal diseases, environmental pollution, preserving species diversity and many others", – says the report.
It is added that the central place in the program is given to the formation of practical skills, as well as the formation of research competencies. The program includes workshops on genomics and genetic engineering, while the theoretical block includes such disciplines as "Genomics", "Molecular Cytogenetics", "Genetic Engineering", "Environmental Genetics" and others.
"Ten years ago, a complete deciphering of the human genome cost 300 million dollars; now it costs about three thousand dollars. Already by the end of 2021, this amount could be reduced threefold. Obtaining new data on genes will make it possible to effectively treat diseases and prevent many of them", – program manager Gleb Artyomov is quoted in the message.
Graduates of the program will be able to solve a wide range of research and applied problems – to sequence human, animal and plant genomes, analyze information, create new biotechnologies aimed at solving problems in medicine, food security, environmental protection and improving the quality of human life.