Center for Education Projects PIU The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports

On July 17 a working meeting was held in Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU). The representatives of the Ministry of Education Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, the Higher Education and Science Committee and Centre for Education Projects PIU were present at the meeting. The aim of the meeting was the monitoring of the ongoing grant project of Competitive Innovation Fund (CIF) for higher education institutions of Armenia.Professor Konstantin Yenkoyan, the Head of Neuroscience Laboratory of Yerevan State Medical University after MkhitarHeratsi (YSMU) and the Head of the grant project presented the ongoing activities of the establishment of"Brain Visualization Laboratory" to the participants of the visit. The creation of the laboratory is carried out according to the action plan defined by the grant project.It should be noted that the main goal of the project is to create a brain visualization laboratory which, by combining the features of modern microscopy, cellular computing, augmented and virtual reality, will allow comprehensive visualization of the cellular engineering of the brain, complementing it with sensory interaction.The laboratory will be equipped with static and dynamic "5D" imaging of brain cells, to visualize the "delivery" of a drug, cell or other imported particle into the brain. During the visit, the representatives of the PIU together with the representative of Higher Education and Science Committee and the university representatives discussed the activities planned in accordance with the schedule of the grant project and the process of their implementation. As a result of the monitoring it was recorded that the area for the center is selected and the renovation works will start soon.The members of the working group monitoredthe computers, video-communication systems, and augmented and virtual reality equipment purchased under the grant project.The Head of the 1.3 component of the PIU H. Gharibjanyan checked the compliance of the equipment with the conditions specified in the contract.It should be noted that the creation of educational content is also an important component of the grant project.In particular, within the framework of the project the research on Alzheimer's disease and autism has moved to a qualitatively new dimension, as a result of which the total number of YSMU publications in the Web of Science database has increased.Within the framework of the project, new subject courses are being developed, where UV and UL technologies of brain visualization are applied. The implementation of the new postgraduate program "PhD in Neuroscience" has begun.
At the end of the visit, speaking about awareness activities, K. Yenkoyan noted, that awareness activities related to the objectives and results of the grant projects are continuous. The goals and expected results of the grant projects are presented in more detail, and these measures are aimed at attracting more female students and researchers into neuroscience field.