Activities

Protective control measures that are poorly implemented or maintained are a recognised source of lab-acquired infections. Out of date and non-serviced laboratory equipment can put laboratory users at risk of infection. Faulty microbiological biosafety cabinets are of particular concern as they may expose laboratory users to aerosolised pathogens. As part of the EU funded CBRN Centres of Excellence Project 53 (P53) “Strengthening National Legal Framework and Provision of Specialized Training on Bio-Safety ...

Under the European Union’s CBRN Centres of Excellence Project 53 (P53) three training sessions have been recently conducted in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The trainings took place in Shymkent, 14 – 18 January, Taraz on 21 – 25 January and Aktau, on 11 - 15 February 2019 with the title “Safety work with Extremely Dangerous Pathogens (EDPs)”. These workshops provided training to Kazakhstani experts in the field of bio-safety and bio-security, specialising on how to work with sampl...

A series of three short courses took place between the 17th and 21st December 2018 at Public Health England (PHE), Porton Down in the UK.  The training was delivered to scientists from Kazakhstan who represented two institutes in Almaty (NCB Central Reference Laboratory and KSCQZD) and two institutions in Astana (Centre for Influenza Sentinal Surveillance and the National Reference Laboratory for the Control of Viral Infections). Professor Christopher H. Logue & Delaram Akhavein from the Novel and D...

The European Union’s CBRN Centres of Excellence Project 53 (P53) has conducted three trainings on “Safety Management of Extremely Dangerous Infectious Diseases” in Kazakhstan. The three workshops were held in Kyzylorda, 19-23 November, Taldykorgan on 26-30 November and Almaty, on December 10-14 2018. The workshops provided training to national experts on field biosafety, sampling, packaging and transportation of infectious samples and materials, usage of specialized laboratory and hospital equip...

A team of Kazakh experts from EU CBRN CoE Project 53 presented the activities and results of this initiative at the high profile 16th Medical Biodefense Conference, conducted in Munich, Germany last 28 to 31 October 2018. Prof. Andrey DMITROVSKIY provided the Project 53 accomplishments in a presentation that was received with great interest, and which motivated numerous questions and recognition from the international audience. An abstract about EU CBRN CoE Project 53 was published in the proceedings of the Medic...

Multiple partner of EU funded Project 53 (P53) of the EU Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear risk mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative (EU CBRN CoE) participated in the Regional Workshop for Central Asian States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) on Scientific and Practical Implementation Issues, 23-24 October 2018, Almaty. The meeting was hosted by the governments of Kazakhstan, the Federal Republic of Germany and the BWC Implementation Support Unit. The workshop was conducted at ...

The CBRN Centres of Excellence Risk Mitigation Project 53, funded by the European Union and managed by the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC), carried out a training workshop on "Biosafety management of extremely dangerous infectious patients" in Karaganda city on September 17-21, 2018. The training was provided by Dr Kim Antonina (head of Karaganda Medical University Infectious Diseases Department) and Maukayeva Saule (head of Semey Medical University Infectious Diseases Department...

The South Kazakhstan Medical Academy Republican Scientific Journal “ Vestnik” recently published the abstract titled "Experience of BS&S experts´ training in the framework of the Project 53", authored by Prof. Andrey Dmitrovskiy (Kazakh National Medical University & National Centre for Biotechnology, Almaty branch), Prof. Seidigapbar Mamadaliyev (National Centre for Biotechnology, Almaty branch), Prof. Farida Iskakova, (Kazakh National Medical University), Prof. Lyazzat Yeraliyeva...

The abstract titled "Experience of BS&S experts´ training in the framework of the Project 53" was presented on the 12-13 of June 2018 during the International Symposium Astana Biotech 2018.   It describes the successful activities carried out by Project 53 in the field of biosafety and biosecurity (BS&S) in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Project 53 is funded by the European Union's CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative, and is implemented in Central Asia by the International Scie...

As a successful outcome of the “Biosafety & Biosecurity in Central Asian Countries – Train the Trainer” Course, financed by the European Union´s CBRN Centers of Excellence Project 53, professors in several Kazakhstan Universities are providing their students with advanced biosafety and biosecurity courses. This Train the Trainers activity was carried out by a renowned European team of experts composed of Prof. Christopher H. Logue and Dr. Suzanna Lewis of PHE and Dr. Ingmar Janse of RIVM....

The CBRN Centres of Excellence Risk Mitigation Project 53, funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC), in coordination with the National Center of Biotechnology, carried out a training workshop on biosafety risk management at the Regional Blood Center Building, in Taraz city on April 26 and 29, 2018. During the workshop 62 doctors from Taraz City and other districts of the Jambyl region were trained in advanced biosafety techniques, such as: proper use o...

The training “Molecular diagnosis of EDPs by Real-Time PCR in samples processed using a Flexible Film Isolator (FFI)”, took place April 18 to 20, 2018 in the CRL, Almaty, Kazakhstan The three days training was a follow up of the successful “train the trainers” seminars carried out by Project 53 during the last year, in which EU team of  experts would train the persons in charge of carrying out trainings in their respective countries. Project 53 is implemented by the International Scie...

In accordance with the purposes and objectives of the EU funded CBRN CoE Project 53 and as a consequence and continuation of Train-the-Trainer workshop that was provided to Kazakh experts on 2 – 6 October 2017, newly trained trainers from the Kazakh National Medical University, Prof. Andrey Dmitrovskiy, Prof. Ravilya Yegemberdiyeva and Prof. Lyazzat Yeraliyeva conducted Biosafety&security trainings for 3 groups of 5th year students of the specialty General medicine (19 students) within course on infectious...

Twelve newly trained and talented Biosafety & Biosecurity trainers will deliver the course in their respective institutes over the coming six months. The first Project 53 “Biosafety & Biosecurity: Train the Trainer Course” has been completed in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This first of six, week-long training courses in Central Asia ran from October 2nd to 6th and was hosted at the Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University (KazNMU). Prof Christopher H Logue from Public Health Englan...

On 31 May 2017 in the framework of the Europe Day celebration a European classical music concert and EU Projects Fair were held in Astana. The annual event aimed to promote European values and to send a message of friendship and cooperation to the numerous friends of Europe in Kazakhstan.  Ambassador Traian Hristea, Head of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstan Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko delivered welcoming speeches. “This is a significant month”, said Ambassador Hriste...

The ISTC will present EU CBRN CoE Project 53 at the EU Projects Fair on 31 May 2017 of the European Union Day event. For additional information about the event, please see the European Union Delegation to Kazakhstan official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EUinKZ/videos/1485376674886232/

PRESS RELEASE A new EU-funded project on biosafety and biosecurity meeting for Kazakhstan On 30 January 2017, an informative meeting of a EU-funded project worth 5 million euros was successfully conducted in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan. The event was organized by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) with the aim to invite Republic of Kazakhstan to join the implementation of the project. The meeting was opened by Mr. A. Turebaev, Deputy Executive Director, and Mr. Visser, P53-project manage...

On Thursday, 19th May 2016, the ISTC participated at the EU Day event, held in the Congress Hall, Astana (Kazakhstan) and presented details of the EU-financed Project 53, which aims to strengthen the legal framework and training on Biosafety and Biosecurity in Central Asian countries.  In attendance were H.E. Mukhtar Tleuberdi (First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan), H.E. Traian Hristea (Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan) and Mr Kamen Velichkov (Minister Plenip...