In connection with the International Day of Science and Innovation, a public lecture and discussion by the famous scientist Davit Prangishvili on the possibility of practical use of bacteriophages was held at Tbilisi State University, which was opened by TSU Rector, Academician Jaba Samushia. With this event, Georgia joined the FAO Regional Science and Innovation Week for Europe and Central Asia.

“Davit Prangishvili is a person who, with his scientific work, is a true example of how European scientific and educational culture comes to Georgia,” this is how Rector Samushia introduced the eminent virologist, Honorary Professor of the Pasteur Institute of Paris, Visiting Professor of TSU, President of the Georgian Association for General and Applied Microbiology, who gave a public lecture “Bacteriophages: a guarantor of a healthy ecosystem” to TSU students, professors, and invited guests.

Davit Prangishvili spoke at the lecture about the role of bacteriophages in nature, their impact on microbial populations and the practice of using bacteriophages in medicine. “The purpose of my lecture today is to tell you how the accumulated experience of Georgian science can contribute to the development of evolutionary, new technological approaches,” said Davit Prangishvili.

In addition to scientists and interested students, the event was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Georgia, Shéraz Gasri, representatives of the Parliament of Georgia, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, representatives of the Georgian offices of FAO and WHO.

The following people participated in the panel discussion on bacteriophages: Dr. Mzia Kutateladze, Director of the Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology; Professor Nino Chanishvili, Full Professor of New Vision University, Head of the Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory of the Eliava Institute; representative of the National Center for Disease Control, representative of the Agricultural Scientific Research Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, FAO-Georgia National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS) Program Manager, Veterinarian Mikheil Sokhadze.

The event was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); the World Health Organization (WHO); the Environmental Information and Education Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia; Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University; and Georgian Association for General and Applied Microbiology.