Molecular Biology Laboratory

The Molecular Biology Laboratory aims to carry out diagnostic activities, using the Real-Time PCR technique, of parasitic diseases with zoonotic potential (Leishmania sp., Babesia sp., Ehrlichia sp., Anaplasma sp., Toxoplasma sp., Giardia sp., Cryptosporidium sp., Plasmodium sp.), as well as zoonotic bacterial diseases (Borrelia sps.). Diagnosis can be made from both human and animal samples, being a Publich Health Service certified laboratory with staff trained and authorised in molecular diagnostics. The laboratory is also designed for the identification of vectors involved in the transmission of vector-borne diseases (mosquitoes, ticks and phlebotomines) and is also a medical entomology laboratory due to the skills of the staff and the equipment available. The laboratory is equipped witha room dedicated to Real-Time PCR, a sample preparation room and a sample reception and storage room. The equipment used is state-of-the-art, including: Biomagpure 12 Plus nucleic acid automatic  extractor; BIO-RAD CFX96 DX RT-PCR; BIOSAN TS-100 heated shaking platform, Thermo-Shaker for microtubes and PCR plates; microcentrifuge, stereomicroscope, and freezer – 80˚C. The total area of the Molecular Biology Laboratory is 26.24m2.

The main research topics for which the existing research infrastructure, including banks/cells/genetic material, are used:

  1. Cross-border project: “Team up for healthy fish in the aquaculture systems of the Prut river basin – TeamUp HealthyFish”, no 2SOFT/1.2/47/19.11.2020, running period 2021-2022;
  2. PNNR funded project: “Climate Change Digital Twin Earth for forecast and societal redressement: DTEclimate”, no PNRR/2022/C9/MCID/15, Contract No 7/16.11.2022, running period 2022-2025. Project coordinator Polytechnic University of Bucharest / Value 5,5 mil.euro through PNRR;
  3. “Establishing the risk of emergence and re-emergence of vector-borne diseases as an effect of global warming”, funding contract no 3958/18.03.2022, running period 2022-2023;
  4. “Determination of the vector potential of mosquito and tick species in Romania”, Funding contract no 22066/20.12.2022, running period 2022-2023;
  5. Research on the parasite load of some emissaries from the Dornelor basin and saprobiological correlations (PhD thesis completed 2022);
  6. Research on the bioecology of ixodid ticks in the eastern part of Romania and the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases (PhD thesis completed 2022);
  7. Bioecology and pathogenicity of phlebotomines and epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Romania (PhD thesis in progress);
  8. Alternatives of diagnosis, prevention and control in canine heartworm disease (PhD thesis in progress);
  9. Research on parasitosis in stray animals in shelters (PhD thesis in progress);
  10. Research on molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii strains in humans and animals (PhD thesis in progress);
  11. Molecular phylogenetic characterisation of some parasites of intensively reared trout in the Mediterranean basin and therapeutic trials with nanoconjugates in salmonids (PhD thesis in progress).