New pharmacology centre for the western Balkans
A robust national health care and pharmaceutical system has many pivotal components to it, one of them being the capability to conduct advanced laboratory testing on active substances. Western Balkan Countries (WBCs) are striving to further their capabilities in this respect, edging closer to EU standards and integration. This was the aim of the EU-funded project 'Centre for pre-clinical testing of active substances' (CPCTAS). Based at the University of Kragujevac in Serbia, the project established a sophisticated centre for pre-clinical testing of active substances in cooperation with hospitals and pharmaceutical industries across the region. Against this backdrop, it trained young researchers and purchased necessary equipment for the centre, in addition to conducting workshops to foster knowledge exchange among project partners. Project partners then built a strong network of research institutions across the EU and WBCs interested in developing and testing active substances. This allows concerned parties region-wide to conduct high-level research at the centre. Thus, the CPCTAS became the leading centre in this field for high-quality research in collaboration with EU institutions. It fostered long-term partnerships among the most competitive research centres on regional and EU-wide scales. The Laboratory for Cell and Molecular Biology is a central part in charge for coordinating activities of Centre for Preclinical Testing of Active Substances and, accordingly, of organization and activities subject to accreditation of Laboratory in accordance with SRPS ISO/IEC 17025:2006. More specifically, the new centre was equipped to excel in testing capabilities in the fields of bio-inorganic chemistry, microbiology, physiology, immunology, and pharmacology, cell biology and molecular biology. The Laboratory for Cell and Molecular Biology, for example, is now equipped to test biological activities and mechanisms of action of new active substances, potential drugs, on cell and molecular level. importantly, the project team ensured the accreditation of the centre according to international standards, enabling it to foster synergies with academic and industrial partners across the region and beyond. Also noteworthy were the five know-how workshops organised by the project, hosting EU experts who transferred research experience and know-how. These were coupled with seminars and twinning of testing methodologies with key EU laboratories. Lastly, the final project conference on 'Preclinical testing of active substances and cancer research' advanced the discovery of more efficient drugs and new possibilities in cancer treatment. The conference included a globally recognised symposium on 'Anti-cancer agents, cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity'. The results of the CPCTAS initiative have considerably strengthened the WBCs' capabilities in pre-clinical testing. This will contribute significantly to integrating the western Balkans into the European Research Area (ERA) and open funding opportunities under EU Framework Programmes (FPs). Most importantly, beyond the industrial and economic benefits, the region's citizens stand to benefit from better pharmaceuticals and health care advances now that this valuable testing infrastructure is firmly in place.
