Tbilisi State Medical University, in cooperation with BAU Batumi International University, has officially opened a two-day international scientific and practical conference: “Challenges in Radiation Safety and Protection in Medicine in Georgia.”

The conference aims to discuss current challenges, recent advances, and future development prospects in medical physics, radiation safety and radiation protection. The event has brought together scientists, researchers, and specialists from Georgia and various countries around the world.

The conference was officially opened by Professor Irakli Natroshvili, Rector of TSMU. Professor Irakli Natroshvili highlighted the growing importance of medical physics and radiation safety in modern healthcare.

“This issue is particularly relevant today. We have already initiated cooperation in this field with BAU, and I am confident that, through our joint efforts, we will continue the successful collaboration in the future. Radiation safety and protection are critically important issues, and the global significance continues to grow. This is a multidisciplinary field that brings together specialists from various areas. I am pleased that today’s conference reflects this diversity and brings together representatives of virtually all relevant professional fields. Most importantly, however, we must focus on advancing education and raising awareness in this area,” Professor Irakli Natroshvili stated.

The opening ceremony was also addressed by Mikheil Sarjveladze, Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, and Zviad Gabisonia, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia.

Minister Sarjveladze emphasized the importance of ensuring safety in radiation medicine, describing it as one of the key challenges facing modern healthcare.

“This topic is particularly relevant and critically important today. I am honored to be here at this event. As medicine continues to advance rapidly, modern technologies provide tremendous opportunities, but they also entail certain risks. It is therefore essential to adopt evidence-based approaches and ensure greater precision both in scientific research and in translating research findings into practice,” Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze said.

Deputy Minister Zviad Gabisonia focused on the priorities of medical education development, TSMU’s role within the ongoing higher education reform, and the need to strengthen cooperation in scientific research.

“While Georgia has several private medical schools, within the framework of higher education reform, Tbilisi State Medical University will serve as a key platform for the development of medical education. We want this University to set the pace for many important trends in the country, including in science and research. Currently we are working intensively on higher education reform, and one of the key challenges is to further strengthen the links between scientific research, academic activities, and the sector. Joint projects such as the one we are witnessing today are of particular importance in this process,” Deputy Minister Zviad Gabisonia noted.

The welcoming session was also addressed by Professor Irina Imerlishvili, Rector of BAU Batumi International University, who highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation between universities.

“I would like to express my special gratitude and respect to Tbilisi State Medical University. It is a great honor for us to hold this joint scientific conference in cooperation with TSMU, a leading university in the medical field and the alma mater of generations of physicians. Strengthening cooperation between universities is of utmost importance. The mission of higher education institutions is not limited to transmitting knowledge – they must also educate and nurture future scientists. This conference is an event of international and scientific significance. Science cannot develop in isolation; it requires openness, collaboration among scientists from different countries, dialogue, and professional discussion. It is through such dialogue that the most important ideas emerge, ultimately contributing to the improvement of human health,” Professor Irina Imerlishvili stated.

Professor John Damilakis, Vice-President of the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP), was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Tbilisi State Medical University. The honorary diploma was presented to Professor John Damilakis by TSMU Rector, Professor Irakli Natroshvili.

Throughout the two-day conference, experts from Georgia and leading universities around the world delivered presentations addressing the conference’s main themes, including current developments in medical physics, radiation protection, and biomedical research.

A student poster session was also held as part of the conference, providing participants with an opportunity to present their scientific papers and research projects.The conference proceedings will be published in the international scientific journal Radiobiology and Radiation Safety (E-ISSN 2720-8087), which is indexed in Google Scholar.

The two-day conference, officially concluded on June 27, is organized by Tbilisi State Medical University and BAU Batumi International University, with the support of Tbilisi City Hall, the Association of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, the Ivane Beritashvili Center of Experimental Biomedicine, and the Ivane Tarkhnishvili Student Scientific Society.