Professor Tinatin Tkemaladze, Head of the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics of TSMU, Associate Professors Eka Kvaratskhelia and Nino Pirtskhelani participated in the 59th Annual Conference of the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG), held in Gothenburg, (Sweden) from June 13–16, 2026.
The TSMU representatives presented scientific posters and actively participated in a wide range of scientific and organizational activities organized by the ESHG. The conference was also attended by Sandro Surmava, a doctoral candidate at the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, who was awarded an ESHG Young Investigator Fellowship, and Anastasia Sukhiashvili, a young, invited lecturer of the Department, who received an ESHG National Fellowship.
The TSMU delegation presented the following scientific posters:
1. New ESHG-Supported Training Course on Translational Epigenetics in Precision Medicine (Associate Professor Eka Kvaratskhelia)
2. Implementation and Long-Term Evaluation of the Objective Structured Practical Examination in Human Genetics within the Medical Curriculum in Georgia (Associate Professor Nino Pirtskhelani)
3. Low-Penetrance Susceptibility Variants Associated with Breast Cancer in Georgian Women (Sandro Surmava)
4. Family-Based AI Facial Analysis of Alagille Syndrome with Implications for Genetic Counselling in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (Co-author: Professor Tinatin Tkemaladze)
5. Large Cohort of MAGEL2 de novo and Inherited Cases and Clinical Management by Drug Repurposing (Co-author: Professor Tinatin Tkemaladze)
6. Genetic Susceptibility to Ischemic Stroke: The Role of Inherited Thrombophilia Gene Variants in the Georgian Population (Co-author: Associate Professor Nino Pirtskhelani)
As a member of the ESHG Board since 2019, Professor Tinatin Tkemaladze participated in the Society's Board meeting held during the conference. Alongside other strategic issues, the meeting focused on opportunities for strengthening international collaboration and developing joint research initiatives, including Georgia's participation in international studies on rare and genetic diseases.
Associate Professor Eka Kvaratskhelia also participated in the Meeting of Representatives of National Human Genetics Societies, where participants reviewed current developments, ongoing projects, and future collaborative opportunities in the field of medical genetics across European countries, including Georgia.
In addition, Associate Professor Eka Kvaratskhelia attended the meeting of the ESHG Education Committee (EduCom), where she presented the implementation report of the international training course "Translational Epigenetics in Precision Medicine." The course was organized with the support of the ESHG and held in Telavi, Georgia, from 18–21 October 2025. Following the Committee's decision, the course will be organized in Georgia once again in 2026.
During the EduCom meeting, Associate Professor Eka Kvaratskhelia was elected as a member of the international working group responsible for developing the Harmonized Curriculum in Human Genetics. The working group's mission is to develop modern, harmonized recommendations for teaching medical genetics across European medical schools, contributing to greater consistency and excellence in genetics education throughout Europe.