University professor leads advanced biochemistry course in Italy

Chair of the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at Birzeit University Professor Johnny Stiban has recently returned from a visit to the Sapienza University of Rome, from July 8 to July 15, where he led an advanced 10-hour course on fat and mitochondria biochemistry.

The course, attended by postgraduate students from the School of Biology and Molecular Medicine, clarified the role of mitochondria in programmed cell death, and gave way to discussions between Stiban, the students, and attending researchers.

Stiban, whose visit was part of the Erasmus+ Program, also met with Professor Francesco Malatesta, from the Department of Biochemical Sciences, and Professor Daniela De Biase, from the Department of Medic-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, to discuss future cooperation on research and staff and faculty exchange.

The Sapienza University of Rome, established in 1303, is one of Europe’s oldest and largest universities by numbers of enrollment. It is ranked first in Italy and Southern Europe and enrolls 140,000 students and employs over 8000 academic and administrative staff members.