Kseniya-Oksana Zhukrovska is a Ukrainian PhD student is being hosted in the Microbial Biotechnology laboratories led by Professor Flavia Marinelli, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, since the beginning of May.

Kseniya, in her second year of PhD in the Department of Genetics and biotechnology of the Ivan Franko National University in Lviv, Ukraine, recently won a Research and training grant from the Federation of European Microbiological Societies dedicated to young researchers for a period of research and training at European laboratories.

Ksenia is working in Professor Marinelli's group on the research for new antibiotics to tackle the problem of the growing resistance of pathogenic bacteria that cause serious hospital infections. On this topic, the Insubria laboratories have a consolidated collaboration with the Ukrainian group directed by Professor Viktor Federenko, thanks also to the work carried out by Dr. Oleksandr Yushchuk, who in the past won a senior research grant announced by the university for foreign researchers.

In consideration of the war situation in Ukraine, some support and solidarity measures have been activated ​for Ksenia.

Iubmb, International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Societies, of which Professor Loredano Pollegioni is treasurer, supported Ksenia's journey through a specific Relocation Support for Displaced Trainees program with the aim of facilitating young researchers working in areas with particular criticalities (such as wars or natural disasters) to continue their scientific activity in another nation.

The university has activated also its program for Ukrainian students for Ksenia, hosting her in the Cattaneo college. The period of stay which is currently scheduled until July 2022, but it is not excluded that it can be extended to allow Ksenia to continue her research.