In a continuous effort to foster youth business incubators and entrepreneurship, the National Gene Bank (NGB), Agricultural Research Center (ARC) successfully hosted a three-week training program titled “Advanced Biotechnology Techniques and Their Applications.” The program, concluded on Thursday, September 3, 2026, which was conducted under the distinguished guidance and esteemed supervision of Prof. Dr. Hisham Elshishtawy (NGB Director) and Prof. Dr. Soliman Abdel-Maboud Arab (Vice Director for Extension and Training).
The training program was designed to enhance academic excellence and practical competencies, the program drew undergraduate biotechnology students from several prestigious Egyptian universities, notably Cairo University, Ain Shams University, Galala University, Nile University (NU), and Misr University for Science and Technology (MUST). Characterized by rigorous technical immersion, the program featured an intensive practical curriculum delivering 50 hours of hands-on laboratory training. Under the direct mentorship of a select cohort of NGB senior scientists and technical experts, students utilized state-of-the-art NGB infrastructure. This experiential learning framework allowed participants to refine their technical competencies, mastering advanced methodologies with the highest level of professional proficiency.” The advanced scientific and practical modules were delivered by leading experts across NGB laboratories: • Plant Tissue Culture & Cryopreservation Laboratory: Facilitated by Dr. Ahmed El-Homsany. • Cytogenetics & Animal Tissue Culture Laboratory: Led by Dr. Mona Abdel-Gawad and Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim. • Molecular Genetics Laboratory: Conducted by Prof. Dr. Mohamed El-Sayed, Dr. Shimaa Mostafa, and Dr. Ibrahim Haggag. • Phytosanitary Laboratory: Directed by Dr. Heba Afifi.
The training program concluded with a formal closing ceremony, highlighted by an address from Prof. Dr. Hisham Elshishtawy, Director of the National Gene Bank. In his remarks, Prof. Dr. Elshishtawy extended his commendations to the participating students, emphasizing the competitive advantage provided by the intensive institutional immersion in our National Gene Bank. He further expressed profound gratitude to the NGB scientific and technical staff team, praising their dedication, academic sincerity, and exemplary professionalism throughout the training period. The ceremony culminated in the presentation of official certificates of completion to the students, aligning with certificates of appreciation awarded to the NGB instructional staff in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the program’s execution.
