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Marat Kumar, a third-year PhD student in the Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine, and Neuroscience at the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, is conducting a study titled “Metagenomic Survey of Viral and Microbial Diversity in the Caspian Seal,” aimed at identifying and characterizing pathogens affecting the Caspian seal, which is of great importance for the fight against pathogens of Caspian seals, which are extremely vulnerable to extinction. The study is being conducted in collaboration with scientists from the , as well as with foreign scientists.

Recently young scientist completed a five-week research internship at the University of Leeds, UK in the laboratory of foreign scientific consultant Dr. Simon Goodman. His internship centered on marine mammal health and viral metagenomics, with a particular focus on bioinformatics analyses of viral and microbial communities in Caspian seals. Under the supervision of Dr. Simon Goodman, Marat worked on complex data workflows, utilizing advanced bioinformatics tools for statistical analysis and data visualization. He processed next-generation sequencing (NGS) data and employed high-performance computing (HPC) to handle large-scale datasets. Marat also gained practical experience in the Immunohistology Lab, where he received hands-on training in histopathological techniques. This work forms a crucial part of his ongoing PhD research, which focuses on the virome and microbiome of Caspian seals.

His research is critical for the conservation of Caspian seals, offering insights into the pathogens that could threaten their population. The findings from his work will contribute to enhanced monitoring and protection strategies, ultimately helping to safeguard the health and habitat of these keystone marine mammals.