Pharmaceutical expert Lucine Karjian shares experiences in Gavar
On 2 May 2017 Lucine Karjian gave a talk about developments in the pharmaceutical industry to counterparts from local pharmaceutical companies and students from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Nursing at the State Medical College of Gavar. The presentation took place at the Diaspora engagement hub of Gavar, Gegharkunik Province. Topics included plasmolifting (a patented skin rejuvenation procedure that uses the patient’s own plasma) and the effectiveness of cancer treatment drugs in modern medicine.
“ … I was delighted to meet the medical and pharmacy students at the State Medical College of Gavar and share with them my area of experience - pharmaceutical aspects of developing medicinal products; formulation, manufacturing, chemical stability, etc. Many of the students had questions on current clinical research in diseases such as cancer and targeted therapy where pharmaceutical companies in the US and Europe are competing to become first on the market with new and advanced therapies.” – reports Ms. Karjian.
She also shares her perspective on a possible way of community development: “… I felt that if this university is to thrive and educate a new generation of scientists, doctors, and pharmacists, it needs state funding to improve the conditions of the building and its environment. The students, who will become professionals after graduation, must be given incentives to remain in the local regions to serve their communities. Otherwise, most will leave for Yerevan or leave Armenia altogether, draining the country of its most valuable resource - the next generation of young minds who must remain in Armenia and build the country. Armenian students are smart and can compete on a global level.”
Based in New Jersey (US), Karjian has over 15 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She specialises in the production and quality control of new pharmaceutical drug products as well as in the pharmaceutical regulatory process in the US and EU member states.
Karjian’s talk happened in the context of the Together4Armenia initiative funded by the European Union and UNICEF Armenia and implemented together by Mission East Armenia, the AGBU Armenia. The T4A web platform is designed to connect professionals from the global Armenian diaspora with local projects to enable the transfer of skills and knowledge to underserved communities and local civil society organisations. Gavar is one of four diaspora engagement hubs set up throughout Armenia as part of Together4Armenia (the others being Lori, Tavush, and Shirak).
