EFLM LabX report by Emel Çolak Samsum, Turkey
It was an absolute pleasure to visit The Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics of the General University Hospital and the First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic). Initially, I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. Tomas Zima, the head of the department, for accepting and welcoming me to their laboratories, to Dr. Ivan Sebesta for his continuous support during my visit, to the Chair of the EFLM Profession Committee, Prof. Evgenija Homsak, and Silvia Terragni for making this opportunity possible, and to Prof. Dr. Doğan Yücel, the head of the Turkish Biochemistry Society, for his invaluable support and mentorship.
I was in Prague for three weeks in October. Dr Ivan Sebesta prepared a program tailored for me in advance according to my areas of interest and supervised my whole visit to laboratories. This experience has not only been educational and inspiring, but it has also significantly contributed to my personal and professional growth.
As a biochemistry specialist in the Department of Examination and Diagnosis in the Ministry of Health of Turkey, my main expectations from this Exchange program were to observe and learn about the routine workflow, visit different divisions of laboratories, and learn a little bit about health systems and policies in Czechia (laboratory organization, reimbursement system, etc.) specifically related to laboratories.
During this period, I visited clinical biochemistry, serology, prenatal screening, endocrinology/hormone diagnostics, metabolism (inborn errors of metabolism, genetic defects of purine metabolism) laboratories, and several central research laboratories ( gastroenterology, laboratory for research on liver disease and hem metabolism). I was also fortunate to gain insights into metabolomics and proteomics researches from some of my colleagues, which upgraded my understanding of this area.
If I need to elaborate on some of my experiences, Dr. Ivan Šebesta dedicated time to providing me with a comprehensive understanding of inborn errors of metabolism (even the name of inborn does not precisely identify these errors in his words), especially purine metabolism disorders such as hyperuricemia and hypouricemia, including their genetic causes, clinical presentations, and diagnostic methods which make me eligible in detecting disorders like gout, hereditary xanthinuria, and renal hypouricemia, crucial for identifying potential kidney damage or metabolic conditions early on. We also discussed newborn screening programs and their role in the early diagnosis of metabolic diseases.
The Laboratory for Liver Disease Research and Heme Metabolism focuses primarily on disorders related to bile pigment metabolism and investigates the breakdown pathways of heme and its derivatives. I became familiar with specialized liver examinations (analysis of porphyrins with fluorimetry and HPLC, copper and iron analysis in the liver biopsy with AAS, and GC-based bile acid profiling). In the gastroenterology laboratory, I have learned a lot about diagnosing malabsorption syndrome and celiac disease. I am thankful that Dr. Petr Kocna set aside time to give me detailed theoretical information regarding these diseases alongside colorectal cancer diagnosis and screening programs in Czechia in his busy work plan. Moreover, we could talk about the differences between the two countries. In the practical part, Dr. Zdislava Vanickova genuinely guided me; I even had a chance to do practical demonstrations (Breath tests for small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), lactose intolerance and H.Pylori detection, quantitative determination of hemoglobin in stool by immunoturbidimetry) with patients after obtaining their informed consent.
During these amazing three weeks, exploring Prague, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, was incredible. There were many beautiful parks with breathtaking views of the Vltava River or the Prague Castle, which I picked each day to take strolls, or I stopped by Stralecy Island to enjoy the fantastic view of Charles Bridge. I am not even talking about Czech beer and pastries (koláče)
It was an absolute pleasure to visit The Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics of the General University Hospital and the First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic). Initially, I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. Tomas Zima, the head of the department, for accepting and welcoming me to their laboratories, to Dr. Ivan Sebesta for his continuous support during my visit, to the Chair of the EFLM Profession Committee, Prof. Evgenija Homsak, and Silvia Terragni for making this opportunity possible, and to Prof. Dr. Doğan Yücel, the head of the Turkish Biochemistry Society, for his invaluable support and mentorship.
