A Student of Ternopil National Medical University – Silver Medalist at the International Festival of Engineering, Science, and Technology “I-FEST”

The International Festival of Engineering, Science, and Technology “I-FEST” is the largest competition among young researchers and developers on the African continent. This year, it took place in Hammamet, Tunisia, gathering 1,200 participants from 40 countries worldwide.

Ukraine was represented by 30 students from the Junior Academy of Sciences from 14 regions. The participants competed in eight categories: Physics, Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, Computer Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences, Multimedia, and Mathematics.

The Ukrainian team won 31 awards: 4 gold, 8 silver, 12 bronze medals, and 6 honorable mentions.

Among the winners was Anastasia Hrekh, a student of the Medical Faculty (MM-118) at Ternopil National Medical University. She has been a member of the Junior Academy of Sciences since 2024 and dedicated her research to the topic “Vitamin D, Calcium, and Phosphorus Status in Children with Spina Bifida.”

The work was done under the guidance of Oksana Boyarchuk, MD, PhD, Professor, and Head of the Department of Pediatric Diseases with Pediatric Surgery at TNMU. This research is highly relevant because spina bifida is a serious congenital defect that may be accompanied by mineral metabolism disorders. A deficiency of vitamin D and calcium affects the children’s bone system, which, in turn, impacts their overall health and quality of life. The study focuses on understanding the specifics of these changes and finding optimal approaches to their correction.

For her research, Anastasia won a silver medal in the “Life & Biology” category.