From June 1 to 4, 2026, Karlygash Zikibayeva, research associate of LLP Scientific and Production Enterprise “Antigen” and second-year PhD doctoral student at the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, completed an advanced training course in Bremen, Germany.
The training was organized at SAN Group Biotech Germany GmbH. The company operates in the field of veterinary diagnostics, biotechnology solutions for animal health, ANICON® veterinary diagnostic services and KYLT® PCR diagnostic products. The company’s laboratory center is located in Höltinghausen in northwestern Germany, and its quality management system is based on DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018.
The training program focused on modern approaches to veterinary molecular diagnostics. The course covered the DIVA approach — Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals, the application of real-time PCR in veterinary diagnostics, theoretical principles of Real-Time PCR and Real-Time RT-PCR, as well as purification, handling and storage of nucleic acids.
Special attention was given to contamination prevention, quality assurance in Real-Time PCR and Real-Time RT-PCR, analysis of amplification curves, interpretation of results and troubleshooting of technical issues.
The hands-on part of the training included manual and automated DNA extraction and Real-Time PCR testing for Salmonella spp. The acquired knowledge is important for improving laboratory workflows, increasing the reliability of diagnostic testing and introducing modern international practices into the activities of LLP SPE “Antigen”.
This training contributes to the professional development of the company’s specialists and strengthens international scientific and technical cooperation in the field of veterinary diagnostics.