NTERVIEW: Minister of Science Sanja Damjanović, phd

“We will now have to face the fragility of our economy, which has been too little diversified and too reliant on tourism and related activities. We must create a stronger and more resilient economy, and I know that our people can do it,” said Dr. Sanja Damjanović, the Minister of Science, in an interview with Portal Analitika.

The HERIC project, financed by the Government of Montenegro through the Ministry of Science and World Bank loans, had a lot of justification and purpose. Not only did we acquire the HLA laboratory, which is crucial for organ transplantation, but two out of eight HERIC projects are now directly contributing to the fight against the new coronavirus COVID-19 in Montenegro.

As part of the HERIC project, a Real-Time RT-PCR machine for virus detection was installed. The device is now located at the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro and is used to analyze suspected cases for the presence of COVID-19. The Real-Time RT-PCR provides the most reliable laboratory test for diagnosing the new coronavirus. Additionally, 3D printing in Montenegro is being intensively used in the fight against COVID-19. The Prode Laboratory at UDG Montenegro, also part of the HERIC project, is making a strong contribution to this effort.

Regarding how all this further confirms the importance of investing in science and research and what awaits us after the pandemic passes, we spoke with the Minister of Science, Sanja Damjanović, phd.

ANALITIKA: It is known that the Ministry of Science has managed to provide Montenegro with the ability to conduct COVID-19 tests. How do RT-PCR machines help in the fight against the coronavirus, and how significant is having such technology?

DAMJANOVIĆ: The device used at the Institute of Public Health for diagnostics is actually the gold standard for detecting this type of virus, with a high degree of reliability. Of course, experts from the Institute are better qualified to discuss this topic, but what I would like to emphasize is that in the everyday operations of any institution, business, or public establishment, we are rarely in a position to invest in developmental initiatives.

That is why the existence of funds, such as the competitions of our ministry or EU funds, is a unique opportunity to follow international standards and invest in modern equipment, knowledge, and education, but also to employ new people, researchers, and doctoral candidates, to establish collaboration with international institutions from which contemporary knowledge and technologies can be quickly adopted. The projects we support are always an opportunity for change and a step forward from the ordinary to the advanced and relevant. Sometimes, the results are not visible to the wider public, but a situation like this pandemic demonstrates the importance of investing in new technologies, knowledge, and expertise, especially through international cooperation.

Thus, through the “Lovćen” project, which we supported, this modern device, RT-PCR, was acquired and is now in focus.

ANALITIKA: How significant is the existence of 3-D laboratories, i.e., printers, both at universities and in Technopolis, as well as in companies, for Montenegro?

DAMJANOVIĆ: Due to historical circumstances, Montenegro has experienced a decline in industrial production, which remains the most stable part of the economy. What modern 3-D technologies offer is essentially support for industrial production, primarily. They are a way to create prototype products with limited resources, test their characteristics and functionality, and then, after refining them, move on to serial production. This is a powerful technology whose application we hope to fully discover in Montenegro. One of the pathways for making it more accessible to the economy is the Prode laboratory at UDG, which was equipped with the help of a project we funded, as well as the industrial design laboratory that will soon be equipped in Technopolis, thanks to an EU IPA project.

ANALITIKA: It is becoming evident that science and innovation must be recognized as drivers of new development, the kind needed for the 21st century, and our economy must open many new doors.

In this crisis situation, since we didn’t have the possibility for quick procurement or domestic production, 3D printing allowed us to produce part of the protective equipment here, and I am very grateful to the team that worked hard on this, coordinated by the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro.

ANALITIKA: Have higher education and science in these fields prepared us to react better to the threat of COVID-19?

DAMJANOVIĆ: Quality higher education is crucial for every profession, but I must add that without scientific work and research, at least to the extent that allows us to track and understand the publications of scientific papers, it wouldn’t be enough. We saw that our experts from the Institute and the Clinical Center were constantly monitoring and interpreting scientific publications about COVID-19 from the World Health Organization, the European Commission, and other reliable sources to know what actions to take — starting from preventive measures for spreading the disease to choosing the appropriate therapy.

Let’s not even talk about how all eyes are now on the scientists working on the discovery of the vaccine. But when we get it, will those who worked on it day and night be recognized, paid enough, and will they be role models for young people? Will we see them on TV or in video clips?

We often talk about how the world after this great shock, which reminded us of our shared position on this planet, should be different. I would love it if it were different in this way — that scientists are recognized, that they are talked about, and that their diligent work is an example of work ethics. I experienced this true scientific work and was part of it at CERN, and it’s something that captures you so much that you forget about trivial things and aim for high goals. That’s how we should all work, with love and dedication, without focusing constantly on narrow, personal interests.

What’s particularly important is that we begin to embrace the principles of “open science,” strongly advocated by the European Union, where data accessibility for research purposes is one of the main goals. We need to work on improving the quality of data management, archiving, protection, and access because today’s science and the economy that wants to be competitive must be based on reliable data analyzed with modern technologies, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and others. Only by doing so can we make informed decisions based on facts in the future.

ANALITIKA: What is the collaboration with the scientific diaspora like, and is it involved in any of the Ministry’s activities?

DAMJANOVIĆ: I believe we have initiated this collaboration, and currently, we have around 300 members of the diaspora in our database. Through all our competitions, we encourage cooperation with the diaspora by involving them in scientific and innovative projects, and this form of collaboration is progressing. Since last year, we’ve also had a program for funding guest lecturers, and the diaspora participates in some project evaluations. Our portal, www.naucnamreza.me, is also one of the ways to connect better, make our scientists more visible, and link them with local institutions.

In this situation, we had several initiatives from our diaspora. For example, our PhD candidate from Vienna gathered a team of young researchers from Montenegro to apply data science methods to analyze COVID-19 data here and provide more accurate facts about the epidemic and its connections with previous health conditions and population movement.

ANALITIKA: What has the battle with coronavirus taught us, and what must Montenegro not neglect to ensure future protection from threats and stimulate long-term growth?

DAMJANOVIĆ: Surely, we can draw many conclusions. It is clear that the system successfully responded to the challenge thanks to the expertise of those who led the process. It has shown that digitalization in education can be taken to a significantly higher level, as well as that parts of the economy that were prepared for it are now suffering the least consequences. What I’ve emphasized before, and what is most important to me, is that it shows that science and innovation must be recognized as drivers of new development for the 21st century and an economy that must open many new doors. Now, we will have to face the fragility of our economy, which has been too reliant on tourism and related sectors. We must create a stronger and more resilient economy, and I know that our people can do it. The Smart Specialization Strategy that we recently adopted gives us clear guidelines on how we can achieve this.

ANALITIKA: Finally, the question is whether and when a decision will be made regarding the location where the cancer treatment facility using hadron therapy, including heavier ions and carbon, will be built? Is there clear support for the project from the World Health Organization (WHO), and if so, how much will it mean?

DAMJANOVIĆ: Although COVID-19 is currently the focus, cancer is one of the biggest health challenges, as it is the second most common cause of death worldwide. I hope that this current crisis situation will lead the Southeast European region to give much stronger political support to the SEEIIST project so that we can establish a pan-European cancer treatment institute here using the most advanced methods.

Regarding the location, a technical commission is currently preparing a report that will define all the technical conditions for selecting the location. This document will be submitted to the governments of the countries in the region this fall. The Government of Switzerland, which is active in the “scientific diplomacy” field, will provide us with support and a neutral ground for making this and other important decisions.

We are also working on positioning this project on the Unique List of European Research Infrastructure Projects (ESFRI), which would be the first case of a project from the Southeast European region being included on this list. More importantly, we have a great chance of being recognized as infrastructure of pan-European importance, which would open doors for significant financial support from EU funds needed for construction.

The continuous progress of the SEEIIST project, which entered its second development phase — the design study — last year, has been made possible thanks to the support of international institutions and organizations, as well as 18 renowned European research institutions and clinics. First and foremost, we highlight the support of the European Commission and scientific institutions CERN in Geneva and GSI in Darmstadt, where this phase of the project was incubated.

Regarding the WHO, which you asked about, we have reached out for support and hope that it will not be lacking.

Izvor: Portal Analitika