Institute of Chemical Biology
ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Macrophage plasticity
and inflammation
Tumor inflammation has emerged as
an important topic in cancer biology. A
defining feature of tumor inflammation
is the polarization of M1 into M2
macrophages which promotes tumor
growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and
metastasis. A team of researchers from
Institute of chemical biology of Ilia
State University investigates the
molecular mechanisms of macrophage
M1–M2 polarization. Microenviron-
mental components in blood plasma,
including amino acids, can participate
in macrophage polarization.
macrophages are major phagocytic cells
that digests cellular debris, foreign
substances, microbes and cancer cells.
We found that elevation of extra- and
intracellular glutamate and expression
of mGluR5 may initiate the metabolic
rearrangement in macrophage
polarization and contributes to the
formation of an immunosuppressive,
phenotype. Small GTPase, Rac2,and
sigma-receptor chaperons may
participate in this plasticity. For the first
time, we showed that Sigma-1R
interacts directly with Rac2. This
interaction was increased in the
presence of sigma-agonists and
decreased by sigma-antagonists and
only active Rac interacted with Sig1R.
Thus intracellular glutamate and
mGluR5 may participate in the
regulation of SigR1-Rac assembly that
can contribute in the M1→M2
macrophages transition and in the
formation of immunosuppression
tumor-promoting phenotypes.
Citrus flavonoids –new
pharmacological tools
The changes in mitochondrial
biochemistry are one the most
important processes accompanying
pathophysiology of many types of
disorders, including neurodegenera-
Group of Biochemistry
tive diseases and cancer. A team of
researchers from Institute of Chemical
Biology of Ilia State University
investigates the effect of citrus
flavonoid – nobiletin on the mitochon-
drial bioenergetics of brain cells. We
have found that nobiletin restores
impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics
through activation of matrix substrate-
level phosphoryla-tion.
Nobiletin is a dietary polymethoxylated
flavonoid found in citrus fruits. Recent
evidences show that nobiletin is a
multifunctional pharmaceutical agent and
have both pro- and anti-apoptotic effects.
Additionally, nobiletin decreases
oxygen consumption by bovine brain
isolated mitochondria in the presence
of glutamate and malate, increases
NADH oxidation, a-ketoglutarate
dehydrogenase activities and through
matrix substrate-level phosphorylation
elevates the a-ketoglutarate-
dependent production of ATP. Besides,
nobiletin reduces the production of
peroxides in the presence of complex I
substrates and induces transient
elevation of membrane potential
followed by mild depolarization. Thus,
nobiletin may act as a mild “uncoupler”,
which through activation of a-KGDH-
complex and acceleration of matrix
substrate-level phosphorylation
maintains membrane potential at a
normal level. This switch in mitochon-
drial metabolism could elevate
succinate-driven oxygen consumption
that may underlay in both pro- and anti-
apoptotic effects of nobiletin.
Small GTP-binding
proteins and hypoxia
Hypoxia could induce S-nitrosylation of
various target proteins, including
GTPases of the Ras-superfamily.Ras
proteins are proto-oncogenes
frequently mutated in human cancers.
Under hypoxic conditions, the Ras-
protein is translocated to the cytosol
and interacts with the mitochondria.
The mobility/translocation of Ras
depend on the oxidative status of cells
and levels of nitrosylation. However,
the importance of relocated S-
nitrosylated-H-Ras (NO-H-Ras) in the
mitochondrial bioenergetics is not
completely understood. We have
determined the content of soluble- and
membrane-bound-NO-H-Ras during
differentiation of in rat pheochromocy-
toma (PC12) cells under hypoxic and
normoxic conditions.
Ras proteins are low molecular mass
GTPases that regulate cellular functions of
proliferation, differentiation, migration, and
apoptosis
We have found that under hypoxic
conditions, the nitrosylation of
cytoplasmic-H-Ras greatly decreased
in differentiated PC12 cells but
hypoxia, per se, did not affect the
nitrosylation of membrane-bound-H-
Ras. Unmodified H-Ras enhanced the
mitochondrial ATP synthesis and this
stimulatory effects was eliminated after
S-nitrosylation of H-Ras.
Head:
Prof. David Mikeladze
Email:
Davit_Mikeladze@iliauni.edu.ge
Dr. Lali Shanshiashvili
Associate Professor
e-mail:
lali_shanshiashvili@iliauni.edu.ge
Dr. Elene Zhuravliova
Associate Professor
e-mail:
elene_zhuravliova@iliauni.edu.ge
Dr. Tamar Barbakadze
Associate Professor
e-mail:
tamar_barbakadze@iliauni.edu.ge
 Nucleic Acid Diagnostics
ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY
for Everyone

A team of researchers
at Ilia State University
is working on develop-
ing low-cost isother-
mal assays for molecu-
lar diagnostics.
Professor Besik Kankia, Leader of
the team, explains: " Due to its
incredible sensitivity, polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) is a method of
choice for Point-of-care (POC)
diagnostics. However, PCR is a
complex reaction due to (i) limited
yield of product DNA (PCR pla-
teau), (ii) temperature cycling, and
(iii) complicated quantification QPA is plateau free, isothermal, and a simple assay, which is driven by free
methods. We have developed energy of the primers. For diagnostics QPA is very flexible platform and allows
Quadruple Priming Amplification designing different isothermal assays with low-cost alternative to PCR.
(QPA) to greatly simplify nucleic
acid amplification and real-time The team working on developing low-cost POC diagnostics for particular
diseases, characteristic to Georgia and whole region in general (i.e., tuberculo-
quantification assays.”
sis, hepatitis, malaria, anthrax and HIV).
QPA relies on specifically designed
quadruplex primers, which after
polymerase elongation are
capable of spontaneous dissocia-
tion from target sites and forming
DNA quadruplex. As a result, target
sequences are accessible for the Professor Besik Kankia Professor Nunu Metreveli

next round of priming and DNA

amplification proceeds under
isothermal conditions without
plateau problems. In addition, the
quadruplex formation is accompa-
nied by an increase in intrinsic
fluorescence of the primers, Ds Levan Lomidze Dr David Gvarjaladze
allowing simple and accurate
detection of product DNA.

t h e B i o p h y s i c i s I n s t i t u t e a t I l i a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y.

Work was supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and

Shota Rustaveli Science Foundation.
 ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Ethnobotany of
Georgia and Caucasus
The Caucasus region is one of the
most beautiful, and botanically as well
as ethnobotanically interesting regions
of the globe, and has been steeped in
mythology since biblical and Greek
times. Biologically enormously rich, the
Caucasus is counted as biodiversity
hotspot, and has, according to
Conservation International, highest
conservation priority because of its
large number of endemic species. The
Caucasus is one of eight global centers
of plant domestication, with many food
plants having their origins in the
southern Caucasus. However, the loss
of both wild species and traditional
cultivars has greatly accelerated over
the last decades. This motivates the
ethnobotany team of the Institute of
Botany of Ilia State University to
conduct their study, which aims at
documenting and disseminating plant
use knowledge of the Caucasus and
particularly of Georgia.
The most recent fruit of this work is a
book recently published in collabora-
tion with Missouri Botanical Garden.
Published by Springer, the title of the
book is “Ethnobotany of the
Institute of Botany
Caucasus” and presents
ethnobotanical profiles of the southern
Caucasus countries (Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia). Georgia is
presented by 50 monographs on
ethnobotanically most prominent
plants, other two countries with 25 such
monographs each. The book includes
the best and latest studies on a full
range of descriptive, methodological,
theoretical, and applied research on
the most important plants for the
Caucasus region. The book also
includes contributions from experts in
the fields of biology, anthropology,
agronomy, geography, biochemistry,
and environmental economics. It would
be safe to say that the book provides a
framework for the increasing interna-
tional interest and scholarship in
ethnobotany.
The book is divided into sections
covering countries based on plant
diversity and not necessarily political or
national boundaries. The book has a
comprehensive introduction, contains
overall 100 plant monographs each of
which gives a brief description of the
plant with references and 2-4 photo-
graphs. To conveniently define the
content, the plant monographs are
divided into five major categories (food;
medicine/cosmetic; veterinary;
handicraft plants; and ritual/folkloric
uses) and include notes. The main
Sorghum drying hunged under the roof of a
criteria for the inclusion of a given plant traditional house (left) and Sorghum gruel
was its cultural salience within a given with Prunus sauce (right), in the
country. References are given at the Ethnographic Museum in Tbilisi, Georgia
end of the Introduction and each
monograph.
Zaal Kikvidze,
Professor of Socio-Ecology and
Ethno-Biology, Ilia State University
e-mail:
zaal.kikvidze@iliauni.edu.ge
Shalva Sikharulidze,
Director of the Institute of Botany
Roshka village, Khevsureti, Georgia of Ilia State University
e-mail:
shalva.sikharulidze@iliauni.edu.ge

ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden was
founded in 1912. Situated at 1650-
1700 m. a. s. l. the Garden specializes
in plants of the Caucasus Mountains
and its collections include some 400
species collected in the Caucasus, an
arboretum of about 125 species of
trees and shrubs (including 75 from the
Caucasus), and some 250 species of
herbaceous plants from elsewhere in
the world grown from seed. Because
the Caucasus is a center of diversity for
many temperate genera, these
collections are extremely important for
taxonomic research and for genetic
conservation.
The Goals and Objectives of the BABG
are:
Ÿ Study of the high mountain flora of
the Caucasus
Ÿ Ex-situ conservation of rare and
endangered, endemic, and Red
Data Book species of the Georgian
flora
Ÿ Study of the adaptive mechanisms
of plants
Ÿ Provision of an experimental base
for the various Departments of the
Institute of Botany, (Tbilisi)
Ÿ Seed exchange with other
botanical institutions
Ÿ Training courses for students
Ÿ Environmental education
The Garden is located in the scenic
village of Bakuriani. Included on its site
is a stand of primary forest, meadows
with many herbaceous native plants,
g a r d e n b e d s , a n d a h e r b a r-
ium/laboratory/library building. The
herbarium consists of 2000 speci-
mens, about 800 of which are vascular
plants from the Borjomi-Bakuriani
area.
The collections are planted in an area
of about 2 hectares, many in rock
garden beds. Decorative, medicinal,
endemic, and saxicolous plants are
grouped together in specific areas.
The BABG serves to protect valuable
Institute of Botany
Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden
(BABG)
plant genetic diversity, to provide a
base for research on the many different
plant communities in the region, and to
educate residents, tourists, and
professionals in the nature and
importance of the flora of the region.
The Garden collections comprise a
number of rare species collected in the
remote areas of the Caucasus that are
currently inaccessible due to political
tensions. The collections are unique –
most could not be seen in any other
botanical garden. Paeonia wittmanniana
In addition to these permanent
collections, the BABG serves as a
repository for plants salvaged from
development sites and as a nursery to
grow plants to be used in restoration to
revegetate areas disturbed by
development. An example is the work
being done for the BP pipeline, where
plants salvaged from the path of the
pipeline are being grown in the BABG
nursery for restoration.
The BABG in addition to its collections
includes also natural areas. An Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden
important stand of primary forest,
mostly oriental spruce, pine, and beech
occupies about 10 hectares and is
already used for educational pro-
grams. This forest is tremendously
important because it is one of the last
remnants of primary forest in the
region. Protecting this area so it is
available for future generations, and
using it now for education and
research, are very important roles that
BABG plays.
Education centre
Shalva Sikharulidze,
Director of the Institute of Botany of Ilia State
University
e-mail: shalva.sikharulidze@iliauni.edu.ge
Helleborus abchasicus
Tamar Kurdadze
Head of plant collections
e-mail: tamar.kurdadze@iliauni.edu.ge

ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY
The National Herbarium of Georgia
was founded by the end of the XIX c. It
is the oldest Herbarium in the
Caucasus and is among the largest
and most valuable collections in the
former Soviet Union. Its unique
collections contain up to one million
herbarium vouchers including
collections made by outstanding
botanists, type specimens, duplicates,
etc.
The Herbarium is very well-known not
only in the former USSR but also in
many other countries of the world.
Since 1974 it has been included into
the International System of Herbaria (
Index Herbariorum) under the
abbreviation of the TBI.
The first collections were made by
prominent botanist N.Albov in 1888-
1894 during his expeditions to West
Georgia (Colchis) and by P. Lomakin
from Azerbajan – namely Talysh in
1894 and Karabakh region in 1895.
The Herbarium collections were
enriched by various botanists and
collectors who donated their private
collections (A. Ardasenov's collection
from West Georgia, I. Akinfiev's
collection from Central Caucasus, I.
Medvedev's collection from Georgia
and Armenia).
The collections were additionally
augmented through the exchange and
purchase of collections such as those
of Steven (1827), Kollenati (1834-
1844), Radde (1868), Overin (1873)
and collections made by various
researchers of the Caucasus (
E.Koenig and S. Mikhaylov - Batumi
and Kars regions, A.Fomin – Georgia
and Armenia).
All herbarium collections are stored in
metal cabinets frequently referred to as
“Compactus”- the movable metal
compactor system, ensures safe
storage and effective protection of the
Herbarium collections.
Currently National Herbarium of
Georgia closely cooperates with
Georgian and international research
institutions. In recent years joint
projects with the worlds' leading
botanical institutions such as Missouri
Botanical Garden, New-York Botanical
Garden, Chicago Botanic Garden,
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Royal
Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Berlin-
Dahlem Botanical Gardens contributed
to the enrichment of the herbarium
Institute of Botany
The National Herbarium of Georgia
collections. unique historical documentation of the
Georgian plant resources and valuable
In 2002-2003 herbarium material of assemblage of taxonomic types. It is
endemic medicinal plants was important basis for all future research
collected within the framework of the and utilization of Georgian and
project funded by CRDF and imple- Caucasian plant life. The National
mented in cooperation with Missouri Herbarium of Georgia (under the
Botanical Garden; the data on the abbreviation TBI) is included into the
species were entered in the list of the most important monuments of
TROPICOS database. world's culture as stated in the final
report by UNESCO experts (August,
The National Herbarium has been 1995).
evolved in the activities of the project
“Coordination and Development of
Plant Red List Assessments for the
Caucasus Biodiversity Hotspot”. This
project was implemented by IUCN in
collaboration with Missouri Botanical
Garden, USA, WWF Caucasus
Programme Office and the botanists
from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia,
Russia, Turkey and Iran in 2006-2009.
The detailed information on the
distribution and taxonomy of the
Georgian endemics has been obtained
through examination of extensive Institute of Botany
collection of the National Herbarium of
Georgia.
The first attempt to create digital
images and database some collections
was initiated at the National Herbarium
of Georgia in 2006-2009. Selected
groups of woody plants were digitized.
I n 2 0 11 - 2 0 1 2 d i g i t i z a t i o n a n d
databasing of type specimens were
carried out within the framework of the
project sponsored by Andrew M.
Mellon Foundation (USA). The project The National Herbarium of Georgia
included provision of “Herbscan” Digitization of herbarium sheets
equipment to produce high resolution
images of specimens.
Main activities of the Herbarium are as
follows:
Ÿ Maintenance of collections
Ÿ Enrichment with high quality
herbarium specimens
Ÿ Identification and classification of
authentic specimens, their
scientific study and development of
a Virtual Herbarium
Ÿ Databasing of the herbarium
collections Working process
Ÿ Provision of easy access and
availability the collections to
different users
Ÿ Study of historical collections
Manana Khutsishvili
Ÿ Study of the collections of Head of Herbarium
exsiccated specimens and their
publication e-mail: mananakhuts@yahoo.com
Ÿ Implementation of active duplicate
exchange program. Davit Chelidze
Researcher
The National Herbarium of Georgia is
e-mail: davit.chelidze@iliauni.edu.ge
 ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY
The aphid genus Myzaphis van der
Goot, 1913 from the tribe Macrosiphini is
revised to include eight species.
Apterous and alate viviparous females,
known as fundatrices and known sexual
morphs (oviparous females and males)
of Myzaphis bucktoni, M. juchnev-
itschae, M. rosarum, M. tianshanica and
M. turanica are re-described and
illustrated. Lectotype and paralectotypes
of Myzaphis bucktoni and M. turanica
are designated. The status of M. komat-
subarae nomen dubium is discussed.
Myzaphis avariolosa is regarded as a
species belonging to the genus Erica-
phis. Three new species: M. oezdemirae
Kanturski & Barjadze sp. nov., M.
tuatayae Kanturski & Barjadze sp.nov.
from Turkey and M. rezwanii Kanturski &
Barjadze sp. nov. from Iran are
described and illustrated. Myzaphis
bucktoni is recorded from Portugal for
the first time. Diagnosis of the genus
Myzaphis van der Goot, 1913 is
redefined and a new genus Richardsa-
phis Kanturski & Barjadze gen. nov. is
erected with the type species R.
canadensis (Richards) comb. nov.
Richardsaphis is for the first time
recorded from the USA and hitherto
unknown oviparous female and alate
male are described and illustrated.
Original keys to species of the genus
Myzaphis and aphid genera of the tribe
Macrosiphini with 2-2-2 first tarsal chae-
totaxy are also provided.
Publication: Kanturski M., Barjadze S.,
Jensen A.S., Wieczorek K. 2018. A
comparative morphological revision of
the aphid genus Myzaphis van der Goot,
1913 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae)
revealed a new genus and three new
species. PLoS ONE 13 (3): e0193775.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.019
3775 Apterous and alate viviparous
females of Hyadaphis bupleuriphila sp.
n. living on Bupleurum sp. (Apiaceae)
and further undetermined Apiaceae are
described from the Ankara province in
central Turkey. The new species is
morphologically similar to Hyadaphis
coerulescens (Narzikulov, 1965), H.
ferganica Mukhamediev & Akhmedov,
1979 and H. foeniculi (Passerini, 1860).
A key to the apterous viviparous females
of Hyadaphis spp. in Turkey is given.
Taxonomic research of invertebrates
in the Holarctic region
Publication: Barjadze Sh., Several differences were also observed
Özdemir I. 2018. Description of a new between the two species in the leg setal
species of Hyadaphis Kirkaldy counts of tarsus II in the male and
(Hemiptera: Aphididae) from Turkey. female; the number of tactile setae and
Zoology in the Middle East, 64 (2): solenidia (in parentheses) was 11(1) for
131-136. the female and male in the new
The hitherto unknown oviparous species, but in O. castaneae this count
females and alate males of M. is 12(1) for the female and 12(2) for the
dzhibladzeae Barjadze, 2010, living on male. A maximum likelihood tree
Euphorbia macroceras Fish. & Mey. and based on the cytochrome c oxidase
Euphorbia sp. (Euphorbiaceae), are subunit I (COI) gene of mitochondrial
described from resort Bakhmaro DNA (mtDNA) showed that O.
(Chokhatauri district, Guria region, neocastaneae sp. nov. was clearly
Western Georgia). The life cycle of this separated from O. castaneae and other
species is established. Apterous and related species. A key to all species of
alate viviparous females and oviparous the genus Oligonychus known in Japan
females of M. dzhibladzeae are is given.
compared to the same morphs of
morphologically similar M. meixneri Publication: Arabuli T. &
Börner, 1950. A key is provided to Gotoh T. 2018. A new species of spider
Euphorbia-feeding Macrosiphum spp. mite, Oligonychus neocastaneae sp.
based on males. nov.(Acari: Tetranychidae), from Japan.
Zootaxa, 4378 (4): 563–572.
Ongoing projects:
2016-2018 - Biodiversity of the inverte-
brates in the karst caves of Zemo Imereti
Plateau (SRNSF217222).
2017-2019 - Training the new genera-
tion of entomologists in DNA-based
molecular methods - international
network (EntoMol). Norwegian Centre
for International Cooperation in Educa-
Publication: Barjadze Sh., tion (SIU) CPEA-LT-2016/10140
Özdemir I., Gratiashvili N. 2018.
Description of oviparous females and
alate males of Macrosiphum
dzhibladzeae Barjadze, 2010
(Hemiptera: Aphididae) from Georgia.
Annales de la Société entomologique de
France, 54 (2): 176-181.
A new species Oligonychus neocas-
taneae sp. nov. is described and
illustrated from Castanea crenata Sieb.
et
Zucc. (Fagaceae). The new species
closely resembles Oligonychus
castaneae Ehara & Gotoh, 2007,
which inhabits
the same host plant, Castanea crenata,
but mainly differs by the aedeagus in
having a longer distal portion which
forms a small sigmoid and acuminate
tip, instead of having a shorter distal
portion which ends in a truncate tip.
 ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY Group of the entomopathogen

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) In the identification and research

of the genera Steinernema and Heter- process, two new species of Heter-
orhabditis (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) orhabditis sp. These nematodes are
have emerged as excellent insect used in biological control against harm-
biological control agents. They have the ful insects. Their high pathogenicity was
ability to infect harmful insects and shown by insects as a result of experi-
cause their death within 24-48 hours. ments. Foreign colleagues are
Recent advanced in mass-production interested in research.
and formulation technology and the
discovery of numerous isolated/ strains,
together with the desirability of reducing
pesticide usage, has resulted in a surge Insect larva infected with nematodes
of scientific and commercial interest in
these insect-killing nematodes. Head:
The research group studying Dr. Oleg Gorgadze
entomopathogens at the Institute of Email:
Zoology of the Ilia State University is oleg.gorgadze@iliauni.edu.ge
working on internal university topics to
identify and identify new species of local
steynerneh and heterografts, The
cultivation of the identified EPNs, the
determination of the effectiveness of
new nematode species against large
harmful insects, the creation of nema-
tode preparations from selected varie-
ties of local EPN and their preparation
for commercialization
are carried out.

Invasive larvae of EPN We cooperate with well-known nema-

tologists in the USA, France, Italy,
Turkey, and Russia. The research
conducted by the group is published in
scientific articles published in the
journals Impact Factor (,,Nematology”,
,,Global Journal of Science Frontier
Research: C Biological Science-
Botany&Zoology”, ,,Turkish Journal of
Zoology”, ,,Russian Journal of Nematol-
ogy”, ,,International Journal of Current
Research”, ,,Journal Agriculture Science
and Technology”, ,,OBC/wprs Bulletin”,
,,Annals of Agrarian Science”, and
others). The research group participates
in international and regional grant
projects. He also actively participates in
relevant international and regional
symposia and conferences.
The research team identified and
studied several new species of local
EPNs, characterized by high efficiency
(Nematodes: Steinernema disparica
(Gorgadze, 2001), S. gurgistana
(Gorgadze & Lortkipanidze, 2006), S.
tbultyense (Gorgadze S. bessjomiense
(Gorgadze et al., 2018);

Exploring Biodiversity
in the Caucasus Region
– Georgian-German joint
research and training
initiative.
In the Caucasus region, which is
home to many endemic species
and species with relict distributions,
Georgia holds a geographically
central position. Exploring of the relict
Caucasus biodiversity is among the
priorities of the Institute of Ecology.
The Georgian-German Biodiversity
Center (GGBC), the project
supported by the Deutsches Zentrum
für Luft- und Raumfahrt is a result of
the long-lasting joint initiative of the
Ilia State University and the foreign
partners, first of all, Zoologisches
Forschungsinstitut Alexander Koenig
(Bonn, Germany). In Autumn 2016,
during the visit of the representatives
of German Ministry of Education
and Research (BMBF) the initiative
has been targeted among priority
collaborative projects for support,
considering long-lasting cooperation
between the two institutions (ZFMK
and ISU) and high-level expertise
at both institutions. The main target
activity of the GGBC is development
of powerful infrastructure for storing
large DNA and tissue collections,
barcoding wild and domestic animals,
plants, fungi and other organisms
ever recorded for Georgia (and
potentially other parts of the Caucasus
region), for sequencing genomes of
genetically unstudied
“Malaise trap” for insects – joint
Georgian-German biodiversity
initiative
INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY
organisms and bioinformatics
expertise and hardware for the
analysis of big genomic data. The
facilities of the center and the tissues
and DNA stored in the collection will
be jointly used by Georgian, German,
and other scientists increasing the
attractiveness of the Caucasus for
the research community worldwide
and increasing the investments into
exploring the unique relict biodiversity.
The preliminary stage of the project
has been started in Autumn 2017 and
considers several partly overlapping
joint activities of Georgian and
German scientists. One is describing
insect diversity at the altitudinal
transect, from sea level to alpine
grassland, in refugial Kintrishi valley
close to Georgia’s Black Sea coast.
Every second week, ten students
of Ilia State collect and sort insects
caught into 15 Malaise traps located
in the pristine temperate rainforest.
The region has an enormously high
proportion of endemic species, 25%
of all recorded species or even more,
as previous studies on vertebrate
animals and snails conducted by our
scientists had shown. Respectively,
there are high expectations for
discovering of dozens of never
scientifically described insect species
in the course of this work. The
culmination of the project is planned
action called “Bioblitz” when twenty
German animal and plant taxonomists
together with a comparable number
of Georgian scientists and the even
more best students in ecology will
sort insects and other invertebrate
Bjorn Rulik from Museum Koenig
(Bonn, Germany) trains the students
of the Ilia State University in the
determination of insect families, at
Grigoleti field station.
and vertebrate species, plants
and fungi collected in the Kintrishi
area. In parallel, the project is
running for molecular genetics and
ecological study of mountain goats
of the Caucasus, that comprising
the analysis of recently collected
tissues and fossil bones, and plans
for radio-tracking the animals in
their natural environment. This pilot
project combines effort Georgian,
German, and Russian scientists
in fields of both field ecology and
molecular genetics. The outcomes
of the ongoing pilot projects will be
reflected in the online database www.
biodiversity-georgia.net, hosted by
scientists of the Institute of Ecology.
The mystery of asexual
reproduction in reptiles
– rock lizards of the
Caucasus, help to go
deeper into the problem.
Asexual (parthenogenetic)
reproduction is very rare invertebrate
animals. The theory predicts that the
asexual organisms proliferate very
fast, related to sexually breeding ones,
but are less adaptable to changing
environmental conditions, due to the
absence of genetic recombination.
Besides of producing parthenogenetic
forms (7 parthenogenetic “species”
in the southern Caucasus), the
Caucasian rock lizards (Darevskia
spp.) are famous by an exceptionally
high (for vertebrate animals) species
diversity, considering modest
geographic area and temperate
climate dominating in the region.
Our research group explores the
distribution, morphological variability,
population ecology and genetics,
phylogenetics and phylogeography
of the rock lizards, including both
sexually reproducing and asexual
forms. A number of papers published
in international scientific journals
describe phylogeography of
individual species within the genus,
patterns of introgressive hybridization
between the closely related species,

the interdependence between
genetic and morphological evolution,
ecological interactions between the
parthenogenetic and bisexual forms,
and origin and diversification of the
parthenogens based on the population
genetic analysis. The research
is supported by Shota Rustaveli
National Science Foundation; we also
conduct a joint project with Turkish
scientists targeted to shed light on
the origin of parthenogenetic forms
found in Turkey, and tightly although
informally cooperate with scientists
from different countries from Europe
and post-Soviet space.
Geometric morphometry –
the analysis of morphological
differences of rock lizards
One of our recent discoveries
suggests that at least some different
parthenogenetic forms descend from
extremely rare backcrosses between
already asexually reproducing
females and males of a coexisting
bisexual species. Specifically, D.
armeniaca and D. dahli, which
were thought to descend from
two or more initial hybridization
events, rather diverged as a result
of the development of “secondary”
clone as a result of hybridization
between an already existing asexual
form with a male of a species that
did not participate in the original
hybridization. This would mean if
proven by independent datasets,
that the parthenogenetic lizards
INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY
are not “evolutionary deadlocks” humans, were largely dependent on
as they are commonly referred to, the presence of scrubland or light
but an evolutionary lineage with a forest (although could occasionally
strategy of adaptation unknown so far go deep into other landscape types),
invertebrate animals. and that their ancient distribution was
severely fragmented. This glacial
fragmentation is the most likely
People of the Caucasus: reason for the presence of distinct
Y-chromosome haplogroups in the
no changes since New World, strongly varying between
Neolithic time? A project the humans from different parts of
supported by internal resources the Planet. The areas with the least
of Ilia State University deals with summary distance from the unity of
the genetics of people inhabiting the glacial refugia, hence located in
Georgia and adjacent countries of the middle parts of the continents,
the Caucasus. The specific approach are genetically most diverse, which
of our researchers considers a supports the hypothesis formulated
combination of genetic methods, during this study.
dominating in “mainstream” physical
At the moment, we are switching to
anthropology, with ecological
the analysis of genomic data, which
modeling. Our studies, published in
promises new interesting findings
journals “Human Biology” and “Global
related to the ancient human dispersal
Ecology and Biogeography” suggest
throughout the Caucasus Mountains
that current genetics of people,
region.
especially from the remote parts of
the Greater Caucasus Mountains,
is formed by almost entirely the
same reasons as it did in an early
post-glacial time when the area was
populated by hunter-gatherer tribes.
The genetic distance between the
rural communities, surprisingly (or Prof.
Alexander Gavashelishvili
expectedly?) is determined by the
permeability of landscape for humans
not using transportation means, such
as hunter-gatherers: steepness of
mountain slopes, depth of snow cover
in winter time, and presence of tight Prof.
forest cover. The distance weighted David Tarkhnishvili
by these physical-geographical
barriers is in a high correlation with
genetic distances measured using
different genetic markers – both
recombinant and clonally inherited, Prof.
such as Y-chromosome DNA. Cort Anderson
Another study relates the genetic
differentiation of human populations
throughout the Old World with the
fragmentation of landscape suitable
(and preferable) for hunters-gatherers Assoc.Prof.
during the last glacial cycle. The Marine Murtskhvaladze
detailed modeling of biomes, based
on the analysis of published fossil
vegetation remains and validated
using the data on fossil plant
distribution in Americas, suggests that Assist. Prof.
the Palaeolithic, anatomically modern Levan Mumladze
 ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Head: Prof. Dr. Revaz Solomonia
email: revaz_solomonia@iliauni.edu.ge
The inositols are very stable polar
molecules with versatile properties
Inositols and epilepsy
Epilepsy is one of the most
important challenges for the
modern neurobiology. In spite
of success in epilepsy therapy,
about one-third of patients are
pharmacoresistant. Extract of
plant Aquilegia Vulgaris was
widely used for epilepsy treat-
ment in oriental folk medicine.
Our research team has shown
that active component of this
extract is Myo-Inositol (MI)
which exerts antiepileptic prop-
erties. We thoroughly study
behavioral, biochemical,
molecular biological and elec-
trophysiological correlates of MI
action onpharmacologically
induced epileptogenesis and
epilepsy.
Institute of Chemical Biology
Group of Molecular Biology
Our results indicate that Myo-
The inositols are very stable
polar molecules with versatile
properties inositol possess
anti-convulsant activity and its
daily treatment for 4 weeks
prevents many biochemical
changes triggered by kainic acid
induced status epilepticus. The
Dr. Giga Gamkrelidze
anti- epileptogenic effects of Professor
myo-inositol are not mediated Email: giga_gamkrelidze@iliauni.edu.ge
by its anticonvulsant activity.
Furthermore, we have shown
that in KA-induced epilepsy in
rats, MI treatment for 28 days
weakens seizures not only
during the treatment but also
Dr. Eka Lepsveridze
after ceasing it for the following Professor
4 weeks. Moreover, MI has email: eka_lepsveridze@iliauni.edu.ge
significant effects on certain
molecular changes in the
hippocampus,
Taking into account the
decreased seizures we propose
that molecular changes induced
by MI treatment are also of posi-
tive influence to weaken the
natural course of epileptogen-
esis.
Myo-inositol influence on local
seizure activity induced by elec-
trical stimulation of the
hippocampus was also investi-
gated and found that myo-
inositol suppresses the
generation of the seizure activ-
ity in the hippocampus.
Our results provide a strong
basis for the future translational
research which in turn
might bring to the development
of a new antiepileptic drug.
 ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Imprinting is rapid learning that estab-
lishes a long-lasting behavioral
response to a specific individual or
object
Imprinting in Chicks
Successful study of the molecu-
lar mechanisms of learning and
memory requires that learning-
related neural changes and
learning-related behavior are
readily measurable. A type of
learning to offer a unique oppor-
tunity for such research is visual
imprinting in chicks, whereby a
young animal learns the
features of and subsequently
recognizes an object as a result
of being exposed to it. Visual
imprinting involves recognition
memory and occurs in many
species
We have shown that learning-
related molecular changes
occur in the intermediate and
medial part of mesopallium
(IMM –region that stores infor-
mation about the imprinting)
after imprinting in a progression
from transient/labile to trophic
neural modifications, culminat-
ing in stable recognition
memory.
At present we are studying
changes in the whole transcrip-
tosome and micro-RNA after
imprinting. Study of changes in
mitochondrial DNA epigenetics
is also in progress.
Institute of Chemical Biology
Group of Molecular Biology
The expression of more than
hundred genes and small, non-
coding regulatory RNAs are
drastically changed under the
influence of antibiotics. Most of
these genes are various trans-
porters.
We are performing validation
studies (by RT-PCR) to confirm
the differences for differentially
expressed genes revealed by
A pathogen is a tiny living organism, RNA-SEQ analysis.
such as a bacterium, virus or other Comprehensive knowledge
microorganisms that makes people sick. about the biochemical pathways
They are an infectious agents that
which are induced in MDR bac-
causes disease to their hosts.
teria by antibiotics treatment
may play an important role in
the development of novel anti-
Differential Gene Expres-
microbial agents.
sion in multidrug-resistant
Human Pathogens
The spread of multidrug-
resistant bacteria is a global
problem worldwide. In the
antibiotic-resistant era, it’s
essential to study antibiotic-
induced molecular changes in
multidrug-resistant (MDR) E.coli
for development of new antibac-
terials.
One of the targets of our Dr. Ekaterine Tevdoradze
research is beta-lactamase Associate Professor
producing (ESBL) E.coli 1917 email:
ekaterine.tevdoradze.2@iliauni.edu.ge
bacterial strain, isolated in
Georgia. Treatment of chronic
infections caused by ESBL
producing E.coli is limited by the
existed antibiotics. Enzymes
Beta-lactamases are produced
by bacteria to defense from anti-
biotics. Our laboratory
performed total comparative
transcriptomic (RNA-SEQ) Dr. Marine Kikvidze
analysis of ESBL E.coli 1917 Associate Professor
and reference E.coli ATCC email: marine_kikvidze@iliauni.edu.ge
25922 bacterial strains. Bacte-
rial strains were cultivated
under antibiotic treatment.

Research of renewable, alternative
clean energies is one of the top
priorities of Ilia State University.
Recently Ilia State University has successfully adopted
and implemented innovative methods for producing
alternative, eco-friendly fuel – biodiesel. A new lab for
producing biodiesel has been launched. The university
plans to use the lab for small scale production of
biodiesel, for education of the university students and
promoting alternative, renewable, clean energy.
The lab gave the possibility to Ilia State University
researchers to produce biodiesel from various raw
materials and analyze the biochemical composition of
the final product. Biodiesel was produced from Canola
(Latin: Brassica napus) oil, as well as from secondary
(cooking) oil received from the food industry. From these
bio resources, through the process of etherification using
methanol, pure biodiesel fuel B100 was received and
free glycerin, as by-product of the process, remained.
The physical and chemical characteristics of B100,
and those of biodiesel blend with petroleum diesel fuel,
namely B20 were analyzed.
The composition of fatty acids in B20 and B100 has
been studied using a liquid chromatographer and the
functional groups were analyzed by Spectrum Two
spectrometer. The conducted analyses and results have
clearly demonstrated that the physical and chemical
parameters of both B20 and B100 were within the
standards of EN 14214, ASTM D6751 and EN 590.
New
improved
composition
of biodiesel,
latest
achievement
of ISU
Development Of Biofuels
In Georgia
Based on our research and findings we have defined
a new composition of biodiesel fuel with the aim to
improve technical parameters of this biofuel to ensure
better performance of diesel type internal combustion
engines without any modification of the engines design.
The university has started regular production of biodiesel
fuel, which now is being tested in the engines of the
vehicles of the university. The by-product, glycerin is
used for production of washing foams.
The next important step of Ilia State University was to
help the Georgian industry to start production of biodiesel
in large, industrial scale. Therefore a pilot agricultural
project was started in 2013; several dozen hectares
of lands in Kakheti region, eastern Georgia, have
been cultivated for growing Canola the oil of which is
considered as one of the best raw material for producing
biodiesel. The results were encouraging; the new
culture was adopted pretty well in eastern Georgia and
gave on average 3 tons of dry seed mass per hectare.
The university is optimistic to give agro-economical
calculations and strong advises to Georgian agriculture
sector to create canola plantations in eastern Georgia
for receiving oil and eventually producing biodiesel.
Georgia, as the country which almost entirely depends
on imported hydrocarbons, needs to develop production
of its own alternative, renewable, eco-friendly fuel.
Biodiesel can bring many benefits; it is especially
effective to be used in transport sector of urban area.
As our research has shown the amount of biodiesel
produced from Canola oil will be enough to supply the
municipality transport of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia,
with clean, alternative, renewable, eco-friendly fuel.
 The project for introduction of
Clean Energy by Solar Electricity
Generation System in Georgia

Ilia State University has been awarded the grant from
the Government of Japan which implied development
of clean, eco-friendly renewable energy in Georgia -
“The project for introduction of Clean
Energy by Solar Electricity Generation
System in Georgia”. The university has been
chosen as the beneficiary of the Japanese governmental
grant thanks to the well developed infrastructure and
ongoing research in the field of alternative, renewable
energy by the researchers of the faculty of engineering
and life sciences of Ilia State University.
energy efficiency improvement, energy security, food
production security and others.
Georgia has taken responsibilities to reduce
Greenhouse gas emissions and develop and implement
innovative, energy saving and clean energy generation
technologies, which would help the country to meet the
set goals. Ilia State University is at the cutting edge of
this process. The project for introduction of Clean Energy
by Solar Electricity Generation System in Georgia is a
clear example of that.
The specialists and researchers of Ilia State University
worked together with their Japanese colleagues of this
project for three years. The project has been successfully
completed and commissioned in August 2016. Since
then the total generation of the clean solar electricity
totaled 16803 kWh, total number of reduced CO2 in
2017 was 10922 kg, which equals to the effect of 1490
oak trees capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.

The project “The project for introduction of Clean

Energy by Solar Electricity Generation System in
Georgia” emphasized that the government of Georgia
looked to achieve sustainable economic growth and
an eco-friendly society, as well as an independent
energy supply for the coexistence of the environment
and development. To realize their goal of contribution
to reduction of greenhouse gases emissions, the
government of Georgia requested the government of
Japan as part of the Grant aid for the environmental
programs to install the nation’s first grid-connected solar
electricity generation system at Ilia State University.
Georgia submitted its new climate action plan to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
in 2015 and shortly have formally submitted The
Intended Nationally Determined Contribution ( INDC)s
to the United Nation, namely to UNFCCC. Georgia also
signed a historic Paris climate deal alongside 170 other
nations in New York in 2016.

The Paris Climate Accord is a historic agreement

to combat climate change and unleash actions
and investment towards a low carbon, resilient and Kakha Karchkhadze
sustainable future, which was agreed by 195 nations
Lead Researcher in renewable Energy
in Paris last December. The Paris Agreement sets out Ilia State University
a global action plan to keep global temperature rise 5, Cholokashvili Ave.,
this century well below 2°C and to drive efforts to limit Tbilisi 0162, Georgia
the increase even further to 1.5°C above pre-industrial E-mail: kakhak@iliauni.edu.ge
levels. The objectives of the Paris Agreement are in line Cell Phone: 577 237 723
Web: www.iliauni.edu.ge
with Georgia’s national development priorities such as

Alpine Ecosystems Research Program (AERP) has been
one of the permanent research programs of the Institute of
Ecology, Ilia State University since 2007.
Alpine ecosystems research is urgently important because
of several reasons: extremely diverse ecological conditions,
hence diverse flora (with high degree of endemism),
vegetation, and plant adaptation mechanisms and
ecological strategies; perfect indicator properties of alpine
organisms and ecosystems to reflect global ecological
(climate, land use, socio-economic, etc.) changes;
urgency of conservation of rich genetic pool of alpine
organisms; necessity of alpine ecosystem conservation as
alpine zone is the most available natural reservoir of clean
freshwater; high degree of population dependence on
alpine natural resources and concentration of traditional
knowledge on human-nature interaction. Thus, Alpine
biomes create natural laboratory which allow clearly figure
out different patterns of many sided relationships between
living organisms and there environment such as plant
adaptation strategies and mechanisms which is closely
connected with plant and ecosystem diversity.
Stephantsminda Alpine Ecology Institute (1854 m a.s.l.).
Vegetation distribution on two main altitudinal transects (vill.
Gergeti-Mt. Kazbegi: 1800–5033 m and vill. Stephantsminda-Mt.
Kuro: 1800–4072 m) in the Kazbegi region (the Central Great
Caucasus). The numbers indicate different vegetation types.
INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY
Alpine Ecosystems
Research Program
The main research areas of the AERP program are: Plant
species and community diversity and their function with
a special focus on treeline ecotone and nival zones;
Strategies and mechanisms of plant adaptations to
the stress-dominated environments as a form of plant
functional diversity; Study of structural and functional
organization of alpine plant communities; Global climate
change and possible transformation of alpine vegetation,
e.g. within the framework of the Global Observation
Research Initiative in Alpine Environments (GLORIA);
Land use (grazing, haymaking and deforestation)
impacts on alpine ecosystems and plant populations
to advocate and promote sustainable management of
alpine grasslands; Morphometric and molecular studies of
selected species; Plant species IUCN Red List assessment;
Plant conservation (for protection of critical endangered
species); Implementation of model-demonstrative projects
on ecosystem protection, sustainable management
and restoration (for local community and regional
administration); Collection of indigenous knowledge on
vascular plant and fungal use; Ecological expertise in
case of alpine landscape use; Organization of scientific
conferences, symposia, workshops and meetings;
Student’s field practice in ecology, botany; Rising of
public (children, teachers, farmers) awareness in the
field of nature protection and promotion of environmental
education.
The most important outputs of AERP works were a
number of publications such as ‘Recent Plant Diversity
Changes on Europe’s Mountain Summits’ in ‘Science’
(Pauli et al., 2012), which includes data from the Central
Caucasus collected within the framework of GLORIA
activities since the beginning of the project in 2001. Other
important publications were two books issued by Springer:
‘Vegetation of Georgia” by G. Nakhutsrishvili (2013), where
all major types of vegetation including alpine areas are
described; ‘Plant Diversity in the Central Great Caucasus:
Students field practice in the Kazbegi region.
 INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY
Alpine Ecosystems
Research Program

A Quantitative Assessment’ (eds: G. Nakhutsrishvili, O.

Abdaladze, K. Batsatsashvili, E. Spehn, & Ch. Körner, 2017).
The latter is based on extensive botanical and ecological
research in the Central Great Caucasus. Community
ecological field surveys during the last 50-60 years have
created knowledge and an extensive vegetation database
that is synthesized in this volume as a geo-statistic and
bioclimatic comparison of the Central Great Caucasus and
the Central Alps; Description of vegetation of the focus
region along WE and NS transects; Detailed description of Head: Prof. Otar Abdaladze
Email: alpine_ecology@iliauni.edu.ge
the flora and vegetation of the region; Quantitative analysis
of the phytosociological relevés collected in Western and
Eastern parts of the region during decades; A comparison
of climatic niches of the same alpine plant species in the
Central Caucasus and the Alps, and New indicator values
for the Central Caucasus flora. The AERP has contributed
to Red List assessments of ca. 1,000 endemic vascular
plants of the Caucasus (eds: J. Solomon, T. Shulkina &
G.E. Schatz, 2013) as well as ethnobotanical review of ca.
200 plant uses in the Caucasus (ed. Busmann, 2017).
Dr. Ketevan Batsatsashvili Associate Professor
In 1969 the Alpine Ecological Station of N. Ketskhoveli Email: ketevan_batsatsashvili@iliauni.edu.ge
Institute of Botany (now Stephantsminda Alpine Ecology
Institute of Ilia State University) was founded to serve as field
base for active taxonomic, ecological, phytosociological
and ecophysiological studies by G. Nakhutsrishvili and
his team; the studies were initiated by A. Kharadze yet in
1928.

Dr. Marine Mosulishvili Associate Professor

Email: marine_mosulishvili@iliauni.edu.ge

Dr. Nugzar Zazanashvili Associate Professor

Email: nugzar.zazanashvili@iliauni.edu.ge

Delphinium caucasicum near the Gergeti glacier

(3300 m a.s.l.). Prof. Emeritus Gia Nakhutsrishvili
Email: nakgeorg@gmail.com