Published: 11.06.2026
UCM's cooperation with MAGI Group has received international attention: students have been going to Italian laboratories for 7 years
On June 9 and 10, 2026, the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava an exceptional visit, a delegation of the Italian research group MAGI Group headed by its president prof. Matteo Bertelli, MD, PhD.
The home institution was represented at the meeting by UCM vice-rector prof. Miroslav Ondrejovič, prof. Stanislav Miertuš and Vice-Dean FPV UCM Dominika Vešelényiová. The plenary meeting and working meeting at the UCM Academic Club marked seven years of joint science and at the same time indicated where the partnership will go next and what our students can gain from it.
The highlight of the opening day was the ceremonial handing over of the letter of appointment by which prof. Bertelli became a visiting professor at UCM. It is an award for his many years of contribution to joint research and at the same time a signal that top scientific names from abroad are heading to Trnava.
Science that connects laboratories in Italy and Trnava
The MAGI Group is an Italian research platform that, since 2006, has been among the European leaders in genetics and rare diseases, molecular diagnostics, next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics and -omic disciplines.
It is in these areas that its joint research with FPV UCM is taking place. It is not science for science's sake. More accurate molecular diagnostics help patients with rare diseases get a correct diagnosis faster, often waiting years, and pave the way for more targeted, personalized treatment. This research has a direct impact on human health. Today, the cooperation on the UCM side is mainly coordinated by Dominika Vešelényiová, vice-dean of FPV UCM.
Opportunities for young scientists
The mobility of students and researchers is at the heart of the entire partnership. At its Italian headquarters, MAGI hosts FPV UCM master's and doctoral students on research internships. Several of our students have already gone through this experience, others are participating in joint projects right now. Thanks to this cooperation, our students have a unique opportunity to use theoretical knowledge from lectures in real biomedical research and try working in a scientific team while still studying.
Joint plans for the future
The subsequent negotiation was a concrete step towards the future. Both teams agreed that they want to further deepen mutual cooperation and motivate more and more students to try working in foreign research directly in the MAGI laboratories.
They discussed proposals for new joint projects and came up with several interesting ideas that they want to develop in the near future.
Internationalization is one of the key priorities for the UCM Faculty of Natural Sciences, and this long-term and valuable cooperation with MAGI Group is one of its strong pillars. It brings real impact, quality science, international experience for our students and results that make sense for patients and for the whole society. That is why we sincerely look forward to her next years.
International recognition of cooperation
The importance of cooperation between the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava and the Italian company MAGI Group is also confirmed by its growing international visibility. The renewal of the scientific-research partnership was also recently presented on the foreign portal The New York Today, which represents an important step in the visibility of the university's activities at the global level.
This media coverage underlines the quality of a long-term partnership that connects the academic environment with practice and brings concrete results - especially opportunities for UCM students to engage in research in top laboratories in Italy. At the same time, it is proof that UCM can be an active and respected partner in the international scientific and research space.
👉 More information about cooperation: HERE
