From 7-18 December 2009, the project RER/5/015 Supporting Early Warning and Surveillance of Avian Influenza Infection in Wild and Domestic Birds and Assessing Genetic Markers for Bird Resistance, held a Regional Training Course on Genomic DNA Preparation, Microsatellite Analyses and Sequencing, at the IAEA and FAO Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria.

This IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme in Europe initiated a new regional programme to establish early bird-flu diagnosis and assessment of genetic markers for Avian Influenza reistsance with nuclear molecular methods in the region to prevent spread of Avian Influenza for better animal health and economic benefits.

The purpose of the training course was to enhance knowledge on highly pathogenic avian influenza (advanced molecular genetic tools by use of nuclear and nuclear related and molecular technologies), in genomic DNA preparation, microsatellite analyses and sequencing, with the ultimate goal to traine partners in molecular genetic analyses.

Training Course participants were from: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, TFYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia and Turkey