INTRODUCTION

1. WEBGENTECH: A web-based and e-learning tool about molecular genetics AhmetYeşilyurt1, Mehmet Sırmalı2, Tuncay Delibaşı2, Metin Tülü3, Hasan Türüt4, Uli Mok5, Maite Cobo-Abeytua6, Ralf Richter5, Britt Hennig5 1 Dr. ZekaiTahirBurak Women Health Research and Training Hospital, Turkey 2DıskapiYildirimBeyazid Training and Research Hospital, Turkey 3Yildiz Technical University, Turkey 4Rize University Medical School, Turkey 5Lise Meitner Schule, Germany 6InstitutoTecnológico de Castilla y León, Spain Molecular genetics is the study of the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. This field studies how the genes are transferred from generation to generation. Genetics is playing an increasingly important role in the field of life sciences such as biology, biochemistry and medicine for instance diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diseases. Given the fact that, the number of laboratory technicians is not enough even for scientific genetic research activities, we, as the academic professionals, evaluated and considered the need for higher numbers of laboratory technicians for experimental manipulations, perform and troubleshoot molecular biology tasks in Turkey. Additionally, the cost of the staff working in the field of molecular genetics may be decreased via web-based e-learning tools such as WEBGENTECH project since they are required long education period at least 6-months, and costs up to 3.000 Euro per year to increase their knowledge about molecular genetics techniques. Hence, the outcomes of the project contribute towards the education of lab technicians in the field of molecular genetics. Figure: Avaragetrainingcosts of perstaffperyearformoleculargeneticsapplications (resultsfromwebgentechsurveys) INTRODUCTION WEBGENTECH The WEBGENTECH project aims to educate laboratory technicians in basic molecular genetics techniques by Web-Based Learning via detailed training films, study documents and tests. Well-trained technicians will contribute for example to the development of new cure opportunities. Outcomes of the project might help to equalize the level of skills and knowledge of laboratory technicians and increase the mobility all over Europe. The consortium involved in our project is hospitals, research centers, universities and a technical college. These are YildirimBeyazid Training and Research Hospital, Dr. ZekaiTahirBurak Women Health Education and Research Center, Yildiz Technical University, Rize University Medical School from Turkey, InstitutoTecnológico de Castilla y León from Spain, and Lise Meitner Schule from Germany. Webgentech project has produced some different educational materials as website, DVDs and handbooks for fundamental molecular genetics techniques such as DNA sequencing, Transformation, Cloning, DNA isolation, Conventional PCR, cDNA converting, Agarose gel electrophoresis ,SDS PAGE, Western blotting and Northern blotting. All educational material are avaliable via our website. Furthermore, there is a quiz in website for visitors to measure their knowledge after getting all educational materials of Webgentech project. We hope, Webgentech project will contribute to training of technicians and assistants fromdifferentscientificfieldsinterested in molecular genetics or life sciences. Pleasevisitour web pageforfurtherinformation: www.webgentech.org