Education
1976 - 1982 State University Tbilisi, Georgia MS, Ph D Microbiologist with specialization in Laboratory Techniques and Research 2000 David Axelrod Dept of Microbiology; Albany, NY, USA Fogarty Fellow, Microbiology ,Postdoctoral fellowship 2006 Durmishidze Institute of Biochemistry Tbilisi, Georgia PHD, Microbiology

Summary of Expertise
My experience in laboratory techniques is based on working in virology and clinical microbiology laboratories of various leading institutions of Georgia. I have been working as a research scientist for several years, using various contemporary methods of medical biology and clinical research. I have completed Fogarty International Training program in Microbiology and Molecular methods in Microbiology in 2000. Since re – entry grant project “Prevalence of Different Viral and Bacterial Infections Among Newborns with Generalized Infection (Fogarty International Center Grant # D43TW00233) was realized and two articles - Etiology of Neonatal Blood Stream Infections in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia , Risk factors of mortality in septic newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Tbilisi, the Republic of Georgia, were published. Areas of my expertise also comprise development of laboratory guidelines on new methodologies such as: Standard Operation Procedures, Bio-safety, Internal Quality Control and etc, based on the WHO and National Institute of Health recommendation. As a consultant I worked with WHO and CIF experts in preparing Laboratory assessment manual. I was also involved for the WB lab assessment project carried out in Georgia and in WHO lab assessment project with special emphasis on avian influenza issues, organized in Federation of BiH and Republic of Srpska. I participated in WHO project on Preparedness and outbreak response (Diarrheal diseases) carried our in Tajikistan.

Recent Publication
1. Hospital acquired blood-stream infections among intensive care unit (ICU) Patients in Tbilisi, Georgia Cari E. Low ,Nino Macharashvili Ekaterina V. Kourbatova , Kenneth Walker , Michael K. Leonard Jr. European Journal of Epidemiology,Received: 20 February 2008 / Accepted: 15 April 2008 2. Etiology of Neonatal Blood Stream Infections in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia Nino Macharashvili MS,PhD, Ekaterina Kourbatova, MD, MPH,PhD, Maia Butsashvili, MD,MS,Tengiz Tsertsvadze, MD,PhD, Louise-Anne McNutt, PhD, and Michael Leonard, MD International Journal of Infectious Diseases Volume 13, Issue 4, Pages 499-505 2008 3 Important aspects of nosocomial bacterial resistance and its management. Kandelaki G, Tsertsvadze T, Macharashvili N, Esugbaia M, Gogichaishvili Sh.Georgian Med News. 2008 Dec;(165):49-54.PMID: 19124917 [PubMed - in process] 4. Nasal carriage and antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus in HIV-infected patients Kakabadze T., Tsertsvadze T., Macharashvili N., Dolmazashvili E. 16th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Nice, France, April 1-4 2006 Nice, France, April 1-4 2006 5. Risk factors of mortality in septic newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia Maia Butsashvili1, MD, MS Ekaterina Kourbatova2, MD, MPH, PhD Nino Macharashvili3, MS, PhD George Kamkamidze1, MD, PhD Louise-Anne McNutt4,5, PhD Jack DeHovitz6, MD Michael K. Leonard2*, MD European Journal of Epidemiology 2009;24(8):477-9.

სამუშაო ადგილი
ინფექციური პათოლოგიის, შიდსის და კლინიკური იმუნოლოგიის ს/პ ცენტრი

მისამართი:
თბილისი, საქართველო ყაზბეგის გამზ. 16 ტელ.: 57 74 76;

Consultancy and Professional Experience:
2000 – present 2009 Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Center Tbilisi, Georgia Head of Microbiology Laboratory. National Expert Human Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Project Laboratory Component World Bank/MoLHSA /NCDC/CIF National laboratory guidelines for influenza Laboratory investigation of influenza A viruses Quality Assurance Manual(Version1) 2008 “Solution to diarrheal control in the NIS region” PATH/MoLHSA /NCDC/CIF Tbilisi,Georgia National Expert/Team Leader Laboratory Quality Assurance Manual for Diarrhoeal Diseases Manual incorporates standards for microbiology sample collection, storage and transportation, laboratory protocols and procedures, and guidelines on biosafety and quality control. As a team leader organized, carried out analysis of data and prepared final report. Manual is recommended for use of health workers nationwide. 2006 World Health Organization, Regional Office For Europe Copenhagen, Denmark Team Leader: Training of national experts (theoretical and practical) Improvement of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Microbiology Laboratory Assessment Tool (BIHLAT) with special emphasis on avian flu specific questions. Project was realized to assist the Ministry of Health of Federation of BiH and Republic of Srpska in the developing of a comprehensive functional plan for reference laboratory services at cantonal, district and regional levels of BiH and RS and District Brcko. Results of the assessment provide practical information to develop strategy on the planning and establishment of national laboratory services, to organize laboratory network in order to improve preparedness and outbreak response. Total 19 laboratories have been assessed. Contributed to the development of final report. 2006 World Health Organization, Regional Office For Europe Tajikistan Lab-Consultant: Training of microbiologists, epidemiologists, and clinicians at national and regional level to develop strategy for outbreak preparedness and response in this region. Developed recommendations to improve the capacity of the health Infrastructure in Tajikistan in managing and preventing outbreaks. Senior professionals in various fields of infectious disease unit: clinicians, epidemiologists, microbiologists in main regions of Tajikistan – Dushanbe, Kurgan Tube and Kuliab have been trained in diagnosis, laboratory aspects, surveillance, management and preparedness for epidemic diseases. Project was organized and recommendations done with the collaboration of WHO Country Office in Tajikistan. Project was approved and taken in further implementation by Ministry of Health and Epidemiology and sanitary inspection of Tajikistan. 2005 PCU/World Bank/Curatio International Foundation Tbilisi, Georgia National Assessor/Team Leader: Elaboration Plan for the Regional Reference Laboratories and Primary Health Care (PHC) Laboratory Network in Georgia. Project aimed to assist MoLHSA and contribute in the development of a functional plan for PHC reference laboratory services. During the project standardized tool (GLAT-from a WHO) was used and 61 laboratories in2 Georgian Regions (Imereti and Adjara) have been assessed. Recommendations on the basis of assessment results in microbiology and other laboratory network implementation have been done. 2004 “Georgia Health Information and Infectious Disease Surveillance Reform Program” – USAID/PHR+/CIF Tbilisi, Georgia Lab Expert: Laboratory Reference Manual for Surveillance and Control of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Georgia. Reference manual for VPD surveillance have been developed under the guidance of WHO Laboratory Surveillance Strengthening Unit. Manual incorporates standards for microbiology sample collection, storage and transportation, laboratory protocols and procedures, and guidelines on biosafety and quality control. As a team leader organized, carried out analysis of data and prepared final report. Manual is recommended for use of health workers nationwide. 1999 - 2000 David Axelrod Institute Albany, NY,USA NIH, Fogarty International Center Postdoctoral fellow 1998 - 1999 AIDS and Clinical Immunology Center Tbilisi, Georgia Lab supervisor, Virology Laboratory 1996 - 1998 Center of Genetic Ecology Tbilisi, Georgia Head of Scientific Committee 1983 - 1996 Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Virology Tbilisi, Georgia Research Scientist