I had the opportunity to participate in a one-month Erasmus+ student exchange programme (ICM KA171 call 2023) at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), where I completed a traineeship in Prof. Bohumil Mandák's research group, which specialises in plant evolutionary ecology and phylogenetics.
During my internship, I gained hands-on experience in R programming and bioinformatics, learning to analyse RADseq data and construct phylogenetic trees for Chenopodium species. I also visited the Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Průhonice, where the Chenopodium plants used in the research are cultivated.
As a PhD student from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, I was also pleased to present my research on pitaya. This exchange was an excellent opportunity to develop new research skills, share knowledge, and strengthen international scientific collaboration.
Zaneta Prarthan Balahan
