From School Labs to Medical Innovations

YURiA-PHARM and its founder, philanthropist Mykola Gumeniuk systematically empowers a young scientific community as it generates innovative solutions at the intersection of medicine, biotechnology, and pharmacy.

At Winogradsky School, a specialized school for nature sciences, young talents gain access to advanced technologies that allow them to transform bold ideas into startups.

One such success story is Alona Maziy, a student who, under the mentorship of microbiology teacher Lesya Stepanyuk, developed an innovative delivery system for oral antiseptics. The challenge is well-known: traditional treatments often have a very short effect. Alona’s solution is a compact medicinal film infused with propolis concentrate that adheres to the mucosa for up to 50 minutes, ensuring continuous delivery exactly where it is needed most.

The project secured a top prize at the regional stage of the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine research competition. Furthermore, the findings underwent expert evaluation at the Institute of beekeeping named after P.I. Prokopovich (NAAS of Ukraine), where they were officially recognized as proven and innovative.

Building on these scientific results, the student and her mentor launched a startup and participated in Youth Science and Innovation Day, held under the auspices of the Young Scientists Council of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. This opportunity allowed the startup to receive professional feedback from leading European innovators and gain support from the domestic academic community.

“We don’t just study theory; we create products that could become a staple in home first-aid kits tomorrow,” notes Lesya Stepanyuk.

“For me, this work is an opportunity to create a solution that truly improves people’s quality of life,” says Alona Maziy, the project’s author and a student at Winogradsky School.