Medicover Genetics Cyprus welcomed students, teachers, parents, and Dr Panayiota Mylona, Biology Inspector of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, to its facilities for the awards ceremony of the 2026 Pancyprian DNA Essay Competition, organized in celebration of World DNA Day. Now in its fourth consecutive year, the initiative aims to encourage young people to explore genetics and its impact on healthcare and society.
This year’s essay topic, “Advances in Genetics Have Transformed Prenatal Care: Why Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) Matters in Low- and High-Risk Pregnancies?”, invited students aged 16-19 to examine the role of genetics and modern prenatal screening in supporting informed healthcare decisions.
During the ceremony, Dr Marios Ioannides, Managing Director of Medicover Genetics Cyprus, congratulated all participating students and presented awards to the winners.
“At Medicover Genetics, we believe in the power of science to inspire and shape the future. Through initiatives like this, we encourage scientific curiosity, critical thinking, and informed dialogue among young people, helping to cultivate the next generation of scientists and healthcare professionals,” said Dr Ioannides.
Dr Panayiota Mylona, Biology Inspector of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, commended the students for their efforts, expressed gratitude to the teachers for their guidance to the students and welcomed educational initiatives that promote scientific literacy.
“It is particularly encouraging to see this initiative continue for a fourth consecutive year, inspiring students to engage with important scientific topics and share their own perspectives through thoughtful research and analysis. This year’s focus on prenatal care provided an excellent opportunity for students to explore a subject with significant relevance to healthcare and society. I congratulate all participants for their dedication and enthusiasm and welcome initiatives that promote scientific literacy and inspire young people to engage with science beyond the classroom,” said Dr Mylona.
Following the awards presentation, the students participated in a guided tour of Medicover Genetics’ laboratories, gaining firsthand insight into the applications of genetics in healthcare and the technologies that support modern genetic testing.
2026 DNA Essay Competition Winners
First Prize
Chryso Antoniou – Kykkos Lyceum, Paphos
Second Prize
Mariam Ezzeddin Massud Abdulkarim – PASCAL English School, Nicosia
Commendation Awards
- Aikaterini Christofi – PASCAL Private Secondary School, Larnaca
- Efraimiana Athinodorou – A’ Lyceum of Ethnarch Makarios III, Paphos
- Christina Koskeridou – Palouriotissas Lyceum
- Theodoros Mihaylov – Archbishop Makarios III Lyceum, Dasoupolis
Medicover Genetics extends its sincere congratulations to all participating students and thanks the Biology Inspectorate of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth for its valuable support of this initiative, as well as the teachers and families who contributed to the success of this initiative. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in fostering scientific literacy and inspiring the next generation of scientists and healthcare leaders.