The Institute of bioorganic chemistry
Institute directors
The M.M. Shemyakin–Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences came into existence initially under the name of the Institute for Chemistry of Natural Compounds by a decree of the Russian academy of sciences Presidium issued in February, 1959. The foundation of the Institute and its further development are inseparably linked with the names of outstanding scientists Professor M.M. Shemyakin and Professor Yu.A. Ovchinnikov. Since 1988 the Institute is under the directorship of Professor V.T. Ivanov famous for his investigations of the structure and function of peptides — the ubiquitous bioregulators, playing key roles in a number of biochemical processes.
Today the Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry is the main center of physical-chemical biology and biotechnology in Russian Federation. It’s included in the Department of biological sciences of Russian academy of sciences and performs activities connected with biochemical research of living matter. It researches molecular mechanisms of vital processes and their practical use in medicine and agriculture. Moreover the Institute develops fundamental and applied aspects of biotechnologies.
Building and laboratories
Situated in Moscow on the Mikluho-Maklaya street complex of Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry is a unique building for multipurpose fundamental research. The Institute has
Branch in Pushchino
A Branch of Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry is situated in Pushino (Moscow Region). It consists of an unique Station of artificial climate with laboratory “Biotron” for plants’ colonial microreproduction, scientific production complex “Biocenter” for pre-clinical researches of medicines, green device for thermal destruction of chemical and biochemical researches’ waste.
Scientific library
The Institute and its Branch employ 1100 people including 500 researchers (350 persons with Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees).
Tracts of the M.M. Shemyakin–Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry on physicochemical properties of proteins and peptides, nucleic acids and lipids, study of mechanism of biomembranes function and structure and biological action of low-molecular weight bioregulators (steroid hormones, antiniotics and so on) made level of these researches in Russia and abroad. A lot of papers were covered practical aspects which are necessary for medicine, agriculture and some lines of industry.
Professors Yu.A. Ovchinnikov and V.T. Ivanov for creation of new class of membrane bioregulators and study of molecular basis of ion transport across biomembranes, Professors M.N. Kolosov and E.D. Sverdlov for tracts cycle about molecular biology and molecular genetics were rewarded with Lenin Prize, 46 employees of the Institute — with different government awards. For progress and a major contribution in development of physicochemical biology, the Institute was rewarded with of The Red Banner of Labour.
By team of the M.M. Shemyakin–Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry were developed technologies of medicines’ and test-systems’ receipt for agriculture and medicine, including:
Design and production of new medicines
- Russian medicine of genetically engineered insulin “Insuran R” and “Insuran NPH” for treatment for diabetes mellitus (production by the Institute);
- recombinant somatotropin “Rastan” for treatment for children’ pathology of growth (production by JSC “Farmstandart — Ufavit”);
- immunomodulators “Likopid” and “Seramil” heightening resistance to infections (production by JSC “Peptec” in the Institute);
- medicine based on synthetic nonapeptide “Deltaran” — natural neuroregulator peptide with wide spectrum of pharmacological activities (stress-protective, antidepressant, anticonvulsant etc.) — production by Saint-Petersburg SRI of vaccines and serums.
Teachers and students
For education of a new scientific manpower for physicochemical biology and biotechnology, the Educational-scientific center has been successfully working for 20 years. More than 200 last-courses students from main Russian universities studies there each year. Team of the Institute lectures for students and conducts a workshop. The best of seniors can continue education in postgraduate course of the Institute. Every year in February the M.M. Shemyakin–Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry conducts Winter youth scientific schools for students and postgraduates of different universities.
Constantly developing and getting renewed the Institute do its best answering to needs of life and time. And even unsolved problems always exist, the searching of something new is the main aim of all who works and creates here.