The International Scientific Conference of Young Scientists was held in Almaty in honor of the 40th anniversary of M. Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

The International Conference of Young Scientists “Fundamental and applied research in molecular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology” was held in Almaty, dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the founding of M.Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

The conference, which was held in a hybrid format – offline and online, was attended by scientists from France, the USA, Great Britain, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

The Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek sent a welcoming video message to the conference participants with wishes for successful work. The President of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kunsulu Zakarya sent a congratulatory letter, and the Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences of the RK under the President of the RK Lyazzat Tasbulatovna Eralieva made a welcoming speech. The head of the DNA repair group of the Gustave Roussy Institute (France), a member of the National Council for Science and Technology under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Murat Saparbaev, also spoke in the form of a video message. In all welcoming speeches, the importance of the development of science in Kazakhstan and prepare scientists, as a powerful engine of social progress in the country in the future, was noted.

The General Director of the IMBB, Professor K.O. Sharipov, gave a plenary report on the history, scientific achievements and development prospects of M. Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

To ensure the continuity of scientific generations, Murat Aitkhozhin’s associates, veterans of the Institute, were invited to the conference: Ramzia Azimuratova, Nadezhda Neretina, Galina Darkanbaeva, Karlygash Toibaeva and others. Veterans of science spoke about the formation of the institute, its successes and memorable events, they emphasized the importance of the ability to respect and appreciate what was passed on to the younger generation by older scientists in the form of a scientific foundation.

At the conference, Shukhrat Mitalipov, professor at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Oregon Health & Science University, made a presentation as an invited guest on the topic: “Direct reprogramming of skin cells into eggs and sperm.” Professor Mitalipov is one of the ten world scientists who made the most famous discoveries, according to several authoritative scientific magazines – Nature, Science, Time, Discover and National Geographic.

Another brilliant international evolutionary scientist, developmental biologist, head of the scientific group at Imperial College London, employee of the National Museum of Natural History – Arkhat Abzhanov gave an online report on the topic: “In your face: exploring morphology, evolution and development of the skull”.

At the sectional meeting, reports were heard from young scientists who represented such organizations as: Federal Research Center “Fundamental Principles of Biotechnology” RAS, Moscow, Russia; National Center for Biotechnology, Astana, Kazakhstan; A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology FEB RAS, Vladivostok, Russia; V.A. Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of the RAS, Moscow, Russia; Central Botanical Garden, Baku, Azerbaijan; Canterbury Christ Church University, UK; Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Almaty, Kazakhstan; Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia; All-Russian Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Moscow, Russia; National Research University ITMO, St. Petersburg, Russia; D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan technical university; M.Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Almaty, Kazakhstan. All reports were informative, useful for sharing experiences and sparked lively discussion.

As a result of the conference, a Resolution was adopted, which noted the undoubted scientific significance of the forum, which promotes the establishment of new scientific and creative connections and collaborations to solve pressing problems of molecular biology, biochemistry, biomedicine, biotechnology, as well as the implementation of scientific research results in the high-tech sector of the country’s economy.