A Guide to the Russian Academy of Sciences - University of Texas ...

more than 200 markers of the Not1 restriction sites (project headed by Lev
Kisselev, corresponding member of The Russian Academy of Sciences). An
original approach is developed for the transcription mapping of the human
chromosome 19, many functional region s are mapped along this chromosome.
This work is headed by Evgeny (Evgenii) Sverdlov, corresponding member of The
Russian Academy of Sciences. It is performed as a joint project with the scientists
from Germany and USA. Russian researchers have significantly contributed to the
development of new computer programs to study the human genome. These
programs are used both in Russia and abroad. Satellite communications are
established between the Informational Human Genome Center in Moscow and
those in Europe and in the USA. The Siberian Regional Center for genome
information is being created now. Some methods for molecular diagnostics of
common human hereditary diseases including those during the prenatal period were
developed and practically tested. A search for the disease genes is under way. The
Conference on the Human Genome took place in January 1996. At this Conference
the results of 1995 and the ways to improve the program were discussed. Although
the financial support of the Program in Russia is much lower than in many other
countries, the Program succeeds owing to the following three factors: 1) high
qualification of Russian researchers, their original ideas and approaches; 2) wide
international cooperation with the leading laboratories in Europe and the USA in
which all the participants are equally interested; the existence of the HUGO office in
Moscow, allowing stable contacts with the International Genome Programs; 3)
competition for the projects and well-organized research and cooperation.
(5.) The Physics of Biopolymers Laboratory under Mikhail V. Volkenstein, D.
Bio. S., corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Head of
the laboratory since 1967. He graduated from Moscow State University’s Physical
Department in 1935 with theses (1937) and a dissertation (1942) in the theory of the
Raman spectra. His present scientific interests are in molecular biophysics, and the
theory of biological evolution and ontogeny (ontogenesis). Other scientists include:
Georgii V. Gurskii, C.PM S., graduate of Lomonosov Moscow State University’s
Physical Department in 1961, and whose interests were in resonance energy
transfer in one-dimensionasystems. He began work at the institute in 1964 as a
Union research scientist. His present scientific interests are in sequence-specific
DNA-binding molecules, stereo-chemical and thermodynamic aspects of
interactions between sequence specific ligands and DNA. Professor Valerii I.
Ivanov, D. PM. S., graduated from the Department of Physics of the Moscow State
University, and joined the institute as a Union research scientists in 1961. He
defended his thesis on a molecular mechanism for Aspartate Transaminase as
revealed by optical methods in 1968, and in 1980, he defended his dissertation on
Information of DNA. His present scientific interests are in the estimation of threedimensional
molecular mechanisms and energetics for nucleic acids and proteins
(enzymes) functioning by combination of experimental and theoretical approaches.
Professor Iurii A. Sharonov, D. Bio. S., graduated from the Leningrad
Polytechnical Institute’s Physical and Mechanical Department in 1957, defending
his thesis on alorimetric investigation of polymer softening and annealing in 1963,
and his dissertation on magnetic optical activity and its use for studies of
hemoproteins in 1980. He joined the staff of the institute as a senior scientist in
1968. His present interests are in the structure and functioning of hemo-proteins
and enzymes, room temperature and in low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism
(MCD) spectroscopy.
1997 update: PHYSICS OF BIOPOLYMERS
Head Mikhail A. Livshits, Ph.D., D.Sc.
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