HSE Faculties of Chemistry and Biology and Biotechnologies to Open Joint Departments with RAS
The HSE Academic Council has approved the establishment of joint departments with five institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) at the new Faculties of Chemistry and Biology and Biotechnologies of HSE. Students will gain access to laboratory equipment and learn how to conduct modern research and develop new technology and medicines.
A joint department with the Shemyakin–Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the RAS will open at the HSE Faculty of Biology and Biotechnologies. Alexander Gabibov, RAS member, will head the department.
At a meeting of the HSE Academic Council, Alexander Gabibov said that the Institute carries out large biotechnological production and has a license from the Ministry of Industry and Trade for the development of genetically engineered medicines. The Institute specializes in computer biology and the creation of antidotes, the study of human and animal microbiota (development of new antibiotics), engineering of T-cells and so on. ‘We pay special attention to the institute laboratory equipment — we have modern systems of bioimaging,’ adds Gabibov. ‘In my view, students and doctoral students should learn by using modern equipment.’
Joint departments with four RAS institutions will open at HSE Faculty of Chemistry.
Andrey Yaroslavtsev, RAS Corresponding Member, will head the Joint Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Material Science with the RAS Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry. He stresses that the department is going to involve junior students in the department’s work and organize internships for them.
The Joint Department of Organoelement Chemistry with the Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds of Russian Academy of Sciences will be led by Denis Chusov, Leader of the Effective Catalysis Group at the Institute. He notes that he will draw upon his personal experience while organising students’ training. ‘The educational path I took led me from chemical lyceum to university to RAS, and I experienced all the advantages and disadvantages of this sequence,’ explains Chusov.
The Joint Department of Petrochemistry and Polymers of the Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis of the Russian Academy of Sciences will be headed by Albert Kulikov, Deputy Director of the Institute. ‘We have various equipment,’ he says. ‘And most importantly, we hope students of our department acquire not only knowledge, but publications in peer-reviewing journals and patents as well.’
Professor Igor Svitanko will head the Joint Department of Organic Chemistry with the RAS Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry. ‘There are two institutes of the highest international rank at the Academy of Sciences — the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and the Institute of Organic Chemistry,’ he says. ‘Both institutes cooperate with HSE, and this is definitely a positive thing.’
Admission to the Faculty of Chemistry and the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnologies will begin in 2019. The Bachelor’s programmes in Chemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biotechnologies offer 30 state-funded places for each programme.
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