About

Institute of Biophysics

Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Azerbaijan

General director of the Institute, Ph.D., Professor, Corresponding Member of ANAS Oktay Gasimov

The Institute of Biophysics  was established in 2016. The Meeting of Nobel Prize laureate Ahmed Zewail, who participated at the Baku International Humanitarian Forum in 2011, with President Ilham Aliyev, and the speech of other Nobel Prize laureate George Smoot, who took part in 2013 Baku International Humanitarian Forum and later in 2015 at the 70 years jubilee of ANAS, who repeatedly emphasized the importance of biophysical researches in Azerbaijan played an important role in the establishment of the institute. Addressing to the president of ANAS and academician Akif Alizade, George Smoot expressed his interest in developing biophysical research in Azerbaijan and his willingness to participate in these researches.

Thus, the biophysics that functioned as a Center within the Institute of Physics of ANAS has been functioning as an independent Institute of Biophysics since July 2016. The major topic in this newly organized institute is the fundamental biophysical studies linked to human health and helping the application of the results of studies in medicine. First of all, important topics for Azerbaijan will be selected and developed as priority research areas.

Both physiological and pathological processes in the human body are directly or indirectly related to normal functioning or dysfunctioning of certain specific proteins. Investigating the relationship between the structure-dynamics and functions of proteins will allow to determine the molecular mechanism of many serious illnesses, including cancer, and to carry on the struggle at the molecular level by creating targeted nano-structures. To perform this type of researches, the biophysical, biochemical and molecular biological methods are being established and developed at the Institute of Biophysics.

Initially, the following research directions are being developed at the Biophysics Institute:

• Structure, Dynamics and Function of Biomolecules (Head of Laboratory, Corresponding Member of ANAS, Dr.Sc, Prof. Oktay Gasimov)
• Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (head of Laboratory, Dr.Sc. Karim Gasimov)
• Joint Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Oncology (directed by Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Sciences, Professor Oktay Gasimov and Ph.D. Leylakhanum Malikova - Azerbaijan Republic Ministry of Health, National сenter of Oncology).
• Laboratory of biophysics of physico-chemical stress factors (acting head of the Laboratory, Ph.D. Sevinj Jafarova)
• Inteqrative biology (Head of Laboratory, Corresponding Member of ANAS, Dr.Sc,. Ilham Shahmuradov)
• Cell Signaling Transmission Laboratory Head of Laboratory, Ph.D. Taleh Yusifov).

It should be noted that these laboratories are scientifically complementary one to another and closely cooperating laboratories.

In the near future the following areas will be developed and the relevant structures will be set up.

• Functional magnetic nanoparticles (for use in oncology);
• Investigation of human fluid (especially blood, tears, etc.) (intracellular fluid, extracellular fluid – intercellular fluid, intravenous, lymphatic fluid) (for diagnostic studies).
• Development of immunology
• Creation and development of electrophysiology.