Following the tracks of “Zubr”

27.05.2008 // Miantom.ru

In late May the Medical Radiological Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences conducted the 8th international school on radiobiology in Obninsk

170 radiobiologists from the leading research centers of Russia, Japan, England, Ukraine and Belarus attended the event.

“Such schools have been conducted regularly since 2001,” the director of the Medical Radiological Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, academician A.Tsyb said in an interview. “We did it on the occasion of the 100th birthday of the great Russian genetic and bio-physicist Nikolay Timofeyev-Resovky, which has been officially celebrated by UNESCO. The “Zubr” (“Birson”) (that’s how Daniil Granin called Timofeyev-Resovky in his “Zubr” story) worked in Obninsk in 1964–1969 and was buried here at Konchalovsky cemetery in 1981.”

In the 1920s Timofeyev-Resovky took an active part in scientific debates organized by N.Koltsov and S.Chetverikov and in the 1930 in the seminars of Nils Bohr. “Zubr” could not endure “brutish seriousness” in science and loved such debates. He called them “talkie-talkies.” They were held in a friendly atmosphere and young researchers were allowed to challenge their renowned colleagues.

Later, after imprisonment and exile, “Zubr” began organizing such “talkie-talkies” himself in Miassovo (Ural), Mozhayskoye More in Moscow region and Obninsk. He brought up a whole generation of remarkable Russian scientists. They helped to overcome the consequences of the repressions against the national genetics and to take it to new horizons. Today, the former pupils and successors of Timofeyev-Resovky share their knowledge and experience with the youth.

The 8th school on radiobiology presented the latest achievements in the sphere: professors M.Tomonagi (Japan) and A.Konoplyannikov told their colleagues about the prospects of the use of stem cells; professor Y.Dubrova (the United Kingdom) made a report on radiation-induced mutations in human germ cells. Among the other rapporteurs were K.Suzuki (Japan), S.Andreyeva, D.Zaletayeva and V.Sayenko. M.Maksyutov gave an interesting lecture on the latest findings of the National Epidemiological Register of Russia, L.Zhavoronkov and S.Lukyanova made a joint report on the influence of microwaves on the central nervous system.

The school is conducted with the support of the Russian Fundamental Research Foundation, the Russian Humanitarian Foundation and its regional division, the administration of Obninsk and the mayor of the city Y.Shubin. The sponsors of the schools are the Medical Radiological Research Center, Medbiopharm and Cyclotron companies (Obninks), Diode plant (Moscow) and Crystall plant (Kaluga).