Welcome to Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU)
The Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was founded in 1925 in Kharkiv as the Ukrainian Biochemical Institute of the People’s Commissariat of Education of the Ukr.SSR. It was the first Institute of Biochemistry in the territory of the USSR and one of the first Ukrainian scientific research institutes. Its founder, academician Olexandr Volodymyrovych Palladin remained the permanent director till February, 1969. Later on, the directors of the Institute were V. A. Belitser (1969-1972), M. F. Gulyi (1972-1977), V. K. Lishko (1977-1988), S.V. Komisarenko (1989-1992), G. V. Donchenko (1993-1998). From May, 1998 the Institute is headed by S.V. Komisarenko. The Institute has passed complicated and often uneasy way, from a small team of like-minded scientists to a large scientific research institute with generally recognized schools and scientists considered to be the experts in biochemistry and adjacent fields of science. In 1926, academician O.V. Palladin also became the founder of the first in the USSR biochemical journal, “The Ukrainian Biochemical Journal”.
In December, 1931 the Institute left Kharkiv for Kyiv and became a part of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukr.SSR. During the Great Patriotic War it was evacuated to the city of Ufa where the works on the problem of blood coagulation biochemistry were conducted. Haemostatic drugs were developed, capable of accelerating the wound adhesive process, in particular vitamin K3 and its water-soluble analogue Vicasol, widely applied in hospital practice till present time.
The scientific research carried out in the Institute during several decades was multisubject and directed to development of the following theoretical and practical problems of dynamic and functional biochemistry, urgent in that period of time: biochemistry of nutrition (particularly the biochemistry of hypo- and avitaminosis states); biochemical statistics and dynamics of the central and peripheral nervous systems under different functional states and in ontogenesis; muscle biochemistry (in particular, muscle fatigue and training); biochemistry and functional changes of intracellular intermediate metabolism; biochemistry of endocrine glands and hormones. The important theoretical and practical results of these long-term investigations became the basis of the perspective scientific trend, functional biochemistry with functional neurochemistry as its integral part. They brought the world-wide fame to the Ukrainian school of functional biochemistry as well as to its founder Olexandr Volodymyrovych Palladin.
On return from the evacuation in 1944, the scientific personnel improved step by step the methodical, technical and scientific work, thus passing from the organ/tissue level to the cellular/subcellular and molecular levels. At that stage, studies on supravital regeneration of proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins and other metabolites in ontogenesis under various functional and pathologic states of the organism became especially attractive. Later on, these scientific problems were supplemented by the following novel promising research areas: studies on biosynthesis, protein (and especially enzyme) structure and functions; biochemical pharmacology; nucleic acid biochemistry; molecular immunology; lipid biochemistry; biochemical kinetics, etc.
In 2006, the total number of the Institute staff equaled 367 persons, including 137 scientific researchers, 4 academicians and 3 corresponding members of the Ukrainian NAS, 23 Dr. Sci. and 82 Ph.D. There are 10 Departments (Molecular Immunology, Lipids Biochemistry, Coenzymes Biochemistry, Muscle Biochemistry, Protein Structure and Functions, Enzyme Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biochemistry of Sensory and Regulatory Systems, Neurochemistry, Metabolism Regulation, Scientific and Technical Information) and 5 Laboratories (Medical Biochemistry, Biopreparations Technology, Protein Technologies, Optical Research Methods, Signal Mechanisms of Cells). There are the groups of Chromatography, Electron Microscopy and Radiology, as well as husbandry of laboratory animals.
Besides research departments Institute also has such divisions as: Information Centre on Biotechnology, Centre of Analytical Researches of Hemostasis System (CARHS), Experimental-Biological Centre (EBC). There are also Scientific Library, with collection of about 82000 copies of periodicals and books. In 1973, the O. V. Palladin Memorial Museum was opened in the Institute.
In 1969, the branch of the Palladin Institute was organized in Lviv; it consists of four departments: Cell Differentiation Biochemistry, Biochemical Genetics, Regulation of Low Molecular Weight Compound Synthesis, Regulation of Cell Proliferation. In 2000, the latter one was reorganized into the Institute of Cell Biology of the NAS of Ukraine.
The main research trends of the Institute are as follows: investigation of structure, physico-chemical properties and biological functions of complex protein and supramolecular systems; to study biochemical mechanisms of metabolic regulation by means of low-molecular biologically active substances (peptides, vitamins, coenzymes, metal ions etc.); developing the methods of production and practical application of biologically active preparations, medical and veterinary diagnostics and biosensors for medicine, industry and agriculture.
For the period of 80 years the Institute scientists have taken out above 300 Ukrainian and USSR authors’ certificates and patents. Here is the list of only the most important of them: means of accelerated wound adhesion (Vicasol), protein blood substitutes and a number of proteins of blood clotting system; effective fodder admixture kits and premixes, increasing the productive capability of cattle, hogs, poultry, fish and bees; techniques of purification, and estimation of physico-chemical and biological properties of some proteins and their complexes with biologically active substances, as well as vitamins and their derivatives; the ways of production of new sorbents; methods of gamete conservation; tests and instruments for diagnostics of various diseases; the way of obtaining labeled antibodies; various medical drugs (microcide, artificial gastric juice, medical pepsin, videin D3, adenyl acid, medichronal, namacite, ancystron-H, filomek, panteron, anti-cancer agent mebiphone etc.); techniques of large-scale production of pure biologically active substances for practical medicine and cattle and poultry farming.
Long-term investigations provided the basis of forming the traditions and scientific schools in various areas of biochemical science. Here are some of these schools and their founders: Biochemistry of Nervous System (O. V. Palladin, V. K. Lishko, Ya. V. Belik); Muscle Biochemistry (O. V. Palladin, D. L. Ferdman, M. D. Kursky, S. O. Kosterin); Biochemistry of Vitamins and Coenzymes (O. V. Palladin, S. I. Vinokur, R. V. Chagovets V. P. Vendt, A. G. Khalmuradov, G. V. Donchenko); Regulation of Metabolism and Biosynthesis of Proteins and Lipids (M. F. Guliy, D. O. Melnichuk, N. M. Gula); Immune Biochemistry (S. V. Komisarenko). During various periods over 20 members of different academies of science worked in the Institute (among them O.V. Palladin, V. O. Belitser, M. F. Guliy, D. L. Ferdman, R. V. Chagovets, S. V. Komisarenko, V. K. Lishko, D.O. Melnichuk, N. M. Gula, G. V. Donchenko, Ye. B. Babskiy, G. V. Yelska, G. H. Matsuka, Ya. O. Parnas, E. T. Soreni, K. S. Ternovyi, A. M. Utevskiy, G. V. Folbort, A. G. Khalmuradov and others).
Since the time of the Institute foundation, its staff participates in education and training of young scientists. In 2000, the Biotechnology branch of the Biochemistry Department of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University was created on the basis of the Palladin Institute. Up to now, almost 300 persons have gone through the post-graduate course.
Specialized Scientific Council considering Ph.D. and Doctor’s degree thesis in Biochemistry and Biotechnology works on the basis of the Institute. From 1963 to 2005 as many as 556 thesis have been considered, including 79 obtaining the Doctor’s degree.
The Council of Young Scientists holds the annual Competitions of scientific works attracting youth not only from the Institute but also from other scientific research institutions. Four annual scholarships for young scientists were established by the Scientific Council of the Institute. Three of them are named after V. O. Belitser, D. L. Ferdman and R. V. Chagovets, while the fourth one is awarded by the directorate of the Palladin Institute.
The Ukrainian Biochemical Society (UBS) founded by O.V. Palladin acts on the Institute basis. S.V. Komisarenko is its President now. The UBS Workshops are considered as important events not only for biochemists but also for researchers working in the adjacent fields. The UBS is an equal Member of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS).
In 1969, the Institute was awarded the Honor Certificate of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukr. SSR for advances in biochemistry, training of highly qualified scientists as well as inventions promoting the development of novel technologies and drugs for medicine and agriculture; in 1975, the Institute was awarded the Labor Red Banner Order. Many of the scientists were awarded the Ukrainian orders and medals. They are the winners of the State prizes of the former USSR and Ukraine. In 1973, our Academy of Sciences established O. V. Palladin Prize which was awarded 16 scientists from the Institute.
Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU)
9 Leontovicha Street, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine Phone:+(380-44) 2245974; Fax:+(380-44)2296365; E-mail:
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