Normal Anatomy

History of the Department of Human Anatomy

On March 15, 1922, the Faculty of Medicine was established at Yerevan State University, which later became the basis for the founding of the Medical Institute. At the initiative of V. Artsruny, the Department of Anatomy was founded at Yerevan State University. The department was initially located in two dilapidated rooms of a former laundry building situated next to a stable. Classes were held under lamplight or in the yard of the stable, and there were no textbooks or manuals available in Armenian.

In 1923, V. Artsruny published the first anatomy textbook, and in 1924 the “Russian–Latin–Armenian Dictionary of Medical Terms” was published, which became the foundation for the development of Armenian medical terminology (H. Hovhannisyan, H. Hakobyan, A. Bekzadyan, V. Grigoryan).

Teaching activities, including lectures and practical classes, reached a higher level when the anatomical building designed by A. Tamanyan was constructed in 1926. At the initiative of V. Artsruny, the department was relocated to this building, where it continues to operate to this day.

Also on V. Artsruny’s initiative, an anatomical museum was established within the department, later named after him. The museum was quickly enriched with essential exhibits and played a significant role in student education and training.

Over the years, the department staff included E. T. Shek-Hovsepyan, E. A. Bayramyan, H. Hakobyan, L. V. Vardanyan, A. A. Sarafyan, Kh. M. Ayvazyan, Sh. T. Petrosyan, H. M. Aynajyan, L. Sargsyan, L. A. Manukyan, G. P. Kyalyan, and others.

In August 2025, the Department of Human Anatomy and the Department of Topographic Anatomy and Operative Surgery were merged into a single structure as part of educational reforms, modernization of academic programs, and improvements in organizational and financial efficiency.

History of the Department of  Topographic Anatomy and Operative Surgery

The department was founded in 1925. From 1925 to 1928, it was headed by the distinguished professor G. A. Mirza-Avagyan, who was the first in Transcaucasia to remove a bullet from the myocardium.

From 1928 to 1930, the department was led by Professor R. O. Yolian, President of the Society of Surgeons of Armenia and Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. He later founded the Blood Transfusion Research Institute (now named after him) and authored the textbooks “Field Surgery” and “Special Surgery.”

From 1930 to 1959, the department was headed by Professor Kh. A. Petrosyan, who had extensive experience teaching at the Tashkent Medical Institute (1924–1930).

From 1959 to 1983, the department was led by Professor A. J. Chagharyan, a student of Kh. H. Petrosyan, who performed the first cardiac surgery in Armenia in 1958, laying the foundation for cardiac surgery in the country. He also pioneered the study of facial morphology and reconstructed the face of Petros Duryan in 1972.

From 1983 to 1991, the department was headed by Associate Professor M. I. Hovhannisyan, the founder of the department’s experimental operating room.

From 1994 to 2008, and again from 2011 to 2025, the department was led by Professor S. L. Orduyan. Under his leadership, the use of the educational experimental operating room expanded significantly, enhancing both teaching and student scientific activities. This contributed to the establishment of the “Lancet” International Student Scientific Platform and the “School of Young Surgeons” under the University Career Center.

To ensure a high-quality educational process, the Department of Human Anatomy has a strong academic and teaching base, including a museum, classrooms equipped with specimens, images, and models. The faculty uses modern teaching and assessment methods and provides instruction in Armenian, Russian, and English across all university faculties.

A recent addition is an interactive anatomical table, which allows students to study the human body in 3D, improving spatial understanding.

The department offers courses in “Human Anatomy” and “Clinical Anatomy” for first- and second-year students of general medicine and dentistry faculties in Armenian, Russian, and English.

• “Human Anatomy” is taught:
  • In general medicine: semesters I, II, III
  • In dentistry: semesters I, II
• “Clinical Anatomy” is taught:
  • In general medicine: semesters II, III
  • In dentistry: semester III

Courses are delivered through lectures and practical sessions, with assessment conducted in a modular format using a multi-component grading system.

The grading structure (10-point system) is:

• Semester component: 2 points (20%)
• Exam component: 8 points (80%)

The semester component includes:

• Use of anatomical atlases (image-based tests)
• Identification of anatomical structures (oral/practical assessment)
• Ongoing oral assessments

The exam component consists of a computerized test.

Final grades are based on the sum of semester and exam scores. In the “Musculoskeletal System 1” module (general medicine faculty), practical skills account for 40% (4 points), and the exam accounts for 60% (6 points).

Teaching tools include anatomical illustrations, atlases, specimens, models, and educational films, all regularly updated. In 2021, the department acquired a Pirogov anatomical table, enhancing comprehension and knowledge integration.

In recent years, the department’s research has focused on studying the characteristics of microcirculation both in clinical and experimental settings. These studies aim to meet clinical needs and provide data with practical applications.

Current research topics include:

• The role of extra- and intrapineal melatonin in modulating the exocrine and endocrine functions of the pancreas
• The role of melatonin in regulating myocardial contractility and microcirculatory permeability
• Structural and functional characteristics of the lymphoid apparatus of the digestive tract, small intestine, and appendix in crush syndrome
• Structural and functional changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system under prolonged compression syndrome
• The role of prenatal, perinatal, neonatal, and genetic risk factors in autism spectrum disorders
• The role of polyamines in the healing of experimentally induced aerobic purulent skin wounds