Department of Medical Biology

Founded in 1930.

Head of Department: Hripsime Sh. Matevosyan, Professor

Department of Medical Biology was established in 1930 by Professor S.M. Yuzbashyan and headed by him till 1935. Later, the department was headed by honorary biologist professor A. Ter-Poghosyan /1935-1948/, parasitologist Prof. Sh. M. Matevosyan /1949-1969/, Prof. H.Y. Karapetyan /1969-1989/, Prof. S.H. Sisakyan /1989-2007/, Prof. H. Sh. Matevosyan /2007-2009 and from 2012/. It is important to note that the first “Parasitic protists and worms” textbook in Armenian was written by Prof. Sh. Matevosyan and Associate Prof. T. Gasparyan in 1959.

T.S. Gasparyan /1930-1963/, E.T. Karaseferyan /1937-1984/ have had a huge contribution to the formation of the department and the pedagogical research activities of the staff. Further developments were conducted by M.A. Hambardzumyan /1949-1989/, Z.S. Isahakyan /1949-1994/ and D. Sh. Manucharyan /1960-2008/

Research interests of the department at early stages involved arachnoid-entomological issues («Species and prevalence of blood-sucking ticks in Armenia», «Specificities of malaria and its vectors in mountainous and sub-mountainous regions of Armenia», «Toxoplasmosis of birds and humans»).

Since 1970 young professionals (Prof. S.H. Sisakyan, A.A. Yengibaryan, H.Sh. Matevosyan, Associate Professors N.F. Krasnikov, A.T. Tusuzyan) have been enrolled in the departmental staff led by Prof. H.Y. Karapetyan. They have brought modern trends in biological science into the teaching process as well as research activities. Prof. H.Y. Karapetyan has discovered the method of cultivation of Lamblia intestinalis, which started to be widely used in numerous world laboratories and served as a basis for the development of new research projects at the Department.

Profs.S. Sisakyan, A. Yengibaryan and H. Matevosyan have established a new research project dealing with issues of non-coronarogenic myocardial affection and its prevention. A number of candidate and doctorate theses have been defended within the frame of this project. Prof.H. Matevosyan is the author of two textbooks for YSMU students in Armenian and Russian.

The course is delivered to the 1^st year Bachelor’s students of the University through lectures and practical classes in three languages (Armenian, Russian, English). The syllabus includes the following chapters: Cytology, Medical Genetics, Medical Parasitology and Ontogeny (3 credits). During practical classes, the students discuss current topics, prepare and study temporary and permanent slides for the related topics, construct pedigrees and study different patterns of inheritance. Lectures are delivered in PPT format. The subject is delivered during 2 semesters, each of which culminates in a test-based examination.

The department provides lecture tutorials, tests, textbooks, handbooks and additional references.

Several textbooks and handbooks of Medical Biology in Armenian, Russian and English languages have been and are planned to be published.

Scientific works were conducted in the chair on the following topics.

• “Morphofunctional changes caused by metabolic injury of the myocardium of experimental animals and their pharmacological prevention”.
• “Mechanisms of tissue oxidative damage and cardioprotective factors in conditions of myocardial adrenaline death”.
• Epidemiological and clinicogenetic characteristics of myodystrophies (Duchenne’s, Becker’s and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in the Republic of Armenia).

Since 2022, the department is carrying out scientific work on the topic “Study of the properties of the NADPH-containing superoxide generating protein complex in fruits and herbs growing in Armenia”. The head of scientific research works is a lecturer of the chair of medical biology, Ph.D. Sona Feschyan.

Department of Medical Biology together with the Department of Pharmacognosy and the Laboratory of Active Oxygen of the Research Institute of Biochemistry named after A.I. Buniatian conducts research on the properties of the NADPH-containing superoxide-forming protein complex (NCP-Nox). This complex is a recently described component of cell membranes that generates free radicals by electron transfer from the Fe(III) heme group of Nox isoforms to molecular oxygen.

NCP, isolated from the NCP-Nox complex, simultaneously has antioxidant properties that balance the pro-oxidant properties.

To do this, NLP-Nox is isolated from the blood serum of mammals, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and cell membranes of plants and fruits. Next, NCPs are isolated from the complex and their properties are studied. Obtaining the calculated concentrations of free radicals by these complexes can be used in the treatment of pulmonary pathologies and immunodeficiencies.

About 20 scientific articles are published annually by the employees of the department in national and international journals.

The chair’s employees take part in various conferences in the republic and foreign countries with speeches.

The department cooperates with:

• Institute of Biochemistry. G. Buniatyan AS RA
• Research Institute of Molecular Biology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia