Department of Pathophysiology

The Department was founded in 1924, as a part of the Medical Faculty of Yerevan State University. The founder and the first head was Professor Levon G. Chgnavoryan. In 1906 he graduated from the Medical Department of Kiev University. In 1924 he was invited to Yerevan and was appointed as the head of the Department of Pathophysiology of the State University Medical Faculty. Levon Chgnavoryan was the Head of the Department from 1924-1934.

From 1934 to 1935 the Department was managed by Sh.M. Shubenko, from 1935 to 1943 it was managed by I.R. Bakhromeyev, from 1943 to 1951 – by A.A. Sargsyan, from 1951 to 1954 – by S.S. Badalyan, from 1954 to 1970 – by A.A. Sargsyan, from 1970 to 1994 – by S.H. Khachatryan, from 1994 to 2006 – by G.A. Navasardyan, from 2006 to 2011- by S.A. Avetisyan, from 2011 to 2014 – by A.S. Grigoryan, from 2014 to 2021 by S.A. Avetisyan.

Since 2021 the department is headed by A.S. Grigoryan Associate Professor, PhD.

A.A. Sargsyan, professor and a distinguished figure of science, had a great investment in the Department academic and personnel training, who had been the Head of the Department for 24 years. Prof. A.A. Sargsyan’s investment in the Armenian medicine is of great significance. He was the founder of Scientific School of Pathophysiologists in Armenia on experimental studies of regularities of dying and reanimation of organism.

During years of the Department management by Prof. S.H. Khachatryan, a distinguished figure of RA science, experimental studies of the terminal conditions of the organism and the period of post-reanimation were continued, as well as certain research work has been done directed towards the clarification of metabolic-functional changes developing in the body in atmospheric extra-pressure conditions. Sh.S. Badalyan, E.M. Atajanyan, G.G. Adamyan, M.E. Martirosyan, A.A. Papyan, associate professors of the Department, have had their undeniable contribution to the process of chair-making and providing effective education.

G.A. Navasardyan has had a big role in the activity of the Department modernization. In Pathophysiology teaching priority was given to the presentation of modern knowledge, extensive methodological work has been done, the results of which have been evident so far.

In 1995 she authored the first textbook of Pathophysiology in Armenian language – «Dialogues on Pathophysiological issues». Later on, with the efforts of hers and the personnel of the Department, a textbook on separate organ and system pathophysiology was published, as well. Prof. G.A. Navasardyan is the author of the textbook on «General pathophysiology» (2007), which is stated as a university textbook by the Ministry of Education and Science. She is the founder and the president of the Association of Pathophysiologists and Pathologists in Armenia.

Since 2006, by S.A. Avetisyan’s management, several amendments have been made, especially in the process of evaluation of the students’ academic progress, correspondingly the department develops the MCQ tests according to the modern requirements. S. Avetisyan published a textbook entitled «Autoinflammation and endotoxin tolerance» in 2012. The department stays one of the best ones with its high level of teaching, the evidence of which were the rewards as «The Best Department of 2010-2011» and «The Best Department of 2013-2014» given by the YSMU Student Council.

Teaching of «Pathophysiology» is held through lectures and practical classes. This course is designed for the second and third-year students.

In the faculties of General Medicine, Military Medicine and Stomatology – within two semesters in the third year of studying, In the Pharmaceutical faculty – during spring semester of the second year and fall semester of the third year.

During both semesters clinical residents have a clinical pathophysiological courses, as well. The main purpose of the practical classes is attaining skills on pathophysiological analysis.

As a problem based learning component, round tables, student conferences (the latter is organized in cooperation with the Student Scientific Council) are periodically organized, which allow students to explore (with the guidance and advice of the department lecturers) additional literature and then write an essay or a report on the suggested problem. Consequently, some attempts are directed towards the implementation of student-centered teaching elements in the educational process.

During the last 15 years a lot of work was done towards improving the methodology of teaching process. This was greatly promoted by periodically implemented methodological discussions, constant updating of test database, extensive use of supplementary materials, etc.

The efficacy of the educational process is promoted by the publication of textbooks, educational and methodical manuals in different languages.

For the last 3 years department implemented a new seminar format. These seminars are conducted every month, revising all the topics studied during that specific time period. The skeleton of this activity is derived from NEJM interactive cases or from similar department originated cases. The general feedback and possible questions/answers from participants is received by Mentimeter. This format gives opportunity to discuss possible differential diagnoses, focusing mainly on pathophysiological differences of presented scenarios. These seminars are famous for their great horizontal (pharmacology, pathomorphology, microbiology) and perpendicular (hematology, cardiology, pulmonology and other clinical disciplines) integrative properties. During the last years the department also greatly increased the gamification tools to the usual educational process. The examples are quizzes made by Learning app (involves diagnosis by smear), Mentimeter derived quizzes during or after each lecture, google quizzes, board games (like well loved “Become a cancer” monopoly resembling game).

The efficacy of educational process was also greatly improved with the printing of new trilingual books, Qbanks, educational and methodological booklets by the authorship of the department teachers. Since 2008 the department uses its’ blog http://pathphys.livejournal.com/ to share the necessary information and to communicate with students and graduates. Electronic version of lectures, announcements about new video lectures, podcasts, and many other topic related articles are also posted in this blog. From 2021 the department has its’ own telegram channel https://t.me/pathphys.

The departments’ youtube channel is another important source of information for students. Here with live and prerecorded sessions the additional information is discussed. Prerecorded video lectures are also published here.

Another tradition for the department is the organization of annual Olimpiads. In May 2015 department organized competition with poster presentations among 3^rd and 4^th year students, devoted to general pathophysiological problems.

Since 2019 the department of pathophysiology implemented an educational pilot project for the faculty of pharmacy, where the subject Pathology is studied in multicomponent fashion by the help of Moodle platform.

The research projects of the Department have 2 main directions:

pathophysiological aspects of movement restriction (hypokinesia) as a universal risk factor,

molecular mechanisms of inflammation pathogenesis and autoinflammation pathogenesis in particular.

In 2011-2012, in the framework of basic finding, the following subject is studied in the department – «The peculiarities of pathophysiological mechanisms of cognitive-behavioral changes of hypokinetik rats of different ages».

In recent years the personnel of the department have been specialized in various animal models in behavioral research. Student scientific-research group of the department is involved in the work.

In 2009 with the efforts of this group «Neuroscience» scientific booklet was translated from English into Armenian.

Summer School

On 6-15 July, 2015 Department of Pathophysiology organized an international summer school entitled “A bird’s eye view to Pathophysiology: Intercellular Crosstalk in Health and Disease”. The main topic was to discuss disease as a consequence of signaling pathology. There were 20 participants from different faculties, including 3 students frum Russia, one student from Czech Republic and one from Slovenia. The lectures and workshops were held in English. During 10 days in Tsaghkadzor participants had a chance to listen to different lectures, participate in team-works and solve interesting questions, participate in the movie called «Adventures of a sad macropahge». The main program of the school was managed by the staff of the Department of Pathophysiology. Guest lecturers of the Summer School were: Ehud Cohen (Israel), Zdenko Kovac (Croatia), Martin Oppermann (Germany), Manik Gemilyan (Armenia), Tigran Davtyan (Armenia), Armen Sanosyan (France). At the end of Summer School participants were given participation certificates and 3 academic credits.

The Department cooperates with almost all the Departments of the YMSU, more actively with the Departments of Biochemistry, Medical Chemistry, as well as the Student Council, and the central research laboratory. There is also some cooperation with the Armenian Medical Association.

In the international sphere the department cooperates with the International Association of Pathophysiologists, and the Prof. of the Department, Grizelda A. Navasardyan, is the board member of the association. Currently the department is collaborating with University of Zagreb School of Medicine.

The department cooperates with COBRAIN centre as well, and actively participates in annual brain awareness week.

Another cooperation exits with “Wikimedia Armenia” scientific-educational NGO, aimed to enrich the Armenian Encyclopedia with valuable and reliable medical information.