Azerbaijan National Academy of Science

Dear attendees of anniversary meeting!

The participation of Honorable President Ilham Aliyev at the celebration event of the 70th anniversary of ANAS, his informative and programmatic natured performance is an indicator of great attention and care provided by the Head of State to the Academy, which is the temple of science. Such care and attention to Academy also was felt in all periods of national leader Heydar Aliyev’s leadership to Azerbaijan.

Dear participants of the meeting!

Immediately after the establishment of ANAS one of the first departments organized here, it was the Department of Biological Sciences. This department included scientific research institutes of botany, zoology, geography and Experimental Medicine. The first academician-secretary of department was at highly respected surgeon of that time, Academician M.Topchubashov. His contributed to the organization and further scientific activities of the department. Academicians A.A.Grossheim, V.R.Volobuyev and I.I.Shirokogorov played a major role in definition and planning of research directions of the Department. Initially, Department of Biological Sciences set itself the urgent task - to develop the scientific basis of food security of the population. Thanks to a fruitful and purposeful activity of the Department of Biological Sciences, serious scientific research were carried out in the country in the field of development of new varieties of plants and breeds of animals, and the scientific results have been applied in practice. This work played a major role in providing the population with food. Institute of Experimental Medicine Branch contributed to the development of fundamental medicine, began training in this area.

After M.Topchubashov Department of Biological Sciences in different years led by authoritative scholars such as the late Academician A.Garayev, Academician V.Volobuyev Academician Dzh.Aliyev, Sh.Taghiyev Academician M.Musayev. Undoubtedly, each of these great professionals contributed greatly to the organization of the department, planning research and higher efficiency of these studies, training highly skilled staff. In subsequent years, the divisions began to operate two research institutions - Institute of Physiology, Genetics and Breeding. It is impossible to overestimate the contribution of Academician A. Garayev in the creation of the Institute of Physiology of the Academy and development of Azerbaijan physiology science as a whole. Later, on the initiative and under the leadership of Academician Zarifa Aliyeva started functioning "Physiology of the eyesight" Laboratory at the Institute of Physiology which carried out valuable research of great scientific and practical importance.

As a result of various feuds and intrigues in 1957, Department has suspended its operations. Leaders of the institutions of the department were entrusted to the Presidium of Academy. These 2 years went down in history as a period of decline this area. After 2 years, thanks to the efforts and titanic work of Academician V.Volobuyev, Department has restored its activity and continued it as the Department of Biological, Agricultural and Medical Sciences. Leaders of the department were entrusted to Academician V.Volobuyev, who led the department for about 25 years. During V.Volobuyev’s leadership in the department, along with research in the field of biological and medical science, conducted research in the field of agricultural chemistry and soil elm, which of great scientific and practical significance.

In the early 80s, leadership of the department was entrusted to Academician Jalal Aliyev. During the 10-year leadership of Academician Jalal Aliyev along with other branches of science has been developed molecular biology, biotechnology, bioinformatics, genetics and breeding, which are considered priority areas of biology, and substantial progress has been achieved. Under the direct supervision of Academician J. Aliyev over 30 varieties of wheat are cultivated and zoned. The results of photosynthesis in the field of scientific research have been praised internationally. It is necessary to emphasize training in the field of molecular biology and biotechnology, bioinformatics, which took place in that period. Trained staff in those years is now engaged in scientific activities, not only in our country but also in well-known universities and research centers in Europe and America.

In recent years, as part of the Department of Biological and Medical Sciences were established research institutes of dendrology, molecular biology and biotechnology. Was strengthened logistical base of the institutions of the department, they were fitted with new equipment and devices. The main priorities of the department is to carry out high-level scientific and methodological research in the field of biodiversity of flora and fauna of Azerbaijan, protection of the gene pool, biosynthesis of plant in molecular biology and biotechnology, and bioinformatics. Others scientific activities of the department are research in order to study the etipatogenesis of diseases that caused high mortality among the population, their treatment and prevention. Significant results were obtained in the field of surgery, especially cardiac surgery, oncology, transplantation, gerontology and pharmacology. Every year international relations of the researchers working in the institutions of department increase. Joint laboratories are established with the research centers of the world. While in previous years the staff departments rarely publish their articles in journals with impact factor in 2013, the number of such articles has increased to 73, and in 2014 - up to 144. At these articles are hundreds of citing.

In conclusion, I congratulate the entire staff of ANAS on the 70th anniversary of the Academy, I wish each employee longevity and good health.