Alexander Tonevitsky

On September 20, a delegation from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) visited HSE University. The Rector of HSE University Nikita Anisimov and the Chairman of the Academy Châu Văn Minh discussed promising avenues for cooperation in the fields of education and science. The heads of HSE departments presented the opportunities the university provides to international students and researchers.

Researchers at HSE University and the RAS Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry have discovered that a common method of studying genes, which relies on the overexpression of microRNAs, can produce inaccurate results. This method is widely used in the study of various pathologies, in particular cancers. Errors in experiments can lead to incorrect conclusions, affecting the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The study findings have been published in BBA.

The new track will be launched in September 2024 in the Master's Programme ‘Cell and Molecular Biotechnology’ at theHSE Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology. Students will master modern methods of plant genetic and cellular engineering, genetic and marker selection, genome editing, proteomics, phenomics, and acquire skills in the bioinformatic processing of plant genomic data. The educational trajectory will be implemented in collaboration with the All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology.

The project to develop a microfluidic placenta-on-a-chip model for studying various aspects of normal and pathological placental physiology, including one of the severe pregnancy complications—preeclampsia—has won in the competition "Conducting Fundamental and Exploratory Scientific Research by Individual Scientific Groups"

On August 31, 2022, the solemn meeting of the first-year students of the bachelor's program Cell and Molecular Biotechnology with the Dean of the Faculty, Alexander Grigorievich Tonevitsky was held at the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology of the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

Scholars from HSE University and the RAS Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry have demonstrated the efficiency of T-cell immune response against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. In approximately 90% of vaccinated Europeans, T-cell immunity was as effective against Omicron as with other variants. The results of the study were published in PeerJ.

25th International Conference on Research in Computational Molecular Biology (RECOMB 2021) was held online on August 29th - September 2nd. Staff of the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology - Stepan Nersisyan, Alexey Galatenko, Diana Maltseva and Alexander Tonevitsky participated in a poster session with the report 'miRGTF-net: Integrative miRNA-gene-TF network analysis reveals key drivers of breast cancer recurrence'

Alexander G. Tonevitsky, Leading Research Fellow of the International Laboratory of Microphysiological Systems, took part at the 11th World Congress on Alternatives and Use of Animals in Natural Sciences (WC11)

HSE University researchers assessed the effectiveness of the T-cell immune response to 11 variants of SARS-CoV-2. Their findings have been published in Nucleic Acids Research.

An international team of researchers including Alexander Tonevitsky, Professor at HSE’s Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, found that pituitary hormones may produce different effects on the left and right sides of the body following a traumatic brain injury. These differences can accelerate the development of motor disorders. Researchers are trying to determine whether treatment that blocks the corresponding hormones can counteract these effects. The results of the study were published in the journal eLife.

Researchers from HSE University have discovered nucleotide sequences characteristic of microRNA isoforms (microRNAs with errors). The discovery will help predict errors in microRNA behaviour and create drugs that can detect targets (such as viruses) more effectively. The results of the study have been published in the RNA Biology journal.

The decision to establish the Advisory Board was made during a meeting between the Investment Club of Business Russia (‘Delovaya Rossiya’, an all-Russia public organization), and the HSE University Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, which launched a new Master’s Programme in Bioeconomics last year. The Advisory Board will include leading researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors working in the fields of biotechnology, environmental studies, and sustainable development. Sergey Nedoroslev, Business Russia Co-Chair, and Alexander Tonevitsky, Dean of the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at HSE University, will also serve as board members.

On July 2, Mr Anisimov was introduced to the HSE Academic Council at its meeting at HSE campus in Pokrovka. Valery Falkov, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Yaroslav Kuzminov, HSE University Academic Supervisor, and HSE University President Alexander Shokhin took part in the meeting.

HSE University researchers have identified the genes that play a crucial role in breast cancer metastasis. The results of the study were published in the journal PLOS ONE.

HSE University researchers have become the first in the world to discover genetic predisposition to severe COVID-19. The results of the study were published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.

Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology researchers in their interview to the correspondent of «MIR» TV company talked about their study on interactions between microRNA molecules and human coronaviruses.

Researchers from HSE University have developed new approaches for regulating the expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 enzymes, which play a crucial role in cell infection with SARS-CoV-2. The scholars discovered that small non-coding microRNA (miRNA) molecules are capable of performing a targeted decrease in ACE2 and TMPRSS2. The results of the study have been published in PLOS ONE journal.

This June, first-year undergraduate students of the HSE Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology took part in an online seminar at George Mason University (USA). The seminar was part of the Coronavirus Research Update summer course, taught by Professor Ancha Baranova.

On February 12 at the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, HSE and five institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) signed agreements to collaborate in the field of scientific education. The institutions have pledged to contribute to the development of new faculties of chemistry as well as biology and biotechnology at HSE.

New faculties, personnel development, internationalisation, and much more – these are all things on the agenda of the annual International Advisory Committee (IAC) meeting currently taking place in Moscow.

Alexander Tonevitsky, Dean of the HSE Faculty of Biology and Biotechnologies and corresponding member of the RAS, was awarded the honorary title of Distinguished Scientist of the Russian Federation. The awards ceremony was held in the Kremlin on November 27.

In 2019, HSE will begin enrolling students in undergraduate programmes at two new faculties: the Faculty of Chemistry, and the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology. These faculties will work in partnership with leading RAS institutions where students will be carrying out research.