The 40th meeting of the Programme Advisory Committee for Condensed Matter Physics was held on 23-24 June 2014. Members of the PAC listened to the information about implementation of the recommendations of the previous meeting of the PAC and the latest decisions of the JINR Scientific Council and the JINR Committee of Plenipotentiaries, reports on topics which were completed and proposals on new topics. Three scientific reports and a poster session of young LRB scientists were presented to members of the PAC.
A half of the meeting was devoted to reports on completed topics and proposals on new topics in almost all directions of research fields, supervised by the PAC for CMP. BLTP traditionally has two large fields: one is associated with development of the experimental environment of the IBR-2 reactor. S.A. Kulikov presented a report on the concluding topic devoted to the stages of development of spectrometers in the past three years. Now a new three-year cycle begins which implies further development of the infrastructure; practically a complete upgrade of the peripheral equipment, including electronics, software is expected. The second direction contains tasks of condensed matter physics where options of neutron beams are applied. Now the detailed elaboration of research tasks throughout the whole complex is being held: from research of nanostructure to traditional subjects – minerals, living matter, magnetic fluids (report D.P. Kozlenko). Yu.V. Nikitenko made a proposal to open a new topic which will allow applying of isotope-identifying neutron reflectometry. The Laboratory of Radiation Biology presented its “Road Map” for the period 2015–2017, which is structured in five traditional fields of research, for the next three years (report of E.A. Krasavin "Research on the Biological Effect of Heavy Charged Particles with Different Energies"). Traditional tasks on mutagenesis, cytogenesis, computer modeling are also remain.

Reports of participants of the PAC illustrated the research programme of FLNR. P.Yu. Apel presented a unit of nanotechnological research in his report "Radiation Effects and Physical Basis of Nanotechnology, Radioanalytical and Radioisotope Investigations at the FLNR Accelerators". Considering the topicality and singularity of the research, the PAC recommended extension of this topic for two years. The PAC recommended that the laboratory use the experience and FLNP enhance cooperation with scientific organizations of the JINR Member States. Another actual project "Multimodal Platform for Raman and Nonlinear Optical Microscopy and Microspectroscopy for Condensed Matter Studies" (G.M. Arzumanyan, V.I. Gordeliy) was started two years ago. The last topic "Novel Semiconductor Detectors for Fundamental and Applied Research" (A. Zhemchugov) caused heated debate of attending experts.

The status of the IBR-2 reactor and the spectrometer complex was also presented at the PAC meeting. V.N. Shvetsov presented a report “Results of the measurements of the neutron flux density and beam profiles following the IBR-2 reactor modernization”. A brief report of V.I. Bodnarchuk was devoted to the spectrometer surroundings of the reactor – "Status of the REFLEX-P reflectometer”; earlier the status of the reflectometer was hardly covered.

The part of the meeting devoted to the scientific reports was full of content. PAC members heard two excellent reports of Italian colleagues: a report of a new member of the PAC for CMP Professor R. Saladino "Prebiotic chemistry in space conditions: the role of the radiation/meteorite system in the origin of life"; a report of M. Leoni was devoted to advanced methodology of microstructural analysis of nanomaterials. The third report "Structural studies of detonation nanodiamonds by small-angle neutron scattering” was presented by A.V. Tomchuk.

Young scientists of LRB were privileged to present their scientific works at the poster session this time. Chairman of the PAC Academician of the NAS of Moldova V. Kantser noted with pleasure the high level of the studies and their presentation. A poster presentation "Meteorites as catalysts of the prebiotic synthesis of biomolecules from formamide under radiation exposure" presented by M.I. Kapralov was chosen the best. Tha PAC also noted the high level of two presentations: "Detection of Clustered DNA Damage in Human Fibroblasts after Irradiation with Boron Ions and γ-rays" presented by L. Ježková and "The role of the bacterial mismatch repair in SOS-induced mutagenesis: A theoretical background" presented by O.V. Belov. Authors of these scientific studies will be awarded with diplomas at the next PAC meeting.