On 15 March, representatives of the Federal Research Centre of the Kazan Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FIC KazSC of RAS) visited the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. During the visit, members of the delegation — Director of KazSC of RAS, RAS Corresponding Member Alexey Kalachev and Head of the Laboratory of Structural Analysis of Biomacromolecules Konstantin Usachev — met with JINR Director, RAS Academician Grigory Trubnikov. As a result of the discussions, the parties concluded an agreement on cooperation in the field of radiation research in life sciences.

At the meeting, the parties discussed the existing successful examples of bilateral cooperation. In particular, they highlighted joint projects in structural biology. The parties considered opportunities for the development of scientific cooperation and outlined areas for future projects.

In order to implement the plans, JINR and KazSC of RAS signed a cooperation agreement. The document involves joint work in the following areas:

• new imaging methods in radiobiology and medicine (quantum sensors, high-resolution fluorescence microscopy, optoacoustic tomography);
• structural analysis of biomacromolecules based on small-angle X-ray scattering, synchrotron and neutron radiation methods;
• research of neurodegeneration mechanisms under the action of ionising radiation with different physical characteristics;
• research of the radiosensitisers’ action mechanisms for cancer therapy and radioprotective drugs.

“The agreement opens up new opportunities for scientists of the Kazan Scientific Centre to access the FLNP research infrastructure, in particular, small-angle scattering stations for analysing the structure of biomolecules and cell organelles. JINR radiobiologists plan to cooperate closely in the field of introduction of new non-invasive imaging technologies into the tasks of medical radiobiology and study of radiation damage to the brain,” LRB JINR Director Aleksander Bugay said. He also added that in the future a number of promising tomography technologies may be applied in the infrastructure of the project of the Scientific and Clinical Centre for Proton Therapy in Dubna.

On the JINR side, Chief Scientific Secretary of the Institute Sergey Nedelko and Deputy Director of the Laboratory of Neutron Physics Norbert Kucerka also participated in the meeting at the Directorate.

At the end of the visit programme, representatives of the Kazan Scientific Centre of RAS took part in the celebratory seminar dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the launch of the JINR IBR-2 Pulsed Research Reactor.