Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of RAS (IBCP RAS) was established by Decree No. 227 of the Presidium of RAS on December 13, 1994, for the purpose of developing fundamental research into the physical essence of chemical processes in biological and molecular-organized chemical systems.
The Institute was formed on the basis of the Department of Kinetics of Chemical and Biological Processes of N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics of RAS and the Institute of Food Substances of RAS.
In the second half of the XX century Academician Nikolai N. Semenov who has an amazing gift of scientific foresight predicted the prospect of merging chemical physics with biology. Later Academician Nikolai M. Emanuel starts supervision of scientific development of chemical physics in the biological direction. Academician Emanuel himself said “I have never changed chemistry, except to greatly fulfill it first with physics and then with biology.”
Since then, Academician Emanuel dreamed of having his own institute reflecting the specifics of his scientific vocation – kinetics in chemistry, biology, and medicine. His dream was realized by his students and followers.
Institute of biochemical physics of RAS was created on September 26, 1995, and was named after Academician N.M.Emanuel by Decree No. 198 of the Presidium of RAS of September 26, 1995.
Academician Nikolai M. Emanuel laid the bases of biological kinetics:
These scientific studies initiated the development of a new scientific field: physico-chemical biology.
In the second half of the XX century Academician Nikolai N. Semenov who has an amazing gift of scientific foresight predicted the prospect of merging chemical physics with biology. Later Academician Nikolai M. Emanuel starts supervision of scientific development of chemical physics in the biological direction. Academician Emanuel himself said “I have never changed chemistry, except to greatly fulfill it first with physics and then with biology.”
Since then, Academician Emanuel dreamed of having his own institute reflecting the specifics of his scientific vocation – kinetics in chemistry, biology, and medicine. His dream was realized by his students and followers.
Institute of biochemical physics of RAS was created on September 26, 1995, and was named after Academician N.M.Emanuel by Decree No. 198 of the Presidium of RAS of September 26, 1995.
Academician Nikolai M. Emanuel laid the bases of biological kinetics:
These scientific studies initiated the development of a new scientific field: physico-chemical biology.
October 12, 2019, was the 85th birthday of Prof. Burlakova, a talented scientist, an internationally recognized specialist in biochemical kinetics, molecular biology and radiobiology, a member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. For many years Prof. Burlakova was the head of Academic Council of RAS on Radiobiology Problems and the editor-in-chief of the journal “Radiation Biology”. Prof. Burlakova was the head of Academic Council of RAS on Radiobiology Problems, the editor-in-chief of the journal “Radiation Biology. Radioecology”, member of editorial boards of “Biophysics”, “Radiology”, etc., member of 6 international societies: International Union of Radioecology, European Society of Neurochemistry, etc., member of the Center for Russian Environmental Policy, member of the Commission on Ecology at the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, member of the Russian Scientific Commission on Radiation Protection, member of the Public Council at Rosatom State Corporation and member of the Supreme Environmental Council at the State Duma. Elena Burlakova is a laureate of USSR State Prize for Science and Technology and Russian Federation Government Prize for Science and Technology, recipient of the Order of the Badge of Honor, medals “For Valorous Labor”, “For Merit to the Fatherland” of I and II degree, Medal “Biosphere and Man” dedicated to the memory of Timofeev-Ressovsky, Academician N. M. Emanuel Medal “For Achievements in Chemical and Biochemical Physics”, and Medal of Princess E.R. Dashkova “For Service to Freedom and Enlightenment”.
One of the main contributions of the foundation of Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of RAS is devoted to the Institute of Food Substances of RAS in 1994, headed by Professor Mikhail Nikolaevich Manakov, Dr. Sci. in Chemistry.
Professor, and Academician of the International Academy of Engineering, Mikhail Nikolaevich Manakov is a remarkable scientist and teacher, the founder and head of the first in the USSR Chair of Industrial Biotechnology in Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia. Mikhail Nikolayevich Manakov provided great organizational assistance and support for the establishment and strengthening of the new Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics.
The Institute was significantly strengthened by its merger with the Department of Electronics of Organic Materials, which was established in the N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics back in 1986.
Alexander Anatolievich Ovchinnikov was an outstanding scientist in the field of quantum chemistry of large organic molecules and the study of their electrical, optical, and magnetic properties, who discovered a new class of organic compounds, organic ferromagnetics. He formulated principles of structure and predicted ways of synthesis of organic ferromagnetics and a new magnetic form of carbon, ferrocarbon. The priority of A.A. Ovchinnikov's scientific work is recognized throughout the scientific world.
In 2004-2015, IBCP RAS was headed by Sergey Dmitrievich Varfolomeev, Dr. Sci. in Chemistry, Professor, corresponding member of RAS (2006). S.D. Varfolomeev is a leading specialist of Russia in the field of chemical physics of bioprocesses, enzyme chemistry and engineering, catalysis and kinetics of complex biochemical reactions, chemical bases of energy production of renewable raw materials, laureate of the USSR State Prize, Prize of Lenin Komsomol, and Lomonosov MSU Prize, member of the Bureau of the Department of Chemistry and Material Science of RAS, as well as of several scientific boards of RAS and editorial boards of many Russian and international scientific journals.
The great scientific organizational talent, energy, initiative, determination, scientific erudition of Prof. Varfolomeev made it possible to concentrate the research of the Institute team on solving new topical problems of modern biochemical physics (obtaining new types of biofuels, creating new bio- and nanocatalysts, developing new bionanotechnologies, developing mass spectrometry methods for biomacromolecules, etc.), while maintaining classical directions of leading scientific schools, historically established at the Institute. During this period there was a significant renewal of the topics and qualitative reequipment of the Institute with new modern equipment. Under the leadership of Prof. Varfolomeev, a fruitful scientific collaboration emerged between Chemical Enzymology Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University, and the Laboratory of Kinetics and Mechanisms of Enzymatic and Catalytic Reactions of the IBCP RAS. At present, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences S. D. Varfolomeev is the scientific director of the Institute, which is a dynamically developing scientific organization that conducts theoretical and experimental research at the interface of chemistry, physics, and biology.
In 2015, Prof. I. N. Kurochkin, a disciple of Prof. S. D. Varfolomeyev, Dr. Sci. in Chemistry, was elected Director of the Institute. He is the leading expert in the field of physical chemistry of sensor, biosensor and highly sensitive bioanalytical complexes for chemical, biological and environmental safety, a laureate of Leninsky Komsomol Award, a member of the editorial board of the journal "Chemical physics". Prof. Kurochkin developed supersensitive nano-biosensor test-systems and biosensor analyzers, which made it possible to achieve the lowest detection limits of target substances in various fields of national economy, both in the field of destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles and in the field of environmental safety of the country. Prof. Kurochkin's developments are attributed to the special measures of support of the heads of states and participants of the meetings of the Big Eight in 2006 and the Big Twenty in 2013.
In 2019, our Institute turned 25 years old! During this time, the Institute has grown and strengthened, and along with the Institute, a new scientific field - biochemical physics - has been formed and is successfully developing. All this is the result of the progressive development of multidisciplinary research, which determines the success and breakthrough nature of the achievements in modern science. Biochemical physics is a highly interdisciplinary field of science that includes physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the study of complex biochemical and more complex chemical systems than simple molecules.
Currently, biochemical physics has emerged as an independent, holistic, and well-structured field with its own concepts and distinctive features, which are opened up by the cross-fertilization and “cross-pollination” in chemistry, biology, and physics.
Outstanding scientist, founder of supramolecular chemistry, Nobel Prize laureate Jean-Marie Lehn said: “Singling out concepts and creating terms for them plays a very important role not only in shaping a new field of science, but also in activating the creative imagination of the researcher. One “magic” word is enough for the flight of imagination. The successful term itself stimulates the development of the concept”. All of this certainly applies to biochemical physics. Thus, the potential for development laid down by the founders of the Institute is being successfully realized today.
The structure of IBCP includes 24 scientific laboratories, with 3 laboratories of the Department of Electrophysics of Organic Materials and Nanostructures and the Laboratory of Biosensor Technologies on a Chip of the Advanced Research Foundation, as well as the Center for Magnetic Spectroscopy, Center for X-ray Diffraction Analysis, Shared Research Facilities “New Materials and Technologies” and Center for Mass Spectrometry of RAS. The Institute has 279 employees, including one member of RAS, two corresponding members of RAS, 52 Doctors of Sciences and 129 Candidates of Sciences.
