Laboratory for Bioluminescent Biotechnologies

• We have uncovered the mystery of the luminescence of fungi and worms, found marker substances that can be used in medical diagnostics. We created bioluminescent diagnostic preparation for detecting socially significant diseases and infections.
• The Laboratory has studied the main bioluminescence properties of eight new analogs of coelenterazine in reactions catalyzed by Са²⁺-regulated photoproteins, which is important for the imaging of calcium flows in cells and tissues of small animals by using the «red» shift of the spectrum of bioluminescence.
• Our researchers have proposed a platform technology for multiplex bioluminescence testing.
• The Laboratory has developed a technology for producing immobilized multi-component preparations for conducting fermentation analysis in environmental studies and medicine as biological modules of ferment biosensors. We produced an experimental lot of microfluidic chips with reagents placed inside that allow to detect toxic substances at the level of the MPC (maximum permissible concentration). 

Implemented results of research: 

We have organized the production of a commercial product, a portable bioluminescence express-laboratory for the environmental and medical monitoring of toxicity. It consists of the «LumiShot» bioluminometer, the «Enzymolum» reagent and a set of methodologies for determining the toxicity of an medium for medical, environmental and industrial applications, such as the assessment of water, air and soil pollution, the toxicity of nanomaterials and medical-purpose materials, food additives, the degree of gravity of neurotoxicosis, the impact of stress on athletes. «Research and Production Association «Applied biosystems» LLC produces the device and reagents under a license agreement. Since 2010 we have been selling «Enzymolum» laboratories has been sold to education institutions of Russia (universities, high schools and additional training institutions) as the School Environmental Laboratory. 

Education and career development:

• For employees of the Laboratory internships have been organized at Russian and foreign universities. Bachelor’s and master’s degree students received an academic mobility opportunity to study at the University of Eastern Finland within the FIRST+ program.
• 8 Candidate of Sciences dissertations, 42 bachelor’s degree theses, 29 master’s degree theses have been prepared and defended (of which 3 master’s degree theses have been defended by foreign students).
• One foreign scientist works at the Laboratory as a research fellow.
• Employees of the Laboratory in collaboration with the Department of Biophysics of the Institute of Basic Biology and Biotechnology of Siberian Federal University provide training in the following profiles in Physics: «Biochemical physics» (bachelor’s degree) and «Biophysics» (master’s degree); in Biology: «Biophysics» (bachelor’s degree, network master’s degree in collaboration with Baltic Federal University, postgraduate degree).
• Employees of the Laboratory in collaboration with the Department of Biophysics of the Institute of Basic Biology and Biotechnology of Siberian Federal University have developed the following master’s degree programs in English: «Biological engineering» and «Medical and Biological Physics». The development of the master’s degree programs in English «Medical and Biological Physics» was supported within a grant competition for master’s degree professors organized by the charity program «Vladimir Potanin’s Fellowship Program» of the Vladimir Potanin Foundation.
• The following academic events have been organized: the International bioluminescence seminar under the supervision of Professor Osamu Shimomura, Academician Iosif I. Gitelzon (2012, 2013), the working seminar «Bioluminescence biotechnologies» under the supervision of Professor Osamu Shimomura Academician Iosif I. Gitelzon (2012), the «Biophysics» section within the International Research and technology conference for undergraduate and postgraduate students and young researchers «Free Avenue» (2015–2022), Doors open days at the Siberian Federal University (2013-2022), the All-Russian science festival «NAUKA 0+» (2015–2018), the high-intensity residential school of Siberian Federal University «Baby Squirrel» (2015–2019) and «Creative Me» (2017–2018), the International satellite conference «Environmental monitoring. Methods and approaches» (2021), the school for talented children «Future Biotech» (2018–2022). 
• We have developed a modern laboratory case study for schools in Biology and Environmental studies. The school laboratory complex «Enzymolum» for its implementation has improved the quality of school education in Krasnoyarsk Krai and Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug. 7 scientific laboratories have been created at schools to conduct research in bioluminescence. 

Organizational and structural changes: 

On the grounds of the Laboratory two Small Innovative Enterprises have been organized («Research and Production Association «Applied biosystems» LLC and «Biolumdiagnostika» LLC) to manufacture bioluminometers, reagents for bioluminescence analysis. We have created the professional association of natural scientists «Open Laboratory of Advanced  Research and Technologies» to manufacture and test microfluidic chips. 

• The Laboratory for Bioluminescent Biotechnologies is one of the key laboratories that allowed Siberian Federal University to enter Project 5–100, an initiative to increase the  international competitiveness of Russian universities.
• In 2015, the Osamu Shimomura Foundation was organized pursuant to a donation contract signed by the leading scientist. Since 2016 we have been organizing annual competitions for fellowships from the Foundation for successful research in bioluminescence among postgraduate and undergraduate and school students. In 2016 , four young researchers received scholarships, 12 young researchers received it in 2017 and three in 2018

Collaborations:

• University of Bologna (Italy), B
• iomedical Science Institute of Medicine of the University of Tsukuba (Japan), 
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden),
• MicroBioTests Inc. (Belgium), 
• Jamia Hamdard University, Central Food Technological Research Institute (India), 
• University of Cádiz, University of Barcelona (Spain), 
• Czech Technical University in Prague (Czech Republic), 
• Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany), 
• University of Cyprus (Cyprus), 
• University of Southern Denmark (Denmark), 
• National Research Center (Egypt), 
• Moscow State University, A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 
• Tomsk Polytechnic University, 
• Institute of Protein Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 
• Institute of Cell Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 
• Irkutsk State University, 
• Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (Russia): joint research and publications, academic mobility for master’s degree and postgraduate students, staging and participating in conferences, launching a network master’s degree program.