BSMU joins the Scientific and Technological Centre for mRNA Technology Development

ashkir State Medical University (BSMU) of the Russian Ministry of Health has been included in the list of organizations participating in the establishment of the Scientific and Technological Centre for mRNA Technology Development. The total number of organizations has grown to 20, with only five medical universities in the country on the list. The relevant order was signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin (http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/document/0001202602190028http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/document/0001202602190038).

The university will take part in developing a cancer vaccine and creating drugs for treating ophthalmological diseases. The mRNA technology development project is included in the university’s development programme Priority‑2030.

Valentin Pavlov, Rector of BSMU of the Russian Ministry of Health, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Professor, noted that the organization’s inclusion in the scientific center is a major victory for the university and the republic as a whole.

“First and foremost, this involves developing modern methods of personalized therapy for the most severely ill cancer patients. This means creating a personalized vaccine that mobilizes the body’s own immune cells and enables them to attack cancer cells. The second major area of work is the ophthalmological direction: developing personalized drugs that will restore vision for a large number of elderly patients,” Valentin Pavlov shared.

Oleg Nikolaevich Demidov, Professor at BSMU of the Russian Ministry of Health, Sirius University of Science and Technology, and the Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that Bashkir State Medical University has also received permission to use individual biotechnological drugs at the BSMU Clinic.

Oleg Nikolaevich also noted that the university will develop the project along two main tracks. The first is participation in the consortium program for producing vaccines to treat melanoma, and the second is an independent research track that will help build a scientific and technological chain for developing drugs to treat oncourological diseases.

“Today we received joyful news — BSMU has been included by government order in a leading consortium for developing mRNA vaccine technologies. The university has also received permission to use individual biotechnological drugs at the BSMU Clinic. First, this is recognition of the university’s achievements in training personnel and developing infrastructure that is sensibly organized and closely linked to the clinical base. The Priority‑2030 program has provided us with equipment and funding for purchasing expensive consumables. The university has the necessary competencies and specialists in chemistry, biotechnology, genetics, immunology, and Big Data. The site for developing mRNA technologies will be the Translational Medicine Institute currently under construction. It is important to note that the work will be carried out in close interdisciplinary collaboration with all the university’s research laboratories. We express our deep gratitude for the support to the pioneers in mRNA vaccine development — the Gamaleya Centre.

BSMU students now have the opportunity to work in modern, well‑equipped laboratories. This is very important because for further development we will need highly qualified specialists with a deep fundamental understanding of immunological mechanisms and genetics, and with knowledge of how tumour cells are recognised by the immune system and how we can enhance the specific anti‑tumour response,” noted the professor.