About the Laboratory

Established in 2020, the Laboratory of Molecular Physiology studies the role of microRNA isoforms in the pathogenesis of intestinal diseases and develops new therapeutic approaches to intestinal condition treatment using microRNA isoforms. We collaborate with the National Medical Research Radiological Center, the Shemyakin–Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.

Objectives and tasks:

The Laboratory was created to further priority areas of scientific research of the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology in the field of molecular physiology, which are urgently needed for the development of a modern high-tech methods of diagnostics, prevention, and monitoring of treatment of various diseases in the transition to personalized medicine.

The rapid development of available diagnostic methods together with information technology has today become a tool that turns biology and medicine into an information industry with large databases on the state of human health obtained using the latest advances in genomic, post-genomic and other high-precision molecular technologies. Therefore, another equally important aspect of the Laboratory's activities is the creation of an effective mechanism for the dissemination of new approaches to the study and interpretation of results in biology and medicine in both professional and educational environments.

Кey areas:

• the identification of new molecular mechanisms of the pathogenesis of intestinal diseases;
• the development of an in vitro model of organ-on-a-chip (intestinal model in a bioreactor), which makes it possible to simulate the tissues of the main components of the human intestine;
• the development of biological test systems that simulate the functioning of human organs and tissues;
• the development of new approaches to therapeutic action in case of intestinal dysfunction using microRNA isoforms;
• conducting systematic biological research related to the processing of large amounts of data.

An important factor for the development of the laboratory's research activities is the presence of international partnerships that contribute to the collection of unique data, procurement of additional funding from external sources, and the publication of research in international publications. Russian research organizations that have a solid reputation in the world of biological science and have strong international ties will also be involved in cooperation with the Laboratory of the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at the Higher School of Economics.

Partners:

• Department of Translational Oncology, Federal State Budgetary Institution National Medical Research Radiological Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
• Laboratory of Microfluidic Technologies for Biomedicine, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences
• Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf