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From a History of the Institute
The Institute was founded by the order of the Authorized Advice of Labour and Defense of the USSR № 1 from June 5, 1934 as a scientific operative body for plague control. Next years the Institute began to work with other especially dangerous diseases: cholera, brucellosis, tularemia, anthrax, arbovirus infections.
Skorodumov Aleksey Mikhajlovich, the outstanding epidemiologist, microbiologist, professor, was the founder and the first head of the Institute. Under his initiative anti-plague system of Siberia and the Far East, included not only its central body – the Antiplague Institute, but also two Antiplague Stations viz. in Chita and Khabarovsk Cities, Antiplague Branches, Antiplague train, was organized. A. M. Skorodumov directly participated in neutralization of plague outbreaks in Transbaikalia, Mongolia and China, organized training of the qualified doctors – specialists in plague and biologists, began construction of a scientific laboratory complex, organized the edition of proceedings, published about 50 research papers on actual problems of natural plague focality, including a fundamental work «Plague in Siberia» (1937). Unfortunately, A. M. Skorodumov's creative workman-ship has broken in 1937 when he was arrested and deported to Moscow where together with 9 other known researchers was condemned on false accusation as the participant of the subversive and terrorist organization and on April 14, 1939 he was sentenced to execution. The verdict was executed already next day. In 1955 A. M. Skorodumov was rehabilitated.
Professor Gajsky Nikolay Akimovich was the next outstanding scientist who worked at the Institute in 1939-1947. He has constructed and introduced in practice a highly effective live attenuated vaccine against tularemia.
At a later date the Institute was headed by F. F. Bugajchuk (1938-1940), V. N. Ter-Vartanov (1940-1941), N. I. Makarov (1941-1945), Н. Т. Bykov (1945-1948), N. D. Altareva (1948-1957), I. V. Domaradsky (1957-1964), M. I. Antsiferov (1964-1965), A. D. Safonova (1965-1978), E. P. Golubinsky (1978-2008). In 2008 professor S. V. Balakhonov was appointed a director of the Institute.
Now the Institute represents a multifield scientific research and anti-epidemic Establishment, providing jointly with Managements, Regional Centers of Hygiene and Epidemiology and Antiplague Stations of Rospotrebnadzora, epidemic control for especially dangerous bacterial and virus infections in the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts. Ninety five scientific employees including 13 Doctors and 40 Candidates of Medical and Biological Sciences are working in the Institute.
At present an anti-epidemic activity has got a special urgency according to decisions of the Summit «Group of Eight» in Saint Petersburg on July 15-17, 2006, directed to increase of efficiency of the international response in extreme situations, decrease of consequences of natural and man-caused accident exposures on human health due to use of mobile formations namely modern specialized anti-epidemic brigades (SAEB). Two SAEBs are generated in the Institute, professional training and modernizations of SAEB material base which means creation of modern mobile sanitary anti-epidemic formations for emergency response and independent functioning, using the advanced diagnostic and informational technologies, are carried out.
The Institute functions as the Regional Center on Monitoring of infectious disease agents of I-II pathogenicity groups and the Center of Indication of the causative agents and diagnostics of dangerous infectious diseases at the Siberian Federal District.
Twenty monographies and over 4000 research papers are published. More than 250 sanitary rules, methodical directions, recommendations and instructions, over 100 normative documents to diagnostic and preventive medical immunobiological preparations (MIBP) and nutrient media are prepared and authorized. Sixty two certificates of authorship and patents for inventions have been received. Total 30 Doctor's and 140 Candidate's Theses are defended.
The Institute supports business and creative communications with colleagues from Chinese People's Republic and Mongolia, develops collaboration with the specialists from the USA, France, Germany, the Great Britain.
The Research-and-Production Department of the Institute produces immunobiological preparations and nutrient media for State Medical Establishments. The Institute keeps in readiness the reserve capacities for operating in extreme situations.
More than 3000 doctors, biologists-laboratory assistants including 60 specialists from Mongolia have been trained on especially dangerous infections.
In 1984 the Institute was awarded with the Order of Labour Red Banner for merits in anti-epidemic, research and scientific production activities. Professor N. A. Gajsky was a State (Stalin’s) Prize winner, professor I. F. Zhovtyj and professor E. P. Golubinsky were awarded with title «Honored scientist of the Russian Federation». Many employees of the Institute are awarded with High Government’s awards of the USSR, the Russian Federation and Mongolia.
