“Challenge” award winner Raul Gainetdinov told Kommersant about new approaches to brain treatment

Director of the Institute of Translational Biomedicine of St. Petersburg State University, Candidate of Medical Sciences Raul Gainetdinov is a laureate of the National Prize in the field of future technologies “Challenge”. Raul Gainetdinov received the award in the “Scientist of the Year” nomination for the discovery of fundamentally new drug approaches for the treatment of brain diseases due to the discovery of new pharmacological targets in the areas of the dopamine system and trace amine receptors. The award ceremony took place on December 19, 2023.

Raul Gainetdinov told Kommersant about his research: “There are six trace amine receptors that we are studying. For the first, there is already a medicine that we are testing on animals. Fundamental research is underway on five others, there are already a number of patents, and we are expecting promising discoveries in this area. We are trying to get ahead of the whole world; no one in the West is conducting such research, and our developments in a number of areas are already ahead of the world. In order to bring drugs to clinical trials, we need serious investments, large investors, and we hope that we will find such support in Russia.”

The award is already helping to attract young people to science, noted Raul Gainetdinov: “It’s a great idea to draw attention to scientists with the help of such a grandiose show. Scientists were looked at differently — as innovators who move humanity forward. I believe that the goal has been achieved and that the prize will attract more interest in the applied aspect of my work. Young guys are already contacting me, they want to work in our laboratory and develop in this industry. Popularization of science is a big, serious task, and the “Challenge” Prize effectively solves it.”

The National Prize in the field of future technologies “Challenge” is timed to coincide with the Decade of Science and Technology announced in 2022 and is designed to celebrate breakthrough ideas and inventions that change the landscape of modern science and the life of every person. The mission of the award is to create the desire of the younger generation to connect their lives with science and technology in our country. The founder of the prize is the Foundation for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Relations “Challenge” together with Gazprombank with the support of the Moscow government. The general partner of the award is the State Corporation Rosatom.