Siberian Federal University

Osamu Shimomuru was invited to Krasnoyarsk to act as head of the research project 'Large-Scale Multidisciplinary Research in Bioluminiscent Biotechnologies'. Funding for the project was won at the open competition arranged by the Russian Government. The federal grant has been directed to the governmental support of research projects carried out by teams headed by prominent scientists at Russian universities. The competition involved 517 prominent scientists. The goverment supported 39 applications including the application from Siberian Federal University. SibFU's scientific findings were a strong argument to help in winning the funding that will last for 3 years and amounts to 110 million roubles (about 4 million dollars).

Sergey Verkhovets, Vice-Rector (Research and International Collaboration), said «It is quite logical that the university invited the Japanese researcher. The university's research interests and those of Osamu Shimomura's are close. The research team practicing the scientific approach initiated by Joseph Gitelson, RAS Academician and Research Head of the Institute of Fundamental Biology and Biotechnology, works on the project 'Bioluminiscent Technologies', while the Japanese scientist's interests are in chemistry».

The research aims at getting basic results: finding common characteristics and differences in the molecular mechanisms of bioluminiscent protein functioning. Other potential findings may include new data on the molecular and cellular organization and properties of bioluminiscent systems for higher luminiscent fungi and annelids. Applied results may include developing mobile laboratories for environmental monitoring and building teaching programmes for university education.

The first visit of the Nobel laureate to SibFU will last until late June. The researcher will give a series of seminars on bioluminiscent technologies. He will aso participate in discussing the research programme for 2012-2013, examine the project laboratories, study the equipment available at the Joint SibFU Laboratory.

The project

Researchers have been studying various luminiscent organisms for many years. The creatures, in particular, include ocean organisms: jellyfish, fish, squids and crustaceans. Osamu Shimomura was the first to extract the famous green fluorescent protein (GFP) from jellyfish (Aequorea). Its bright green luminescence is triggered by light radiation. The luminescence is vital in visualising various life processes, which was revolutionary for medical diagnostics.

SibFU's researchers face a fundamental challenge of understanding the molecular mechanisms of luminescence related to the cell functioning of luciferase enzymes and fluorescent proteins. Studying luminescence may result in many useful applications, apart from being interesting from a theoretical perspective.

For example, the proteins extracted from jellyfish emit blue light if mixed with calcium chloride. This simple system can be used in medicine for diagnosing a series of health problems: infectious diseases and hormonal problems. It can be also applied to gene diagnostics, etc. SibFU's findings could be a substitute for radioisotope methods or expensive diagnostic sets.