Modern medicine imposes its own rules and requirements for specialists, working in that field. Diagnostics and treatment are getting more and more technological, and the development and application of new methods demand the participation not only of doctors, but also engineers, physicists, biologists.
MEPhI has set a rather ambitious task – to train specialists in the sphere of world level medicine in inter- and multidisciplinary directions. University Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhisBio) gives an opportunity for students to study by educational programs, corresponding to modern dynamics of the development of perspective scientific directions at the confluence of medicine, physics and engineering. The main aim of the Institute is the development and incorporation of new materials, new methods and technologies of “nanotheranostics” (diagnostics and therapy) and nuclear medicine.
The Head of the Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine I.N. Zavestovskaia and the Dean of the medical faculty A.A. Kotliarov have told what engineers-physicists and doctors “in one” are for and how they are trained in the Institute.
Irina Zavestovskaia: Practically all scientific achievements in the sphere of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, IT find their application in health care. For the PhisBio science is principal, and this is our first differential characteristic. The second is training of doctors with knowledge in physics and IT, and also engineers, who know the basics of biology and medicine. Doctors, physicians and chemists can work in one scientific area, developing new perspective biomedical technologies, and there is such unique opportunity in MEPhI.
The Institute conducts training in directions: Nuclear medicine, Radiobiology, Nanomaterials for biology and medicine, Biomedical photonics, Computer medical systems.
Some of PhisBio educational programs are realized in Obninsk, some in Moscow; there’re also recurrent programs, realized simultaneously in Moscow and Obninsk. Joint programs of double degree diplomas are worked out in modern directions of nuclear and bio-medicine with universities of France, Finland and Germany.
Apart from departments PhisBio includes two laboratories of the international level. The Laboratory of Nano-Bioengineering (supervisor – leading scientist, Doctor of Chemistry, Professor I.R. Nabiev) studies transfer of energy and ultrafast processes at nanolevel and application of obtained results in molecular diagnostics of diseases and for creation of hybrid nano-biosystems, using effects of energy transfer from nano- to biomaterials. The Laboratory of Bio-Nano-Photonics (supervisor – Professor A.V. Kabashin) is created for the development of new photon methods of theranostics, dangerous diseases, studying of physical mechanisms of interaction of solid state nanoparticles and biological systems etc.
An internship in leading foreign universities is an integral part of education for successful students in the Institute.
Andrey Kotliarov: MEPhI is working out many physical directions, many of them are directly connected with medicine and biomedicine.
Studying of a human from the point of view of physics is getting relevant and perspective, that is why a medical faculty appeared in 2008. It is the basis for training of specialists, who could use new devices, realise and incorporate new methods of diagnostics and therapy, which are worked out in MEPhI.
We train specialists in “General medicine”, giving education to general practitioners for 6 years. Then graduates work in primary medical and sanitary sector for 3 years, then study chosen specialization in medical residency for 3-5 years.
In 2015 84 students have been enrolled to the medical faculty (with 20 state-financed positions, this year there’re 60 of them).
Our Institute works out methods of visualization on the basis of nanomaterials as contrast agents or vectors of contrast agents, methods of therapy with the usage of nanomaterials of sensibilisers of different therapies.
It is currently outdated and ineffective to study only narrow sphere. The secret of successful treatment of the majority of diseases is in interdisciplinary directions.
