Department of Biological Chemistry

The Department of Biological Chemistry is considered one of the fundamental theoretical departments of our university. The department's history is closely associated with the name of Professor Alexander Ivanovich Gritsuk, MD, PhD.

On July 7, 1992, under the leadership of Associate Professor A.I. Gritsuk, PhD (Medicine), invited from the Medical Institute of Sverdlovsk, a biochemistry course was established at the Department of General and Bioorganic Chemistry of the Gomel State Medical Institute. 

The founding teaching staff of the new course included: senior lecturer Valentina Timofeevna Svergun, PhD in biology, invited from the Samarkand State Medical Institute; assistants Lyubov Petrovna Skripnikova from Dushanbe State University; and Sofia Grigoryevna Kozlova, a graduate of the Kuibyshev State Medical Institute. Svetlana Olegovna Bordienko became the department's laboratory assistant.

From the course's inception, and over the following years, the department's teaching, methodological, and material resources were developed to support comprehensive academic and research work. Enthusiastic students actively contributed to the creation of visual teaching aids. The department's initial research focus was on studying the vitamin status of medical students.

In 1995, Gritsuk A.I. defended his doctoral dissertation, “Study of the state of energy metabolism and the pool of free amino acids in tissues under conditions of prolonged hypokinesia.”

On June 6, 1996, the biochemistry course was transformed into the Department of Biological Chemistry.

In 1998, the department’s scientific focus was finally determined: “Study of the state of energy metabolism in animals exposed to low doses of radiation caused by incorporated radionuclides.” 

In 1999, the department opened a graduate program. The first graduate students were graduates of F. Skorina Gomel State University: Aleksandr Nikolaevich Koval and Sergey Mikhailovich Sergeenko.

In 2003, the head of the department, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor A. I. Gritsuk was awarded the title of professor.

In March 2004, postgraduate student A. N. Koval defended his dissertation for the degree of PhD in Biology in the specialty 03.01.04 “Biochemistry”.

In 2008, Syrian citizen Aljabar Abdulkader, a graduate of the Vitebsk Medical University, defended his dissertation for the degree of PhD (Biology) in specialty 03.01.04 – biochemistry.

In June 2017, senior lecturer I.A. Nikitina defended her dissertation for the degree of PhD (Biology) in the specialty 03.01.04 – biochemistry and 03.01.02 – biophysics. 

Since 2003, biological chemistry has been delivered in English to international students.

In September 2017, the department was merged with the Department of General and Bioorganic Chemistry, and Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Alexander Ivanovich Gritsuk was appointed head of the department.

The department taught courses in general, bioorganic and biological chemistry to first-year students of the medical faculty, first- and second-year students of the Medical Diagnostics Faculty and the Faculty for International Students, as well as students of the preparatory department.

From September 2019 to February 2024, the department was headed by  Irina Aleksandrovna Nikitina, PhD (Biology).

Currently, the department consists of qualified and actively working staff who carry out teaching, methodological, and student development activities aimed at improving the quality of education.

Since February 2024, Olga Stepanovna Logvinovich, PhD (Biology), has been appointed head of the department.

The department's staff is working hard to provide lectures with multimedia support in Russian and English. Interactive digital animations are being intensively integrated into the curriculum, and through research projects, students are introduced to the fundamentals of bioinformatics and biomolecular visualization programs. Advanced technologies are actively used to enhance student motivation and knowledge.