Young Scientists of INRTU Conduct Research in the Field of Organic Chemistry
11 February is declared by the UN as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. On the eve of the Day we are telling you about Anna Fayzdrakhmanova and Yumzhan Bolotova, the two talented employees of the Photofunctional Materials Joint Laboratory of the INRTU and A.E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (part of the Baikal Science and Education Centre).
Yumzhana Bolotova graduated from INRTU with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Chemical Technology. As part of her first master's thesis, she carried out modelling of the catalytic cracking reactor and regenerator – the main units of the Angarsk refinery. During her Master's studies, together with oil industry students she conducted laboratory experiments and worked as a lab assistant ‘on shift’ at a site of Verkhnechonskneftegaz (a Rosneft branch). While looking for a job, Yumzhana learnt about the recruitment among the 2nd year undergraduates to the new Laboratory of Photofunctional Materials. Instead of analyzing the crude oil samples in the oilfield, she experimented with pyrroles, and the results were included in her master's thesis. Then Yumzhana entered the PhD program and took up the position of a junior researcher.
"Under the guidance of Andrey Lvov, head of the laboratory, I am developing water-soluble diarylethenes with photoactive properties. In the future, the compounds may be in demand in photopharmacology. The results of the first studies have already been published in highly rated journals, one of the latest articles was published in Chemical Science (Q1). Scientific work is not always easy, it takes daily efforts. However, perseverance and persistence in achieving my goals delight me with searches and discoveries. My reference point in science is Caroline Bertozzi, the 2022 Nobel Prize winner. She has mastered public speaking and popularizes achievements in chemistry. Bertozzi's example shows how science should serve people and develop society," said Yumzhana Bolotova.Anna Fayzdrakhmanova, a 1st year master's student, met Andrei Lvov three years ago at the Day of Russian Science at INRTU. At that time the chemist made Anna interested in promising developments in the field of photochromic compounds, invited her for a tour and offered to become a laboratory assistant. Anna Fayzdrakhmanova will devote her thesis to fluorescent switches that will find application in medicine, microbiology and sensor development.
As Anna notes, a scientific career attracts the opportunity to become a ‘pioneer’ in certain areas of applied chemistry. She is inspired by the interaction with young colleagues and professors.
"I chose Vera Vil from the N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences as a female role model in science. I was lucky enough to get acquainted with her research at a conference in Novosibirsk. Vera Andreevna is an energetic scientist who managed to retain a genuine interest in discovering new things, being in her leadership position. Andrei Lvov, who awakened in me a passion for science, is the same kind of person who is ‘on fire’ for his work," said Anna Fayzdrakhmanova.Yekaterina Sergeeva, a master's student of INRTU, also works in the laboratory. Young scientists make presentations at prestigious forums. In June 2023, the laboratory staff participated in the All-Russian Conference ‘Modern Problems of Organic Chemistry’. Last fall they tested the results of their scientific work at the International "Baikal Readings" dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the A.E. Favorsky Institute of Organic Chemistry and the 85th anniversary of Academician Boris Trofimov.
In January, the female scientists spoke at the All-Russian Scientific School-Conference "Markovnikov Readings". The forum was held at a site of the Moscow State University in the Moscow region. Yumzhana Bolotova spoke on the universal class of water-soluble diarylethenes with a full spectrum of photoactivity. Anna Fayzdrakhmanova presented information on fluorescent switches based on peri-aryloxyquinones. Ekaterina Sergeeva devoted her report to redirecting of charge transfer that makes it possible to control the photoactivity of terarylenes.
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Photos by Arseniy Chekmarev
