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Onliner.by launches a new series of articles on the people who motivate the country. Today, we present an interview with the Director of the Institute of Microbiology of the National Academy of Sciences, Professor, Doctor of Science and Emilia scientist Emilia Kolomiets. There is a risk that the Chinese will take her to her soon for permanent residence – all because of the evolution of a female scientist who, at school, decided that she should learn how to turn plant raw materials into new products
– Do you have grandchildren? 19659003] – Yes, the girl is 21 years old.
– I wonder how you explained to him in your childhood what your grandmother does.
– Of course, I wanted to draw attention to science. But she became a financier. Alas, in my footsteps, no one in the family has gone. Several years ago we rested in an academic clinic, and the child asked me: "Why, grandmother, have you got so poor?" His parents were then working in the Gazprom system and going on holiday with them. The girl clearly noticed the difference
– What did you say?
– That science is not strong yet here … solvent, or something, but it's a temporary phenomenon. Years pbaded, and already an adult granddaughter, visiting me in an academic sanatorium, exclaimed with admiration: "How cool you are!" As you can see, I was not mistaken. Going to science was not always prestigious from a material point of view. But in difficult times, she gathered around her those who can not live without her, and that bore fruit
"I really wanted to make sugar"
– I was born in a village from the Grodno region. It was difficult to get information then. It turned out for those who wanted it highly. I needed it here. And I also had a very good chemistry teacher – Galina Stelmakh, who had just come from the institute. Young and enthusiastic. Two interested souls met. She was my heroine then.
I graduated from school with a gold medal and in 1966 I entered the Polytechnic Institute. The competitions were scary. Then there was another school reform, so the graduation was at the same time in the 10th and 11th years. When the medalists pbaded the exam on the top five and almost arrived (as they imagined!), There were two or three people per place. The institutes did not know what to do. Introduction of dopo-indicators for Olympiads, sports achievements, etc.
– Who did you dream of becoming?
– I chose the faculty of technological engineering. I wanted to be engaged in the technology of obtaining sweet substances
– That is, your neighbors in the yard wanted to become nurses, firefighters and cosmonauts, and you – the sweet substances technologist
– Yes. As a technologist, working in a factory and producing sweet substances
– did not get enough sweet in childhood?
– My future work seemed very important and interesting to me. But after two years of study, it turned out that there were already too many sugar specialists in the country. And we have been transferred to the fermentation department – that is pure microbiology
"And then we will have levers to control microbes"
– The microbial world is diverse. We do not see it, but thanks to that we operate. Our task is to find useful micro-organisms to make drugs that improve life on their base.
– They are not all open yet?
– Imagine, not all. Previously, in the study of microorganisms, mainly physiological and biochemical methods were used, and today in the hands of researchers a more modern toolbox is molecular genetics, opening up new possibilities for knowledge of the microworld
to let a month, and using the molecular determinant of phytopathogenic microorganisms developed by us, this can be established during the day. That's what DNA diagnoses mean. Expensive, but fast.
To prevent the development of the disease and save the crop, we apply the usual microbiological approaches: isolate the pathogen and select the microorganisms that can inhibit its growth. Another important aspect is to know what this suppression is due, then we will have levers in our hands that will allow us to control the interaction of microbes. For this we work.
We are now on the threshold of an important discovery … Okay, for the moment we will not do it. I hope this will open new horizons for the development of biological plant protection.
My doctoral work is devoted to the decomposition of hydrolytic lignin. During these years, the production of ethyl alcohol was based on the use of wood as raw material, previously subjected to severe acid hydrolysis. In this case, the cellulose was transformed into sugars digestible with sugar, and the most difficult hydrolysed part of the wood, the hydrolytic lignin, remained as waste. The distilleries dumped this waste in fields called lignin, nothing pushed it.
Even then, I started looking for microorganisms that could help its decomposition. Thus the collection of lignocellulose-destroying micro-organisms has begun to form.
In the southern regions there is a problem: the remains of straw are not rotten in a dry climate. With the use of the resulting destructive strains, we developed a drug that intensifies the decomposition of straw.
We also produced a microbial disinfectant for agriculture – try to clean the farm when pathogens enter the walls by centimeters
a lot of home preparations on the basis of principle "useful microbes prevent the growth of pathogens and promote the rapid decomposition of waste" – the transformation of the kitchen garden and vegetable garden into pits.
How do you explain this?
– I think, overall. Our institute has already been part of the Republican Honor Council many times
Is this important to you?
– This indicates that we are different from others. The difference, indeed, is that our work is multidisciplinary: while we are engaged in science, we simultaneously produce biological products, monitor the development of the national biotechnology industry, manage key programs in the field of biotechnology and develop a policy in this direction. in the money? Is this realistic?
– We get the expected indicators, including financial ones. We realize them thanks to our own pilot production. We produce and sell our own products – about 50 preparations for growing plants, breeding, health, industry and environmental protection. For example, we produce microbial enzymes on order from the Research Institute of Radio Materials, where they manufacture sensors to determine glucose in the blood of diabetic patients
– Are you a scientist or a man d & # 39; s business? Because the sales institution is not an end in itself. It's more to maintain scientific work and to confirm its effectiveness. There is not enough time for a detailed market study. Who knows, they make orders. Nevertheless, business interests me and we plan to expand our influence in the biotechnology market
– Could you exist as a private company?
– I think so. Now, according to the budget, we receive about 25 per cent. 100 of what is needed for our work. The rest must be won
– Let go of self-sufficiency is the exit
– It is difficult to answer. The big labs will survive, the little ones will close. I'm afraid it ruins science. A laboratory does, for example, something, but there is no way out, but tomorrow. We must take care of what is. It's easy to destroy. In the West, the state of scientists also supports.
– The number of people ready to work for an idea decreases. Do you agree?
– Looking at our institute, I can not say it. And I can not complain about the lack of money. Put $ 500 we spent a long time. Well-founded projects – and everything will be fine.
– You have diplomas and certificates of Chinese everywhere on the walls. Is it the main buyer?
– One of the main. In China, soils are heavily polluted by agrochemicals. To reduce the burden of pesticides and restore the disrupted agrobiocenosis, local authorities have decided to turn to microbiology. We have developed a complex microbial preparation that suppresses the development of phytopathogenic microorganisms, enriches the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus, and accelerates the decomposition of plant remains. This year, we have already worked in China for a month. Local strains of useful microorganisms were isolated, the preparation was made on their basis, the greenhouse was treated and good results were obtained. On the table, another invitation from our partners and a request to extend the areas to be treated
– Do they have their own technologies?
– They exist, and they work. This figure does not include US and Japanese companies that are also successful in this market. But still our work suits the Chinese.
Similar technology was developed at the request of the Russian company, this year a request for production of 100 tons of the drug was received. In the EU, we also sell. We still do not have enough power. Soon we will finish the construction of another production site and hope that we can increase our supplies.
"We worked for 20, in the moonlight for 300"
– In the worst times we went abroad. You can not live with $ 20. I've earned $ 300 for the weekend, ensuring I can be a good businessman
– Have you had the opportunity to relocate?
– I am a buffalo horoscope – family, homeland and work. Therefore, I never thought of moving. Abroad, with pleasure, I can go to rest or solve business problems, but no more. I do not understand when the children leave. What is the meaning of life if your child lives far away and you see him every five years?
– I do not know what should be the motive and stay for $ 20 when there is $ 300 nearby
. Today, Belarusian science is no longer what it was in the 90s. Almost in every institute, we have established a production at the European level. The experts come to us and are surprised at our base. Young people wonder: why go somewhere, when the whole base of the instrument is there? Internships abroad – yes, but why stay there?
I have been at the institute since 1974. The director became in 2004. The time is not far where it will end with the administrative work. But we have a unique youth, she is ready to adopt the wand.
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