Category: Наука

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

On January 23, 2026, an extended meeting of the final board of the regional Ministry of Science and Innovation Policy was held in the small hall of the Novosibirsk Region Government building. The event was attended by heads of regional executive authorities, representatives of scientific and educational organizations, and innovative companies from the region.

The meeting included an awards ceremony from the Ministry of Science and Innovation Policy of the Novosibirsk Region. At the invitation of the Ministry, Novosibirsk State University students Andrei Khromov, Alexander Okunev, and Semyon Savelyev participated in the meeting and were awarded letters of gratitude for their outstanding achievements in project-based educational activities and their contribution to the development of modern technologies.

The students, as part of a team, represented NSU at the project-based educational intensive "Archipelago 2025," where they took second place in the "Processing UAS Datasets Using Neural Networks" category. The team's task was to develop software for real-time human detection in natural environments, which is particularly relevant for search and rescue operations.

"For me, this is, first and foremost, a great honor and recognition of our team's work. Participating in the Ministry of Science and Higher Education Board meeting was a unique experience that allowed me to see how strategic decisions are made in science and innovation at the Novosibirsk Region level," says Alexander Okunev, a bachelor's student. Institute of Intelligent Robotics NSU.

According to Alexander, the developed solution is based on neural network methods of computer vision and has demonstrated high accuracy with relatively low computational costs.

"Among the key features of our solution is the use of segmentation to automatically refine the labeling. This improved the quality of the training data and became a decisive advantage in the competition," he notes.

Alexander also emphasizes that participating in the intensive course was a test of his university preparation:

I'm studying "Mechatronics and Robotics. Artificial Intelligence," and "Archipelago 2025" was a real test of my core skills. NSU's emphasis on deep learning, practical robotics, and access to graphics clusters allowed me to quickly prototype and bring the solution to a working level.

Semyon Savelyev, master's student Faculty of Information Technology NSU also notes the importance of recognition at the regional level:

"This is a great honor for me and confirmation that teamwork truly does produce results. Participating in the board allowed me to see how interactions between science, education, and the government are built."

He emphasizes that success in the competition was made possible thanks to a strong environment within the university:

At NSU, I found a team to participate in hackathons and competitions. Without them, achieving high results would have been impossible. It was a good test of my core skills in artificial intelligence and data analysis.

In the future, Semyon plans to continue working in this direction:

— I want to develop the topic of object detection and robust tracking as part of my master's thesis, publish my research results, and try to commercialize the development through participation in an accelerator.

Andrey Khromov also shared his impressions of participating in the board meeting:

"For me, this is important confirmation that the work I'm doing is important not only in the academic and scientific community, but also at the state level. Participating in the Ministry of Science and Higher Education's board gives me a sense of involvement in larger processes and motivates me to take on more complex tasks."

Andrey notes the role of the university in shaping professional thinking:

"NSU has become an environment for me where I develop not only a professional foundation but also an approach to solving complex problems. The university teaches me to think critically about results, to independently understand problems, and to not be afraid to go beyond the formal curriculum."

According to him, the key factor in success was project work:

— The university provides the opportunity to constantly participate in team projects, and competitions have become an excellent opportunity to apply acquired skills outside of the university.

NSU students' participation in the final board meeting of the Ministry of Science and Innovation Policy of the Novosibirsk Region confirmed that university training, teamwork, and a project-based approach enable students to successfully solve applied problems and contribute to the development of science and innovation in the region.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The Crystallization laboratory of the Educational and Methodological Center (EMC) has opened within the Scientific and Educational Center "Institute of Chemical Technologies of the Novosibirsk State University — Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences." Its creation is part of the project "Application of Synchrotron Radiation for Virology Research," implemented under the Federal Scientific and Technological Program (FSTP) for the Development of Synchrotron and Neutron Research. This state program, designed for the period up to 2030 and beyond, aims to comprehensively address the challenges of accelerating the development of synchrotron and neutron research and the corresponding research infrastructure in the Russian Federation. The Crystallization laboratory is headed by a senior lecturer in the Department of Solid State Chemistry. Faculty of Natural Sciences NSU, Head of the Department of Synchrotron Research for Biology and Biomedicine of the SKIF Center for Collective Use Sergey Arkhipov.

— The laboratory operates within the framework of the research program "Application of synchrotron radiation for virological research to develop new immunological drugs." We also conduct scientific research under the program "Priority 2030» on the project that is supervised Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies NSU. The laboratory staff is primarily undergraduate and graduate students, but there are also more experienced scientists. Among them is Sofia Borisevich, a doctor of chemical sciences. One of the tasks she completed was preparing a methodological manual, "All Facets of Molecular Docking," said Sergey Arkhipov.

The laboratory’s activities are carried out in three directions. The first is to carry out research work related to molecular modeling of the spatial structures of proteins and their complexes, modeling the behavior of such objects in solution, crystallization and further X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples under study. The modeling stage helps to form structural hypotheses, select objects whose probability of crystallization is minimal, and select an appropriate research method to solve the problem. The second direction is the formation and development of the material base for the crystallization of biopolymers and low molecular weight organic compounds, sampling of crystals and their study by X-ray diffraction analysis. Third, carrying out activities aimed at training qualified personnel to carry out research activities using synchrotron radiation. One of these events is the School of Young Scientists “Application of Synchrotron Radiation to Solve Biological Problems,” which has been held at NSU annually for four years. Particular attention during training is paid to macromolecular crystallography. The School’s teachers are researchers involved in synchrotron research from all over the country. The total number of event participants is usually about one hundred people from more than 20 organizations. In 2026, the School will be held for the fifth time. Also this year it is planned to conduct a program of additional professional education “Megascience-class installations for biology: from problem statement to interpretation of the data obtained”, and next year – “Possibilities of the SKIF Center for Common Use and other sources of synchrotron radiation for research in the field of biology.”

"We conduct diffraction studies of biopolymers in collaboration with the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and participate in experiments at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility. We process the experimental data at NSU. We successfully use molecular modeling to create initial models and design potential mobile molecular regions. Another priority area of the laboratory's work is identifying crystallization conditions for low-molecular organic compounds that may be potential medicinal substances, as well as determining their structures using X-ray diffraction analysis. This work is primarily conducted using equipment from the Department of Solid State Chemistry of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at NSU," explained Sergey Arkhipov.

The laboratory is equipped with a unit with the necessary climate for crystallization, a robot that allows for dosing and mixing liquids in very small quantities, as well as a minimal set of reagents and equipment for extracting, freezing, and transporting frozen crystals to synchrotron radiation sources.

"The safest way to transport macromolecular crystals is at liquid nitrogen temperature—around -196°C. Our laboratory has a specialized Dewar flask for this purpose, which is even certified for air transport. It can be used not only for transporting crystals but also for storing them. While it's not a cryostor, it does provide sufficiently long-term storage for biopolymer crystals, allowing for convenient transport from NSU to the SKIF Center for Collective Use and then awaiting their turn at the research station," said Sergey Arkhipov.

Laboratory staff have already obtained crystals of macromolecular compounds for research at the SKIF Center for Collective Use, the launch of which is scheduled for this year.

"During the launch of the first phase of the SKIF Center for Collective Use, expert user groups from across Russia will be invited to evaluate the experimental capabilities of the research facility and document them appropriately. We hope that the samples obtained in our laboratory will be among the very first to be analyzed at the SKIF Center for Collective Use. For us, the launch of the SKIF Center for Collective Use and access to the research infrastructure are extremely important, as the lack of nearby synchrotron radiation sources significantly slows down the speed of our research. The launch of the synchrotron will resolve a number of issues related to sample transportation and will allow us to conduct experiments much more frequently, which is critical for the implementation of complex projects in structural biology," added Sergey Arkhipov.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Researchers Advanced Engineering School of Novosibirsk State University (AES NSU) Developed mathematical models and monitoring tools that allow assessing the safety of carbon dioxide (CO₂) disposal in geological formations. The work was conducted under a three-year grant from the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, in collaboration with colleagues from Tongji University (Shanghai, China).

We're talking about CO₂ capture and storage technology, which is considered a promising way to reduce the negative effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The approach involves injecting carbon dioxide into well-sealed geological structures, including depleted hydrocarbon deposits, and reliably sequestering it there for decades or even hundreds of years. The key objective is to eliminate the risk of gas leaks to the surface.

As Alexander Valov, a research fellow at the NSU School of Physical Analysis, explained, the project focused on the most vulnerable elements of such systems.

"We studied the wellbore and near-wellbore zone stability—that is, scenarios in which its integrity could be compromised and the injected CO₂ would begin to leak out, damaging the space behind the well casing. Our task is to model such risks in advance and propose ways to prevent them," he explained.

Scientists have developed several mathematical models describing possible mechanisms of well failure due to man-made causes. Particular attention was paid to the cement casing, which seals the well and is considered the weakest link in the structure. The models take into account the mechanical and thermal effects that occur during gas injection, as well as scenarios of cement delamination leading to leakage.

At the same time, the team developed monitoring systems to detect leaks at an early stage. Acoustic methods and distributed temperature sensing (DTS)—sensors that detect characteristic noises and temperature changes in the well—were used. The developed approaches were tested on a special experimental rig, which simulated the CO₂ injection process on a scale.

"Experiments have shown that some sensors perform well, while others require higher sensitivity. Based on the results of these experiments and comparisons with the mathematical models we developed, we have developed specific technological recommendations," noted Alexander Valov.

The work was conducted in collaboration with China's Tongji University. The partners focused on the conditions characteristic of basaltic shelves near Shanghai, while the Novosibirsk scientists focused on the geological features of sedimentary rocks common in Russia. This allowed them to cover a wide range of possible CO₂ storage conditions.

A Russian oil and gas company, which views mature wells as potential carbon dioxide storage facilities, has expressed practical interest in the project's results. Tools have been developed for this company to model injection scenarios for specific field parameters and select the safest modes.

"The model is needed precisely to 'play out' various scenarios in advance and understand which ones minimize risks. Specific parameters always depend on the geology and well design," emphasized Alexander Valov.

According to the scientists, the competencies gained during the project can also be used to assess the risk of cement casing failure in cased boreholes and other technological operations that involve intensive wellbore impacts. The developed approaches not only allow for assessing the safety of CO₂ disposal but also for mitigating environmental risks during the development of oil and gas production technologies.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Scientists from Novosibirsk State University, in collaboration with specialists from STM-Cosmetics, are studying the delivery systems and mechanisms of penetration of medicinal and cosmetic products into the body through the skin. To evaluate their effectiveness and study their pharmacokinetics, the method of accelerator mass spectrometry will be used for the first time in Russia. This method involves introducing the isotope carbon-14 into the composition of the substance whose transdermal permeability efficiency needs to be determined, instead of carbon-12. To verify the reliability of the data obtained using AMS, the scientists decided to use radiocarbon-labeled nicotine, known for its high transdermal permeability. For this purpose, tobacco was grown in laboratory conditions, watered with urea with an increased proportion of radiocarbon. The first harvest of "radioactive" tobacco has already been obtained, and an in vitro study of the penetration of nicotine obtained from it through the skin of a snake and a laboratory mouse has been conducted. A similar procedure will follow with the skin of pigs. The next stage will be studies with harmless nicotine derivatives in vivo on laboratory animals. This work is being carried out at the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies NSU in the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Shared Use Center with the support of the programPriority 2030".

— There are many methods of delivering drugs into the body, both invasive and non-invasive. Transdermal belongs to the latter, and is of great research interest to us. It is very convenient to use, but there are a number of difficulties. The skin is the largest human organ; it perfectly performs a barrier function, reliably protecting the body from all kinds of xenobiotics – substances foreign to living organisms and not included in the natural cycle, which come from the environment and can cause negative consequences, disrupt metabolism, undermine the immune system and accumulate in tissues. The skin effectively rejects substances with high molecular weight, as well as hydrophilic and charged substances. In general, science has already come up with a lot of different transdermal systems for delivering drugs to the body, including liposomal and niosomal. Some of them are already used in clinical practice, while others still exist only at the development level. However, there is a problem: you need to understand how effective this process is and what its pharmacokinetics are, how deeply the substance penetrates into organs and tissues and how exactly it acts inside them. Often, not the entire dose of medicine enters the body; most of it remains outside, cut off by the stratum corneum of the epidermis. Until now, it has not been possible to determine how much of a substance has passed this barrier and reached its target, unlike oral or injection methods of administering drugs into the body. A study using the accelerator mass spectrometry method will answer this question, said Anton Astanin, executive director of STM-Cosmetics.

The transdermal method of administering drugs or cosmetics involves their penetration into the body to certain depths of the skin, into the circulatory system or into internal organs. It has some advantages – some drugs lose their properties when administered orally into the body. For this reason, they are administered by injection. For example, insulin, which often has to be administered regularly. However, this method carries some risks and discomfort for the patient. An alternative could be a transdermal method of drug administration, but first it is necessary to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of drug penetration into the body. However, methods for such assessment do not currently exist. NSU scientists proposed using the method of accelerator mass spectrometry using radiocarbon-labeled compounds to solve this problem. Currently, scientists have identified reference substances that are 100% permeable through the layers of the skin – nicotine, caffeine and others. These substances should become an internal standard for quantitative measurements of the permeability of drugs into the body through the skin. Expert chemist Anton Astanin, candidate of chemical sciences Ksenia Babina and student of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of NSU Olga Kondakova are working on the development of niosomes – means of delivering substances to the body. Reference substances labeled with C-14 will be encapsulated in niosomes for studies using accelerator mass spectrometry and confirmation of the effectiveness of delivery vehicles. This work is being carried out at the Center for Shared Use “Accelerator Mass Spectrometry NSU-NSC” for the first time.

“Our first priority was to obtain a radiocarbon-labeled substance that would be 100% permeable through the skin. This work was carried out as part of a project supported by the Priority 2030 program, which was scheduled for June-December last year, and such a substance needed to be obtained in a short time, so nicotine, known for its good permeability, was chosen. Tobacco plants reach adulthood at the age of three months from planting. We grew them with the assistance of employees of the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry of the SB RAS, where there are special grow boxes and all the necessary conditions for growing this crop have been created. A month after sowing and until harvest, we watered the plants with a radiocarbon-tagged preparation; this is a commercial reagent for use in medical practice for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori in the stomach of patients. At the same time, at the peak of plant growth, the overall background radiation in the premises, according to our measurements, was below the permissible level. After harvesting, we made about 60 measurements aimed at determining the kinetics of C-14 accumulation in various plant organs – roots, stems, lower and upper leaves. An interesting point was the question of the plant’s absorption of carbon from urea, which cannot be solved without the use of a radiocarbon tag. We worked with two varieties of tobacco – “Havana” and “Samsun”. It turned out that in “Samsun” more radiocarbon accumulated in the roots, and in “Havana” – in the leaves. We then determined which plant organs contained the most nicotine. It turned out to be in the leaves. Depending on the variety and method of cultivation, they accumulate from 0.2-0.3% to 1-1.5% nicotine per dry biomass. As a result, we isolated half a gram of nicotine labeled C-14. It will become one of the standard substances with 100% permeability through the skin for the development of drug delivery vehicles. In parallel, for the same purposes, we synthetically obtained caffeine with a high content of C-14. Caffeine is also known for its 100% permeability through the skin,” said Ekaterina Parkhomchuk, director of the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Center at NSU-NNSC.

Thus, scientists are currently developing a number of substances that will later be used as internal standards. A graphite target will be created from the resulting drop of labeled nicotine, which will be used to determine the isotope ratio, C-14/C-12, relative to current levels in objects of the biosphere on Earth's land. Currently, the dry biomass of grown C-14-labeled plants has been measured to exceed current levels by 3,000-4,000 times. The scientists were surprised by such an impressive result—the plants absorbed up to 30% of the radioisotope contained in the urea solution they were watered with. They note that this excess, coupled with the high sensitivity of the UMS, will allow them to produce derivatives from labeled nicotine, dilute the substance, and administer it in vivo to quantify its concentration in specific organs and tissues, as well as determine the kinetics of its distribution in the body over time.

In addition to NSU scientists, the study involved researchers from several scientific organizations: the Vorozhtsov Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

At the engineering center of the Vorozhtsov Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, tests are being conducted on mouse and snake skin, as well as on pig skin and ears, which are physiologically similar in structure to human skin. Researchers from the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences were involved in cultivating "radioactive" tobacco plants. This institute has created all the necessary conditions for growing these plants, including grow boxes. The Boreskov Institute of Catalysis has created conditions for working with synthetically produced radioactive substances, such as radiocarbon-labeled caffeine. A setup for graphitizing labeled samples was developed several years ago by specialists from the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Shared Use Center to obtain graphite targets from biological tissues, which are analyzed using an accelerator mass spectrometer. The graphitizer used to obtain targets for UMS analysis from archaeological samples cannot be used due to the high risk of cross-contamination of the samples with radiocarbon. Therefore, the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Shared Use Center has developed and is operating several graphitizers for various applications.

Currently, scientists are developing a methodology for quantitatively studying the transdermal permeability of drugs and cosmetics. They are confident that their development will be of interest to manufacturers of these products.

"Our company specializes in cosmetics production and raw material supply, so we are interested in developing this area of research. It is crucial for us that biologically active substances penetrate the skin. Together with scientists from the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Center, we have begun research to establish a scientific basis for testing the transdermal penetration of substances, studying their pharmacokinetics, and developing more effective means of delivering substances through the skin, which are necessary for the creation of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics," said Anton Astanin.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Novosibirsk State University has signed a cooperation agreement with the Shenzhen New Energy Industry Association (China). Under the agreement, the parties intend to collaborate (both in exchanging experience and implementing joint projects) on the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in various areas of construction and urban infrastructure. The university will be responsible for this work. Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (RCAI) of NSU.

"Shenzhen is one of the world's leading 'smart cities' and the 'Silicon Valley of China.'" The city is renowned for its electronics manufacturing, its status as a 'startup city,' and a unique ecosystem that integrates development, manufacturing, and logistics. It is actively implementing information technology for efficient management and improving quality of life, with advanced smart transportation and smart building systems. Hundreds of high-tech companies are concentrated here, and collaboration with them will be very beneficial for the university," said Alexander Lyulko, Director of the NSU Center for Information Technologies.

At the end of last year, a group of Center employees visited Shenzhen and held a series of meetings with representatives of companies operating in the city, which resulted in the conclusion of a cooperation agreement.

"The association we work with unites approximately three hundred software development companies. Their main goal is to promote and develop innovations and the use of new energy sources. They make extensive use of artificial intelligence technologies in their solutions, which has created the basis for potential collaboration," explained Alexander Lyulko.

As examples of technologies that could be interesting for implementation in our region, he named intelligent transportation systems, building automation systems (energy management, access control, video surveillance), solutions for people with disabilities (smart glasses with augmented reality elements, an all-terrain wheelchair, a robotic guide dog), and a number of other developments.

As part of the signed agreement, the Chinese side proposes opening a dedicated "Shenzhen Smart City Technology Demonstration Center" on the campus of NSU.

Chinese specialists have also expressed interest in the expertise and developments of Novosibirsk scientists. Therefore, in addition to implementing their products in our country, the possibility of implementing joint projects in the field of artificial intelligence technologies is being discussed.

"Signing the agreement is just the first step. A working group is currently being formed that will travel to China again, this time to negotiate specific projects that will be formalized as separate agreements. We are also negotiating expanded exchanges of experience and a dedicated Russian-Chinese forum on artificial intelligence technologies, which could possibly be held at NSU this year. We are also discussing sharing experiences with Shenzhen universities on creating a 'smart campus,'" concluded Alexander Lyulko.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

"Darwin Week" will combine International Darwin Day and Russian Science Day. From February 9 to 14, lectures will be held on human evolution, cosmonautics, artificial intelligence, modern terrestrial ecosystems, writing, and even feminine ideals in literature. Experts will include scientists from NSU and Akademgorodok—paleontologist Igor Kosenko, geneticist Alexander Pilipenko, philosopher Oleg Donskikh, mathematician Sergei Ospichev, and philologist Sergei Vasiliev.

This year, the lecture will feature an invited guest: Vladimir Surdin, PhD in Physics and Mathematics, Associate Professor of the Physics Department of Moscow State University, and Senior Researcher at the P.K. Sternberg State Astronomical Institute (GAISh).

On Monday, February 9, Igor Kosenko will give his first lecture: "The Lost World of the Jehol Biota and the Origin of Modern Terrestrial Ecosystems." You'll learn about the Jehol Biota, what makes it famous, and how it helps paleontologists study ancient ecosystems.

On Tuesday, February 10, together with Alexander Pilipenko, we will walk through the pages of human evolutionary history and discover why humans evolved into the people they are today, with all their evolutionary strengths and weaknesses.

On Wednesday, February 11, philosopher Oleg Donskikh will give a lecture entitled "The Origin and Evolution of Writing." He will discuss why accountants were the creators of written culture, the role writing played in the development of the state, and much more.

Astronomer Vladimir Surdin will speak about the development of cosmonautics today. Together with his guest, we'll learn when ultra-fast space transport will appear and when interstellar expeditions will begin. The lecture will take place on Thursday, February 12.

On Friday, February 13, join mathematician Sergei Ospichev to explore how the concept of artificial intelligence has evolved, what ideas and technologies have driven the field forward, and why AI development isn't linear progress, but truly evolution.

We'll conclude Darwin Week on February 14 with a lecture by philologist Sergei Vasiliev, in which we'll learn how the ideal woman (as described in literature) has changed over the centuries.

You will find more detailed information about the lectures and experts on the websitePlease note that the event registration required.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Today, a meeting was held at the Novosibirsk State University between the delegation of the Novosibirsk Region administration, headed by Deputy Governor Konstantin Khalzov, and representatives Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (AI Center) of NSU. The meeting was also attended by NSU Rector Dmitry Pyshny and the AI Center's scientific director, Mikhail Fedoruk. The main goal was to learn about the NSU AI Center's developments in the field of smart medicine and identify potential areas of collaboration. Following the meeting, an agreement was reached to begin implementing one of the solutions—the digital physician assistant "Doctor Pirogov"—in the regional healthcare system. A pilot launch of this project could take place as early as the next two years.

"As part of achieving the national goals set by the President of the Russian Federation to increase life expectancy and reduce mortality, it is important for us to implement our own solutions that will help improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of key socially significant diseases. Collaboration with Novosibirsk State University, which has a solid research base and a powerful technological foundation in the form of ready-made prototypes and developments in the field of smart healthcare, will help us address these challenges. We are ready to begin working together in the near future," commented Konstantin Khalzov, Deputy Governor of the Novosibirsk Region.

The NSU AI Center specializes in smart cities, with one key focus being the development of healthcare solutions and the creation of a healthy environment for the population. As noted by Alexander Lyulko, Director of the NSU AI Center, medical institutions are highly interested in developing and implementing new solutions and are actively proposing promising areas for collaboration.

The "Digital Physician Assistant 'Doctor Pirogov'" medical decision support system was developed by scientists at the NSU AI Center. It currently contains information on 250 major diseases, and the database of pathological conditions is constantly expanding and expanding. During development, the scientists used a hybrid approach combining neural network methods and a specialized ANDSystem knowledge graph to ensure the interpretability of decisions. The prototype was created using research and development conducted jointly by NSU and the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

At a meeting with representatives of the Novosibirsk Region administration, which was also attended by senior freelance specialists from the Novosibirsk Region Ministry of Health, a prototype system was demonstrated, and the solution generated considerable interest from the professional community.

"The key value for medical institutions, in our view, is that it reduces the time it takes to receive and register patients without compromising quality. The system will also reduce diagnostic and treatment errors and standardize patient management across doctors and shifts. Furthermore, it will enable automated auditing of existing diagnoses and prescriptions and generate reports, including for department heads and the chief physician," said Vladimir Ivanisenko, a leading researcher at the NSU AI Center and the project's director.

Other solutions from the NSU AI Center, also presented at the meeting and being considered for implementation in the Novosibirsk Region healthcare system, include an AI service for automatic MRI diagnostics and the hardware and software complex "Intelligent Assistant for the Blind, AI-Guide." The latter is being developed at the request of the S.N. Fedorov National Medical Research Center "Eye Microsurgery" Scientific and Technical Complex, an industrial partner of the NSU AI Center.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

A research group from NSU, which includes scientists and students from the Psychology department Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies (IMMT) NSU, developed an automated approach to assessing depression based on the acoustic characteristics of human speech. The project was supported by the program "Priority 2030".

Today, depression is one of the most common mental disorders. According to WHO estimates for 2025 Depression affects approximately 332 million people worldwide. Depression can occur as a standalone disorder or coexist with other illnesses, including physical ones. The situation is complicated by the fact that depression is often masked by physical complaints: patients experience vague aches and pains (for example, frequent headaches), heart problems, digestive problems, and a general deterioration in well-being, while the symptoms remain ambiguous, and it is impossible to determine the physical cause. In this situation, general practitioners often lack the time and expertise to conduct an in-depth diagnostic evaluation and make an accurate diagnosis.

"Analysis of objective indicators of depression can help reduce the workload of doctors and ensure accurate, high-quality, and timely diagnosis. Voice analysis can serve as one such indicator. It's worth noting that diagnosing depression using acoustic voice characteristics offers several advantages over traditional methods based on self-reporting and interviews, primarily because it completely eliminates the factor of social desirability: it's an objective indicator that reflects a person's condition, while a person cannot voluntarily control their voice to conceal symptoms of depression (or, conversely, aggravate them)," explained Marina Zlobina, PhD in Psychology, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Personality Psychology at the Institute of Mathematical and Mathematical Technologies (IMMT) of Novosibirsk State University, and the project's director.

A considerable number of studies have already been published abroad on diagnosing depression based on acoustic voice characteristics, including using neural network approaches. However, there is no data yet on the practical application of such technology. In Russia, such solutions are only just beginning to emerge: for example, technologies for assessing a person's condition based on voice parameters are being developed as part of research into human functional states in spaceflight conditions. However, these technologies do not address the issue of diagnosing anxiety and depression.

As the project's authors note, speech is a natural biomarker of mental state. Even a short excerpt contains valuable information about vocal energy, which is subject to change in depression and anxiety. Based on over 90 interviews, the researchers trained a neural network model that classifies speech into four levels of depression severity—from no symptoms to severe. The PHQ-9 questionnaire was used to assess the severity of depressive symptoms.

— В основу разработки легла современная архитектура wav2veс, которая позволяет извлекать векторные акустические характеристики голоса. Обученная модель демонстрирует высокую точность, которая сопоставима с результатами ведущих зарубежных исследований: точность оценивалась на основе показателя F1 — гармоническое среднее между точностью (precision) и полнотой (recall), F1 достиг значения >0.94. For practical use of the technology, a prototype NeuroVoice GUI application was created, implemented using the PyQt5 framework. The interface supports the full data management cycle—from uploading or recording audio to visualizing results and exporting recordings. The prototype allows both uploading existing recordings and conducting on-the-fly evaluations, explained Alexander Fedorov, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, and Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Medical and Mathematical Technologies (IMMT) of Novosibirsk State University.

Work on the project was carried out over a period of four months – from September to December 2025. The team included Alexander Fedorov, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology at IMMT; Marina Zlobina, PhD in Psychology, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Personality Psychology at IMMT; Kirill Kirilenkov, a graduate of the Psychology program at IMMT NSU; and Psychology students Daria Farkova (4th year) and Anastasia Glazunova (3rd year).

"It's important to note that this technology is not a replacement for a specialist psychologist or psychiatrist. However, it can be effectively used by general practitioners to identify comorbid depression associated with somatic illnesses, as well as masked depression, which often manifests as physical complaints, pain, and malaise that cannot be explained by a somatic illness," added Marina Zlobina.

The project is quite promising: plans call for expanding the dataset and using it to create a database of interviews with Russian-speaking subjects, similar to the English-language DAIC-WOZ (a multimodal corpus consisting of audio and video recordings, as well as transcribed interview text). Models will then be trained on the expanded dataset, integrated into the final application, and subsequently tested.

"In the future, the developed technology could also be used to diagnose other mental disorders (provided there is additional data available to further train the model). Furthermore, it is possible to integrate additional modalities (for example, facial expression analysis from video recordings)," concluded Marina Zlobina.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Novosibirsk State University staff have registered the NIKOL-Crystal software package, designed for modeling and predicting the properties of nickel alloys widely used in aviation, energy, and turbine manufacturing. The development was completed at the National Technology Initiative (NTI) Competence Center for "Modeling and Development of New Functional Materials with Predetermined Properties," established at NSU with financial support from the NTI Foundation.

The new software enables the early assessment of key physical and mechanical properties of alloys, such as elasticity, thermal expansion, and high-temperature resistance, before experiments are conducted. This accelerates the development of new materials and reduces testing costs.

"We're solving the problem of creating so-called digital twins of materials. This is a digital replica of a real material that takes into account the maximum possible number of parameters essential for its performance under specific conditions," said a senior researcher. Faculty of Physics NSU, leading researcher of the NSU NTI Center, Doctor of Chemical Sciences Daniil Kolokolov.

The project focuses on heat-resistant nickel alloys, which are used to manufacture, among other things, aircraft and power turbine blades. These materials are complex multicomponent systems, where additives of various elements can comprise tens of percent of the composition. Selecting the optimal combination of components in such cases requires exhaustive evaluation of a vast number of options.

"If a technologist selects a composition experimentally, they have to test thousands, and sometimes tens of thousands, of combinations. Our program allows us to specify an arbitrary alloy composition and, in a relatively short time, predict its key properties—as a whole, not just by a single parameter," the scientist explained.

NIKOL-Crystal is based on atomistic modeling methods and numerical calculations based on fundamental physical laws. The program's algorithms are calibrated using experimental data and data from reputable international databases, such as the Materials Project. This allows for the modeling of systems consisting of tens and hundreds of thousands of atoms and the production of highly accurate estimates of the material's macroscopic properties.

According to the developers, the program can be used not only for analyzing existing alloys, but also for designing fundamentally new compositions.

"We start with the basic nickel crystal structure and can add alloying elements in arbitrary ratios. The program essentially allows us to 'invent' new alloys with specified characteristics," Kolokolov noted.

The development has already attracted interest from industrial companies working with nickel materials.

"It's important for manufacturers of such alloys to have their own, independent modeling tools," the scientist emphasizes. "Foreign software packages and databases are often unavailable today, and here it's not just the software itself that's important, but also the ability to adapt it to the customer's specific needs."

Having registered the program as an intellectual property object, the development team continues to work on its development.

"The core functionality has already been developed, but further development will depend on collaboration with industrial partners. Our goal is to develop the tool to a level where it becomes truly user-friendly and in demand in industry," Kolokolov concluded.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

On January 1, 2026, at around 12:46 UT, weak activity from the trail of comet 255P/Levy, which it ejected in 1897, cannot be ruled out. According to calculations, this trail will pass at a distance of 0.00296 AU from Earth, the particle ejection velocity is high – 42.7 m/s, and the density is quite low – 21.9% of the density of the Leonid trail of one revolution (this means that the particles were ejected by the comet during its next perihelion and managed to make one revolution in orbit on their own, already as meteoric particles).

These parameters indicate a low probability of any noticeable visual activity, but this case is still recommended for observational verification. Estimated radiant: RA=329.9°, DEC=59.6°.

If this burst occurs at the indicated time, it will be visible primarily in the Asian part of Eurasia, as well as across much of northern North America and Greenland. Unfortunately, the nearly full Moon, at 88% phase, could significantly interfere with observations.

If the comet 255P/Levy exhibits meteor activity, meteors can be observed visually or using photo and video equipment with wide-angle lenses.

No meteor activity from this comet had previously been observed, so this event is of scientific interest: astrophysicists have a unique opportunity to record the activity of a new stream.

Comet 255P/Levy is a short-period comet (with an orbital period of approximately 5 years) of the Jupiter family. It was discovered on October 2, 2006, by Canadian amateur astronomer David Levy. The comet's next perihelion is expected in 2027.

Material prepared by: Mikhail Maslov, engineer at the Vega Observatory of Novosibirsk State University

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.