President Katamine welcomed Professor Vsevolod Galkin and Dr. Sergey Ivanov from Russia’s A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center

Professor Galkin, President Katamine and professors discussing further collaboration

A medal was handed to President Katamine by Professor Galkins

On April 1, 2015, Professor Vsevolod Galkin, Director of A.Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center, and Dr. Sergey Ivanov, Deputy Director of Research and Clinical Work, visited President Shigeru Katamine. A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center was originally founded in the 1950’s, as the Institute of Medical Radiology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (WRI Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR) in the City of Obninsk. In the former USSR and Russia, the Institute and its succeeding institute, Medical Radiological Research Centre, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (Obninsk MRRC), had been at the center of the study of radiation related adverse effects on health. In 2014, the Obninsk MRRC restarted as A.Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center. In February 2015, the Center and its two peer institutes in Russia, each as part of the P. Hertsen Federal Medical Research Center, acquired the status of the national center for medical and radiological research.

Collaboration between the Institute and Nagasaki University began in 1991, through the joint implementation of countermeasures to radiation health effects in response to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant which occurred in 1986. Then in 2002, an agreement on academic cooperation was concluded. The ties with the institute are beyond a bi-lateral relation. A.Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center was named after the late Professor Anatoly Tsyb, the former director of the Obninsk MRRC, and the late Professor Tsyb was awarded the 7th Nagasaki Dr. Nagai Peace Memorial Prize by Nagasaki Association for Hibakushas’ Medical Care (NASHIM) in 2007. Nagasaki University is a founding member of NASHIM.

This time, Professor Galkin and Dr. Ivanov visited Nagasaki University for discussions of new research collaboration and staff exchange with the Atomic Bomb Disease Institute and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. President Katamine and Professor Galkin agreed to expand the collaborative relationship into radiation control and management, safety education and training. What is more, at the end of the meeting, Professor Galkin handed the Nikolay Timofeeff-Ressovsky Medal to President Katamine and Professor Shunichi Yamashita, Trustee and Vice President, explaining that the award was for their long-term contributions to strengthening partnership between the two institutions. Dr. Nikolay Timofeeff-Ressovsky (1900-1981) was a world renowned researcher of radiation genetics and famous for his “hit” theory in radiation biology and radiation genetics. The medal has been the most prestigious prize throughout the history of A.Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center.

The Nikolay Timofeeff-Ressovsky Medal

The Nikolay Timofeeff-Ressovsky certificate

(from left to right) Associate Professor Saenko, Dr. Ivanov, Professor Galkin, President Katamine, Professor Yamashita

For information about A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center http://mrrc-obninsk.ru/index.php/en/

List