Beneficiary 3. St Petersburg State Medical Academy named after I. I. Mechnikov (SPSMA), St Petersburg, Russia

The St. Petersburg State Medical Academy named after I. I. Mechnikov (SPSMA) was established in 1907 as Psycho-neurological Institute. The SPSMA is one of the oldest and largest Russian Higher Medical Schools. During almost 100 years of history it was and it is a leading center of Russia in the field of training Doctors of Medicine, specialists in Preventive Medicine and Clinical Medicine. The SPSMA has 56 medical and academic departments and a teaching hospital.

20. Georgy Djachuk, Prof., Dr. (med. sci.) is head of the department of Pharmacology. His research activities focused in research and development of calcium antagonists and betulin, its hepatoprotective effects, bioavailability, pharmacokinetic, etc. Prof. Djachuk has authored or co-authored more than 150 scientific publications and number of patents. Project Leader.
21. Alexander Shikov, Dr. (pharm.sci.), PhD (pharm.), completed PhD at the St Petersburg State Chem. Pharm. Acad. in 1995 and defended Dr. of Pharm. Sci. in 2006. At the moment his main research include studies of plant extracts technology, creation of new biologically active carriers for drug delivery, isolation of individual compounds from plants, pharmacology of natural substances. He has authored >50 peer-reviewed scientific articles, written 1 book, 3 book chapters and has 6 patents. Dr. Shikov has coordinated a number of international projects. Project administrator.
22. Marina Makarova, PhD (biol.), completed PhD studies in SPSMA in 2003. She has authored or co-authored more than 70 publications with 10 peer-reviewed scientific articles. Expertise area is study of of anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-oxidative effects in vivo.
23. Vishnevetskaya, PhD (med.). anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antioxidative effects in vivo
24. Svetlana Tesakova, M.Sc., Ph.D. student, acute and chronic tixicity in experients in vivo.
25. Valery Makarov, Prof., Dr. (med. sci.) at the Department of Biochemistry of SPSMA. His research interests are in mechanisms of natural pharmaceuticals in vivo. He has >180 refereed scientific publications and co-authored 2 books, chapters in 2 books, and holds 10 patents of Russian Federation. Project Leader of Biochemical Group.
26. Anastasia Rydlovskaya, PhD (biol.), post-doctoral fellow from 2008, will focus in experiments with cell lines for immunomodulating effects.
27. Technician, maintenance of animals.

Role in the project

• Separation, fractionation and characterization of volatile compounds from peat (WP2).
• Providing WP4 and WP5 with compound fractions, and isolated pure compounds for various biological, physiological and pharmacological activity tests, for testing their properties from the perspective of material science, and for assessment of their value as ingredients in cosmetic products (WP2).
• Evaluation of the acute and chronic toxicity, and anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects of the selected substances (WP3).
• Assessment of the immunomodulating effects of the peat-derived products using cell-based assays (WP3).
• Study of antimicrobial effect and safety in vivo of the betulin and seeds of Pinus sibirica for cosmetic applications (WP3).
• Providing continuous feedback to the WP2 and WP6 to guide the structural optimisation and innovations for new product options.