Editorial staff - SERGEI MOVSESYAN

Russian Journal of Parasitology - SERGEI MOVSESYANSERGEI MOVSESYAN
Editorial Council

Head of the Laboratory for Experimental Parasitology of the Center of Parasitology of A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, corresponding member of RAS, doctor of biological sciences, professor.

Date and place of birth:  December 20, 1928 (village Mez Shen of Martakertsk region of Nagorno-Karabakh).

Background: In 1951 graduated from Yerevan Zooveterinary Institute.

Employment details:  In 1962-1976 worked at All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Fundamental and Applied Parasitology of Animals and Plants named after K.I. Skryabin.

Since 1976 at the invitation of Armenian Academy of Sciences he moved to Yerevan and was appointed director of the Institute of Zoology of Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR.

1972-1976 - Head of the Laboratory for Experimental Parasitology of the Institute of Parasitology at the USSR Academy of Sciences.  

Since 1996 – deputy director of the Institute of Parasitology of Academy of Sciences RF. Since 1997 – Head of the Joint Laboratory for Experimental Parasitology at Academy of Sciences RF and of National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia.

Main research activities conducted in the lab since its foundation and under the  supervision of  Movsesyan S.O. are associated with the study on the host-parasite relationship; biological and species diversity of single parasite taxonomic groups;   investigation of  neurobiological aspects of the host-parasite relationship (neuronal signaling systems in helminths);   study of the effects of chronic ionizing radiation on parasitic systems.

 Since 2007, the research plans of Experimental Parasitology have been included in the Program of fundamental scientific research of Russian Academy of Sciences in the field of biological sciences (2007-2012) on two research directions:        «Biological Diversity» and «Radiobiology».

Over the last 10 years, the following achievements have been observed which had great theoretical and applied importance for parasitological science in Russia and abroad. A revision of tapeworms of the suborder Davaineata was undertaken; about 450 species of world fauna of these parasites in animals and humans were accepted as valid. A new system for the a.m. helminth group was proposed, descriptions of  all species with illustrations were provided, more precise estimation of supra-specific taxa was given. The alphabetical index of species and the Index of their distribution in hosts were created. Species diversity of trematodes and cestodes in animals (about 315 species) under conditions of Caucasus Minor was determined.

New data on neurotransmitters in parasitic worms and neurobiological aspects of the host-parasite relationship were obtained. Availability, localization, synthesis, metabolism, depositing, function of neuronal systems – serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline as well as a new atypical neuromediator - nitrogen oxide in parasites from different taxonomic groups having different hosts and localization and being at different life cycle stages, were investigated. Some values related to the effect of invasion on neurotransmitters of the host as well as to neurobiological mechanisms of effect of antiparasitic drugs were determined. Localization, properties and function of cholinesterase enzyme in nervous and muscle systems of nematodes from different systematic groups were studied.

For the first time, based on long-term research it was shown that different parasite systems react in a different way on contamination of biocenosis with radionuclides.  

Radioactive contamination of biocenosis led to the changes of loymopotential of parasitic diseases. For the first time, it was determined that the radioactive contamination of biocenosis has an impact on parasites. Some groups of parasites are more radiosensitive towards ionizing radiation than their hosts (including warm-blooded animals). It was shown that in the life cycle of parasites (like in the majority of animals) there are development stages which are the most radiosensitive. These stages will identify the radio sensitivity of parasites towards the chronic ionizing radiation. The duration of these ontogenetic stages of parasites will considerably affect the changes in parasitic systems in radiation biocenosis. It was determined that the current understanding of species radiosensitivity (including parasites) cannot be   practically used for radiobiological research. That understanding has arisen as a result of lab experiments with single ontogenetic stages of organisms using the imperfect mathematical apparatus. Data of the effect of ultra-high frequency radiation on larval helminths in fish and fish products were obtained which can be used for effective treatment of these objects by UHF radiation. Patent «UHF radiation treatment of foods of animal origin» has been received. For the first time, a cytoecological systematic approach to the study of virulence of cycling

obligate intracellular parasites (causative agents of protozoan diseases in animals and human) was elaborated  by modelling in cell cultures the development of different strains of causative agents of toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii, Sporozoa).

Awards: medals of K.I. Skryabin, E. Pavlovsky, G. Mendel

Basis publications: More than 130 scientific works devoted to the problems of general helminthology, parasitology, and zoology were published.

The research was supported by the following international and Russian grants:

INTAS No 00-0685, 2001-2003

RFFI No 01-04-48052a, 2001-2003

RFFI No 04-04-48082a, 2004-2006

RFFI No 05-04-48250a, 2005-2007

Program of the Presidium RAS « Biodiversity».

Program of the Division of Biological Sciences RAS «Bioresources».

Russian and international acknowledgements for the period 2002 – 2006.

Awards: K.I. Skryabin award RAS in the field of helminthology, 2002.