Programme

Preparedness for threats to people’s health has become one of the fundamental factors for sustainable economic and social development. A month of lockdown could lead to zero growth in the economy for the year, and this does not even count the stream of external restrictions that affect the exchange rate and volatility of the ruble, as well as threats to epidemiological security emanating from the activities of unfriendly countries. Investments in strengthening the country’s ‘sanitary shield’ will not only prevent potential losses in the event of new pandemics, but should also help to develop related industries and stimulate technological breakthroughs and import substitution in biotechnologies. The government’s investments in a ‘sanitary shield’ have a multiplier effect by attracting additional investments in science, the development of biotechnology, the production of tests and vaccines, laboratory instrumentation, and the development of a specialized design and construction industry, which plays an important role during the period of prohibitive sanctions, when import substitution and an increase in the output of Russian products becomes the only option for developing and protecting the country. Demand for specialists will create conditions for the development of human resources in genetic technologies, bioinformatics, epidemiology, and microbiology. What kind of effect does investing in biohazard preparedness offer for development? What new tools will the ‘sanitary shield’ provide to protect against epidemics? How can investments in combating epidemics be converted into the development of science, industry, and education? What role do industrial partners play? How will the ‘sanitary shield’ help with import substitution? In what specific areas of biological safety can Russia become a leader and create standards? What mechanisms are needed to multiply investments in the ‘sanitary shield’?

Moderator
Alexey Bobrovsky, Economic Observer

Panellists
Vladimir Kutyrev, Director, Russian Anti-Plague Scientific Research Institute "Microbe"
Vasily Osmakov, First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation (online)
Anna Popova, Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing – Chief State Sanitary Physician of the Russian Federation
Areg Totolian, Director, Institut Pasteur in St. Petersburg for Research in Epidemiology and Microbiology of Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing
Zunyou Wu, Chief Epidemiologist, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (online)
Irina Yarovaya, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Vladimir Kutyrev

Director, Russian Anti-Plague Scientific Research Institute "Microbe"

Vladimir V. Kutyrev was born on 30 August 1952. In 1975 he graduated with honours from the Saratov State Medical University, Faculty of General Medicine; in 1978 he graduated from the employee sponsored graduate programme in Microbiology at the Russian Anti-Plague Research Institute Microbe.
He holds a Candidate of Medicine degree (1979) and a Doctor of Medical Science degree (1992); he is a full professor in Microbiology (2001).
In 1997 V. Kutyrev was appointed Director of the Russian Anti-plague Research Institute Microbe.
V. Kutyrev is an Associate Fellow of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (2005).
He is an Academician at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (2011) and an Academician at the Russian Academy of Sciences (2014).
His key areas of scientific focus include: studies of molecular genetic organization of genes that code the synthesis of pathogenic factors, molecular genetic mechanisms that ensure pathogenic characteristics in microorganisms, molecular foundations of interaction between pathogenic bacteria and the hosts’ and carriers’ bodies, and creation of up-to-date means and methods for diagnosis of dangerous infectious diseases based on molecular microbiology achievements. V. Kutyrev made a significant contribution to the three-tiered system of molecular monitoring of causative agents of dangerous infections aimed at improving the epidemiological surveillance of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, as well as ensuring the readiness of specialized medical epidemiological organizations to counteract bio-terrorist threats.
Under the leadership of V. Kutyrev a mobile Sanitary and Anti-Epidemic Squad (SAES) lab unit was developed and built. These variously specialized lab units are based on a chassis cab that allows conducting autonomously the entire range of research required to assess the epidemiological and sanitary-hygiene situation in an emergency zone. V. Kutyrev is the originator of the present-day strategy for using SAES for emergency response in the field of sanitary and epidemiologic population wellbeing, which allows varying the SAES staff and logistical support depending on the type of emergency.
He is the author and co-author of over 700 academic works, including 27 monographs and manuals and 64 patents for inventions and utility models.
V. Kutyrev is the Chairman of Coordinating Science Council for Sanitary and Epidemiological Defence of the Russian Federation. He has been heading the Coordinating Council for Problems of Sanitary Protection of the Commonwealth of Independent States for Introduction and Spread of Especially Dangerous Infectious Diseases.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Problems of Particularly Dangerous Infections journal; member of the Editorial Board of Problems of Virology, Public Health and Environment, and Health Risk Analysis journals; and editorial board member of Journal of Microbiology Epidemiology and Immunobiology and Saratov Medical Journal.
Honorary distinctions and state awards:
Recipient of the Russian Federation National Award in Science and Technology in 2001
Honoured Inventor of the Russian Federation (2010)
Order of Friendship (2015)
Order of Honour (2019)
Order of Merit for the Fatherland (IV Degree) (2021)

Vasily Osmakov

First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

Born June 8, 1983, Moscow. 2005: graduated from Moscow State University, Institute of Asian and African Studies.
2008: gained his CSc from the State University of Management in Moscow.
Career background: 2004–2008: Ministry of Industry and Energy: Head of Strategic Planning and Research Department; Assistant Administrator of Strategic Planning and Research Department; Assistant Administrator of Priority Projects Support under the Economic Analysis and Planning Division; Advisor to the Public Relations Department; Senior Expert of the PR Department. 2008–2012: Assistant and Advisor to the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
2012–2016: Director of Strategic Development and Project Management Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. 31 August 2016: appointed Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
Since 2015, Mr Osmakov has held the title of Full State Counsellor. CSc in Economics. Married with a child.

Anna Popova

Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing – Chief State Sanitary Physician of the Russian Federation

Ms. Popova, M.D., has a degree in medicine and prophylactics, professor in medical hygiene.
Worked as an epidemiologist, chief of epidemiology at Budennovsk hospital, chief epidiemologist in State Center in Serpukhov and Pushino, deputy head of Rospoterbnadzor in Moscow oblast, head of HR or Rospoterbnadzor and deputy chief of Rospotrebnadzor .
After a decree of the government of Russian Federation government N1931 temporary acted as chief of Federal Agency for consumer protection and human wellbeing from October 23, 2013.
Following a decree of the government of Russian Federation N571-p appointed head of Rospoterbnadzor.
Married, has two children

Areg Totolian

Director, Institut Pasteur in St. Petersburg for Research in Epidemiology and Microbiology of Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing

Director of Saint-Petersburg Pasteur Institute, Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Professor (2003), Corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (2011), Corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2014), academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2016)
Areg A.Totolian was born on 27 December 1958 in Yerevan (Armenia), and moved to Leningrad (Saint-Petersburg) in 1964.
In 1975 he entered the First Pavlov Medical Institute of Leningrad (The First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg /PSPbGMU) where he worked until 2008. He was trained and acquired his professional experience in the fields of internal diseases, pulmonology and general and clinical laboratory immunology.
In 1986 А. Totolian organized a Clinical Immunology Laboratory run by him until 2000; by authorization of the Ministry of Public Health of the Russian Federation, organized, at the premises of the PSPbGMU, a Research Guidance Centre of the Ministry of Public Health of the Russian Federation for Molecular Medicine (headed by him until 2008).
In 1987 he passed Ph.D. defence on pulmonology and immunology; in 1997 - earned his doctorate in immunology (concerned with the development of approaches and methodology of laboratory immunological diagnosis for diseases at the base of the achievements of fundamental immunology, immunochemical and molecular technologies).
From 1993 to 1995 he received training in infectious immunology at Istituto Superiore di Sanita (Rome, Italy).
For the first time in Russia, under the supervision of A. Totolian, 12 specialized immune programs were developed and since 2002 put into practice of the Federal System for External Quality Assessment of Clinical Laboratory Tests.
Under his direction 27 PhD theses and two doctorate theses were defended dealing with the strategy and methods of laboratory immune diagnosis; He is the author and a co-author of more than 440 research papers and 13 patents.
Since 2008, А. Totolian have been the Deputy Director for Research, the Director of the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Seroepidemiology (since 2016 - Laboratory of Molecular Immunology); since 2015 - the Director and interim of the Saint-Petersburg Pasteur Institute.
His main research activities are combined with teaching in PSPbGMU, here since 2013, he has directed the curriculum of clinical immunology and since 2015 has headed the Department of Immunology.
A. Totolian is an independent allergologist and immunologist at the Public Health Committee of the Government of St. Petersburg, Chairman of the Board of the regional office of the Russian Association of Allergologists and Clinical Immunologists in St. Petersburg (since 2017); Member of the Board of Directors of the Russian Scientific Society for Immunology and of All-Russian Scientific Society of Epidemiologists, Microbiologists and Parasitologists; member of the Board the Russian Scientific Society of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis.
A. Totolian is Editor in Chief of the Infection and Immunity journal, deputy editor-in-chief of the Medical Immunology journal, member of the editorial boards and editorial teams of Clinical laboratory diagnostics, Journal of Microbiology, Epidemiology and Immunobiology, HIV infection and immunosupressions, Molecular Medicine, Cytokines and Inflammation, Russian Journal of Immunology journals.
A. Totolian participated in the establishment of the Department of the Russian Association of Allergologists and Clinical Immunologists in St. Petersburg, initiated and organized the annual (since 1997) All-Russia scientific forum with international participation Days of immunology in St.-Petersburg, and the annual (since 2010) All-Russian scientific school on Clinical Immunology Immunology for physicians in Pushkinskiye Gory (Pskov region).
In accordance with the decision of the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the Government of Saint Petersburg, the team led by A. Totolian was officially registered in 2013 as a scientific school in the field of Medical Immunology and Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, and included in the Register of the Leading Scientific and Pedagogical Schools of St. Petersburg.
In 2013 А. Totolian received the gold medal from the Russian Scientific Society for Immunology for phenomenal achievements in the field of immunology.
In 2016 А. Totolian became the academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
He is married, has 2 children.

Irina Yarovaya

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Born 17 October 1966. Has a degree in Law, as well as in Public and Municipal Administration.
1988: joined Public Prosecutor’s Office in Kamchatka Territory, where she held positions of the Deputy City Prosecutor of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the Head of Investigation Department in Kamchatka Territory.
Since 1997: won single-member district election to the Council of People’s Deputies of Kamchatka Territory twice.
2007 and 2011: elected Deputy of the State Duma (Member of the United Russia Party). First female Chairperson of State Duma Security and Anti-Corruption Committee in the history of Russia’s parliaments.
2016: headed the regional group №1 of the Federal list of Candidates for Deputy of the 4th State Duma from the United Russia Party (Kamchatka Territory, Khabarovsk Territory, Amur Region, Magadan Region, Jewish Autonomous Region, Chukotka Autonomous District).
In 2016 elected Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma.
According to expert polls, she is one of Duma’s five most efficient Deputies. Authored over 200 legislative acts.
Most memorable acts for the Far East include: ban on drift fishing, ban on multiple border crossing by fishing vessels, compulsory registration of fishing facilities in the region where fishing is held, simplified call at the Far-Eastern ports for international cruise lines.
Head of the Central Control Commission of the United Russia Party.
Member of the Russian Language Arts Society, headed by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Rus.

Front row participants
Melita Vujnovic, Representative to the Russian Federation, Head of Office, World Health Organization Office in the Russian Federation
Larisa Katysheva, Director of the Center for Modern Communications, Higher School of Public Administration, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
Lilia Ovcharova, Vice Rector, National Research University Higher School of Economics

Melita Vujnovic

Representative to the Russian Federation, Head of Office, World Health Organization Office in the Russian Federation

Larisa Katysheva

Director of the Center for Modern Communications, Higher School of Public Administration, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)

Lilia Ovcharova

Vice Rector, National Research University Higher School of Economics