Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg: description, reviews

One of the oldest medical and research institutions in Russia is the Institute of Experimental Medicine (St. Petersburg). Founded in the 19th century, it continues its activities and expands opportunities.

History of creation

The history that led to the establishment of the Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (St. Petersburg) began in 1885 with the bite of a mad dog. The soldier from the corps commanded by Prince AP Oldenburgsky was injured. At the expense of the commander, the victim was sent for treatment to Louis Pasteur's laboratory, with whom the prince was personally acquainted. Accompanying the patient, the military doctor N. Kruglevsky was assigned, who was instructed to learn how to prepare the vaccine. At the same time, for the first time in Russia, the first experiments were conducted on rabbits, which were treated with rabies against rabies. The aim of the experiments was to study the mechanism of infection and cure, in order to subsequently spread the experience across the country.

The first station for the prevention of rabies opened in August 1886 and was located in the veterinary hospital. The research spectrum was expanded, methods of combating infectious diseases were studied, pathogenic microorganisms were studied. The laboratory was kept at the personal expense of AP Oldenburg, but they were not enough to organize a full-fledged research complex and medical buildings.

Turning to Alexander III, the prince managed to obtain state funding, and in early November 1888, an institution similar to the Paris Institute Louis Pasteur was opened. Founded it in the women's community of nurses. After receiving the highest permission, Prince Oldenburg acquired a plot of land on the Aptekarsky Island. In December 1890, a new institution was opened and named - the Imperial Institute of Experimental Medicine (St. Petersburg).

The first departments of the Imperial Institute

As the work of the institute developed, the main directions of research and medical activities of the new institution of Russia were formed. Heads of departments were talented doctors of the time who made a huge contribution to the development of medicine and glorified the scientific thought of the country to the whole world.

In the new institution the following departments were organized:

• Under the leadership of IP Pavlov worked in the department of physiology.
• The issues of chemistry were studied under the leadership of MV Nenetsky.
• The department of general bacteriology was headed by SN Vinogradsky.
• The branch of the patanatomy was given under the leadership of N. V. Uskov.
• Problems of syphilology were studied in the department under the guidance of E. F. Shperk.
• The department of epizootology was headed by Gelman K. Ya.
• The grafting department worked under the supervision of VA Krayushkin.
• The head of the scientific library was appointed VG Ushakov.

Throughout its history, the Institute of Experimental Medicine (St. Petersburg) has remained faithful to its traditions of providing comprehensive medical care. On the territory of the institution, field and military hospitals were repeatedly deployed. Employees fought on the fronts of the First and Second World Wars, together with the Leningraders experienced a blockade and celebrated the Victory.

Achievements

The Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (St. Petersburg) in its main activity is a research medical institution, and in this field the main awards were won. The results of more than a century of history were recognized at the world level. The works were awarded the Nobel Prize, seventeen State and Lenin Prizes were awarded, and eleven academic and personal prizes were awarded. Groups of scientists repeatedly became laureates of the AP Oldenburg Prize, more than sixty scientists were elected members of the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Medical Sciences in the Soviet Union, and later in Russia.

Active research activity was bearing fruit in new discoveries, for which employees received seven diplomas, more than 400 patents for inventions and author's certificates for unique innovations were registered.

Modernity

The Institute of Experimental Medicine in St. Petersburg at the present stage is one of the leading medical and research centers in Russia. The scientific institution is engaged in researching all levels of living systems from the holistic behavior of the organism to individual molecules. Twelve departments are organized and operate in the Institute, where seven academicians, corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, fifty doctors and one hundred and two candidates of sciences work.

The Institute of Experimental Medicine (St. Petersburg) at its base opened several new areas of research. In 2014, a laboratory for pathogenic viruses was established, and a collection of vaccines against many strains of influenza was also created and replenished.

Institutional clinic

One of the first areas that had practical medical significance, in 1890, were the inoculation department and the department of syphilology, which later became a clinical institution. Formation of a separate structure within the framework of the Institute occurred in 1906. For the clinic a separate building was built, where necessary, at that time, the separation of skin and syphilitic diseases. In the post-revolutionary years, IEM staff took an active part in shaping the foundations of the healthcare system of the young state. The Institute took a leading position in the medical science of the USSR.

During the war and the blockade of Leningrad, a military hospital was deployed on the territory. After the war, the IEM is part of the Academy of Sciences. His own clinical activity was revived in 1981. Today, the Institute of Experimental Medicine (SPb), based on the clinical department, provides medical services to residents of St. Petersburg and all regions of Russia, as well as assistance to citizens of foreign countries.

Thanks to cooperation and interaction of the two directions - theoretical research and practical medicine, the assistance provided by the clinic is one of the most effective and advanced.

Clinic departments

The IEM Clinic (St. Petersburg) is equipped with modern technological equipment. Treatment-diagnostic measures are carried out for patients on inpatient or out-patient treatment. In the clinic, the main units are:

• Surgical.
• Diagnostic and treatment department, where the procedures are performed by X-ray surgical method.
• Cardiological.
• Neurological.
• Rehabilitation.
• Consultative and diagnostic.
• Psychotherapeutic.
• Resuscitative.
• Anesthesiology.
• Ophthalmic.
• Laboratory (clinical, diagnostic tests)

In recent years, the main direction of research and medical activities of the IEM is the development of new methods for the prevention of various diseases, the improvement of diagnostic techniques and the treatment of existing diseases. The work is based on the principles of combining theoretical medicine with the practical application of the developed methods, principles, diagnosis and treatment of the final patient.

Library

The Institute of Experimental Medicine (St. Petersburg) was founded in pre-revolutionary buildings. Some of them have survived to this day. On the territory of the complex the most striking building is the building of the library. Built in the period from 1911 to 1913 by the architect GI Lyutsedarsky, it became the embodiment of the style of Russian Art Nouveau. The main volume consists of a repository of books and an oval-shaped reading room.

The park facade was designed by the architect Pokrovsky VA, but not for the library, but for the Russian Pavilion created for the Paris International Hygienic Exhibition. After the exhibition, the elements of the majolica facade adorned the library building. For a long time the building was dilapidated and required restoration, it was recently carried out. The Imperial large coat of arms, which the angels support, was restored at the entrance ensemble. Other parts of the facade were restored, and unique wooden doors with wrought-iron plates received a second life.

A unique collection of literature

The library fund IEM was established in 1891, it was based on 500 volumes from the personal scientific library of Prince AP Oldenburg. Further acquisitions of books took place according to the profile of the institution and conducted research, which served to form a unique collection of scientific literature.

In the libraries there are books on medicine related to the 16th and 18th centuries, a large collection of dissertations and scientific works of domestic and foreign institutions. In addition to these rarities, in library funds there are legal acts concerning the work of the institute from the very first days, correspondence of domestic figures of medical science with colleagues.

In the exhibition hall of the library you can see Aphorisms of Hippocrates in 1641 and his medical works of 1657 in Latin, the dissertation of IP Pavlov, written by him in 1883, Kant's lifetime publication Critique of Pure Reason (1790) and much more.

The halls and corridors of the old library building still contain furniture that employees and readers used during the lifetime of Academician Pavlov and earlier times.

Monuments on the territory of the IEM

The territory of the Institute, in and of itself, has long been a historical landmark, thanks to events and people developing medical science. There are few institutions where so many thanks are received from descendants and contemporaries to individual scientists, where the architecture of buildings is preserved and maintained in proper condition and at the same time continues to serve as a refuge of modern science.

Monuments and historical buildings IEM:

• Busts of Charles Darwin, Louis Pasteur, D. Mendeleev, I. Sechenov.
• Monument to the dog. It was established on the initiative of IP Pavlov, who noted the special importance of experiments in which dogs were studied, which enabled him to study in detail the physiology of nervous activity.
• Fountain-drinker for dogs or a monument to scientific experiments of Academician Pavlov with bas-reliefs.
• Museum-laboratory of Academician I. Pavlov.
• The monument to the founder of Russian radiobiology E. S. London.
• Monument to Lenin.
• Disinfection building, water tower, residential houses (period of construction 1889 - 1890 years).
• Buildings of pathological anatomical department, physiological department, laboratory of chemical and general pathology (1892-1895 years of construction).
• The main building of the IEM (1890-1936).
• The building of the laboratory IEM or the "Tower of Silence" (1912-1914).

Addresses

IEM is located in several buildings of the city. The main building is located on Pavlov Street, Building 12, Institute of Experimental Medicine (St. Petersburg).

Small prospectus of the Petrograd side, building 13 is the address of the IEM clinic.