How to apply what you learned at SCAMT

You can publish the results of your research. For instance, Arina Dushankova, a fourth-year student from Saratov State University’s Institute of Chemistry, plans to do just that after participating in the school’s digital track. At her home university, she studies Python and machine learning algorithms. At ITMO, she worked on the project Predicting the Magnetic Properties of Nanoparticles.

“In a week, we determined the main criteria of efficiency and built a model to predict the magnetic properties of nanoparticles. That way, we can synthesize nanoparticles with the desired properties while saving valuable time and raw materials. In the future, I plan to use the methods I learned at SCAMT in my own research. My thesis concerns the development of highly sensitive analytical systems based on luminescent and hybrid quantum nanoparticles. Such a system could be used to quickly calculate the residual concentration of antibiotics after cancer therapy. One would simply need to add a quantum dot to any biological fluid (for instance, blood). The intensity of that dot’s glow would correspond with how much medicine remains in the fluid. The model we’ve created will make it easier to properly process the data derived from optical spectra, select parameters, and predict the properties of samples in the future,” shares Arina Dushankova.

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You can use your new practical skills to further develop your own research. That is the intention of Daria Malysheva, a fourth-year student of Novosibirsk State University’s Department of Natural Sciences and a participant of the experimental track. At the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICBFM SB RAS), she is part of an effort to develop a targeted drug for boron neutron capture cancer therapy. According to Daria, this method only affects the tumor cells and is harmless to healthy tissue. It delivers an isotope of boron-10 inside the tumor which is then destroyed via epithermal neutron radiation.

“My research utilizes similar methods to those of Ahmed Eldeeb, the head of a frontier laboratory at SCAMT whose team is responsible for creating advanced cancer treatments. At ICBFM SB RAS, we work with aptamers – short oligonucleotides (DNA or RNA molecules – Ed.) that are capable of binding with a specific tumor molecule while carrying the boron isotope. ITMO scientists work with the same short oligonucleotides, developing DNA nanomachines that can solve simple logical operations and interact with cells in a complex manner. Such devices may be used in both diagnostics and therapy. For example, the nanomachines could give off a signal if they locate and bind with a molecule which is symptomatic of some disease, or they could cleave the RNA of certain cells to decrease their survivability. It was helpful to discover new applications for familiar methods and technologies and improve my lab equipment handling skills. We learned how to design both simple and complex DNAzymes (catalytic single-sequence DNA molecules capable of cleaving RNA targets), and analyzed how various structural changes affected their efficiency,” tells us Daria Malysheva.

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You can develop an idea for your startup. According to Zinaida Krasovskaya, a fourth-year student at the Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology’s Faculty of Inorganic Chemistry and Technology and a participant of the industrial track, her work at SCAMT helped her to develop her own project while improving her entrepreneurial skills. At the G.A. Krestov Institute of Solution Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, she researches fluorescent sensors of zinc cations and creates testing systems for their quick detection. This technology could be used in various fields – for example, it can analyze wastewater for pollution in ecology, or monitor health threats in medicine.

“At SCAMT Workshop Week we developed our ideas into startups and created business plans. We analyzed existing papers and devices, sought out our target audience, and formulated our solutions’ selling points, costs, and timeframes. Studying at SCAMT helped me make a shift from being a researcher to something more of an entrepreneur. While both types of people have a knack for creative problem solving, the latter take more risks, so they have to think two steps ahead. It felt great to have professionals like Aleksandr Ulesov, the head of SCAMT Startup Factory, share their experiences and provide relevant advice,” comments ZInaida Krasovskaya. “I will continue working on my project, since it was of great interest to the audience. From the beginning, ITMO was my top choice for Master’s studies. SCAMT has great vibes, and people here come up with amazing ideas that they then convert into reality. Without such people, no lab, no matter how well-equipped, can produce results.”

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