Pages of the general history of microbiological schools of Kazan and Saint Petersburg

Abstract

Summary: The article is prepared for the 100th anniversary of the Department of Microbiology of the Military Medical Academy and the 100th anniversary of the assignment of the Pasteur name to the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.The article describes the period of formation of the Kazan and St. Petersburg microbiological schools at the end of the IXX- beginning of the XX century, development in 20-30 years and during the Great Patriotic War. The article is devoted to the history of interaction between two microbiological schools Kazan and St. Petersburg (Leningrad) from the beginning of the XX century to the present day. It presents historical milestones in the development of the Departments of Microbiology of Kazan State Medical University, the Military Medical Academy, scientific departments of the Kazan Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, highlights aspects of the joint formation and development of the Kazan and St. Petersburg School of Microbiology, provides brief biographical data of the department staff microbiology, whose activities were related to work in these institutions. Biographical information, personal characteristics, the main directions of scientific and practical activities of famous microbiologists who worked in different periods of their lives in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) and Kazan (V.M. Aristovsky, R.R. Geltzer, P.N. Kashkin, I.I. Pryakhin, A.R. Konova, A.G. Grigorieva-Berenstein) are presented. The issues of joint research of Leningrad and Kazan scientists in the development and improvement of methods of industrial production of antibiotics, therapeutic and prophylactic serums, bacteriophages during the Great Patriotic War are covered in detail. The article was prepared using primary sources: publications, memoirs of employees of the Department of Microbiology of KSMU, VMA, KNIEM, St. Petersburg NIIEM named after Pasteur, documents from the archives of personnel departments, as well as the National Archive of the Republic of Tatarstan, archival materials of the Departments of Microbiology of KSMU and VMA. The main scientific achievements of representatives of the Kazan and St. Petersburg Schools of Microbiology, their scientific contribution to the development of microbiology are described. The conclusion notes the need to preserve the historical memory of the contribution of Russian scientists to the development of microbiology.