vladimir leonidovich svidersky (the 80th anniversary)

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317 ISSN 0022-0930, Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology, 2011, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 317—320. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2011. Original Russian Text © The Editorial Board, 2011, published in Zhurnal Evolyutsionnoi Biokhimii i Fiziologii, 2011, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 269—271. JUBILEE DATE Vladimir Leonidovich Svidersky (The 80th Anniversary) DOI: 10.1134/S0022093011040013 that there occurred establishment of V.L. Svider- sky as a fine experimenter, highly qualified spe- cialist-neurophysiologist and scientist. Persistence and purposefulness, width of scien- tific viewpoints and interests, the ability to grasp instantaneously the essence of the problem and to make fundamental generalizations are the main character features that served to Vladimir Leoni- dovich the ground for the swift scientific growth: September 19, 2011, is the 80-birthday of Aca- demician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Leonidovich Svidersky—a prominent Russian physiologist, author of fundamental re- searches in comparative and evolutionary physi- ology of the nervous system, one of founders of the evolutionary approach to study of motor behavior of animals. V.L. Svidersky was born in Leningrad. On grad- uation the middle school with silver medal, he is admitted in 1950 to the Military-Medical Acad- emy, from which in 1956 he graduated cum laude. At this time, in Leningrad, by initiative of Acade- mician L.A. Orbeli, a new institute was founded— Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology of the USSR Academy of Sciences; its main tasks were study of pathways of development of func- tions of living organisms in onto- and phylogen- esis as well as of mechanisms of transformation of functions under effect of environmental fac- tors. Acquaintance with L.A. Orbeli’s works and ideas on regularities of development of functional mechanisms, as well as a great interest in biology and experimental investigation could not help af- fecting the young physician’s creative pathway. In 1958, Vladimir Leonidovich is admitted to the newly-founded Institute to work as a technician. It is here, at the Laboratory of Evolution of Neu- romuscular Functions headed by the outstanding specialist on physiology of the invertebrate nervous and muscular systems Prof. A.K. Voznesenskaya

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Page 1: Vladimir Leonidovich Svidersky (the 80th anniversary)

317

ISSN 0022-0930, Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology, 2011, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 317—320. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2011.Original Russian Text © The Editorial Board, 2011, published in Zhurnal Evolyutsionnoi Biokhimii i Fiziologii, 2011, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 269—271.

JUBILEE DATE

Vladimir Leonidovich Svidersky (The 80th Anniversary)

DOI: 10.1134/S0022093011040013

that there occurred establishment of V.L. Svider-sky as a fine experimenter, highly qualified spe-cialist-neurophysiologist and scientist.

Persistence and purposefulness, width of scien-tific viewpoints and interests, the ability to grasp instantaneously the essence of the problem and to make fundamental generalizations are the main character features that served to Vladimir Leoni-dovich the ground for the swift scientific growth:

September 19, 2011, is the 80-birthday of Aca-demician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Leonidovich Svidersky—a prominent Russian physiologist, author of fundamental re-searches in comparative and evolutionary physi-ology of the nervous system, one of founders of the evolutionary approach to study of motor behavior of animals.

V.L. Svidersky was born in Leningrad. On grad-uation the middle school with silver medal, he is admitted in 1950 to the Military-Medical Acad-emy, from which in 1956 he graduated cum laude. At this time, in Leningrad, by initiative of Acade-mician L.A. Orbeli, a new institute was founded—Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology of the USSR Academy of Sciences; its main tasks were study of pathways of development of func-tions of living organisms in onto- and phylogen-esis as well as of mechanisms of transformation of functions under effect of environmental fac-tors. Acquaintance with L.A. Orbeli’s works and ideas on regularities of development of functional mechanisms, as well as a great interest in biology and experimental investigation could not help af-fecting the young physician’s creative pathway. In 1958, Vladimir Leonidovich is admitted to the newly-founded Institute to work as a technician. It is here, at the Laboratory of Evolution of Neu-romuscular Functions headed by the outstanding specialist on physiology of the invertebrate nervous and muscular systems Prof. A.K. Voznesenskaya

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from technician to Academician, leader of the sci-entific direction. Thus, in 1959, the first V.L. Svid-ersky’s scientific article was published in co-au-thorship with A.K. Voznesenskaya and as soon as in 1963 he defended his Candidate Dissertation. In 1967 the young Candidate of Science headed Laboratory of Invertebrate Neurophysiology. Un-der his supervision there developed and introduced into practice of studies at this Laboratory the new neurophysiological and morphological methods. The Laboratory became the scientific-methodical center on invertebrate neurophysiology. In 1970, Vladimir Leonidovich defended his Doctor Dis-sertation. In 1981 he was elected the Correspond-ing Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and in 1987—the Academician.

At the first step of Vladimir Leonidovich’s sci-entific activity, his interests were concentrated on studies on structural-functional organization of generators of the motor rhythm in insects, prob-lems of their interaction, activation, and inhibi-tion. The detailed study of properties of the system generating rhythm of the sound-producing appa-ratus in locusts and their comparison with func-tional properties of the system providing rhythmi-cal work in grasshopper wing muscles has revealed a great similarity in functioning of both systems. This circumstance led V.L. Svidersky to the firm conviction that neuronal mechanisms controlling work of these functional systems should be similar and were to involve premotor and motor zones. Thereby, V.L. Svidersky was the first to clearly demonstrate the bi-level organization of motor center in insects and to convincingly prove experi-mentally the interneuronal source of rhythmical activity—the premotor zone. Based on analysis of the obtained data, V.L. Svidersky in 1968, togeth-er with mathematicians of the Institute created the first in the world mathematic model of the system of control of the insect flight; in this model, center of gravity is transferred to interneurons rather than to motoneurons, like in the “electron” model of the American authors. Further morphophysiolog-ical studies carried out both by the Russian and by foreign researchers confirmed correctness of such approach to creation of the model.

The model not only confirmed the main prin-ciples of organization of the system generating rhythm of work of locust flying muscles, but also

revealed, “predicted,” some additional connec-tions between its individual elements and struc-tures. The latter circumstance allowed enlarging the concept about the structural-functional orga-nization of these systems and directing the further studies into the required course.

Later on, the main object of Vladimir Leonidov-ich’s attention became study of nervous mecha-nisms of control of motor reaction in insects, of mechanisms of interaction of the “center” and “periphery” at formation of motor programs in invertebrates, specifically in insects. Based on ex-panded experimental material obtained as a result of many-year comparative studies and generaliza-tions of the literature data, Vladimir Leonidovich showed the principal similarity of the structural-functional organization of rhythm generators in differing by complexity motor systems not only in different insects, but also in motor systems of in-sects and of the higher vertebrate representatives—mammals. This circumstance, while taking into account the relatively small number of neurons providing locomotor behavior of insects, allows using these animals as sufficiently simple and con-venient models for solution of problems not only of comparative, but also of general neurophysiology. Thereby, these works opened new perspectives for development of fundamental studies in the field of evolutionary and comparative physiology, of phys-iology and pathology of CNS of animals of differ-ent phyletic lines as well as for applied studies—in agriculture, medicine, ecological practice, etc.

Vladimir Leonidovich summarized results of his studies in monographs “Neurophysiology of Insect Flight” (1973), “Grounds of Insect Neuro-physiology” (1980), “The Insect Flight” (1980), “Insect Locomotion” (1988), and in the collective monograph “Development of Contractile Func-tion of Flying Muscle Apparatus” (1974) as well as in several reviews and in numerous research pa-pers in authoritative Russian and foreign editions. The scientific works of V.L. Svidersky got the wide-spread recognition in the world physiologi-cal literature.

The circle of V.L. Svidersky’s interests is quite large. Thus, recently, alongside with intensive study of mechanisms of control of the complex locomotor high-maneuver insect behavior and elaboration of theoretical evolutionary problems

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dealing with the appearance of flight in these ani-mals, Vladimir Leonidovich also carried out (in cooperation with physicians of Military Medi-cal Academy) the studies on realization of the principally new approach to therapy of human protozoan invasions. The essence of the method proposed by Vladimir Leonidovich consists not in annihilating intestinal parasites, as this is cur-rently practiced with aid of antibiotics and anti-protozoan drugs rather toxic to human, but only in disturbing their motor activity with aid of various “softly acting” substances practically non-toxic for human and thereby in depriving their patho-genity. The attempt at using the physiological, functional approach to the problem of fight with human movable parasites, which is based on study of mechanisms of control of their motor behavior and of disturbance of these mechanisms, is not only of the theoretical, but also of important prac-tical significance.

From 1981 to 2004, V.L. Svidersky heads Sech-enov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sci-ences. During the time of his guidance there were performed significant transformations resulted in the appearance or in the enlargement of stud-ies on evolutionary neuroethology, comparative physiology of thermoregulation, mathematical modeling, in development of morphofunctional grounds of comparative and ecological pathology and of several other problems actual for theory and practice. At this time, new laboratories, re-search groups are founded, the modern equip-ment is purchased. The Institute rapidly gains and strengthens authority both in our country and abroad; it becomes the fundamental research institution elaborating physiological, biochemi-cal, and structural grounds of development and adaptation of functions in the human and animal evolution. However, soon the difficult time came in the country: reconstruction has occurred. With beginning of reconstruction (1991—2002), the In-stitute was confronted with severe problems, first of all the financial ones. At this difficult time, ow-ing to Vladimir Leonidovich’s organizational ca-pabilities, it became possible not only to preserve the scientific staff, but also to attract to the Insti-tute the talented youth by providing the research-ers with acceptable conditions for work and by not

decreasing high demands to scientific works.For many years Academician V.L. Svider-

sky develops successfully the scientific school of evo lutional physiology, created by Academician L.A. Or beli. At present it occupies one of leading positions in the structure of fundamental physi-ological and medical science. V.L. Svidersky ren-ders all his scientific potential and organizational capability to coordination and development of evolutionary studies in Russia and abroad. Aca-demician V.L. Svidersky devotes much strength and time to education of youth. He founded and headed the All-Russia (at present—International) School of Evolutionary Physiology that has be-come the center of attraction of researchers of var-ious generations working at junction of problems of biology and medicine. Participating in the work of the School are not only the leading Russian sci-entists, but also prominent specialists from many countries: CIS, England, France, Germany, USA. V.L. Svidersky is the permanent chairman of orga-nizing committees of research meetings, including the international ones, dealing with problems of evolutionary physiology.

The scientific activity of Academician V.L. Svidersky won a high appraisal. He is lau-reate of the USSR State Prize and of Academi-cian L.A. Orbeli Prize of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Honorary Doctor of Military Medical Academy, scientific supervisor of Sechenov Insti-tute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Councilor of the Russian Academy of Sciences, head of Labo-ratory of Invertebrate Neurophysiology.

Vladimir Leonidovich combines his intensive research activity with active scientific-organiza-tional work. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Specialized Dissertational Scientific Council, a member of the Section of Physiology, a member of the National Committee of Russian Biochem-ists, Corresponding Member of the European Ecologic Academy, a member of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the problem “Space Biology and Physiology,” a member of the Presidium of the Central Council of Pavlov Russian Physiological Society, chairman of the section “Invertebrate Neurophysiology” of

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Sechenov St. Petersburg Society of Physiologists, Biochemists and Pharmacologists, and of several other councils, societies, and commissions.

For his great service in scientific and public ac-tivity, Academician V.L. Svidersky is decorated with orders “Badge of Honor,” “Order of Honor” as well as with many medals of the USSR, Russia, and foreign countries.

The Editorial Board, Editorial College, and

Editorial Council of Journal of Evolutionary Bio-chemistry and Physiology as well as colleagues, friends, and pupils of Vladimir Leonidovich Svid-ersky congratulate him cordially on his jubilee data and wish him strong health, many years of fruitful creative activity, success and prosperity of his family and the research team.

The Editorial Board