MICROBIOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS: obtaining active microbial producers of biologically active compounds (L-, D-amino acids, enzymes, bioinhibitors of pathogens, biostimulators, bacterial insecticides, biofertilizers) for the needs of medicine, pharmaceutical and food industry, agriculture using gene-selective and gene-engineering methods.
BIOTRANSFORMATION AND BIOCATALYSIS: development of biocatalytic methods for producing amino acids, peptides, enzymatic preparations, polysaccaharides and other biologically active compounds.
BIOMIMETIC ASYMMETRIC SYNTHESIS: development of effective biomimetic catalysts and methods for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure non-protein amino acids, peptides, other preparations used in pharmaceutical industry, medical diagnostics and other fields of science and engineering.
GEOBIOTECHNOLOGY: development of biotechnological approaches to metal bioleaching and metal extraction processes optimization.
ECOBIOSAFETY: processing of agricultural and food wastes, development of effective technologies.
BIOPREPARATIONS AND BIOADDITIVES: development of technologies for obtaining biologically active compounds for food, medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
STUDY OF MICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY OF ARMENIA: systematics, morphology, physiology, biochemistry, cytology and genetics of microorganisms.
“Microbes: Biology & Application” International Conference held at the Scientific and Production Center “Armbiotechnology” of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia in Yerevan from October 9-11, 2019 was organized by the Armenian Microbiological Association (AMA) jointly with the SPC “Armbiotechnology” NAS of Armenia and sponsored by FEMS (Federation of European Microbiological Societies) and VIPECO Armenia. The Conference covered such important topics as Microbial Ecology, Environmental Protection, Waste Management, Biosafety and Health, Biofertilizers, Food Safety, New Biotechnologies. Young scientists from Europe, Asia, Africa and Armenia participated in the Conference.
On November 19, 2019 SPC “Armbiotechnology” NAS RA hosted the delegation of the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC). The delegation toured the Center during its visit. It is worth noting that in the period of 20 years of collaboration, the SPC “Armbiotechnology” NAS RA has had a lot of achievements having received and successfully realized 16 ISTC projects. In the framework of these projects the Center’s technological and analytical equipment was modernized, scientific and technological directions were optimized and collaborations with the leading scientific centers were set up.
For the first time MOM&KID EXPO 2019 exhibition-fair took place in Yerevan Expo Center on 16-17 November. The SPC “Armbiotechnology” NAS RA participated with “NARINE” lactic acid product and Armbiotechnology natural plant oils. Visitors of MOM&KID EXPO 2019 exhibition-fair were greatly interested in the Center products. As a result, a demand in our products has visibly increased.
Realizing that one day antibiotics may not affect any bacteria, doctor-bacteriologist Ani decided to combine biology and medicine not to be indifferent to the worldwide fight against antibiotics.
From Science to Commercialization
Young scientists from Europe, Asia, Africa and Armenia participated in the Conference.
A preparative small-scale production of non-protein amino acids was established in 2007 with the financial support of the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC). As a result of scientific research, a universal technology has been developed that enables to obtain important and expensive enantiomerically pure non-protein α-amino acids (market price of 1g is 150-400 USD) of different structure from low cost natural amino acids glycine and D,L-alanine (price of 1kg is about 10 USD). More than 200 undescribed in the literature new amino acids containing aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic substituents in the side chain have been synthesized by the developed technology.
Based on the achievements of microbiology and biotechnology as well as on availability of the appropriate natural resources in the country scientists of “Armbiotechnology” Scientific and Production Center have elaborated technologies for production of ecologically safe fertilizers of a wide spectrum of action that are produced in our country.
The proposed “Ecobiofeed+” biopreparation is based on a technology, which has no domestic or foreign analogs, fundamentally differs from the known ones for production of ecologically safe biofertilizer of multiprofile and prolonged action containing a complex of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms and zeolites.
The preparation based on natural raw material also provides plants with macro and microelements, vitamins and protein amino acids. The preparation remediates soils and ensures ecologically safe products.
The production of natural plant oils for food, medical-preventive and cosmetic purposes was established in 2018 on the basis of the Laboratory of Galenic and New Galenic Preparations.
Sea buckthorn oil is produced by cold pressing from raw materials selected in ecologically clean regions of Armenia. Product is available in glass bottles of 30 and 50 ml with 50, 100, 140 and 180 mg% content of carotenoids; rich in high content of vitamins A, D, E, F and K. Stimulates reparative processes in the skin and mucous membranes, accelerates healing of damaged tissues. It has tonic, antioxidant and cytoprotective effects. Reduces the intensity of free radical processes and protects cell and subcellular membranes from damage, due to the presence of fat-soluble bioantioxidants.
The fermented milk product “NARINE” is a therapeutic-preventive and dietary nutrition for children and adults based on a monoculture of lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus MDC 9602 (MDC – Microbial Depository Center). The “NARINE” lactobacilli were isolated in 1964, thoroughly studied and characterized in the Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR by a group of scientists under the guidance of Dr. Prof. L.A. Erzinkyan and deposited with the former Republican Center of Microbial Depository NAS of Armenia (1993).
The serial production of “NARINE” (pasty, lyophilized) preparation was launched in “Armbiotechnology” SPC NAS RA in 2014 according to the Armenian Standard AST 173-2015. The fermented milk product “NARINE” is produced from natural pasteurized cow skim milk by fermentation with Lactobacillus acidophilus MDC 9602.
