Thirty years of Valdman Institute of Pharmacology at Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In March 2025, the Valdman Institute of Pharmacology at Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University marked its 30th anniversary. The Institute was founded to integrate educational, methodological, and research activities. In 1996, it was named in honor of Academician Valdman who made an outstanding contribution to the development of Russian pharmacology. The scientific traditions of the Institute stem from a distinguished lineage of pharmacologists at the University. Established by the Institute’s founder, V.K. von Anrep—the pioneer of local anesthesia—these traditions were further advanced in the works of Likhachev, Zakusov, and Valdman, who laid the foundations of modern pain pharmacology and psychopharmacology. Over the past 30 years, the Institute has conducted large-scale research in neuropharmacology, investigating a broad spectrum of pharmacological targets, including opioid, nicotinic, and glutamatergic receptors. In addition to fundamental experimental research, the Institute’s staff have carried out clinical studies that led to the registration in Russia of such medicinal products as Bupranal® (buprenorphine) and Buprakson® (buprenorphine + naloxone), among others. The Institute of Pharmacology comprises six laboratories conducting research in the following key areas: pain research: development and optimization of treatment strategies for pain syndromes, including migraine and visceral pain; psychopharmacology and addictology: investigation of the mechanisms of addiction and behavioral disorders; identification and preclinical evaluation of novel anti-addictive and psychotropic agents; development of industry standards for assessing addictive potential; behavioral pharmacology: study of cognitive functions, including cognitive flexibility, and the role of trace amine-associated receptors in affective and anxiety disorders. The Institute of Pharmacology actively collaborates with leading Russian and international research centers and is a member of reputable international professional societies. It regularly hosts major scientific conferences, including those with international participation, and makes a substantial contribution to the training of scientific personnel, continuing to advance the rich traditions of Russian pharmacological science.
DOI: 10.17816/phbn697070
Authors: Edwin E. Zvartau, Evgeny M. Krupitsky
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7118090249