Nazarbayev University hosted a meeting of the Supreme Board of Trustees of Nazarbayev University, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools and Nazarbayev Foundation under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov. The Council members got acquainted with highly functional laboratories of NU and the latest developments of scientists: the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence, laboratories of pulse accelerator, advanced nanomaterials, genomic and personalised medicine were visited, El.kz cites primeminister.kz.
Chairman of the Supreme Board of Trustees Olzhas Bektenov outlined specific tasks for the integration of science and industry, as well as expanding access to scientific infrastructure for the Kazakhstani research community. Special attention should be paid to the issue of interaction between NU and regional universities located near industrial production facilities.
"The university needs to strengthen the development of scientific and educational resources, strengthen partnerships with industrial enterprises to commercialise its own developments. All this will contribute to the growth of science's contribution to the country's economy. The potential of Intellectual Schools in turn should be maximised to support schools in the regions. Our task is to provide children with quality education. We on our part will provide the necessary support," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised.
Currently, teams of researchers at NU laboratories are working on the development of artificial intelligence, studying innovations in optoelectronics to introduce green technologies, expanding the possibilities of diagnostics and treatment of complex diseases.
"We have completed the initial Phase I and Phase II study of the drug and have had encouraging results. We will continue to conduct clinical trials, during which we should reach the maximum tolerated dose of the drug to maximise the effect of the treatment," Dos Sarbasov, director of National Laboratory Astana (NLA), said of his team's work on creating an effective cancer drug.
Developing a cancer drug is not the only ambitious project at NLA. The lab, equipped with 5 high-powered electron microscopes, conducts collaborative research for most startups in the science and engineering fields.
"One of the main areas we are developing in our lab is the study of the Kazakh reference genome. That is, how unique and different we are from other populations to build a reference genomic database of genomic variants," Ainur Akilzhanova, Acting Director of the NLA Life Sciences Centre at NU, commented.
Scientists are creating a "genetic profile" of Kazakhstanis. This work will help to determine, for example, predispositions to diseases, which in the future will contribute to the health of citizens and the development of national medicine.
Also, demonstrated was an accelerator created jointly with the Lawrence National Laboratory in Berkeley (USA), which allows to conduct research on water purification and hydrogen generation.