Three projects of BelSU students are supported by grants from the Innovation Promotion Fund

Two representatives of the Institute of Pharmacy, Chemistry and Biology became the winners of the Student Startup grant competition of the Innovation Promotion Fund.

Support was given to the project for development of innovative wound-healing gels based on mucin and biologically active nanoparticles, authored by Alina Prasolova, a postgraduate student of the Institute of Physical Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, who conducts research under the guidance of Natalia Avtina, Associate Professor of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology.

The project, aimed at obtaining dosage forms for application to wound surfaces, is an interuniversity project. The young researcher started to work on the topic of obtaining dosage forms based on mucin, a biologically active substance obtained from snail mucus, even before entering the postgraduate programme of the National Research University “BelGU”, being an employee of the Department of Pharmacy of the North Caucasus Federal University.

“I am attracted to research in this area because of my interest in Asian culture, as well as the desire to help many people who need treatment for scars and wounds,” explained the author of the project.

As Natalya Avtina noted, the compositions, theoretical basis and technologies, as well as a model sample of pharmaceuticals are a joint work of scientists from Belgorod State University and the North Caucasus Federal University. Geographically, the project will also be implemented at two sites.

“I express my deep gratitude and appreciation to the scientific teams of universities for the support and opportunities they provide in the implementation of the project, I am sure that new joint discoveries and victories are ahead of us!”, said the author of the project Alina Prasolova.

The Fund awarded a grant for the implementation of a startup by this year's graduate Danil Maklakov. The telemedicine application “NaZUBAH” (“On your Teeth”) using artificial intelligence will allow us to determine at an early stage demineralization of enamel, gum disease, caries and plaque on teeth using photos of patients’ teeth. Based on detection, artificial intelligence will build individual preventive recommendations on the method of brushing teeth, on the choice of dental supplies based on the topography of the teeth and pathologies, and, if necessary, recommend which specialist should be contacted. As the author of the project notes, the application will automate the processes of interaction with clinics.

“The project has already achieved significant results – both scientific and business. The presentation of the first version of the application will take place on October 20. I hope the application will be useful for everyone,” Danil emphasized.

Rostislav Nikulin, a student of the Institute of Engineering and Digital Technologies (BelSU), as a team leader of the project “Development of a digital platform for local positioning of robotic agricultural machinery”, became one of the winners of the Start 1 programme of the Innovation Promotion Fund in the area of “Digital Technologies”.

The project has undergone serious scientific and technical examination, and the development is highly practical. As Rostislav Nikulin noted, highly qualified IT specialists and specialists in the field of agricultural technologies are involved in its implementation. The scientific supervisor is Ivan Oleynik, Associate Professor of the Department of Information and Telecommunication Systems and Technologies of the Institute of Engineering and Digital Technologies. During the year, the team will have to conduct a number of serious applied research projects involving intellectual property registration and patenting. The results will be used to create a new digital platform in the field of agriculture.

“The idea of creating such a system arose in the course of my work in one of Belgorod IT companies. I’ve been working for them for over two years now. Combining the experience acquired in the process of work and the knowledge gained at the university, the decision arose to create a platform that would be built on new technical principles and technologies,” commented Rostislav.

According to Rostislav, Start-1 is the first of two stages of the Start programme of the Innovation Promotion Fund, which is aimed at creating small innovative businesses that seek to develop and master the production of a new technology or service using the results of their own scientific, technical and technological research and have significant commercialisation potential.