The Laboratory of Bioluminescent Biotechnology was founded in 2011 under the leadership of the Nobel Prize Laureate and the first Honorary SibFU Professor Osamu Shimomura (USA) and Academician I. Gitelzon. Under an agreement between SibFU and Russia’s Department for Education, one of the most famous scientists was to go to Russia in order to create and develop new scientific and educational laboratory at Siberian Federal University.

The head of the world-class laboratory now is Prof. Valentina Kratasyuk and she said Prof. Shimomura decided to work there only because of the number of people who are involved in fundamental study of bioluminescence. Furthermore, the activity of this laboratory, unique worldwide, is directed to the research of organism luminescence mechanisms. It other words, this laboratory deals with the questions of why and how organisms glow. Besides, Russian and foreign scientists working there are interested in various processes of bioluminescence and influence other scientific research.

A special structure has been organized at the university with staff schedules and jobs for young people. Prior to the founding of the Laboratory of Bioluminescent Biotechnology graduates could only work at the Department of Biophysics, but nowadays this has changed. Now the laboratory has four large rooms and other rented floor space where the research is carried out not only by teachers and professors but also by students. Students, PhD-students, PostDoc-graduates and teachers are provided with special equipment and their own computers to work freely on their projects. In this regard, the Laboratory creates favorable conditions for important and promising research. There is also a dedicated website and scientists frequently win grants for bioluminescence research.

The first room is intended for supporting investigation with the equipment for optical research, such as a spectrophotometers and spectrofluorimeters. There is also a unique apparatus, Stop-flow device to measure fast kinetic of light emission reaction of firefly and other luminous organism enzymes. The second room is also equipped with different molecular biological and biochemical instruments which help to develop new bioluminescent biosensors based on nanotechnology. Then there is a room to work with microfluidics, create lab-on-chip and portable bioluminometer devices. Both luminometers and the unique reagent Enzimolum are part of the School Biology practicum. The small company Prikladnie Biosistemi makes reagents for bioluminescent analysis and bioluminometers. Finally, the fourth room is for students’ projects and works.

Prof. Shimomura left his yearly salary to support the Laboratory under a donation agreement and Osamu Shimomura Fund has been organized to grant scholarship to young scientists, PhD-students, students and pupils who obtain outstanding results in bioluminescence research. The next grant for the winners of Prospect Svobodny, 79 Сonference is expected to take place in June..