Download No Slide Title

From Research to Industry and Markets
Presentation at Knowledge Economy Forum III
Republic of Armenia
Arriving at New Technological Solutions in Armenia
Presented by:
Gagik Vardanyan, PhD, Deputy Minister of Trade and Economic Development,
E-mail: [email protected]
Hakob Hakobyan, MA, Project Director, E-Armenia Foundation /Armenia Development Gateway
E-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
Republic of Armenia
Transition
to market economy;
Economic independence;
Macroeconomic stability;
Economic development;
Privatization of the land and enterprises;
Liberalization of the international trade.
Republic of Armenia
Overview

Development of the fifth technological state
including mega-technologies such as information
technologies, biotechnologies.

Development of new technologies and scientific
applications in Armenia by more than 100 academic,
state research institutions and universities.

The integration of new technologies and innovations
in the economy, especially in such fields as
agriculture, health and ecology.
Republic of Armenia
2003 Macroeconomic Overview

GDP stable growth (13.9%)

Export growth (34.2%)

Industrial output growth (14.9%)

Inflation (8.6 %)
GDP Growth Dynamics (%)
15
Republic of Armenia
10
5
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Republic of Armenia
Background

1980s as a start of investigations for the development
of new technologies in several fields in Armenia.

Development of new technologies in the field of
biomedicine by Yerevan State University.

Preparation of national strategy and action plan for
the development of high-technologies.

Formation of small enthusiastic professional team for
the creation of new preparations and their testing.
Rationale



Republic of Armenia




Transition to the market economy created new needs
for using new technologies.
Privatization in all fields of economy.
Local and International support to develop new
technologies since 1990s.
Emerging of new problems for the new farmers –
plant diseases.
Use of the traditional chemical disinfectants are not
effective against these diseases.
The development and testing of new preparations for
plant diseases become very urgent.
Need of new preparations and modern methods for
treatment of oncological diseases.
Demand and Market



Republic of Armenia



Land diseases are very widespread and cannot be
bypassed .
Regular needs for land restoration and plant diseases.
Integration of new preparations (porphyrins) is more
efficient than the traditional technologies (chemicals,
etc.).
Local and international customers as Potential markets for
new preparation (porphyrin) production.
The main land user groups like the Government,
agricultural companies and individual farmers
(agribusiness sector) as local customers.
The main customers outside Armenia will be the
Agribusiness community.
Partnership Development
Republic of Armenia

Integration of about 100 highly qualified specialists
from the following fields (Molecular Physics,
Biology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, Agriculture,
Biomedicine).
 Yerevan State University;
 Yerevan State Medical University;
 Institute of Biotechnology;
 Yerevan Physics Institute;
 Institute of Zoology of NAS;
 Armenian Agriculture Academy;
 Pharmagene Co. Ltd.;
 Research Center of Molecular Structure of NAS.
Partnership Development (Cont.)



Republic of Armenia

Establishment of informal partnership (professional team) at
the local level.
Coordination of implemented scientific researches.
More than 30 local and international Grant awards.
Partnership with the following international institutions:
 University of Illinois, Chicago, USA;
 National Institute of Child Health and Development, Bethesda,
USA;
 Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA;
 Boston University, USA;
 National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, USA;
 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA;
 University of Toronto, Canada;
 University of Florence, Italy.
Republic of Armenia
Objectives

Main purpose of these projects is creation of new
technologies and application of these innovations to
increase competitiveness and promote economic growth.

Objectives:
Application of new preparations for the plant
diseases and growth of the agriculture product
Application of new anticancer preparations and
modern methods in the Biomedicine
Application of new preparations in the field of
Biotechnology (against Bioterrorism, etc.)
Republic of Armenia
Challenges

To coordinate investigation and research conducted by
research teams;

To develop and test new preparations to be used
simultaneously in agriculture and health.

To produce new preparations based on the results;

To develop modern methods for the effective action of
these preparations in plants and organisms.
Republic of Armenia
Activities

Synthesis of new photosensitizers (porphyrins and
metal porphyrins);

Testing of new photosensitizers against root rot of
wheat, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, etc;

Optimization of photosensitizers’ application
parameters and selection of the most effective
preparations.
New Preparation Characteristics
Acting in very small concentrations (1g/1m3 water);
 Selectively attacking cancer cells or microorganisms;
 They are not accumulated in human organisms or in plants
Republic of Armenia
 They are eliminated quickly;
 Nontoxic for human organisms.
Results


Republic of Armenia


Synthesis of more than 60 new porphyrins and their
metal complexes;
Identification of new porphyrins possessing high
anticancer, antifungal and antibacterial activity;
Identification of new porphyrins against some fungal
diseases (root rot, black stem, bacterial cancer) existed
in the plants;
Testing of new preparations in the agricultural field
using green houses and plants.
Republic of Armenia
Examples

About 30% of such agricultural products as tomatoes,
cucumbers, peppers are supposed to be damaged due
to fungi (see pictures 1 and 2);

High efficiency of the affect of new preparations on
fungi is obvious (see pictures 1 and 2).

The following are some examples showing the effect
of new preparations on microorganisms:
Republic of Armenia
Research Activities

Republic of Armenia


Study of approaches and methods of the new watersoluble porphyrin synthesis allowing to obtain more than
150 new porphyrins and their metal complexes.
Study for the development of the mechanism on using new
porphyrins and metal complexes and development of the
modern methods (photodynamic therapy of tumors) in the
Biomedicine for the cancer treatment at molecular, cellular
and organisms levels.
Study of the new porphyrin for treatment of fungal
diseases for agriculture (green house and plants) and
developing disinfectants against Bioterrorism (including
specially dangerous infections: cholera, plague, tularemia).
Current Activities



Republic of Armenia




Establishment of the National Technology Center for
coordination of the above mentioned studies;
Development of Industry-University relations attracting
foreign direct investment;
Production and wide application of tested new
preparations;
Conducting of the training programs on how the new
preparations to be used;
Raising of awareness;
Integration of more partners from both local and
international level;
Distribution of the production and engineering of new
technologies in the country, regional levels.
Republic of Armenia
Lessons Learned

Preparation of national strategy and action plan for the
development of high technologies.

The management and coordination of the teams in
implementing of different projects in the field of high
technologies.

Government support and for the implementation of
these projects.

Integration of the partners not only from the Academic
sector, but also from private, civil society sectors.
Republic of Armenia
Thank You