Young Researchers in the Spotlight: Molecular Biology and Genetics Students Among the Winners of the 2026 Master’s Research Competition

Young researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, successfully presented their research projects at the 2026 Master’s Research Competition (MRC).

The results were particularly impressive: representatives of the 7M05105 – Genetics educational programme secured five prizes, demonstrating the diversity of their research interests and a high level of scientific training.

First Place was awarded to Leyla Ibragimova, a second-year Master’s student, for her research entitled “Analysis of the Expression of the Trimeric Form of Autolysin in E. coli”. Research supervisor: I.T. Smekenov, PhD, Senior Lecturer.

Second Place was shared by two second-year Master’s students:

• Urkiya Kuralova, for her study entitled “Investigation of the Functional Expression of Human Adenine DNA Glycosylase with Altered Catalytic Activity”. Research supervisor: S.M. Taipakova, PhD, Associate Professor.
• Renata Khalmatova, for her research entitled “Study of the Genoprotective Potential of Inonotus obliquus (family Hymenochaetales)”. Research supervisor: A.V. Lovinskaya, PhD, Associate Professor.

Third Place was awarded to two participants:

• Dias Meermanov, a second-year undergraduate student at Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, for his research entitled “A Neural-Symbolic Framework for Prioritizing Novel Mendelian Disease Genes Using Genomic and Ontological Knowledge”. Research supervisor: A.Zh. Beisenova, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor.
• Ramina Nurgalieva, a second-year Master’s student at the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, for her study entitled “Genetic Analysis of the Mughalzhar Horse Breed Based on STR Genotyping”. Research supervisor: N.A. Altybayeva, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor.

The research projects cover several important areas of contemporary molecular biology and genetics, including DNA repair mechanisms, the genoprotective properties of biological objects, genomic data analysis, and the application of molecular genetic methods.

Securing five prizes is a notable achievement that highlights the research potential of young scientists, the diversity of the department’s scientific activities, and its commitment to nurturing the next generation of researchers.

The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics congratulates all the award winners and their academic supervisors. We wish them continued scientific success, fruitful research, and many more outstanding discoveries!