M.K. Saparbayev entered the world on October 17, 1961, in Nukus, within the Kara-Kalpak ASSR, as the child of a geologist engineer. In 1979, he embarked on his academic journey at the biological faculty of Kazakh State University, named after S.M. Kirov, with a focus on microbiology under the guidance of Professor Maya Khazhetdinovna Shigaeva. For his term paper and thesis research, Saparbayev was directed to Novosibirsk State University (NSU) by his supervisor. Following the successful defence of his thesis in May 1984, he undertook a two-year internship at NSU under the mentorship of Professors R.I. Salganik and A.V. Mazin.
In 1987, Saparbayev continued his education in Novosibirsk at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics' postgraduate program, specifically in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology. A.V. Mazin and G.L. Dianov, both esteemed Candidates of Biological Sciences, guided him. Saparbayev embarked on a dissertation titled "Molecular mechanisms of mutagen-stimulated recombination in plasmids of E. coli K12 strains," which he successfully defended in May 1991, earning the degree of Candidate of Biological Sciences in Genetics (03.00.15).
During his early career, Saparbayev published several articles in international scientific journals, catching the eye of Dr. Jacques Laval from the DNA Repair Laboratory at the Gustave-Rosi Institute in Villejuif, France. Dr. Laval extended an invitation to Saparbayev for a postdoctoral position, and since September 2000, he has led the DNA Repair laboratory at the institute. Today, Saparbayev leads this laboratory with distinction, focusing on the molecular mechanisms that uphold genomic stability and investigating the defects contributing to ageing and cancer.
The research carried out by Murat Saparbaev has achieved considerable scientific significance, resulting in publication in over 50 peer-reviewed scientific journals. Esteemed publications such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), Nature, and Science have featured his work. A search for Murat Saparbaev on Google yields more than 8,000 results, reflecting his notable presence in the scientific community.
Saparbaev is a passionate advocate for his homeland and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. He is deeply involved in nurturing the next generation of scientists, actively participating in training PhD students and masters. He generously offers his laboratory as a research facility to students. Additionally, Saparbaev contributes to the academic community by lecturing at the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Gumilev Eurasian National University, and Nazarbayev University, showcasing his commitment to education and research in Kazakhstan.