Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Russia Aleksandr Povalko toured KFU on October 12th.

The Deputy was in Kazan to take part in the Federal Ministry's seminar session “Raising the Efficiency of the Institutions and Offices Subordinate to the Ministry of Education and Science”.

In the course of three hours Mr. Povalko along with Rector Ilshat Gafurov visited several full-cycle labs. The new building of the Institute of Chemistry opened on September 4th became the first stop. Here some very important research on degenerative diseases is conducted. One of the latest breakthroughs has to do with gene cell therapy of spinal cord injuries. Professor Albert Rizvanov noted that this became feasible because of the Open Labs that were established at the University. Many young scientists have been swayed by an opportunity to work on the newest available equipment – thus contributing their brain power to the University's talent pool.

Another significant achievement is creating the University Clinic on the premises of the 2nd Republican Clinical Hospital. This new facility aims to shorten the distance between research and practical medicine, to make high tech treatment available to all Russian citizens.

The establishment of the university's biobank is yet another victory for the university science – the bank was licensed on October 2nd.

Mr. Povalko's route ended at the Institute of Engineering. And not just for show – a new research equipment certification lab will soon be opened here enabling the University to make competent assessments of all the incoming equipment without outsourcing.

All the recent breakthroughs and the researchers' zeal are reflected in the dizzying advancement in the THE rankings. All this gives us a cause for optimism and a hope that research conducted at KFU will make a real difference for all Russian people.