Outstanding Geneticist Vladislav Sergeyevich Baranov Died

The staff of the Research Centre for Medical Genetics deeply mourns for the passing away of Vladislav Sergeevich Baranov, the outstanding scientist-geneticist, Head of the laboratory of prenatal diagnostics of hereditary and congenital diseases at the Scientific Research Institute for Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott, professor, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, chief expert in medical genetics of Saint Petersburg and North-West Federal District of the Russian Federation, honored scientist of the Russian Federation.

The senior generation of our employees remembers bright academic meetings and joint selfless work for the development of domestic science. Vladislav Sergeyevich always actively supported the initiatives of our team, provided assistance in holding and organizing conferences and various scientific events.

It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of Vladislav Sergeyevich to the development of medical genetics in our country. He had a wide range of scientific interests in diagnostics and treatment, and most importantly, prevention of hereditary diseases. He began a new direction of predictive medicine.  His research on the cytogenetics of mammal and human embryonic development certainly contributed to basic science. In the course of complex research in this direction, radically new information about the features of structural and functional organization of chromosomes in human embryogenesis was obtained.

Vladislav Sergeyevich was one of the first to introduce methods of DNA-diagnostics into clinical practice, and also prepared a whole galaxy of highly qualified scientists and doctors. The laboratory he ran helped thousands of families to have healthy babies.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of his research on the genetics of multi-factor diseases.

The scientific foundations of gene therapy of frequent hereditary diseases were laid in Russia because of Vladislav Sergeyevich. Biological models in vivo and in vitro demonstrated the effectiveness of non-viral carriers for targeted gene delivery. For the first time in Russia, the scientist led successful clinical trials for treating patients with a severe hereditary disease - spinal muscular atrophy.  His works are widely known not only in our country, but also far beyond its borders, awarded numerous prizes and rewards.

Vladislav Sergeyevich Baranov is the laureate of the awards named after academician A.A. Bayev, academician I.P. Pavlov, S.N. Davidenkov, Presidiumof RAMS for the best work on medical genetics. His contribution was mentioned with the medal «Excellence in Healthcare», the medal named after Sergey Nikolayevich Davydenkov, Russian Society of Medical Geneticists, gold medal «For outstanding contribution to the development of medical genetics» of RCMG.

We express our deep and sincere condolences to Vladislav Sergeyevich’s family, relatives, employees and colleagues. In our memory Vladislav Sergeyevich will remain a great scientist-geneticist, a wonderful person, a vivid example of serving to the Russian science!