The necessary measures taken by the state in connection with the coronavirus pandemic in the country, including the introduction of a special quarantine regime to prevent the rapid spread of infection, today imposes new responsibilities on each of us.
These views were expressed in the interview of the director of the Institute of Physiology named after academician Abdulla Garayev of ANAS, Doctor of Biological sciences Ulduz Hashimova. “It is the duty of each of us to protect the health of ourselves and our loved ones by joining the "Stay at Home" project, thereby supporting the serious, costly steps taken by the country's leadership in the medical, social and other fields to prevent the pandemic.”
The director noted that the decision of the Operational Staff under the Cabinet of Ministers on March 20, 2020 to send a number of government agencies, including employees of ANAS on a paid leave from March 29 to March 1, has already entered into force. This raises the second important task of not stopping the activities of organizations whose employees are on leave, and to resume their activities sooner after returning from "coronavirus leave".
As the basis of the scientific work of our institute is experimental research, these changes are primarily reflected in the activities related to experiments. Thus, all pre-planned experiments on the situation have been postponed. During the quarantine period, the experimental animals were transferred to the vivarium of the institute, and in order to care for them, the relevant staff was allowed to work on a special schedule, she noted.
According to Ulduz Hashimova, the scientific potential of the institute is aimed at analyzing and summarizing the results obtained in recent years, as well as the preparation of reviews and articles, as well as the implementation of decisions and orders from the Division of Biological and Medical Sciences, ANAS Presidium. The most important scientific results obtained at the Institute of Physiology in the last 10 years have already been compiled and submitted to the Division.
This year marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of the founder of the Institute of Physiology, a prominent physiologist, academician Abdulla Garayev. The assembling and examination of English-language papers for the special issue of the news journal "Life Sciences and Biomedicine" dedicated to the anniversary of Abdulla Garayev is carried out at home, she added.
The director said that the institute continues its international ties and informed about the research conducted by St. Petersburg scientists on the project "Development of non-invasive innovative approaches to early diagnosis of age-related and socially significant diseases."
Institute of Physiology, as well as other institutions of the Academy, organizes distance learning of the master's program, lectures, seminar materials and other additional materials on relevant subjects are posted on the website of the institution, as well.
She advised everyone to be disciplined and not to leave home: “In addition to regular household chores, I exercise for at least 30 minutes every day to ensure minimal physical activity. Self-isolation is today's demand, and I urge my compatriots to follow it”, she said.
