One of the remarkable event for Azerbaijan Democratic Republic that recently celebrated its 100th anniversary was the establishment of Baku State University on October 10, 1919. This education center which had only two faculties- history-philology and medicine, triggered the development of health in our country.
Historical development of the department of “Medical biology and genetics” can be divided into two stages: first stage covers 1926-1930 years, in which special biology courses were organized due to the establishment of faculty of medicine in Baku State University and 1930-1964 years, in which independent department of biology was opened due to the establisment of Azerbaijan State Medical Institute. This stage lasted approximately 40 years. The second stage covers the years starting from 1964 till today, during which teaching system and scientific research have been started to become more modern.
First stage
Since 1926 special biology courses had been started to be taught at the faculty of Medicine of Baku State University. In 1930 due to the establishment of Azerbaijan State Medical Institute independent department of Biology was organized. The head of that new department was Fatulla Rzabeyli Aziz, active organizer of Baku State University. Rzabeyli F.A. (1885-1964) was born in 1885, graduated from the University of Novorosiya in Odessa and worked at the same university until 1913. With the help of colleagues he created scientific research laboratory, student’s science union, and obtained biological slides and posters for the department. In a short period Rzabeyli F.A. showed the importance of parasitology in medical biology and suggested improvements in teaching this field.
During 1933-1944 years professor Yelpatevski V.S. and 1944-1946 years Shakhtakhtinskaya Z.M. led the department. During this short period of time she worked to improve scientific and pedagogical potential of the department by following Rzabeyli F.A’s rules.
Rzabeyli F.A. was again appointed as the head of the department in 1946. Although in the early times department staff investigated dynamics of physical development of school age children and examination problems of Baku schools infected by helminthosis, afterwards phytoncide effects of plants growing in Azerbaijan started to be researched as well.
The name of the department was changed several times according to the content of the education program. Currently, the department is named as “Medical biology and genetics” because biological problems (biological basis of parasitology, molecular biology, medical genetics, chromosomal and molecular diseases of human) which play main role in theoretical preparation of physicians are being educated.
Second stage
Since 1964 member of Azerbaijan SU Academy of Sciences (current ANAS), honored scientist, professor Damir Hajiyev Vahid (1929-1999) started to lead the department of “Medical biology and genetics”. During his leadership there were important changes in teaching and scientific research program of the department. Thus, under supervision of Hajiyev D.V. the members of the department paleontologically investigated fauna of the republic, established museum of zoology that had a great impact on the quality of education and scientific research.
Since this period department staff mainly investigated development patterns, embryonic and postembryonic development features of skeleton of mammals living in Azerbaijan. The list of mammal species lived during pliocene and holocene periods in our country was made, as a result, several evolutionary features of living things were clarified.
Damir Hajiyev Vahid was born in January 29, 1929, graduated from faculty of Pediatrics of Azerbaijan State Medical Institute in 1952. After graduation he lived in Crimea for 2 years and returned to Azerbaijan in 1954. Then he hired as a junior researcher in Natural History Museum of ANAS. In 1961 he defended his PhD dissertation and because his topic had highly been appreciated by High Attestation Commission for its scientific practical importance he was directly rewarded with scientific degree of doctor of biological sciences. Prof. Hajiyev D.V. was selected as a head of the department of biology in 1964 and worked in this position until 1999. He devoted half of his life – 35 years, to restoration of department, improvement of scientific research and teaching. During 1965-1978 years prof. Hajiyev D.V. also worked as vice-rector for educational issues and for academic affairs. In addition, Hajiyev D.V. established paleobiology section in Geology Institute of AS and led it until the end of his life. He devoted his research to evolution of organic environment, paleontology, stratigraphy, differential patology, archaeozoology and other problems. Hajiyev D.V. established scientific fields like paleontology of vertebrate animals, paleoteriology, paleoantropology.
In June, 1968 during archaeological excavation in IV horizon of V layer of Azykh cave under supervision of prof. Mammadali Huseynov Paleolithic archaeological expedition found several stony things as well as jaw bone of archaic human. Prof. Hajiyev D.V. carried out scientific research works on archaic human jaw bone belonging to Ashel culture. Researchers revealed that jaw bone of Azykhantrop was similar to arkhanthropus, synanthropus and Heidelberg human for its physical structure. It resembles Neanderthals for its several development features, however it differs for its smaller sized teeth from known arkhanthropus and paleoanthropus. Prof. Hajiyev D.V. determined that jaw found from multilayer Azykh paleolithic cave belonged to 18-22 aged archaic woman who lived 350-400 thousand years ago in this area.
Prof. Hajiyev D.V.’s scientific research works succeeded in all fields. He was head of Evolution Morphology laboratory of ANAS and assisstant secretary in biology section. He was an author of more than 100 scientific works, more than 10 monographs and several study books.
Prof. Hajiyev D.V. wrote and explained with great enthusiasm to scientists of neighbour countries and professors and teachers of different institutes about his archaelogical, paleontological researches, historical and ethnographic investigations. He had contact with Burchak-Abramovich from Tbilisi, Bogayavlinski Y.K. from Moscow, Vereshagin N.K. from Leningrad, and with the researchers from Riga and other cities.
Formation of science fields like molecular biology, medical genetics, cosmic biology and bionics during Hajiyev D.V.’s leadership was a new stage in scientific development of biology department.
On the other hand, teaching hours and staff content of the department were completely changed due to the increase in the number of students in early 70s.
Since 1972 because the department was changed for its location Hajiyev D.V. and his staff faced with new responsibilities. Department staff provided lecture halls, teaching rooms and research laboratories with necessary equipment in a short period.
For a long time students studying in Azerbaijan section could not find books written in their mother tongue. “Practical book on general biology” was published by associate professor Kamal Safarov for the first time in 1967. This book played an essential role in acquiring knowledge for the students of Azerbaijan section. In 1964 a new museum was established by the staff of the department which contained samples reflecting flora and fauna of Azerbaijan, especially skeleton of mammals.
Prof. Hajiyev D.V. contacted with zoos and circuses of different cities, in the case of endangered animal death, he financially supported and sent his staff to these cities to bring them to the department. Because of that currently skeletons of Indian elephant, African ostrich, giraffe that was brought from Rostov zoo, scarecrows of guanaco lama, red deer, Caspian tiger (a gift by Rafig Asgerov, professor of Anatomy department, to Hajiyev D.V.) decorate vitrines and corridors of the department.
Prof. Hajiyev D.V. collaborated with the universities of older SU (current CIS) in order to improve scientific pedagogical skills of department staff; thus during his leadership every member of the department several times participated in qualification courses in Moscow, Saint Peterburg, Minsk and Kiev.
In a short period of time, department staff published books “Biological basis of parasitism” (Hajiyev D.V., Aliyev R.A., Aliyev S.D. 1989), “Biology” (Hajiyev D.V., Aliyev R.A., Aliyev S.D. 1991), “Human ecology and atmosphere pollution” (Hajiyev D.V., Hidayatov Y.X., 1994), “Molecular aspects of cell biology” (Hajiyev D.V., Hidayatov Y.X., 1996), “Chromosomal and molecular diseases of human” (Hajiyev D.V., Hidayatov Y.X., 1997), “Practical lessons on medical biology” (Hajiyev D.V., Hidayatov Y.X., 1998), “Medical biology” (Hajiyev D.V., Aliyev R.A., Aliyev S.D. 2005).
More than 500 articles reflecting results of scientific research carried out in the department of “Medical biology and genetics” were published in scientific journals of SU and Azerbaijan, conference materials.
In 1999, after death of Hajiyev D.V., Mehraliyev Akbar Askar started to lead the department. Prof Mehraliyev A.A. made some changes in curriculum of the department, and added seminars and lectures about “biological and molecular basis of parasitology” to the education program.
In March 2000, prof. Mammad Salmanov Ahad was selected as the head of the department. In November, 2001 as prof. Salmanov M.A. changed his job (director of Microbiology Institute of ANAS), prof. Mehraliyev A.A. was again appointed as a head of the department and the head of the education sector was Karimov V.M. Department staff together with the head of the department were able to publish new books in order to improve teaching quality.
In 2004-2005 years the University and Ministry of Health repaired and provided the department with useful equipment and these had a positive effect on teaching process.
In February 2006, after the death of Mehraliyev A.A., the department was temporarily led by the head of the education sector. At the beginning of the second semester, since March 14, 2006, Sabir Aliyev Dardail was appointed by the rector to head the department. During this time Aliyev S.D. was able to create disciplined team and to increase the number of museum exhibits. In addition, he made a corner for Azykh and Taglar caves and wrote new books.
From 2007 till 2017 prof. Najafov J.A. was selected as the head of the department. From the beginning of 2018 prof. Najafov J.A. changed his job and the department was temporarily led by the head of the education sector Ansarova A.H. In July 4, 2018 assoc. prof. Karimov V.M. was assigned to the head of the department. In October 4, 2018 assoc. prof. Leyla Suleymanova Maharram was appointed as the head of education sector.
Currently, there are 27 staff members of the department.
Thus, when looking at the development of the Department of Medical Biology and Genetics of Azerbaijan Medical University, the following are noteworthy:
Biology courses taught in faculties was improved up to the level of “Medical biology and genetics” department.
From the examinations of students of Baku schools and the study of the dynamics of physical development, new promising areas of science such as molecular biology, medical genetics, cosmic biology and bionics have emerged.
In addition to enhancing the scientific and pedagogical opportunities of the teaching staff, young professionals who studied abroad are involved in the department.
Research works about human genetics and chromosomal diseases carried out in republic and abroad are successfully continued.
Biologist – anthropologist and biologist- paleontologists’ scientific research, stratigraphy and geology works are lifelong help for our science historians.
