На биологическом факультете идет заключительный этап Международной биологической универсиады.
| порядок | ID | Команда (фамилия капитана) | задача |
| 1 | 4219 | Биофак СПбГУ — Таранов Александр | Neuroparasitology |
| 2 | 3960 | Биофак МГУ — Янушкевич Сергей | Wild CAR-T |
| 3 | 4022 | ФББ МГУ — Азбукина Надежда | Humanitarian aid |
| 4 | 3972 | IFMB KFU — Декан Александр | Minimal ligands |
| 5 | 4134 | Биологические науки, Назарбаев Университет — Адылхан Арай | Humanitarian aid |
| 6 | 4052 | Biological Faculty SPSU — Данилов Лаврентий | Wild CAR-T |
| 7 | 4016 | MSU биофак, ФФМ, Universita di Padova — Цедилина Татьяна | Chromatin engineering |
| 8 | 3962 | Faculty of Biology MSU, FBB MSU — Чевокина Елизавета | Fiat Lux! |
| 9 | 4223 | Биофак МГУ, Биофак ВШЭ — Гараев Азат | Cells’ passport |
| 10 | 4056 | FBB MSU — Бусыгин Сергей | Safe and sound Cas9 |
| 11 | 4165 | Biological Faculty MSU — Филенко Павел | Fiat Lux! |
| 12 | 4093 | Pediatric Faculty BSMU — Капитонов Андрей | Wild CAR-T |
Cells’ passport
Suggest methods for determining the age of human cells (the number of divisions from the zygote) for all types of cells (somatic, stem and gametes). What are the advantages and limitations of these methods? What research fields these methods can be used for?
Сhromatin engineering
The exact position of a genome locus in a complicated nuclear architecture affects its expression, replication, and interaction with other DNA loci. Propose new methods for changing the locus position in a nucleus, as well specific degradation of contacts between the distant loci, without affecting the locus position in genome itself. How the methods you propose can be used for clinical purposes?
Fiat Lux! (task from BIOCAD)
Conceptualize the therapy to restore vision after a complete degradation of the retina photoreceptors in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. Describe the mechanism this therapy would act, and propose a series of experiments to confirm the effectiveness of the developed therapy.
Humanitarian aid
Prokaryotes have several antiviral defense systems, among which are unique ones: restriction-modification systems, toxin-antitoxin systems and CRISPR-Cas. Why do similar protective systems absent in eukaryotes? Which of these systems can be used to protect eukaryotic cells, including humans? Suggest a way to reinforce the anti-infection and anti-tumor immunity of a person with such a prokaryotic system.
Minimal ligands
For most known receptor proteins, the ligands that they recognize are organic compounds consisting of a large number of different atoms. However, there are some receptors that recognize individual ions, or binary molecules such as NO. What structural features and functions are characteristic of these receptors? Conceptualize the receptors capable of specifically recognizing the individual small inert molecules (for example, H2 or N2) or inert gas atoms.
Safe and sound CRISPR Cas9
Methods, allowing detecting genome editing events, often rely on DNA analysis of the dead transfected cells. However, sometimes it is vital to see those cells with the induced mutations following the transfection immediately. Propose various ways to visualize genome editing events in living cells.
Wild CAR-T (task from BIOCAD)
CAR T-cell immunotherapy is widely used in treating hematological malignancies. However, in case of solid tumors, this approach has several limitations. CAR T-cells have to resist immunosuppressive microenvironment of the tumor (cytokines with pro-oncogenic activity, ligands of immune checkpoints, etc.) in order to sufficiently infiltrate the tumor and attack the target cells.
Suggest:
1). a clinical strategy using CAR-T in combination with other drugs maximizing the effectiveness of immunotherapy for solid tumors, and
2). non-clinical research program (in vitro tests, ex vivo tests, experimental in vivo models) to confirm the effectiveness of the chosen approach.
Agents of any nature (chemical, biological, cellular, gene therapy, etc.) can be considered for a combined therapy with CAR-T. The proposed approach should take into account effectiveness, safety, simplicity, administration protocol.
Neuroparasitology
Control over host behavior is a widespread strategy among parasites (for example, cordyceps fungus, toxoplasma, some flatworms). However, the mechanisms of this phenomenon in many cases remain unknown. Suggest new experimental approaches to determine the exact mechanisms for controlling the behavior of the host by parasite. Demonstrate proposed approaches on specific examples of parasites.
