About us

Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology

 The history of IPBB

The Institute was created in accordance with the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan  №1140 from 16.11. 1993 «About measures for ensuring activity of the National center for biotechnology of the Republic of Kazakhstan» in performance of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan №1090 from 21.01.1993 «About measures for improvement of the organization of science and development of scientific and technical capacity of the Republic». The Institute was found as a result of partitioning of the Institute of Botany, Kazakh Academy of Science. In 2006 and 2010 the IPBB is further reorganized as a governmental research organization that operates under the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science. During the development of the Institute five new biotechnological laboratories were organized. Institute was part of the National Center for Biotechnology of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

From 1993 to 2006 the organization was headed by Academician of NAS RK, Dr. Biol. Sci., Professor Izbasar Rakhimbayev. Since 2006 the Director General of IPBB is Corresponding Member of NAS RK, Dr. Biol. Sci., Professor Kabl Zhambakin.

Structure

The staff of IPBB is consists from 103 employees, from them scientific workers – 65, including doctors of sciences – 7 (2 Member and 1 Corresponding Member of NAS RK), candidates of sciences – 9, PhD – 8.

The structure of the Institute consists of 7 laboratories:

  • Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding
  • Laboratory of Cell Engineering
  • Laboratory of Germplasm Cryopreservation
  • Laboratory of Molecular Biology
  • Laboratory of Molecular Genetics
  • Laboratory of Breeding and Biotechnology
  • Laboratory of Physiology and Biochemistry

The main activities

— Fundamental and applied research, design, development work in the field of Plant Biology and Biotechnology;
— Creation of new highly stress-resistant and forms and varieties of food, fodder, medicinal, decorative and industrial plants based on a combination of traditional methods and biotechnology;

— The organization and creation of high-tech industries in the field of plant biotechnology, seed crop varieties;
— Development of biotechnology to produce biologically active substances for agriculture , environmental protection , food industry;
— Development of biotechnology to protect and restore the environment.

The major achievements

Effective biotechnologies have been developed in the areas of:

  • Agricultural Biotechnology – for acceleration and facilitation of breeding process on creation of the improved crop cultivars (microclonal propagation; haploid biotechnology; cell selection; technology based on protein, isozyme and DNA markers; embryo culture; marker-assisted selection, genetic engineering);
  • Preservations of Plant Genetic Resources at ultra-low temperature (-1960C) on the basis of cryopreservation methods;
  • Phytoremediation of the soils polluted by heavy metals and pesticides;
  • Medical Biotechnology (compounding of new specialized products intended for protective treatment of diabetes;
  • Biological Safety (test systems for diagnostics of plant viral diseases, for GMO detection).
  • More than 50 cultivars of agricultural crops have been developed (together with agricultural institutions and independent): wheat (42), rice (4), barley (4), soybean (1).

14 cultivars were released.

  • More than 92 patents for inventions and copyright certificates have been received.
  • Researches on 23 international grants have been conducted.
  • Defense of Dissertation: 16 doctors, 30 candidates, 7 PhD.

Innovation

Projects receiving grants and participated in competitions MES and the World Bank, JSC «National Agency for Technological Development » on technology commercialization :
«Technology and services for clonal propagation of commercial varieties of ornamental plants»;
«The production of virus-free rootstock material super-elite commercial varieties of apple»;
» Medicinal plant -based drinks dietary supplements antidiabetic action»;
«Technology and services for the diagnosis of viral infections of apple and grapes»;
«Getting high-performance bio-stimulants and plant protection products with nanomolar activity for biotechnology and agriculture on the basis of innovation and achievement in the field of cell biology»;
«Getting high- forms Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin — domestic producer of rubber»;
«The introduction of biotechnology production of virus-free sweet potato — not new traditional crop in Kazakhstan»;
» Biotechnology is a syrup from sweet sorghum for use in food production»;
«The organization of primary seed of commercial glutinous rice varieties for infant and dietetic foods».

     Institute of plant biology and biotechnology is the winner of Competitions for grant financing of projects for the commercialization of scientific and scientific and (or) technical activity results (2017, 2018) and is the main executor and collaborator of 3 projects: 1) Production of superelite saplings of fruit and nut bearing crops by biotechnology methods (Laboratory of Germplasm Cryopreservation); 2) The organization of production and sale of elite landing material of Asiatic poplar and hybrid poplars of the Kazakhstan selection on the basis of use of biotechnological methods of сlonal micropropagation and agrotechnical methods of cultivation with the integrated protection system against wreckers and diseases (Collaborator, Laboratory of Germplasm Cryopreservation); 3) Services and products for the diagnosis of apple and grape pathogens, genetically modified crops detection and the production of  pathogen-free fruit and berry crops  (Laboratory of Molecular Biology).