Nazarbayev University (NU), Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, and Nazarbayev Foundation recently held a meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov to discuss the state-of-the-art laboratories at NU and the latest scientific developments.
The research teams at NU laboratories are currently working on various projects, including artificial intelligence development, innovations in optoelectronics for green technologies, and advancements in diagnosing and treating complex diseases. Dos Sarbassov, the general director of the National Laboratory Astana (NLA), shared updates on his team’s work towards developing effective cancer treatments, which have shown promising results in initial studies.
Ainur Akilzhanova, the acting director of the Center for Life Sciences at NLA, discussed the creation of a “genetic profile” of Kazakh citizens to identify predispositions to diseases and contribute to public health protection and domestic medicine development. The focus is on studying the Kazakh reference genome to build a genomic database of variants unique to the population.
During the meeting, an accelerator for research on water purification and hydrogen generation, developed in collaboration with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States, was showcased to the Supreme Board of Trustees. Prime Minister Bektenov, who chairs the Board, outlined specific tasks for integrating science and production, as well as expanding access to scientific infrastructure for the Kazakh research community.
