Alexander A. SPASOV

Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Full Professor

Honoured Scientist of the Russian Federation

Emeritus Professor of the Volgograd State Medical University

Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Bioinformatics of the Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia

Research interests

A.A. Spasov’s main research interests are the pharmacology and toxicology of natural bioactive substances and their synthetic derivatives, such as purines, pyrimidines, benzimidazoles, neuroactive amino acids, and minerals. A.A. Spasov is interested in the search, development, and pharmacological characterisation of medicines that act on serotonergic, purinergic, and opioidergic receptor systems and medicines that exhibit antioxidant properties for the management of cerebrovascular and haemorheological conditions. His interests include the search for and development of antidiabetogenic medicines and medicines to prevent the late complications of diabetes mellitus. He is also interested in diastolic dysfunction in late complications of diabetes mellitus and the cardioprotective effect of NHE-1 inhibitors. Additionally, A.A. Spasov’s interests include the development of medicinal products for blood rheology and haemostasis disturbances in various pathological processes. A.A. Spasov is interested in studying and developing medicinal products based on natural bischofite; he aims at gathering scientific evidence for the medical, hygienic, and sanitary use of bischofite products. He is interested in researching the general and specific toxicity of medicinal products, molecular engineering, and predicting the activity of medicinal products.

Key research accomplishments

Academician A.A. Spasov created a scientific pharmacology school in Russia. He invests much effort into the search for and development of novel medicinal products based on modified natural bioactive substances that exhibit psychotropic, cardiovascular, and metabolic effects.

He contributed to the creation and production of such medicinal products as Polycatan and Levocarnitine and such balneological products as Bischofite Brine, Crystalline Bischofite, and Bischofite Liniment. A.A. Spasov laid the ground for kappa-opioid analgesics with no abuse potential and developed a system to search for compounds with a dual effect, including kappa-opioid receptor activation and p38 MAPK inhibition. Research teams under his supervision completed preclinical studies of a novel cerebroprotectant with antioxidant properties and, as part of Russian federal targeted programmes, clinical trials of the kappa-agonist analgesic with no abuse potential RU-1205 and a histamine H2-receptor blocker.

A.A. Spasov created a targeted system to search for antithrombotic agents that inhibit key platelet receptors and signalling pathways. His research team carried out preclinical studies of RU-891 (dual-action antithrombotic agent), completed phase I clinical trials and obtained approval for phase II clinical trials of Angipur (IIb/IIIa receptor blocker), and conducted three phases of clinical trials of Diabenol (antidiabetic agent) and Ritmidazole (antiarrhythmic agent). His team developed Asparcam-L and introduced it into clinical practice.

A.A. Spasov contributed to the development of bioactive food supplements manufactured in the Russian Federation, including Biomillenium (in cooperation with Zdorovoye Otechestvo, OOO), Diabeta (in cooperation with SKS-Alyans, OOO), and Rhodascon and Kan Jang (in cooperation with Svenska Örtmedicinska Institutet AB, Gothenburg, Sweden).

A.A. Spasov was the academic supervisor for 18 doctoral theses and 92 candidate theses.

Publication activity

A.A. Spasov is an author and co-author of more than 1200 scientific works. He is the author of the scientific discovery Properties of bischofite to suppress the growth and reproduction of pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms. He is the author of 71 certificates of invention, 92 national and international patents, and 14 monographs.

Hirsch index: 31 (RISC), 23 (Scopus).

Awards

Russian Government Award in science and technology (2010)
Certificate of Merit from the President of the Russian Federation (2013).
Professor A.A. Likhachev Commemorative Medal (1999).
Order of Prigorov.

Membership of other editorial boards

Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Volgograd State Medical University, Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics.

Member of the Editorial Council of the Journals Bioethics and Microelements in Medicine.

Membership of organisations

A.A. Spasov holds memberships of the Volgograd State Medical University’s specialised councils, the Board of the Russian Scientific Society of Pharmacologists, and of the Scientific Council on Pharmacology and Pharmacy of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.