Professor Miсhael UGRUMOV, MD, PhD
Biography
Professor M. Ugrumov is the head of the Laboratory of Neural and Neuroendocrine Regulations at the N. K. Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) (1977 up-to-present) and the Department of Molecular Neurobiology at the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the RAS (2025 up-to-present); President of the Russian Neurochemical Society under the Department of Physiological Sciences of the RAS (2024– up-to-present).
Ugrumov graduated from the Biomedical Faculty at the 2nd Moscow Medical University (1970) and was a postgraduate student at the Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Leningrad, 1970-73). Ugrumov received the academic degrees of Candidate of Medical Sciences (1974) and Doctor of Biological Sciences (1986); he was awarded the academic title of Professor in 1996, elected as a Corresponding Member of the RAS in 1997, and a full Academician of the RAS in 2006. He is also an elected full member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the French National Academy of Pharmacy.
Ugrumov also held the following positions: Head of the B. I. Lavrentiev Laboratory of Neurohistology at the P. K. Anokhin Institute of Normal Physiology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (Moscow); Professor in the Faculty of Psychology at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow); Research Group Leader and Professor at P. and M. Curie University ( Sorbonne, Paris, France); and the Director of the Center for Early Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases LLC (Kazan). In 2013, by decision of the Presidium of the RAS, Ugrumov was appointed Founding Director of the RAS Center for Brain Research; however, due to the "Law of Science" adopted the same year, the project was never implemented.
Ugrumov is the author of five monographs and over 250 articles published in reputable international scientific journals. Under his academic supervision, more than 40 Russian and European theses have been defended; he also holds numerous patents. For scientific achievements, Ugrumov has received a number of awards, including: a prize from the American Society for Experimental Biology, the L. A. Orbeli Prize of RAS, the I. M. Sechenov Gold Medal of RAS, the I. P. Pavlov and P. G. Kostyuk Gold Medals of the Union of Physiological Societies at the CIS countries, the V. I. Razumovsky medal of the Saratov State Medical Institute, the "300 Years of the Russian Academy of Sciences" medal, the "In Memory of Academician N. M. Emanuel" medal (established by the "Scientific Partnership" International Charitable Foundation, created by the RAS and Lomonosov Moscow State University), the Ivan Fedorov Medal (Russian Engineering Academy), and the Grand Prix from the Council on Book Publishing of the International Association of Academies of Sciences. For his contributions to organizing international scientific cooperation, Ugrumov was awarded the French National Order of Merit (*Ordre national du Mérite*) and the Russian Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland," 2nd class.
Ugrumov was a member of the editorial boards and advisory councils of a number of scientific journals, including Doklady Akademii Nauk (Reports of RAS), Neurochemistry, Cell Technologies in Biology and Medicine, Pathogenesis, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy, International Journal of Cell and Systems Developmental Biology, Acta Naturae, IKBFU Bulletin (Series: Biological, Chemical, and Medical Sciences), Viva Scientia, Problems of Endocrinology, and Economic Strategies. He was also a member of various international scientific programs and societies, such as the Network of European CNS Transplantation and Restoration (NECTAR), the Society for Neuroscience (USA), the European Society of Endocrinology, the European Neuroendocrine Association, the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
As a "Visiting Professor," Ugrumov led research groups and engaged in teaching at the following institutions: the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tokushima (Japan), SUNY Upstate Medical University (Syracuse, USA), Pierre and Marie Curie University (Sorbonne, Paris, France), the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ulm (Germany), François Rabelais University (Tours, France), and the University of Turin (Italy). As an "Honorary Professor," he lectured at the University and Neuroscience Center (New Orleans, USA), Rutgers University (Newark, USA), the National Institute of Neurology and Stroke (Bethesda, Maryland, USA), the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine (London, GB), Center for Brain Research (Paris, France), Murca Unversity (Murcia, Spain), Institute of Neurology of the University College (London, GB), at the University of Marseille (France), he University of Tokyo (Japan), the Institute for Neuroscience in Beijing (China), the University of Tsukuba (Japan), Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and others. He is an honorary academician of the Perm State Medical Institute.
Alongside his active research work, Ugrumov served for many years as an advisor to the president of RAS and to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (RF). In this capacity, he was responsible for organizing scientific cooperation among RAS institutes and academic institutes in other counties. He founded and headed the Department of Multilateral Scientific Cooperation at the Presidium of the RAS, was the deputy coordinator and chairman of the scientific council of the program of the Presidium of the RAS "Fundamental Sciences for Medicine", and held the position of vice-president of the I. P. Pavlov Russian Physiological Society. Furthermore, Ugrumov initiated several mega international projects, including: (i) a joint training program for young specialists (implemented in partnership with the French Ministry of Education and Science); (ii) a multilateral cooperation program (EraNetRuss) between Russia and leading scientific organizations in European Union member states; and (iii) (iii) Russian Biosafety Group under the International Federation of Academies of Sciences.
For many years, M. Ugrumov represented the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education and Science of the RF at significant international forums focused on science policy. These included summits of the Presidents of academies of sciences, meetings of ministers of education and science, annual meetings of heads of leading scientific organizations, the annual "Science and Technology in Society" forum (Kyoto, Japan), and the Permanent Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the European Union. M. Ugrumov was a member of the Executive Committee of the IAP (International Academic Panel), a member of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Oslo (Norway), a member of the Scientific and Technical Council under the Chairman of the Russian Federation, a permanent representative of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the European Association of Academies of Sciences, deputy chair of the Russian National Committee for the "Prix Galien" award (as well as Russia’s representative on the award’s international committee), a member of the Presidium of the Interregional Public Organization of Specialists in the Field of Cellular Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Permanent Representative of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) to the Russian-French Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, and Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Ministry of Education and Science of the RF for the program: "The Brain: Research and Modeling of the Structure, Functions, and Mechanisms of Cognitive Activity...".
Ugrumov has made significant contributions to:
(i) the study of the role of neuroendocrine regulation in the development of the brain and the organism as a whole during ontogeny—both in health and in pathology;
(ii) the investigation of the functioning and functional significance of non-monoaminergic neurons that partially express a monoaminergic phenotype;
(iii) the development of a technology for the early diagnosis and preventive treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, primarily Parkinson’s disease;
(iv) the creation of a concept for the adaptation and development of fundamental academic science in the post-Soviet space during the transition from a planned economy to a market economy;
(v) the organization of multilateral international scientific cooperation.
Thus, Professor M.V. Ugrumov is an outstanding scientist, specialist in physiology, neuroendocrinology, developmental biology and neurology. He focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of development of the hypothalamus, the central coordinating link of the neuroendocrine system, ensuring homeostasis and integrity of the developing organism. M. V. Ugrumov is the founder of the Russian scientific school of developmental neuroendocrinology, which has received international recognition.
The Bible — Old Testament:
“A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones”
Discoveries and developments
I. Neurophysiology and Neuroendocrinology
It has been discovered that:
1. During the perinatal period of ontogenesis, monoamines exert an irreversible morphogenetic influence on the differentiation of peptidergic and monoaminergic neurons in the brain, and, thus, on the development of the brain as a whole (Ugryumov, 1997).
2. Along with neurons that express key, functionally significant proteins of the dopaminergic phenotype—namely, enzymes for dopamine synthesis and the dopamine membrane transporter—the brain contains a much larger number of neurons that express the dopaminergic phenotype only partially: they may contain only one of the enzymes for dopamine synthesis, both of these enzymes, or exclusively the dopamine transporter (Ugrumov, 2024).
3. Non-dopaminergic neurons, expressing one of the complementary enzymes for dopamine synthesis—tyrosine hydroxylase or aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase—produce dopamine in cooperation (Ugrumov et al., 2014; Ugrumov, 2024).
4. In ontogenesis—prior to the closure of the blood-brain barrier, which is impermeable to morphogenetic factors of a peptidergic or monoaminergic nature—the developing brain secretes these substances into the general circulation, functioning as a giant, multipotent endocrine organ that governs the development of the entire organism, including both peripheral organs and the brain itself (Ugryumov, 2010).
II. Neurology — neurodegenerative diseases
1. It has been discovered that one of the most important mechanisms for compensating for dopamine deficiency due to the degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons is the synthesis of dopamine by non-dopaminergic neurons in the striatum (Kozina... Ugrumov, 2017).
2. A methodology has been developed for establishing an approach to the early (preclinical) diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, based on changes in the composition of biological fluids in patients at an early clinical stage (who have not received treatment), as well as in animal models of the disease at the preclinical and clinical stages (Kim … Ugrumov, 2019; Bogdanov … Ugrumov, 2021).
3. A methodology has been created for developing technology for early (preclinical) diagnosis of Parkinson's disease based on biomarkers - premotor symptoms and changes in the composition of biological fluids (Katunina .... Ugrumov, 2023; Blokhin ... Ugrumov, 2024).
4. An advanced technology for early (preclinical) diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, based on the use of a provocative test, has been developed and validated in preclinical studies (Khakimova … Ugrumov, 2014; Ugrumov, 2020).
III. New approaches to the organization of fundamental and applied research
at the Russian Academy of Sciences
1. A concept for the modernization and development of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) in the open market was developed, considering the RAS as a unique competitive, interdisciplinary scientific organization in Russia (Ugrumov, 2008, 2009).
2. Within the framework of the Russian Academy of Sciences Presidium program "Fundamental Sciences for Medicine," a megaproject involving 30 institutes was carried out, focusing on the study of neurodegenerative diseases— from the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis to the development of technologies for early diagnosis and preventive treatment (Ugrumov, 2014).
3. A Department for Multilateral International Cooperation has been founded under the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with the objective of reforming the Academy’s system of international cooperation and adapting it to the open market.
4. A funded multilateral international scientific cooperation program between Russia and European countries, "EraNetRuss," has been developed as an alternative to the European Union’s "Framework Programs", which had proven disadvantageous to Russia’s interests.
Cited publications
Угрюмов М.В. (2008) Модернизация Российской академии наук на основе исторической преемственности или «до основанья, а затем…»? Вестник Российской академии наук, 78, 7, 600–615.Угрюмов М.В. (2009а) Конкурентоспособность Российской академии наук в условиях открытого рынка. Вестник Российской академии наук, 79, 10, 909–921.
Угрюмов М.В. (2009б) Наука без средств – Россия без будущего. Политэкономика, 56–59.
Угрюмов М.В. (2014) Нейродегенеративные заболевания : от генома до целостного организма. Москва : Научный мир, 2014. – 2 т.
Blokhin V., Pavlova E.N., Katunina E.A., Nodel M.R., Kataeva G.V., Moskalets E.R., Pronina T.S., Ugrumov M.V. (2024) Dopamine ыynthesis in the тigrostriatal вopaminergic ыystem in зatients at кisk of вeveloping Parkinson's вisease at the зrodromal ыtage. J Clin Med.,13, 3,:875. doi: 10.3390/jcm13030875.
Bogdanov V., Kim A., Nodel M., Pavlenko T., Pavlova E., Blokhin V., Chesnokova N., Ugrumov M. (2021) A pilot study of changes in the level of catecholamines and the activity of α-2-macroglobulin in the tear fluid of patients with Parkinson’s disease and Parkinsonian mice Int. J. Mol. Sci., 22, 9, 4736. doi: 10.3390/ijms22094736.
Katunina E.A., Blokhin V., Nodel M.R., Pavlova E.N., Kalinkin A.L., Kucheryanu V.G., Alekperova L., Selikhova M.V., Martynov M.Y., Ugrumov M.V. (2023) Searching for biomarkers in the blood of patients at risk of developing Parkinson's disease at the prodromal stage. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 24, 3, 1842. doi: 10.3390/ijms24031842.
Khakimova G.R., Kozina E.A., Kucheryanu V.G., Ugrumov M.V. (2017) Reversible parmacological induction of motor symptoms in MPTP-treated mice at the presymptomatic stage of Parkinsonism: potential use for early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Mol/ Neurobiol., 54, 5, 3618-3632. doi: 10.1007/s12035-016-9936-9.
Kim A., Nigmatullina R., Zalyalova Z., Soshnikova N., Krasnov A., Vorobyeva N., Georgieva S., Kudrin V., Narkevich V., Ugrumov M. (2019) Upgraded methodology for the development of early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease based on searching blood markers in patients and experimental models. Mol. Neurobiol., 56, 5, 3437-3450. doi: 10.1007/s12035-018-1315-2.
Kozina E.A., Kim A.R., Kurina A.Y., Ugrumov M.V. (2017) Cooperative synthesis of dopamine by non-dopaminergic neurons as a compensatory mechanism in the striatum of mice with MPTP-induced Parkinsonism. Neurobiol. Dis., 98, 108-121. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.12.005.
Ugrumov M. V. (1997) Hypothalamic monoaminergic systems in ontogenesis: development and functional significance. Int. J. Developmental Biology., 41, 6, 809–816.
Ugrumov M. V. (2010) Developing brain as an endocrine organ: a paradoxical reality. Neurochem. Res., 35, 6, 837–850.
Ugrumov M. (2020) Development of early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease: Illusion or reality? CNS Neurosci. Ther., 26, 10, 997-1009. doi: 10.1111/cns.13429.
Ugrumov M.V. (2024) Hypothalamic neurons fully or partially expressing the dopaminergic phenotype: development, distribution, functioning and functional significance. A review. Front Neuroendocrinol., 75, 101153. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2024.101153.
Ugrumov M., Taxi J., Pronina T., Kurina A., Sorokin A., Sapronova A., Calas A.. (2014) Neurons expressing individual enzymes of dopamine synthesis in the mediobasal hypothalamus of adult rats: functional significance and topographic interrelations. Neuroscience, 277, 45-54. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.06.051.