Academy of Medical Sciences of Georgia
News
In memory of academician Gulnara Chafidze
Another tragic page was written in the recent history of the medical society of Georgia. On May 20, 2024, academician Gulnara Chafidze, who was the general director of the emergency cardiology center bearing his name, died.
Gulnara Chafidze was born on November 4,1930 in the city of Tbilisi. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Tbilisi State Medical Institute, and in the following years 1956-1957 he worked as a doctor at Borjomi Likani Sanatorium, and in 1958-1961 he studied at the post-graduate course of the Moscow Medical Institute. After graduating from the latter, Gulnara Chafidze started working at the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Therapy of Georgia, where she first worked as a junior scientist, then as a senior scientist. In 1975-1994, she became the head of the heart infarct department. Later, she established an emergency cardiology center there, which in 1997 and was the general director of it from its inception until his death. Gulnara Chafidze defended her candidate's thesis in 1962, and her doctoral thesis in 1976. She was awarded the title of professor and was elected president of the Georgian Academy of Medical - Social Sciences, as well as a member of the Georgian Academy of Medical = Biological Sciences. Under the guidance of Gulnara Chafidze, 3.0 doctoral theses and 8.0 candidate's theses are protected. He is the author of 4.0 monographs and up to 300 scientific works, which, in addition to Georgia, have been published on the medical profile in scientific and practical journals of the USA, Germany, Russia, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and other countries. Gulnara Chafidze was a participant in many international scientific congresses, conferences and symposiums, which she herself organized in many cases. Gulnara Chafidze was at one time the personal physician of the President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze, as well as the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II. He was and performed these duties meticulously at a high professional level.
Gulnara Chafidze was awarded many government awards and honorary titles at different times: Namely: Order of the Badge of Honor (1981), State Prize of Georgia (1981, 2004), Order of Merit (1988, 1998), State Prize of the USSR (1989), Gold Medal of the International Biographies Center of Cambridge University Medal (1997), Medal of Honor for Special Service to Georgian Medicine (2001) "Business Woman" title, which was established by the USA Center of International Biographies and awarded to 2000 successful working women (2004), the highest award of the Church of Georgia "Golden Order of St. George" " (2011), an honorary diploma for the establishment of the emergency cardiology center and the greatest contribution to cardiac surgery (2011), the Presidential Order of Excellence (2012), the title of "Doctor of the Century" established by the League of Transcaucasian Doctors and the corresponding certificate (2016) of the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases of Georgia and Rehabilitation Association Special Award (2016), the title of Honorary Professor of the Institute of Critical Care Medicine of Georgia (2016), the title of Honorary Citizen of Tbilisi (2017) and many others.
The name of Gulnara Chafidze will remain forever in the history of modern medicine in Georgia and will be handed down to grateful posterity as a clear example of selfless service to the country of a person with the highest professional leve.
Academy of Medical Sciences of Georgia
Avtandil Jorbenadze
The country of Georgia and the Georgian Health Protection Service experienced an extremely large and irreparable loss: on May 17, 2024, Avtandil Jorbenadze, the former head of the Government of Georgia and the former Minister of Health Protection of Georgia, died. Avtandil Jorbenadze was born on October 6, 1951 in the city of Lanchkhuti. He graduated from Tbilisi State Medical Institute Faculty of Medicine in 1974 and in 1974-1977 worked as an intern at the First Clinical Hospital of Tbilisi. In 1975-1986, he worked as a doctor-therapist in the same hospital, and in 1986-1992, he worked as a radiologist. In the following years, 1986-1992, he worked as the deputy head of the Health Protection Division of the Council of People's Deputies of Tbilisi, and in 1992-1995 - as the Deputy Minister of Health Protection and Social Security of Georgia. From 1995 to 2001, he was the Minister of Health Protection and Social Security of Georgia, and in 2001-2003 Head of the Government of Georgia in the capacity of State Minister, From 2011 to the present day, he was the chairman of the supervisory board of the emergency cardiology center of academician G. Chafidze. He is the author of scientific works, including monographs and inventions. Avtandil Jorbenadze was characterized by extremely high intelligence and great hard work, which was fully revealed during the ongoing military operations in Georgia, during which he directly led the process of medical services for Georgian soldiers at the risk of his own life, under whose leadership the losses among Georgian soldiers participating in combat operations were much less than those of the opponents.With the same enviable enthusiasm, he led the process of reorganization of the Georgian Health Care Service, as a result of which it was possible to solve the mentioned problem in an extremely short time with minimal losses. The world's first attempt to transform the economic system into a law-based health care service. Avtandil Jorbenadze's work as the head of state was also extremely fruitful, when it was possible to maintain the country's independence during the most difficult conditions necessary for the realization of this act. Avtandil Jorbenadze;s work also very fruitful. as the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Emergency Cardiology Center named after Academician G. Chafidze, during which he and his colleagues took the activity of this institution to the rank of a leading organization with international recognition. Due to such fruitful work, Avtandil Jorbenadze was awarded the Vakhtang Gorgasali Order by the Government of Georgia in 1994, and the Medal of Honor in 2001.
Avtandil Jorbenadze,s name will remain forever in the recent history of Georgia,including in the history of the affairs of the Health Protection Service of Georgia.
Academy of Medical Sciences of Georgia
Academician Ramaz Khetsuriani
The Georgian Academy of Medical Sciences, which is a national member of the World Interacademic Partnership Organization under the United Nations Development Department from Georgia (https://www.interacademies.org/network/member-academie,) cordially congratulates Academician Ramaz Khetsuriani on his 75th birthday. Ramaz Khetsuriani has made a great contribution to the development of the health care service of Georgia, including the progress of the State National Academy of Sciences, one of the heads of which he is currently the academician/secretary of the Department of Physiology and Medicine. Ramaz Khetsuriani also worked extremely hard in the development of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Georgia, of which he was one of the founders at the time. Later, he was elected as the president of this academy, which duty he fulfilled for years with great diligence and sense of responsibility, and currently he is the honorary president of the same academy. Ramaz Khetsuriani has been working with great enthusiasm for a long time as the head of the Department of Normal Anatomy of Tbilisi State Medical University and has established it as one of the most advanced medical structures in the country. He also worked as the rector of the same university for many years, whose graduates are still successfully working in leading clinics and scientific laboratories in Georgia and abroad, to which their rector made an invaluable contribution. In addition, Ramaz Khetsuriani is the author of many scientific works, most of which are scientific innovations and universal. It is a subject of recognition in the medical world. For many years, Ramaz Khetsuriani has been actively participating in the work of various international scientific and educational societies, some of which were created by his direct initiative. In addition, Ramaz Khetsuriani has been awarded with the highest governmental awards of Georgia and various countries and has been awarded extremely high-level honorary titles. Members of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Georgia sincerely wish academician Ramaz Khetsuriani a long life and believe that he should continue his creative activities for the benefit of the people.
Ramaz Khetsuriani - brief reference of professional biograph
Personal information
Date and place of birth:
May 14, 1949, Tsageri, Georgia.
Education
1956-1966 - 31st school of Kutaisi. Graduated from school with a gold medal 1967-1973-graduated from Tbilisi State Medical Institute with a red diploma 1973-1976-studied post-graduate studies at the Department of Anatomy of the same institute Work activities:
1973-1976-graduate student of the Department of Normal Anatomy of Tbilisi State Medical Institute, 1978-1985_Tbilisi according to Assistant of the Department of Normal Anatomy of the Medical Institute 1985-1990_Tbilisi Docent of the Department of Normal Anatomy of the Medical Institute 1990 - Tbilisi City Hall Professor of the Department of Normal Anatomy of the Medical Institute 1996 - Tbilisi State University. Head of the Department of Normal Anatomy of the Medical University 1991-1992_Tbilisi Vice-rector of the Medical Institute in the field of internship and clinical work 1992-2005_Tbilisi Rector of the Medical University 2006 Tbilisi Full Professor of the Medical University, Head of the Department of Normal Anatomy Scientific degree:
Doctor of Medical Sciences Scientific rank ~ Professor Scientific works:
Scientific works:
more then 300,0, of which 51 in the last 10 years, including 9 textbooks, 6 monographs, he is also the author of one patent and 3 dissertations were defended under his guidance.
Membership of the Dissertation Board:
Chairman of the Morphological Dissertation Board in scientific academies and scientific councils: 1. International Academy of Higher Education (1995)
2. USA "International Academy of Science, Industry and Education" 1996 3. Member of the Albert Schweitzer World Medical Academy
4. Member of the Polish State Medical Academy
5. UNESCO Member of the Medical and Biological Academy
6. Georgian Medicine. President of the Academy of Sciences since 2021.
Main scientific directions and important scientific researches:
1. Morpho-functional features of placental blood vessels in different stages of pregnancy and in the prenatal period. 2. For the first time, the relationship of the vascular age characteristics of the placenta with the characteristics of the cardiovascular system of the mother's body was determined.
3. Physiological and morphological bases of the important theoretical fundamental concept of "regulation of fetal oxygen supply" were explained. 4. It was established for the first time that the corresponding mechanisms of the fetal heartbeat 5. The morphological mechanism of the blood supply regulation lies in the peculiarity of the structure of the fetal umbilical cord. 6. On the basis of important anthropological studies, the author and his students studied the dynamics of the acceleration of Georgian newborns, which is of great importance for the correction of the country's demographic situation.
Participation in international research:
The way to prolong life and improve the quality of life based on the Caucasian longevity phenomenon and the experience of Georgian traditional medicine ASTC project #6 895 2003-2007
International congresses and conferences:
1. A Critical Appraisal of Medical Education. Linkoping, Sweden 29 August 1 September 1999 2. Horizon Scanning in Medical Ed. 2020 vision. Beersheva, Israel 27-30 August 2000
3. Medical Education and Standards at a Time of Change. Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany, 2-5 September 2001 4. Approaches to better Teaching. University of Lisbon, Portugal 29 August 1 September 2002 5. Relevance in Medical Education. University of Bern, Switzerland 31 August 3 September 2003 6. Linking health promoting programs with public policies Editorship of book, collection, magazine, member of the editorial board: 1. Collection of Scientific Works of Tbilisi State Medical University, 1993
2. Uzro Karabadini Volume I, Tbilisi 1997
3. Georgian Medical News 1997
4. Georgian Medical News, 1995 Invitations to higher education institutions abroad: Osaka University, Japan 1994 Ankara University, Turkey 1995, 1997 Istanbul University, Turkey 1996 Tokyo Medical University, Japan 1996 USA Atlanta University 1995 USA Missouri University 1997, 2003 Cambridge University 1998 Paris
5 University 2000 Paris Humboldt University 2002 France Toulouse University 2000
6.France Reims University 1998
7.ouvain University, Belgium 2002
Membership of professional associations, society among them International Association of Universities - Member of the governing board of Europe Medical Education Association - one of the founders (established in 1999) International Education Association - member
Presidium member of the World Naturalist Society Member of the Society of Anatomists, Histologists and Embryologists of Georgia Expert of the National Academy of Georgia
Government and international awards:
1. Georgian Order of Merit
2. Sakhtvelo State Prize for the textbook "Normal Anatomy" 1996
3. International Order of Merit 1999
4. Albert Schweitzer Gold Cross 1997
5. Cambridge Order of Merit 1997
6. Albert Schweitzer Grand Gold Medal (Awarded the rank of Commando) 1999
7. World Biographical Society "Great Gold Medal of a Distinguished Person" 2000 8. Cambridge Medal "Chosen 5000"
Honours:
1. Honorary Citizen of the Champagne-Ardenne Region of France, 2000
2. World Biographical Society Co-director from Europe (since 1999)
3. Cambridge World Biographical Society expert on "Management and management of higher education".
Nodar Gogebashvili
The Academician Nodar Gogebashvili’s passing on February 21, 2024 is a tremendous loss to the
Georgian medical community. Dr. Gogebashvili was one of the founders and the Vice President of
the Academy of Medical Sciences of Georgia. Dr. Gogebashvili’s medical area of focus was
immunology. During his career he has written about 500 scientific works, which have been published
in internationally recognized scientific journals and collections.
Nodar Gogebashvili actively participated in various international conferences, including those in
Georgia, Russia, France, Italy, Germany, and other countries. The development and organization of
many of these events were led by Dr. Gogebashvili. He also had a long tenure as the director of the
scientific-research institute of physiatry and pulmonology under the Ministry of Health of Georgia.
He was also the head of the scientific programs of the Institute of Critical Medicine of Georgia and
the chairman of the thesis board. In addition, Nodar Gogebashvili founded the Scientific Society of
Immunologists of Georgia, of which he was the first president for many years. Under his leadership,
157 scientific dissertations were successfully defended for obtaining the degree of candidate of
medical sciences and the Doctor of Medical Sciences. In addition, Nodar Gogebashvili raised
generations of young Georgian immunologists, whose representatives are successfully working in
leading scientific centers and clinics of Georgia and other countries today. Academician Nodar
Gogebashvili was a humble and noble person. He was known for being a devoted and loving friend,
husband, father, and a grandfather. Academician Nodar Gogebashvili's name will forever remain in
the memory of the medical community of Georgia and other countries, and his work will become an
example for the next generations of young doctors as the best example of selfless and impeccable
work.
Nodar Gogebashvili was born in Tbilisi on August 2, 1930. He completed his secondary education
with highest honors in 1948 and graduated from Tbilisi State Medical Institute in 1954. Per decision
of the Medical Institute Scientific Board, he began his post graduate study at the faculty of
Microbiology immediately following the graduation. From 1962 to 1996 he worked at the Georgian
Scientific Research Institute of Tuberculosis, where he advanced professionally, holding several
different positions, including Head of the Laboratory Department, Senior Scientist of the Clinical and
Immunological Department, and Director of Georgian Scientific Research Institute of Tuberculosis.
In 1995, Dr. Gogebashvili was elected as Chair of the Department of Immunology and Allergology
of Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy. After the reorganization of the Institute in 2005, he served as
a Professor at the Microbiology Department. In 1961, he defended his Candidate dissertation and in
1970, completed his Ph.D. dissertation titled “Histochemical and Immunological Factors during
Tuberculosis,” which was recognized as the best dissertation of the year and was also published as a
monograph. In the initial stage of his career, Dr. Gogebashvili studied and determined peculiarities of
bacteriophage during radial disease. Later on, he began wide-scale research in the area of the
immunology of tuberculosis. He was the first among scientists to characterize the cell structure
containing tuberculosis antigens and the dynamics of their distribution, as well as the cell origins of
antibody formation and cell transformations that took place not only in lymph tissues, but in lung
tissues as well. This research led to the development of the hypothesis on lungs being an
immunocompetent organ. Dr. Gogebashvili’s targeted and innovative research set apart various
phases of tuberculosis infections along with clearly defining their immunological and immune-
morphological changes, which significantly contributed to the immunology of tuberculosis. Among
Dr. Gogebashvili’s research, his work on the peculiarities of autoimmune processes in relation to
type 1 collagen during tuberculosis psoriasis, periodontitis, and other pathologies is of significant
importance. His works discuss current topics of practical and theoretical relevance in immunology
and infectious diseases and are published in different parts of the world. They are also often
referenced in a number of articles, monographs, and textbooks of Georgian and international
scientists and are cited as literature sources by other prominent researchers and scientists. Most
recently, Lambert Academic Publishing (LAP), academic book publishing company in Germany,
published Dr. Gogebashvili’s monography titled “Pathogenesis of Periodontitis: Molecular,
Subcellular, and Cellular Aspects”. This monography is based on the data analysis of research
illustrated in the dissertations of Dr. Nino Gogebashvili and Dr. Lali Jashi under. Dr. Gogebashvili’s
mentorship as well as various respective literature dated from 1965 to 2016. The monography reflects
data in periodontology about molecular, subcellular, and cellular mechanisms of immune reactions at
the time of inflammation. It illustrates a detailed discussion of various immune reactions, such as
phagocytosis, lysozyme, saliva bactericide, cytokines, interleukins, formation of antibodies, and cell
reactions. The monography discusses the role of collagen. More precisely, it addresses the
mechanisms of the autoimmune process formed as a result of type I collagen during periodontitis and
corrective measures. The work analyses data on cell metabolism affected by endogenous redox
system. It also talks about the role of reactive species (oxygen, nitrogen, and lipids) in redox
homeostasis and antioxidant gene transcription, which control the immune response, proliferation,
differentiation, and bioactive molecular activity (antioxidants, immuno-active peptides, NO-synthase,
etc) and determine physiological and pathological condition as a whole and in particular in oral
cavity (recurrent ulcers, cancers in oral cavity, leukoplakia, and periodontitis). The publishing
company appreciated an opportunity for a productive collaboration and published the book on April
10, 2016. It is included in the German national library catalog (https://portal.dnb.de) and is also
available in other parts of the world. Dr. Gogebashvili has organized and taken part in many
international conferences. In 1991 at a congress meeting in Budapest, per request of the Presidium of
International Association of Psychiatrists and Pulmonologists, he presented a lecture on the
significance of pathogenic, diagnostic, and prognostic changes in the immune system and respective
immunotherapy during specific and nonspecific lung diseases. In 1995, Dr. Gogebashvili received a
certificate from the International Olympic Committee for the lectures delivered to sports medicine
staff. In 1993, together with other prominent scientists, Dr. Gogebashvili took part in the
development of an international program promoting efforts against tuberculosis. In 1994, he led the
same effort in Georgia and developed a program against Tuberculosis. Dr. Gogebashvili is a founder
of immunological research in Georgia. He has dedicated over 55 years to the medical academia and
civil activity. He has educated several generations of immunologists and advised 157 Candidate and
Ph.D. dissertations. Dr. Gogebashvili is an author of 347 scientific works and 4 monographs. In
1983, he was elected as a member to the Scientific Board of Immunology of the USSR Medical
Academy Council. In 1984, Dr. Gogebashvili founded a Georgian Society of Immunologists and was
soon after elected as its President. From 1997 to 2006, Dr. Gogebashvili served as a Chair of the
Association of Allergologists and Clinical Immunologists. In 2006, he became the President
Emeritus of this association. In 1994, Dr. Gogebashvili was elected as an Academician of the
Academy of Medical Sciences of Georgia. He simultaneously served as a member of the Academy
Council and the Head of the Department of Theoretical Sciences. In 1994 and 1995, Dr.
Gogebashvili was elected as the Academician of the Academy of Medical Biology and the Academy
of Ecological Sciences, respectively. In 1998, Dr. Gogebashvili was elected as the member of the
International Association of Immunorehabilitologists. In 1991, for the outstanding success achieved
in his scientific, social, and academic career, Dr. Gogebashvili was awarded the title of Designated
Emeritus Research Fellow. For his active participation in enforcing peace, Dr. Gogebashvili was
awarded the Golden Medal of Soviet Peace Fund in 1989. In 1994, Dr. Gogebashvili was awarded
the Zaza Phanaskerteli Medal of the Association of Georgian Medical and Scientific Societies. In
1999, Dr. Gogebashvili was awarded with the Insignia of Honor. In 2021, he was elected as the Vice-
president of the Georgian Academy of Medical Sciences.
