New Horizons in Cardiology and Cardiologists Education

Galina Belostotskaya

Head of the Cytoanalysis Center
Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry
Russia

Biography

Galina Belostotskaya has graduated from Leningrad State University in 1970. Working at Konstantinov Leningrad Institute of Nuclear Physics, she defended her thesis focused on radiobiology. After that, she was offered permanent research position at Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry. Her early studies were dealing with the biology of parasitic protozoa Eimeria tenella in the primary cell culture. During the last 15 years, she is working in the field of resident cardiac stem cells. In 2015, Galina and co-workers published their original data on the phenomenon of intracellular development of cardiac stem cells. Since that time, several important findings have been done. In particular, it was demonstrated that intracellular stem cell development is present in different animal species ranging from lower vertebrates (Danio rerio) to humans. In addition, tissue-specific stem cells were found inside mature cells not only in the heart but also in the skeletal muscle, brain, and skin. This evidence strongly indicates that intracellular stem cell development is fundamental biological principle that has evolved early in the evolution of the vertebrata in order to maintain stem cell populations. The work of Dr. Belostotskaya was supported by the grants from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Program of Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences “Fundamental Sciences for Medicine” (2012-2014), by the State Assignment of FASO of Russia (“The mechanisms of development of neuropsychic, metabolic and hormonal dysfunctions in the nervous and endocrine diseases and the approaches for their correction”) and by Government of Russian Federation, Grant 074-U01.

Research Area

Her early studies were dealing with the biology of parasitic protozoa Eimeria tenella in the primary cell culture. During the last 15 years, she is working in the field of resident cardiac stem cells. In 2015, Galina and co-workers published their original data on the phenomenon of intracellular development of cardiac stem cells. Since that time, several important findings have been done. In particular, it was demonstrated that intracellular stem cell development is present in different animal species ranging from lower vertebrates (Danio rerio) to humans. In addition, tissue-specific stem cells were found inside mature cells not only in the heart but also in the skeletal muscle, brain, and skin. This evidence strongly indicates that intracellular stem cell development is fundamental biological principle that has evolved early in the evolution of the vertebrata in order to maintain stem cell populations.