Amjad Muhammad Nawaz, PhD, is a researcher at the School of Advanced Engineering Studies Agrobiotech of Tomsk State University. In his article, "Bioinformatics in Russia: History and Present-Day Landscape," he analyzes the development and describes the peculiarities of bioinformatics in Russia. This article was published in Briefings in Bioinformatics, one of the most prestigious publications in the field, by Oxford Academic (Q1).
Amjad Nawaz highlights in his paper that one of the key characteristics of bioinformatics in Russia is the continuous advancement of new software for processing biological data. Additionally, Russian researchers are actively incorporating high-performance computing into their studies. For instance, the TSU boasts a supercomputer center capable of performing 100 trillion operations per second and equipped with a RAM of 18 terabytes. Furthermore, Russian researchers are undertaking ambitious sequencing projects, such as the sequencing of 100,000 human genomes by the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology.
“I studied in Pakistan and got my PhD in South Korea, However, I chose to come to Russia to work and teach bioinformatics due to the promising opportunities for studying agricultural plant genomes here,” explaied Amjad Muhammad Nawaz. “Currently, a bioinformatician can earn anywhere from 60,000 to 200,000 rubles in Russia and can even obtain this profession for free through programs such as the Agrobiotech at TSU.”
Amjad Nawaz has been a senior researcher and professor at the School of Advanced Engineering Studies Agrobiotech at TSU in Tomsk for approximately two years. In addition to teaching omics, bioinformatics, and biological data programming at TSU, he also teaches at Voronezh State Agricultural University, the oldest agricultural university in the country, as part of a networking cooperation between the two universities. Prior to his current position, Nawaz worked at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad in Pakistan, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University in Turkey, Chonnam National University and Gyeongsang National University in South Korea, and Far Eastern Federal University. He has published over 80 research articles and book chapters on plant genomics, which have received approximately 3,000 citations.
The School of Advanced Engineering Studies Agrobiotech was founded in 2022 through a collaboration with high-tech companies, research institutions, and educational organizations. The school focuses on various aspects of agrobiotechnology, including cutting-edge tasks, increasing productivity in agro-production, developing future nutrition, improving breeds and varieties, deep processing of products and waste, and implementing AI and digital technologies.