About the Institute
The Institute of Dermatology and Venereology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine was founded in August 1924 (Order of the People’s Commissariat of Health of Ukraine № 48 dated August 9, 1924).
The first director of the Institute – O.M. Fedorovsky (1924-1937), succeeded in the establishment of the institute and entire network of dermatovenereological dispensaries and rural venereal units in Ukraine. His works “Materials on the prevalence of venereal diseases in Ukraine in 1924”, “Prostitution in Ukraine and the fight against it”, “Materials for studying syphilis prevalence in the Ukrainian population”, “Mode of life, sexual life and sexually transmitted diseases of the workers and peasants in Donetsk Basin” present considerable interest for medical workers and historians. The beginning was laid to the school of dermatovenereologists, which included the scientists of the Institute O.M. Krichevsky, P.M. Marcus, D.M. Leibfreyd, K.A. Sharisheva, A.M. Petrov, A.P. Yermilov, P.A. Sobolev. Very important was establishment of postgraduate education system for dermatovenerologists, as well as consulting center for medical organization in the field of dermatovenerology.
From 1937 to 1956, the director of the Institute was famous scientist, clinician and professor O.M. Krichevsky, he was first in the USSR to conduct investigations in the field of professional dermatology, their results were described in the monograph “Materials on the organization of fighting with pyodermites at work” (1937). For many years he and his staff studied the problem of reactivity of the organism. They conducted original research in dermatooncology and developed a method of bipolar electrocoagulation of tumors, well known is his experimental strain of rats sarcoma – Krichevsky-Sinelnikov strain,. Since 1935, O.M. Krichevsky actively worked on the sulfanilamide treatment of gonorrhea, the study of viral etiology of skin diseases and mycoplasma lesions of the genitourinary system have been conducted. During this period, the Institute organized the study of early and late syphilis of nervous system and internal organs. For the first time in the country, Z.S. Golotina drew attention to the variability of gonococci and their acquisition of resistance to sulfanilamide preparations. She initiated a wide introduction of bacteriological diagnosis of gonorrhea in regions and in large cities of Ukraine..
During the Great Patriotic War, almost all the scientists of the Institute joined the ranks of the Soviet Army, and the Institute was evacuated to the city of Stalinsk in Kemerovo region. After the liberation of Kharkov, the Institute resumed its work, and its staff was replenished with new employees. At that time, new methods of treatment of gonorrhea, slow-healing wounds, hypertrophic scarring and other severe skin lesions were elaborated and widely applied methods of scab treatment have been developed; the preparation of bitiurol which is well tolerated and effective in syphilis treatment has been developed; production of gonovaccine, and others. It was particularly difficult for the Institute’s staffers in 1948, when they conducted a mass survey of the rural population of 100 districts of Ukraine.
Under the guidance of professor B. A. Zadorozhniy (1956-1959) at the Institute was developed a new direction in domestic dermatology to study the influence of physical factors on the skin (ionizing radiation, temperature, etc.).
From 1959 to 1977 the director of the Institute O.I. Pyatikop guided development of the new organizational forms of detection of sexually transmitted and contagious skin diseases and the fight against them, a measure on the joint work of blood transfusion stations and venereologists in prevention of transfusion syphilis. At the same time, the problems of diagnosis and pathogenesis of common (eczema, psoriasis) and severe (chronic pustular, red lupus, vasculitis) dermatoses and others were studied. G.M. Belyaev, I.M. Shevchenko, P.F. Petrunin, P.F. Bidnenko, F.I. Sukhovaya, I.M. Matvienko, O.I. Brind, V.G. Borovskaya, O.I .Brailovsky, N.N. Madievsk successfully investigated the functional state of the central nervous system, endocrine glands (thyroid, adrenal glands, sexual glands) and autonomic nervous system, the role of pathology of internal organs in the pathogenesis of allergic dermatoses. Important research results were obtained by G.S. Zeraitis, M.P. Frishman, P.K. Kistyakova, T.I. Zakharova, K.P. Nikolskaya, Y.A. Bavikina, E.A. Petrusenko, O.I. Sulzhenko, G.M. Belyaev, P.P. Artamonov
Since 1964, the Institute is the main Ukrainian institution on the problem of “Scientific Foundations of Dermatology and Venereology”, which manages, plans and coordinates all scientific research in the field of dermatovenereology in Ukraine.
Under the guidance of the famous scientist I. I. Mavrov (from 1977 to 2009) the staff of the Institute solved important issues of increasing the economy and efficiency of scientific research, training of scientific and medical personnel. The staff of the institute participated in the development and implementation of many the most important target programs and research activities, since 1977 the Institute has a clinic and an advisory clinic.
Among the achievements of the Institute at this time should be noted the studies of problems of the new generation of sexually transmitted infections (chlamydial, mycoplasma, viral). The Institute was the main one regarding these issues in the USSR. At the same time, such a fundamental direction of medical science was developed as the role of the disruption of cell membranes structure and functions in development of skin and venereal pathology; the features of the pathogens of venereal infections and their interaction with the organism of patients were studied. The Institute had also elaborated domestic test systems for the diagnosis of venereal infections, which are not inferior to the quality of expensive foreign analogues, had developed effective antifungal and corticosteroid ointments for external use.
In 2009 to 2012, the Institute was headed by professor, doctor of medical sciences G.I. Mavrov, his activity was devoted to the study of the sexually transmitted infectious agents; the development of new methods of treatment and diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections. Professor Mavrov G.I. in 2007 – 2014 was a national representative of Ukraine in the International Union for the Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Director of the Institute – In December 2012, the director of the Institute was elected Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Honored Doctor of Ukraine Y.F. Kutasevich (*photo Kutasevich). Scientific activity of professor Kutasevich Y.F. is devoted to the study of the etiology and pathogenesis of severe and widespread dermatoses (psoriasis, skin lymphomas, allergic dermatosis, connective tissue diseases with predominant skin lesions, etc.), development of methods for their diagnosis and treatment, as well as new drugs for external therapy and their application methods.
The Institute is the leading scientific institution in the country, which has its own school of world-class scientists. There are 61 researchers working at the Institute, including 9 doctors, of which 4 are professors, and 18 candidates of sciences.
The modern structure includes 10 main departments, namely: clinic, consulting polyclinic, department of dermatology, infectious and parasitic skin diseases, department of sexually transmitted infections, department of scientific and analytical work in dermatology and venereology, clinical diagnostic laboratory, laboratory of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics, laboratory оf serology with the function of a reference laboratory for the control of syphilis diagnostics, laboratory of biochemistry, laboratory of allergology.
The scientific activity of the Institute is devoted to medical and ecological, medical and genetic, medical and mathematical, medical, social and epidemiological studies, study of pathological processes in the skin, elucidation of the features of pathogens of sexually transmitted diseases, development of new treatment methods, diagnostic test systems and automated laboratory complexes.
The results of scientific studies of social and epidemiological processes, environmental factors and conditions that contribute to the emergence and spread of dermatoses and sexually transmitted diseases, allowed to develop anti-epidemic, treatment and prophylactic, organizational and legal measures that ensure the health of the population of Ukraine. These scientific developments of the Institute formed the basis for the creation of a “Concept for the fight against sexually transmitted diseases and its implementation program in Ukraine for the period 1995-2000.” The concept and program have provided, throughout Ukraine, the coordination of the work of health services, education, law enforcement agencies to ensure early diagnosis, effective therapy and prevention of sexually transmitted infections, and create the necessary conditions for a healthy lifestyle in society.
During the process of implementation of the Concept it was established that the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in regions with different economic and geographical features is significantly different. Therefore, the Institute has developed and implemented regional programs for the control of sexually transmitted diseases.
The Institute developed: automated laboratory diagnostic complexes, devices, diagnostic test systems and express methods of diagnosis of common dermatoses and sexually transmitted infections. This domestic diagnostic equipment is protected by patents and is currently competitive, has high sensitivity, specificity and reliability, which is confirmed by a wide range of tests, has significant prospects for its application in Ukraine and the prospect of its export to near abroad countries.
Currently, the study of the effects of sexually transmitted infections on pregnant women, fetuses and infants continues. Together with the Prague Institute of Molecular Genetics, the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic the genetic mechanisms of atopy were studied. A high estimate of the scientific and practical activities of the Institute was awarded by the Spanish Institute of Parasitology and Non-Traditional Medicine with a grant to annual staff training at the University of Granada (Spain), the invitation of British and German colleagues to participate in joint research programs.
On the basis of scientific research of the Institute, modern schemes of ambulatory treatment of patients with syphilis, which have a significant economic effect, are developed and introduced into practice. The methods are well-proven and widely used by practitioners. The Institute has developed corticosteroid and antifungal agents for the external therapy of common skin diseases. Most of the drugs developed and methods of their use are original and patented. The vast majority of them are manufactured by domestic pharmaceutical companies. They are acceptable for a wide strata of the population of Ukraine.
The institute has a museum of microorganisms pathogenic for humans, which is the branch of the Museum of microorganisms pathogenic for humans at the L.V. Gromashevsky Institute of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine and has the status of National Heritage. The depositary works with strains that have value for industrial production (patented by strains), the museum gathers a collection of pathogens that reflect their regional features.
The collection of strains of microorganisms of the Museum of the Institute provides the basis for the study of sexually transmitted infections of the new generation and their role in the occurrence of pathologies of cardiovascular, respiratory system, musculoskeletal system, eyes, reproductive function, pregnancy and fetus pathology, which determine the demographic indicators in the state. In fact, the Institute of Dermatology and Venereology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine has not only begun to develop, but also successfully develops this priority area in medical science and health care. The Institute for the first time in Ukraine organized a laboratory for the study of infections of new generation.
In the hospital, the clinic has 110 beds, among them: 60 – dermatological, 50 – venereal. More than 1.5 thousand patients per year receive inpatient treatment. There is an advisory clinic with a capacity of 84 visits per shift. The Consultative Polyclinic consists of: dermatological and venereal clinics. The clinic is enriched with highly qualified doctors and specialists, and patients are advised by the researchers of the Institute and the staff of the Department of Dermatology of Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
On the basis of the Institute, training of laboratory technicians and clinicians is provided for all regions of Ukraine; monographs, manuals, methodical materials for doctors are published; seminars and other kinds of medical education are conducted.
The institute trains specialists of higher qualification by studying in a doctoral and postgraduate school in the field skin and venereal diseases.
On the basis of the Institute there is a specialized academic council for the defense of doctoral and master’s theses, and professional journal “Dermatology and Venereology” is published. The Institute actively participates in the activities of medical associations, including international ones. Scientific and practical conferences for doctors-dermatologists, urologists and laboratory doctors are systematically held here. The Institute has repeatedly acted as the organizer of all-union and republican congresses of dermatologists and venereologists. The World Health Organization (WHO) Outbound Workshop was held in its walls, and scientists at the Institute participated in a meeting of the WHO Working Group held in London (United Kingdom), where the program “Adapting standards for treating patients with sexually transmitted infections, in regional conditions” has been developed.