Professor Yasutaka Omori, a representative of the Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine at Hirosaki University, paid a working visit to Astana Medical University. The meeting marked another stage in the implementation of the existing Memorandum of Scientific Partnership and the continuation of joint research in the fields of radiobiology and radiation protection.
Scientific cooperation between the parties has been actively developing since April 2024. The key focus of the joint project is the assessment of radon safety among the population of uranium-mining regions in Northern Kazakhstan, an urgent issue directly related to public health and environmental safety.
The main purpose of Professor Omori’s visit was the replacement of radon detectors installed during his previous visit in September, as well as the continuation of the winter phase of radiation studies. During the working meeting, the results of the previous epidemiological study were presented by Mulkat Yelshenbek, Chief Specialist of the Scientific Research Institute of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection. The obtained data formed the basis for planning the next stages of the project.
Following the discussion, the parties agreed to continue field research. In April, Japanese scientists, together with the epidemiological team of the Scientific Research Institute, plan to conduct fieldwork in the settlement of Saumalkol to carry out epidemiological surveys. Radiation studies in the same location are scheduled for the winter period of the following year.
Special attention was given to the prospects of the large international SATREPS project. Danara Ibrayeva, senior Researcher of the Testing Laboratory of Radiochemistry and Radiospectrometry, informed the meeting participants that the project is currently at the stage of signing a trilateral memorandum between the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Hirosaki University, and Astana Medical University.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the staff of the Scientific Research Institute of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection proposed expanding the format of international cooperation, including the launch of a potential joint project with the Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology of NpJSC “Astana Medical University”.
Such visits and collaborative research strengthen the university’s position in the international scientific community and make a significant contribution to the development of an evidence base in the field of radiation safety and public health protection.
