معرفی
Olga Dontsova is a Full Professor at Moscow State University (MSU) in the Faculty of Chemistry. She serves as Head of the Division of RNA Structure and Function at the Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology and Head of the Chair of Chemistry of Natural Compounds. Her research spans molecular biology, bioorganic chemistry, and RNA-based mechanisms.
Research Focus: She investigates structure-functional relationships in ribonucleoprotein complexes, with emphasis on translation machinery, transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) interactions with ribosomes, RNA methyltransferases, and telomerase's role in cancer. Her team pioneered a chemical-biochemical-genetic approach to map mRNA topography in ribosomes, elucidate trans-translation dynamics, and characterize novel RNA-modifying enzymes.
Scientific Contributions:
- Developed a molecular dynamic model for trans-translation
- Discovered unique yeast telomerase with unconventional properties
- Investigated functional roles of modified RNA residues in translation
Honors:
- Member of Academia Europaea (2014)
- Corresponding Member of Russian Academy of Sciences (2006)
- European Academy Award for Young Scientists (1994)
Grants & Leadership: Her work has been funded by HHMI, HFSP, CRDF, INTAS, RFFI, and Russian Ministry of Science and Education. She chairs the Biology Panel of the Russian Scientific Foundation and serves on editorial boards for Biochimie, Russian Journal of Molecular Biology, and Acta Naturae.
Teaching: As a supervisor of 21 Ph.D. students and numerous diploma projects, she teaches advanced courses at MSU while maintaining an active research program.
