Science is not made by one person: young scientists of Kazakhstan who are changing the world
September 1 is celebrated in Kazakhstan as Knowledge Day, which symbolizes the beginning of a new academic year in schools and universities across the Republic. In honor of the holiday, a Kazinform correspondent has prepared a story about outstanding young scientists of Kazakhstan who are making a unique contribution to the world of science. From the use of optical fibers in medicine to tactile sensors in robotics: their inventions, research and stories are writing scientific history on a global level.
Tactile sensors and tactical research
Zhanat Kappasov, Associate Professor, has dedicated his career to researching and developing technologies that can change the future. He has gone from studying at universities in Russia, France, Taiwan and the United States to working on innovative projects in Kazakhstan. His interests range from robotics to tactile sensors, and now he strives not only to advance science, but also to help the younger generation stay in the country.
“I have worked in many places around the world and came back here because it is cool here,” he explains his decision to return to Kazakhstan after working in countries such as Russia, Taiwan, France and the United States.
Zhanat’s career began with radio engineering, and although he initially enrolled in ecology, he soon realized that this was not his path. The turning point came when he transferred to radio engineering and completed an internship in Taiwan, which gave him the opportunity to develop in the field of power electronics.
After studying at the Sorbonne and receiving a second degree in robotics, his interests focused on tactile sensors, which became a key topic of his scientific research. Zhanat’s work in the field of tactile sensors is inspired by the works of Pavlov and Sechenov, who studied the body’s reactions to physical stimuli.
“Sechenov proved that the body always has a reaction, and then there is a reverse reaction that restrains this movement,” he explains, recalling the research of scientists of the past.
His research is currently focused on several large projects. The first is the development of a tactile glove designed to diagnose various formations in soft tissues, including potentially cancerous tumors. This project is being carried out in collaboration with oncologists and promises to bring huge changes in diagnostics.
The second project is related to the use of machine learning algorithms to control manipulators through voice commands. This solution is designed to simplify work with robotic systems and make them more accessible for various tasks.
The third project is aimed at creating stimulators for deaf-blind people who can perceive information through vibrations and tactile sensations.
His plans for the future are related to the creation of his own center of competence for engineering research and development in Kazakhstan. Zhanat dreams of young specialists not just going abroad, but returning and developing science in their homeland. “I am raising specialists who are not aimed at “getting out” of Kazakhstan, but are aimed at going, gaining experience, understanding that everything is not so great there, and coming back and doing something here,” says Zhanat.
Zhanat claims that Kazakhstan has every chance of becoming a center of advanced technologies if it is possible to support young specialists and provide decent conditions for their work, in conclusion sharing his main goal - to open his own center of competence for Research and Development, namely in Kazakhstan.
Biomarkers, sensors and optical fiber
Aliya Bekmurzaeva is a senior researcher at the laboratory of biosensors and bioinstruments, who has dedicated her life to studying the living world and developing technologies that can change the methods of diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Her path to science began with a childhood interest in nature and National Geographic and Discovery documentaries, which fueled her curiosity about the environment and marine life. “I loved collecting plants, rocks, and watching documentaries,” she recalls.
At first, Aliya, like many children, dreamed of becoming a doctor, but after seeing global environmental issues, she chose the biology department with an emphasis on ecology. Her interest in science continued to grow, especially after learning about biotechnology, which led her to pursue a master’s degree in that specialty. The Bolashak program allowed her to study abroad, and she chose Canada, a country that, according to her, combined all the benefits of the American education system.
After returning to Kazakhstan, Aliya began working at Nazarbayev University. She remembers those years as a time of great change: “We organized labs, wrote protocols, worked with students. It was very interesting.” A few years later, the lab received its current name and became one of the country's leading labs in developing biosensors for detecting biomarkers such as tuberculosis proteins. Today, Aliya and her team are working on two major projects funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan. The first project is aimed at creating biosensors based on optical fibers packaged in microfluidic chips that can be used for clinical applications. "We create biosensors for detecting biomarkers in artificial biological environments such as saliva, mucus, and urine," she explains. This allows for early testing of sensors without the need for clinical samples.
The second project is related to the study of biomarkers of cancer cells expressing the CD44 protein, one of the key markers of cancer stem cells. These developments are aimed at the early diagnosis of cancer, which is one of the main goals of the team. “The ultimate goal is to replace traditional tests that take a lot of time and do not give an immediate result,” says Aliya.
The peculiarity of her work is the use of optical fibers modified with antibodies, which allows receiving a signal in real time without the need for fluorescent labels. This makes their sensors more convenient and faster to use. One of the promising areas is the integration of such sensors with catheters, which will allow measuring biomarkers directly in the patient's circulatory system.
Among other promising ideas is the creation of biosensors that can be used at home, as well as the integration of sensors with mobile devices. “We want people to be able to check their health at home using our sensors,” says Aliya.
Her future plans include integrating sensors with AI algorithms to predict early stages of diseases. “My dream is to diagnose cancer, diabetic retinopathy and kidney damage early so that we can prevent the disease at its inception,” she shares her ambitions.
Aliya is confident that her research can have a significant impact on healthcare, both in Kazakhstan and beyond. “Science is not made by one person,” she emphasizes the importance of international cooperation.
Energy of your movement
Gulnur Kalimuldina is an assistant professor at Nazarbayev University who has been fascinated by science since childhood. She began her path in the world of research with a PhD in lithium-ion batteries in Japan, which she successfully completed in two and a half years, which in itself is a rarity in this field. In 2017, after returning to Kazakhstan, Gulnur began looking for new ways to develop wearable technologies and became fascinated by the idea of creating self-charging systems that could radically change our everyday world.
Her main project is based on the development of sensors for robotics based on triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators, a technology that has only recently begun to gain popularity around the world. What is unique about these sensors is that they can collect energy from mechanical movements, which allows small devices such as sensors, pacemakers, or even calculators to be charged simply through human movement. Gulnur and her team have shown that the potential of this technology is great, although there is still a long way to go before mass production.
One of Gulnur’s most ambitious projects is to use her sensors for training and developing machine learning. These sensors are able to capture various materials, shapes, and textures, which allows them to be used in educational institutions to teach students robotics and programming. Sensors can also be used in rehabilitation centers to monitor the progress of patients, and in sports facilities to track the physical activity of athletes.
"We can create sensors of any shape and size for any surface, and they will work autonomously. This opens up huge opportunities, especially in the field of medicine and rehabilitation," says Gulnur.
She also sees great potential in using sensors to diagnose and monitor motor dysfunctions in children with autism. According to her, existing methods in correctional centers are not always effective, and they are based on observations, not scientific data. Gulnur suggests using sensors to collect accurate information about a child's progress and correlate this progress with improvement in motor functions and speech.
When asked about her immediate plans, Gulnur enthusiastically shares her hopes for commercialization of her developments. She believes that her team has already advanced enough in their research to bring the technology to market. But her main dream is to create materials that can generate more electricity, which would allow charging not only small devices, but also larger devices such as smartphones and smart watches, simply through human movement.
"I dream that in the future we will be able to simply move and charge our electronics, thereby helping the environment," she shares. Gulnur hopes that her technologies will help reduce the load on electrical networks and make our lives more environmentally friendly.
The future of Gulnur and her team is connected not only with the development of new technologies, but also with the creation of an infrastructure capable of supporting the development of science in Kazakhstan. She is also actively involved in the training of young scientists, hoping that her students will continue to develop these technologies and bring new knowledge from abroad.
Green nanotechnology of the future
Timur Atabaev since 2017 runs the Advanced Nanomaterials Laboratory. His path to science began with an interest in materials science, but over time he found himself in the field of nanotechnology. Already during his PhD, he was attracted to nanomaterials, since it was a new and promising direction. In 2008-2010, nanotechnology was at the peak of scientific discoveries, and Timur saw in them the potential for global change. Since then, his activities have been focused on research in the field of nanomaterials, which combine elements of chemistry, physics and biology, which makes his work interdisciplinary and very complex.
Today, Timur Atabaev's laboratory is actively engaged in several significant projects that are aimed at solving global problems related to ecology and energy efficiency. One of the key areas is improving solar panels. Recently, his team has developed a multifunctional coating that not only increases the efficiency of panels, but also protects them from UV-induced degradation, and has a self-cleaning effect. This coating is especially important for Central Asian countries, where dust and dirt quickly accumulate on panels due to the climate. This innovation allows saving resources that are usually required to clean panels and, most importantly, saving water, which is in short supply in this region.
Another significant project that Atabaev is working on concerns the generation of “green” hydrogen. This type of fuel is considered promising for future energy, but one of the key challenges that scientists face is the durability of the electrodes used in the process. Timur’s team is developing electrodes with an extended service life, which will significantly reduce the cost of replacing and maintaining equipment. These electrodes are already showing results that surpass world analogues, especially in the efficiency of photocatalysis. But work on them continues - scientists are striving to further improve the indicators in order to achieve stability in the long term.
A feature of the projects that Timur leads is their emphasis on practical applicability and cost-effectiveness. For example, the developed coating for solar panels is already ready for introduction to the market, and now scientists are working on reducing its cost to make it even more accessible for mass use. Hydrogen projects are also showing stable results, but require further research to fully complete the prototypes.
Timur and his team have big plans for the future. He is confident in his students and that the technologies they are developing will be able to change the energy picture of Central Asia. Moreover, his lab is attracting the attention of the international scientific community. Recently, one of Timur’s master’s students completed an internship in Germany, and the results of their joint research were published in prestigious scientific journals.
Timur also sees great potential in applying his developments in Central Asia, where governments have already committed to transitioning to a carbon-free economy by 2060. The technologies he has developed can not only reduce water use and improve energy production, but also contribute to achieving these ambitious goals. “The number of solar panels will only grow,” says Atabaev, adding that his coating for the panels will significantly facilitate their maintenance and increase the efficiency of energy production.
Seeing his laboratory becoming an important scientific center, Timur dreams of expanding his research and implementing his projects not only in Kazakhstan, but also internationally.
