On February 17, primary discussion of the dissertation on “Statistical analysis and validation of atomic displacement parameters ” in the specialty “Mathematical biology, bioinformatics” of the senior researcher of the international laboratory of Computational structural biology Rafiga Masmaliyeva was held to get the Ph.D. degree.

On February 17, Rafiga Masmaliyeva, a senior researcher at the International Laboratory of Computational Structural Biology at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, presented a dissertation on “Statistical analysis and validation of atomic displacement parameters ”  for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy on the specialty “Mathematical biology, bioinformatics”. The dissertation work was carried out under the leadership of Garib Murshudov, Head of the international laboratory of Computational Structural Biology of the Institute, Professor of the Center for Medical Research, Cambridge, UK. Scientists from the United Genome Institute of the United States, Akdeniz University of Turkey, the Institute of Fundamental Problems of Biology of RAS, the Institutes of Genetic Resources, Botany, and Physiology of ANAS, and Baku State University took part in the discussion on the Zoom platform. The young researcher has repeatedly given oral presentations at foreign conferences, and published her scientific results in journals with a high impact factor. . For the first time in the dissertation, a statistical model of AYP distribution was used for validation, a probability maximization algorithm was applied to STQP, and a validation strategy was developed using a method called “Local Analysis” for atoms and ligands. The main result of the research, ToBvalid software, allows users to use protein structures as a validation method before they are placed in ZVB. ToBvalid software is available to users under an open license. Extensive discussions were held around the dissertation. Preliminary reviewers, Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs of the Institute of Physiology named after Academician Abdulla Garayev of ANAS, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor Ahmad Hajiyev and employee of the United Genome Institute, a world-renowned scientist in the field of bioinformatics Asaf Salamov noted that the dissertation was completed at a high level and it met international requirements. Academician Irada Huseynova, correspondent members of ANAS Novruz Guliyev, Ilham Shahmuradov, Khalil Gasimov, doctors of biological sciences, professors Saftar Suleymanov, Irada Aliyeva, Elimkhan Jafarof, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences prof.Rovshan Khalilov, PhDs in biology Alamdar Mammadov, Vagif Amikishiyev, Ph.D. in physics and mathematics Elman Yusifov expressed their suggestions and opinions. In the end, it was decided to apply to the Higher Attestation Commission under the Republic of Azerbaijan for permission to establish a one-time Scientific Council on the specialty 2424.01 - "Mathematical Biology, Bioinformatics" for open discussion of R. Masmaliyeva's dissertation.