A regular meeting of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies of ANAS was held. The main issue on the agenda was the preliminary discussion of the dissertation work of the junior researcher of the Laboratory of Bioadaptation Nargiz Bayramova on “Study of physiological and anatomical changes in the grape plant at viral pathogenesis” for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in biology, specialty 2411.02 - “Plant Physiology”. The chairman of the Scientific Council, Director General of the Institute, Vice-President of ANAS, academician Irada Huseynova introduced the members of the Council to the agenda of the meeting. First, she congratulated the head of the laboratory of Enzymology of photosynthetic carbon assimilation, correspondent member of ANAS, professor Novruz Guliyev on his 70th birthday and the head of the international laboratory of Bionanotechnology,  professor Suleiman Allahverdiev with the honorary title of Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation and the election of a correspondent member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Academician I. Huseynova, on behalf of the staff of the Institute, congratulated the scientists, wishing them success in their future scientific activities. Then the chairman gave the floor to Nargiz Bayramova to present the main provisions of the dissertation. The applicant informed about the relevance, goals and objectives of the dissertation work, conducted under the guidance of academician Irada Huseynova, and noted that for the first time in Azerbaijan, the spread of the GLRaV-3 virus that affects grape plants has been detected, the etiology of the grapevine leafroll disease  (GLD) and also physiological, biochemical and anatomical changes that occur in plant leaves during viral pathogenesis have been comprehensively studied. She said that the results obtained make it possible to create an electronic database on viral diseases of grapes in our country, which will provide information on the phytosanitary state of grape fields planted in various regions of our republic. The results will also be useful for local farm owners. After the report, the speeches of the reviewers were heard and extensive discussions took place around the dissertation. Nargiz Bayramova answered questions and expressed her attitude toward the comments and suggestions. Following the meeting, the members of the Scientific Council by open voting decided to send the dissertation to the next stage of defense.