The defence of the dissertation on "Angiogenic activation of dental pulp stem cells for tooth tissue regeneration" by Fidan Huseynova, a junior researcher at the Population Genomics Laboratory of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, who completed a joint doctoral program in accordance with the framework agreement on cooperation signed between the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the University of Montpellier, France, was held at the University of Montpellier. The supervisors were Dr. Veronique Barragan-Montero from France, Ph.D. Assoc.prof. Alamdar Mammadov from Azerbaijan. In addition to Dr. Veronique Barragan-Montero, Dr. Myriam Martino, Dr. Amparo Lugas Cortes, Dr. Frederic Kuiziner, head of the Genome Structure and Expression Laboratory Alamdar Mammadov, and head of the International Laboratory of Proteomics, Ismayil Zulfugarov, were included in the defence council and Ismayil Zulfugarov was entrusted with the leadership of the council. 

Fidan Huseynova presented her dissertation in detail. The dissertation is devoted to the study of the improvement of angiogenesis/osteogenesis during bone regeneration. Among the numerous mesenchymal stem cells, dental pulp stem cells (DPS) are considered a more promising approach in tissue engineering from the point of view of multipotency.  For this purpose, the changes in angiogenesis/osteogenesis processes and the expression of genes induced at the molecular level as a result of the effect of mannose-6-phosphate (M6F) on dental cells and the newly synthesized CH3-M6F on dental pulp stem cells were studied, the effect of insulin, the body's main anabolic hormone, on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) was studied. It was found that acting as a growth factor, insulin increases DPH proliferation after 25 hours and some osteogenic markers (Col1, RunX2, ALP, Osc, Mef2C) and Smad3, TSP1, VEGF genes, which are participants in the TGF b (transforming growth factor beta) pathway, at the mRNA expression level. This suggests that insulin, which has both angiogenic and osteogenic properties, can be used for bone regeneration in non-diabetic patients.

Fidan Huseynova answered many questions of the members of the Scientific Council in the discussions that lasted for almost 5 hours. After listening to the positive opinion of the opponents, Fidan Huseynova was awarded the scientific degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology.

During the visit, Alamdar Mammadov and Ismayil Zulfugarov visited the Bioengineering and Nanosciences laboratory of the Odontology Faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Biological Sciences for Health of the University of Montpellier, they also had discussions with Dr. Sofia Kossid and Dr.Hélène Démén. In the future, an agreement was reached to establish wider relations between these organizations and lay the foundation for bilateral cooperation.