On March 29, 2024, at the ED 1.25 Dissertation Council operating under the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, Hilal Imanli defended the dissertation in the specialty of Biochemistry (2406.02), on the topic “The study of biologically active substances  of the Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden., Angelica sachokiana (Karjag.) M.Pimen. et. V.Tichomirov and Ammi visnaga (L.) Lam. (Apiaceae) species distributed in the Azerbaijani flora“. The research was carried out in the Department of Plant Resources of the Institute of Botany, MSE AR. The scientific supervisor of the work was the late Sirajeddin Sarkarov, doctor of biological sciences, professor, and honored scientist. The scientific secretary of the Dissertation Council, Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, Samra Mirzayeva introduced the members of the council to the information contained in the personal file of the applicant, and the floor was given to the applicant. Hilal Imanli gave detailed information about the relevance of the topic, the goal of the dissertation work, the scientific novelty of the work, and the results obtained.

          The applicant noted that very few of the 4,500 species of higher plants distributed in the flora of Azerbaijan have been chemically studied. From this point of view, the obtaining and study of biologically active substances of plant origin is one of the actual issues from both the scientific and applied point of view. Coumarin derivatives, which are biologically active substances of plant origin, are constantly in the focus of researchers' attention due to their wide spectrum of pharmacological activities. According to the conducted research, coumarin derivatives can be used in the preparation of new effective medicines.
          The official opponents - Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Ahad Nabiyev, Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Javanshir Isayev and Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, Associate Professor Narmina Abdullayeva noted that the research work is complete and had scientific innovation, fully responding to the requirements set for doctoral dissertations by the Supreme Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Corresponding members of ANAS, Novruz Guliyev, Ilham Shahmuradov, doctors of sciences in biology Safter Suleymanov, Shahniyar Bayramov, Ziyeddin Mammadov, Rovshan Khalilov, doctor of philosophy in biology Esmira Alirzayeva, who participated in the discussions, highly evaluated and emphasized the scientific and practical importance of the dissertation work.

There was a wide exchange of ideas about the dissertation, suggestions and recommendations were made. The applicant answered the questions of the council members and expressed his attitude to the recommendations and comments of the opponents.

After the final speech of the applicant, a vote was held. Based on the voting results, it was decided to submit a proposal to the Supreme Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to award Hilal Imanli the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology.