Historical background

"...Man discovered wings which were sealed with the strongest alloy – laws of science. They allowed Man not only to strengthen himself on our planet but to open the way to Space..."
N.M.Sissakian

Academician Norair Martirosovich Sissakian is an eminent scientist–biochemist, one of the founders of space biology, an outstanding organizer of science and global cooperation of scientists. For a number of years Academician N.Sissakian was Member of the Presidium of AS USSR, being at the same time Academician-Secretary of the Department of Biological Sciences and Chief Scientific Secretary of the Presidium of AS USSR.

Academician N.Sissakian is famous as the author of pioneer works on biochemistry of sub-cell structures and technical biochemistry. He became renowned after the publication of the results of his early physiological-biochemical studies which concerned the role of phosphorous nutrition during sugar accumulation, and biochemical grounds for drought resistance of plant, as well as seasonal, age and daily rhythms of enzymes’ action in a plant cell.

From the mid-1940s Norair Martirosovich was one of the first scientists to study cell structures of plant cells, primarily, chloroplasts. In his laboratory, new data were obtained on the chemical composition of chloroplasts and many enzymes were discovered, which take part in various biochemical processes, including those that are not directly connected with photosynthesis. These studies laid the basis for N.Sissakian to create an absolutely new concept on chloroplasts as poly-functional cell structures. These results determined the further direction of not only his main scientific activities but even the research approaches of his disciples.

Like in the field of biochemistry of cell structures, N.Sissakian was a pioneer in issues of space biology. He laid down the main trends of the development of this new field of biological science and personally took part in the organization of scientific research groups in a short period of time. These groups were to solve the following tasks: selection and training of candidates, work-out of life-support and safety systems, medical monitoring of astronauts and subsequent analysis of their health conditions. Thus, he was directly involved in the procedure of recruitment of the first team of astronauts. His opinion was among most decisive ones.

N.Sissakian is also well-known as an outstanding organizer of scientific cooperation: he was Full Member and Vice-President of the International Academy of Astronautics, Chairman of the Committee on bioastronautics of the International Astronautics Federation. In 1964 Norair Martirosovich was unanimously elected President of XXI session of the UNESCO General Conference. He was an active member of the Pugwash movement of scientists for peace.

After the decease of Academician N.Sissakian in 1966, his followers, colleagues and disciples organized memorial international conferences and symposia dedicated to the 70th, 80th and 90th anniversaries of the scientist. Oleg Gazenko - a disciple and companion-in-arms of N.Sissakian - played an outstanding role in organizing these forums. At present, the memorial jubilee conference under the auspice of UNESCO dedicated to the centenary of Academician N.Sissakian (January 2007) is being prepared under the leadership of Academician A.Grigoriev.

Three rounds of Sissakian Readings have been held in Russia and Armenia since 1999, and have become a good tradition. They unite scientists who work in different fields connected with the development of the scientific heritage by N.Sissakian. The topics of the Readings are modern issues of biochemistry, radiobiology and radiation genetics, photobiology, space biology and medicine.

In 2001 the book “Academician Norair Martirosovich Sissakian” was issued in the publishing house “Nauka”, under the editorship of Academician O.Gazenko and Corresponding Member of RAS B.Poglazov. The same publishing house issued a collection of archive documents in 2003 about Academician N.Sissakian, under the editorship of Academicicans O.Gazenko and A.Grigoriev, Doctor of Biological Sciences V.Popov and Doctor of Historical Sciences B.Levshin.

The next book to come “Academician N.M.Sissakian. A Portrait in the Epoch Background” is to be issued to the centenary of the famous scientist. It is prepared under the editorship of Academicians O.Gazenko, A.Grigoriev, N.Plate and Doctor of Chemical Sciences V.Popov.