YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. Coincidentally, Ani Paloyan, who happened to study in the Faculty of Biology at Yerevan State University, fulfilled her childhood dream to become a doctor when she had already earned her PhD degree in Biology. Ani managed to work as a microbiologist during the Covid-19 outbreak. Currently, she is a senior researcher in the ArmBioTechnology center of scientific production in the National Academy of Sciences in RA. Also, Ani is enrolled in the ADVANCE grant program by the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST). Most importantly, her main engagement at the moment is to take care of her newborn son.

How did your career path as a scientist begin?

I’d been dreaming of the career of a doctor since early childhood, that’s why I was practicing physics and biology for entrance exams. I first applied to Medical University but was granted a scholarship in the Faculty of Biology at Yerevan State University, where I decided to carry on with my higher education. I didn’t do well in the first year as I kept considering the career of a doctor. Anyway, in the second year already, when I came to realize the faculty could meet my interests, I started to study well and ended up being an excellent student. I’d been studying microbiology while doing my Bachelor’s degree, later in my Master’s as well. Research and experiments necessary for my thesis paper were carried out in the Laboratory of protein technologies in the ArmBioTechnology center of scientific production in the National Academy of Sciences in RA, where I further started work. At first, I was a junior researcher, then I got gradual promotions and now I am a senior researcher. Back in 2013, I earned my PhD degree, though I was unable to get over my wish to become a doctor. Having completed my candidacy paper in 2014-2015, I also did postgraduate training (residency) at Medical University, getting qualified as a doctor-microbiologist. I managed to implement this profession of mine, though for a short period of time, during the Covid-19 outbreak, when PCR tests were done in the National Center of Infectious Diseases. 

Did you have people around you or family members who encouraged you to embark on this career path? Or was it mostly your own decision?

I entered Yerevan State University quite coincidentally. I might have studied at Medical University which would have affected my professional activity. Truth be told, I’ve never dreamed of becoming a scientist, it was just meant to be. As for the people who contributed to this resolution to a certain extent, I would definitely highlight my scientific supervisor Artur Hambardzumyan who’s an ideal role model of a scientist for me. He was my thesis paper supervisor as well. I was constantly learning from him over that period (and still continue to do so) and I couldn’t wait for the new day to come to rush to the laboratory in order to observe the results of my experiments. He gives us the freedom to create and never imposes his views; even if we are mistaken, he patiently listens first and only then explains why it won’t work.

What motivates you to get up in the morning?

A lot has changed after my son’s birth for sure. I don’t have to wake up, I rather do that with great love to be able to take proper care of him. Broadly speaking, gaining new knowledge, perfecting yourself and enjoying that all is what motivates us to get up in the morning.

How would you describe a scientist?

A scientist needs to be unconditional and selfless in the first place, as, when a person pursues a certain interest in doing some work, it might deviate them from the true path. The scientist I envision is committed to working and is extremely patient since not at all times do the expected and real results satisfy us. Besides, one needs to keep creating, and changing certain parameters, but never give up on achieving the ultimate goal, however long the process might take.

Would you recall any turning point throughout the formation process of your career?

I would probably mention meeting my scientific supervisor. My former supervisor died all of a sudden and I had to look for a new one, whom I met in the ArmBioTechnology center of scientific production. But for him, I would have hardly become a scientist because, as I mentioned previously, he is a role model of an exemplary scientist for me.

What has been the discovery which impressed you the most within the scope of your scientific interests?

I’d like to tell a story that happened to me. I haven’t found any explanation for it so far. I was conducting an experiment in our lab, which had been successfully performed by thousands of scientists before. There is a definite protocol for its implementation, but, no matter how hard I tried, I failed to conduct it successfully and get the desirable results for some 6-7 months. I thought the only solution was to look for foreign collaboration to conduct the experiment abroad. After a long period of searching, professor John from Newcastle University agreed to accept me. In order to sort out the reason for my failures, I took all the materials I used in my laboratory with me and left. I got a positive result from the very first experiment. The only thing I hadn’t taken with me was distilled water we use during experiments. I thought it might be the reason, but later on, numerous similar experiments were conducted with distilled water from our laboratory, and genes were cloned, thus the problem was not in distilled water. Sometimes I believe it was a question of fate for me to appear there and establish connections with my foreign colleagues.

Are there any scientists whose work guided and inspired you?

Surely, there are scientists both from abroad and in Armenia, as well as those who work in our center, but I’d like to mention professor Andranikyan who is an honorable professor at the Hamburg University of Technology. Such a motivated scientist can rarely be met. At present, he is leading our team within the ADVANCED grant program. Each and every meeting with him is full of positive vibes and immense information.

Could you please share the experience of your participation in ADVANCE?

Scientists of diverse interests are included in the scientific team but the program has united us all around a common project aimed at the implementation of the idea of circular bioeconomy. Our team studies the opportunity to have production waste recycled and put into circulation as useful materials. Our team leader has a huge experience in that field. Currently, we’re working on recycling cheese, wine and beer production waste. We’ve started with the processing of cheese whey so as to utilize it as an environment for the cultivation of microorganisms. I can claim that we’ve got interesting results, which we intend to publish in an article we’re working on at the moment. Also, we’re considering a patent application. Our results can be practically applied to recycle whey in cheesemaking.

What would you tell a child who wants to become a scientist?

I’d say he or she has made the right decision as nothing brings as much joy to a person as the feeling of the reward of a desirable scientific result. Children need to be part of scientific activity from an early age to stimulate their curiosity. My niece grows up in a family of doctors and, as usually happens, wants to become a doctor herself. She was once invited to our laboratory where she could do various experiments with solutions to get colors, gases and bubbles. Afterwards, when asked what she wanted to become, she would answer ‘a scientist doctor. Laboratories abroad have at least one glass window to enable school children to watch experiments proceed while on excursions. Their excitement toward it all is extremely impressive. I’d like the same practice to be applied in our country and science will definitely appeal to children.

What is your aspiration as a scientist?

My dream or rather the aim is to have a laboratory as well-equipped as the ones I’ve seen in a number of developed countries- England, Germany, Italy and others. I’d like to form a team both technically and scientifically capable of working on a common goal with joint efforts and of implementing orders the state might need. As a result, we’ll have a group of ferments which will contribute to our state, so that we won’t have to import them any longer.

Previous interviews of the "10 questions to a scientist" series are below:

The story of Anoxybacillus karvacharensis found in the geothermal spring of Artsakh as a source of inspiration. Diana Ghevondyan

In an American lab 20 years ago I felt like in a Hollywood movie. Anna Poladyan

Science excelled all jobs because it is perspective: Sargis Aghayan

The easiest way to change the world is to do science: Sona Hunanyan