Autobiographical note by Igor Kotsiumbas
Kotsiumbas Igor Yaroslavovych – Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, Professor, Full Member (Academician) of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, holder of the title “Doctor honoris causa”
Kotsiumbas Igor Yaroslavovych is a well-known scientist in the field of veterinary pharmacology, toxicology and control over the quality and safety of veterinary drugs.
He was born on 10 May 1953 in Lviv.
In 1975, he graduated from the Veterinary Faculty of the Lviv Zooveterinary Institute with a degree in veterinary medicine. After graduating from the Institute, from 1975 to 1981 he worked as a senior engineer at the Lviv branch of the Palladin Institute of Biochemistry. In 1981 he entered the postgraduate course at the Research Institute of Agriculture and Livestock of the Western Regions of the Ukrainian SSR on a part-time basis and at the same time worked as a senior laboratory assistant at the feed laboratory of the same Institute. After completing his postgraduate studies, from 1985 to May 1987, he worked as a junior researcher at the Research Institute of Agriculture and Livestock of the Western Regions of the Ukrainian SSR. While working at the Institute, he wrote and defended his PhD thesis in 1985 on “Indicators of chromoprotein and carbohydrate metabolism in bulls when using feed from perennial alkaloid lupine”.
In May 1987, he joined the Western Ukrainian Zonal Scientific and Control Laboratory as an acting junior researcher (with subsequent certification). Based on the results of the certification, on 1 January 1989 he was appointed to the position of a researcher, and after the reorganisation of the Western Ukrainian Zonal Scientific Control Laboratory into the Ukrainian branch of the All-Union State Scientific Control Institute of Veterinary Preparations on 2 January 1989 he was transferred to the position of acting scientific secretary. In 1991, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Director for Science.
In 2001, he defended his doctoral dissertation on the topic: “System of toxicological control of animal protection products and feed additives” in the speciality 16.00.04 – veterinary pharmacology and toxicology.
2004 – 2022 – Director of the State Scientific-Research Control Institute of Veterinary Medicinal Products and Feed Additives.
In 2004 he was awarded the academic title of Senior Researcher in the speciality 16.00.04 – Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology.
In 2005 he was awarded the academic title of Professor in the speciality 16.00.04 – Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology.
In 2007 he was elected a corresponding member of the Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences.
In 2016, he was elected a full member (academician) of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine.
From 2005 – 2018 – creation of the scientific school “Pharmacological and toxicological studies of veterinary drugs”.
Editor of the scientific and technical bulletin “Research Institute of Veterinary Preparations and Feed Additives and the Institute of Animal Biology”, ISSN: 2410-9029.
Member of the editorial board of journals: “Animal Biology”, ISSN: 1681-0015, Journal of the Society of Toxicologists of Ukraine “Modern Problems of Toxicology, Food and Chemical Safety”, ISSN 2522-9974; “Cattle Breeding Today”; “Pig Production of Ukraine”; “Pasze przemyslowe” ISSN: 1230-4743, International Journal of Antibiotics and Probiotics, ISSN 2522-9427.
Academician I. Kotsiumbas was awarded for his significant personal contribution to the development of veterinary medicine and high professional skills:
2003 – labour award of the MAP of Ukraine “Badge of Honour”;
2006 – Diploma of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine;
2008 – the Badge of the Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences “Excellence in Agricultural Education and Science” of the III degree and the Diploma of the Presidium of the UAAS;
2009 – Honorary academic title “Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine”;
2011 – Award of the State Committee of Veterinary Medicine of Ukraine “For Merit in the Development of Veterinary Medicine of Ukraine”;
2011 – honorary award of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine;
2011 – Order “Status Award “Industry Professional”;
2013 – Certificate of Honour of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “For Merit to the Ukrainian People” and a badge to it;
2013 – honorary award “Impeccable Business Reputation”;
2014 – honorary title “Doctor honoris causa”;
2017 – Order of Merit, III degree;
2018 – the sign of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine named after K. D. Ushynsky.
Having worked at the Institute for 35 years, including 14 years as Deputy Director and 18 years as Director, he has passed all the stages of the scientific hierarchy from junior researcher to Director, and was at the origin of its creation. He organised the system of registration and state control of veterinary drugs in Ukraine, implemented the European registration system and transformed the Institute from a post-Soviet institution into a modern European structure that is maintained and financed at its own expense. He has gained great authority and respect not only within the Institute’s staff, but also in the academic, industry and educational scientific community of Ukraine and international recognition.
Thanks to the well-coordinated work of the Director and the team he has formed, the Institute has been consistently demonstrating dynamic progress over the past 18 years. During this period, the Institute has been constantly reconstructed, expanding its capabilities, complicating its structure, creating new structural units and new vectors of activity. In particular, to perform high-level work, the specialised laboratories have been fully re-equipped and accredited by the National Accreditation Agency of Ukraine in accordance with the requirements of DSTU ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and DSTU EN ISO/IEC 17043:2017. The Institute is equipped with modern research, experimental and material and technical facilities, and has formed a powerful database on methods of quality control and efficacy of veterinary drugs and feed additives that meet international requirements. Today, the Institute is the most powerful state structure in the Ukrainian scientific community among academic and industry institutions. In addition, during this period, an autonomous boiler house, a conference room, a vivarium for laboratory animals and a clinic for productive animals were built that meet international standards for the maintenance and breeding of laboratory and agricultural animals (pigs and poultry). International preclinical and clinical trials of veterinary medicines are conducted. In addition, design and technical documentation has been prepared for the construction of a research and experimental centre on the basis of the Lubin Velykyi research farm for bioequivalence, clinical trials on large farm animals and the establishment of carencia and residues of veterinary drugs and feed additives at the European level, which has no analogues in Ukraine.
The Institute participates in the implementation of international projects and grants:
Cluster project “Acoustic wave application for the analysis of the quality and safety of porous food and non-food matrices” – “ACOUSTICS” under the ITEA programme (05/2011-12/2014).
Ukrainian-Polish research project: “Evaluation of bone metabolism, intestinal inertia, structure of enzymatic activity of the digestive tract and oxidative stress in vertebrates against the background of fumonisin toxicosis in the prenatal period” (2020-2021).
National Research Foundation of Ukraine project within the framework of research and development: “Science for Security and Sustainable Development of Ukraine” on the topic: “Development of the latest materials and processes for the production of environmentally friendly veterinary drugs” (2021-2024).
According to the statistical research of the Scientific and Information Centre, the Institute was recognised as the best “State Enterprise” in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 by the main type of activity in Ukraine: “Research and experimental development in the field of natural and technical sciences”, the Institute won prizes and was awarded national diplomas “Industry Leader” (2009-2019), and was awarded silver and gold medals. The Institute’s achievements were twice recognised with the Certificate of Honour of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2001 and 2016).
The stability and prosperity of our Institute, strengthening of the material and technical base, improvement of the material and social well-being of employees are directly related to the administrative activities of the Director Igor Kotsiumbas. The labour collective expressed its unanimous opinion in the election of the Director in 2020.
In a difficult time for the Institute, the Director managed to preserve its scientific potential and increase the material and technical base. In particular, the Law of Ukraine “On Feed Safety and Hygiene”, which came into force on 19 January 2020, cancelled the state registration of feed, feed mixtures, premixes and feed for unproductive animals, which resulted in the loss of more than 50% of the Institute’s financial income. Thanks to the strategic scientific thinking and proper leadership of Academician I. Kotsiumbas, the Institute managed to organise its work at the proper level and receive funding for new areas of work, which made it possible to pay salaries to employees in a stable manner.
In order to acknowledge the long-term, fruitful research, financial and economic activities of Ihor Kotsiumbas, as well as to further use his authority, knowledge and experience, the staff and the Academic Council of the Institute awarded him the title of “Honorary Director of the State Research Institute of Veterinary Drugs and Feed Additives” (Order No. 60 of 13 September 2022).