Researchers from ITMO and the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed a compact perovskite laser that can control the rotation of vortex light and the direction of its radiation. Each wave beam turns into a data transmission channel that can be used in sensorics, AI, and quantum technologies. The results of the study are published in Nano Letters.
Every month, we bring you a shortlist of what we’ve been up to these days, and this October is no exception. In this mid-fall edition, see us champion our most recent finds in viral games, planning, and more.
Researchers at ITMO’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence have developed PAUK – the nation’s first open-source software that builds an interactive research connections map using a multi-source dataset: research organizations, employees and their publications, and code repositories. The service works as both a search engine and a map: users can find similar and related developments, authors, researchers, papers, and repositories based on a single article. The project was presented at the 22nd Conference of Open Source Developers in Pereslavl-Zalessky.
Growing up in a rural village in Bangladesh, Alamin dreamed of studying abroad – but financial difficulties made that goal seem almost impossible. After years of searching and applying for scholarships, his determination finally brought him to ITMO University, where he is now preparing to study biotechnology. In this interview with ITMO NEWS, Alamin shares with us his journey from Bangladesh to Russia, his interest in healthcare and bioinformatics, and his first impressions of life in St. Petersburg.
University admissions aren’t just about exam prep – it’s also important to understand what exactly you want to study. The earlier you get a grip on the various specializations and admission regulations, the less you’ll need to worry during the application process. ITMO’s open days are a great opportunity to explore specific programs and get to know the university as a whole. In this article, we’ve put together a list of all upcoming 2026 open days – perfect for those who love to plan early.
The next seven days will bring a mix of new book-to-screen adaptations, timeless Russian soundtracks, fun nature activities, and more. And don’t forget: Halloween weekend is ahead – get ready for some spooky time, too!
October 27 is World Day for Audiovisual Heritage. To celebrate, today, we are looking at the intriguing phenomenon of lost media, ways it gets recovered, and some exciting examples of Russian lost media.
How can one digitize a manuscript that is hundreds of years old or convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into a raw material to produce polymers? These are the problems young scientists are soling at ITMO. Their recent developments were showcased at the exhibition held as part of the 5th International Conference Young Professionals. Here are the highlights.
ITMO University and Sberbank have jointly created and delivered The Methodology of Teaching Soft Skills in Higher Education – a course designed to help educators integrate teamwork, public speaking, conflict management, and other soft skills practices into the classroom. Over the course of two years, 512 Russian lecturers have completed the training.
You don’t have to choose between staying warm and looking good. These four unique local brands found a way to make weather protection fashionable. From colorful outdoor-inspired clothing to oversized streetwear and natural-wool knitwear, these designs will keep you cozy during the colder half of the year.
Scientists from ITMO’s Center for AI in Chemistry have released AptaBench, the first specialized benchmark for verifying models that predict the interaction of aptamers with small molecules. Aptamers find their applications in diagnostics, biosensors, and medicine development, and thus have practical significance for biomedicine. Such models can facilitate the search for new aptamers by selecting the most promising variants that are then verified in the lab. However, before scientists can trust such predictions, it’s important to verify how good the models can process data they haven’t seen before. AptaBench can conduct this verification in standardized conditions.
Not too long ago, neural networks in education were used only to automate routine tasks. In 2026, however, experts see a radical shift: AI is becoming a full-on thinking partner and transforming the educational process. Knowledge that can be obtained in a single click from AI takes a backseat, while the spotlight is now on something unattainable for machines: fundamental mathematical training and the ability to ask questions and set goals. At the recent YaC/e, one of Russia’s top education conferences, ITMO experts talked about why students aren't rushing to delegate their studies to AI and how universities react to new challenges. Here are the highlights.
This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry is going to Henri B. Kagan (France) and Kenso Soai (Japan) “for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.” The laureates’ research will allow scientists to control chemical reactions and create organic molecules with a specific orientation. Such molecules have a special purpose in pharmaceutics, where the necessary biological activity is produced by only one of the mirror-image isomers. What are chiral molecules? How do they affect the human body? And why will the new discovery lead to the creation of next-gen medicines? ITMO NEWS looked into it with Ekaterina Skorb, the head of ITMO’s School of Life Sciences and the Infochemistry Scientific Center.
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine is going to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel, whose research helped shed light on how our multibillion-cell brain forms memories, feelings, and behavior strategies. The scientists’ achievements laid the foundation for optogenetics, a method of studying neurons. Why did they receive the Nobel Prize? How does optogenetics help treat diseases? And who studies the brain at ITMO? That’s what we discussed with Vera Medvedeva, a senior researcher at ITMO’s Center for Molecular and Biological Technologies, and Evgeniya Sokolova, the head of the Public Health Sciences Master’s program.
This year, the Nobel Prize in Physics is going to Francis Halzen for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. The latter are particles born in remote cosmic processes: supernova explosions and black hole and neutron star mergers. We talked to Dmitry Karlovets, a senior researcher at ITMO’s Faculty of Physics, to learn how neutrinos are used to conduct research on Earth and in deep space, how ice helps catch these evasive particles, and how ITMO contributes to this research.
ITMO’s Laboratory “Embodied AI and Robotics” has presented a series of solutions meant to enable machines to efficiently interact with the physical world around them: to see and recognize spaces, objects, movement, and changes in their environment. Together, these solutions bring robots closer to independent and purposeful interaction with their physical reality.
ITMO University has won a competitive selection to receive 500 million rubles towards the creation of the Industrial Robotics Development Center. Special focus will be placed on intelligent and adaptive robotization – technologies that help robots adapt to constantly changing production tasks.
Researchers have found medical bioplastics with sharper features more efficient than those with a smooth surface. Roughness and depressions promote better cell attachment and growth. The corresponding study was published in Langmuir.
The international forum Bioprom: Industry and Technology For Humans has recently concluded in the city of Gelendzhik. At the event, ITMO showcased its biotechnology contributions: from approaches to specialist training to development of new technologies and startups. Learn more in this ITMO NEWS story.
ITMO University has launched the Industrial BioTech Engineering Center with branches in St. Petersburg and Almetyevsk to help bring innovations from a laboratory into pilot-scale production. The project secured a 300-million-ruble grant from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade following the results of a competitive selection among engineering centers in bioeconomy.
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