Professor of Formulation Science at the Reading School of Pharmacy, Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy gave a leadership lecture at the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University on the topic "Smart Materials in Medicine".

During the visit to the University, the guest of honor met with the Chairman of the Board – Rector of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Zhanseit Tuimebayev. After discussing plans for further cooperation and the implementation of joint educational projects, the rector awarded Vitaly Khutoryansky a diploma of honorary professor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy’s research interest lies in the following areas: Polymers for pharmaceutical applications, Mucoadhesive drug delivery systems, Transmucosal drug delivery (ocular, oral, intravesical) , Water-soluble and amphiphilic polymers, Hydrogels, biomaterials & polymeric blends, Functionalised nanoparticles (polymers, silica, gold), Stimuli-responsive polymers.

Vice-Rector for Operations Assel Uvalieva addressed the guest of honor and the audience with a welcoming speech. "Today we have a wonderful professor of the School of Chemistry, Products and Pharmacy at the University of Reading (the United Kingdom), Candidate of Chemical Sciences Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy. A graduate of KazNU maintains cooperation with his alma mater, he is the head of our doctoral students, publishes scientific articles together with university scientists and implements international projects," Asel Uvalieva introduced the lecturer.

Professor Khutoryanskiy stressed that it was a great honor for him to give a lecture at KazNU. "It was in this very hall, when 25 years ago I made my first report in English. We held a symposium of Turkic-speaking countries at the Department of Chemistry of High-molecular Compounds. That's how my career has started. At that time I was a graduate student, and later exactly 20 years ago in October 2002, I moved to the UK. I changed my specialization from a chemist to a pharmacist, although I showed the makings even when I was doing my PhD thesis at KazNU. A smooth transition from a polymer chemist to a pharmaceutical scientist was laid down at my home university," the professor stressed. Since 2005, Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy has been working at the University of Reading, where he went all the way from lecturer to professor of the School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy.

The lecture "Smart Materials in Medicine" was devoted to the topic of using smart technologies in medicine. "Today new technologies are being introduced everywhere at such a speed that it can be difficult to track them. Smartphones, gadgets, smart- home system have flooded the world. Medicine also does not lag behind. Diagnostic equipment with smart systems has appeared, capsules with video cameras that can pass through the gastrointestinal tract, recording information, etc. Not only electronic, but also chemical systems can be smart," the lecturer noted. Further, the professor elaborated on the story of materials, chemical bonds (polymers) sensitive to the pH level and their use in medicine.

Press Service of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University