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The winners were announced at a special briefing by Presidential Aide Andrei Fursenko and member of the Presidential Council for Culture and the Arts Presidium and Presidential Adviser Vladimir Tolstoy.

As per tradition, the President will present the National Awards on Russia Day, which is celebrated on June 12.

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The 2017 Russian Federation State Prize in science and technology has been awarded to Mikhail ALFIMOV, Sergei GROMOV and Alexander CHIBISOV for the development of photoactive supramolecular devices and equipment

Mikhail Alfimov was born on July 6, 1937, in the village of Ivanovka, Glazunovksy District, Kursk Region. He is a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and heads scientific research at the Photochemistry Branch of the RAS Federal Crystallography and Photonics Research Centre.

Sergei Gromov was born in Oryol on May 12, 1953. He is a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and heads the Photochemistry Branch at the RAS Federal Research Crystallography and Photonics Centre.

Alexander Chibisov was born in Moscow on September 25, 1937. He is a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Senior Research Associate of the Photochemistry Branch at the RAS Federal Research Crystallography and Photonics Centre.

The research cycle by M. Alkhimov, S. Gromov and A. Chibisov is devoted to supramolecular chemistry – work on the interaction of complementary (mutually supplementary) molecules and molecule fragments.

The supramolecular devices and machines, created by the prizewinner, deliver, synthesise and identify molecules and molecule fragments in nano format. Their energy comes from light that can easily be regulated by both wavelength and intensity. These researchers are trailblazers in world science in this area. Their work discovers a new, unique class of photoactive units – unsaturated colourants, and describes methods of self-assembly in various types of photoactive supramolecular complexes. The latter are used as building blocks for creating photoactive nano-systems on a larger scale – devices for chemical control, chemical reactors for the synthesis of new substances, supramolecular polymers, and a hierarchy of “smart” materials.

Thus, the prizewinners designed a universal set for assembling photoactive supramolecular devices and machines with preset architecture and versatile functionality. Their methods led to the creation of a major branch of research that has the potential for the further use of the results obtained in real time monitoring of the chemical composition of the environment and its biological components, synthesising new substances, as well as in storing and processing information.

The 2017 National Prize in science and technology has been awarded to Ivan DEDOV for his series of work in fundamental endocrinology and introducing an innovative model for personalised medicine in healthcare

Ivan Dedov was born on February 12, 1941, in the village of Dmitryashevka, Voronezh Region. Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, he is the Director of the National Medical Research Centre of Endocrinology at the Russian Ministry of Healthcare.

Mr Dedov created a new personalised approach to using medicines in modern endocrinology. The laureate scientifically substantiated and introduced new methods of personalised diagnosis and treatment for diabetes, and tumors in the thyroid and parathyroid glands, pituitary glands, adrenal glands, endocrine sterility and other endocrinopathies, He detected earlier unknown types of pituitary tumors and developed normative documents on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of socially significant and rare endocrine diseases.

Under the supervision of and with the direct involvement of Dr Dedov, a number of international research efforts were carried out to reveal the diagnostic significance of immunogenetic and molecular genetic markers for diabetes, which fundamentally changed and optimised approaches to treating this disease. Due to Dr Dedov's many years of research and practice and educational work, as well as his organising talents, Russia was ranked in the top ten countries as regards diabetes treatment.

The scientific school of endocrinology created by Ivan Dedov united six institutes of experimental and clinical endocrinology into the National Medical Centre of Endocrinology Research of the Russian Ministry of Healthcare, which conducts work in over 20 areas, including not only treating diabetes but also surgery, neurosurgery, gynecology, urology, children's endocrinology, as well as metabolism pathologies and obesity, reproductive medicine, and others.

The 2017 Russian Federation National Award in science and technology has been awarded to Yevgeny ROGAYEV for discovering the genes and the molecular and genetic mechanisms responsible for hereditary human diseases.

Yevgeny Rogayev was born in the village of Petrovka, Kemerovo Region, on October 31, 1960. He holds a Doctorate in Biology and heads the evolutionary genomics laboratory at the Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences.

A series of works by Yevgeny Rogayev, which he spent many years on, focuses on molecular genetics, human genetics and hereditary human diseases, including identification of the genes involved in important biological functions of the human body and the development of hereditary diseases.

The most important discovery made by Yevgeny Rogayev and his co-authors is that of two genes linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. It was preceded by work to develop the methodology for identifying the genes associated with hereditary diseases that Mr Rogayev began in the mid-1980s. The researcher’s recent study showed that the structure of the protease proteins (enzymes splitting other proteins), if encoded by these two genes to inhibit their pathogenic properties, can undergo genetic modification. Mr Rogayev also discovered and cloned several new genes of unusual protease proteins that are similar in structure. The research results have laid the foundation for identifying mechanisms for regulating biological processes inside cells and indicate the lines of research that could be followed to develop drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

One of Mr Rogayev’s widely known achievements is the identification of the genetic cause of a rare hereditary form of hemophilia. Other important achievements by the researcher include the discovery of genetic factors associated with rare hereditary and neuropsychiatric diseases; a gene mutation that leads to early alopecia; and a gene mutation that leads to the development of congenital cataracts.

Yevgeny Rogayev continues to lead work to find and analyse genes with unknown molecular genesis that are involved in the development of diseases. He has founded medical genetics centres and laboratories to study pathological conditions at leading institutes in Russia and abroad, such as the Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics at the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Research Centre for Mental Health, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Moscow University.

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Winners of National Awards in Literature and the Arts

The 2018 Russian Federation National Award in literature and the arts has been awarded to Svetlana SIVKOVA for her contribution to research, preservation and promotion of the marine legacy.

Svetlana Sivkova was born on November 5, 1957, in Sovetsk, Kaliningrad Region. She is the Director General of the Museum of the World Ocean in Kaliningrad Region.

Svetlana Sivkova initiated the creation of the Museum of the World Ocean and has served as Director General since its founding (1990).

Thanks to Ms Sivkova, the museum is now a comprehensive marine-themed collection that tells the fascinating and vivid story of Russia’s marine legacy, sea exploration, and World Ocean flora and fauna. The museum comprises 13 onshore facilities, five museum vessels and eight cultural heritage sites. The total area of the museum facilities exceeds 26,000 sq m, and the museum collections include over 86,000 items.

The museum owns the Historical Fleet Embankment, a unique practice for marine museums, with several ships moored there. Among them are the Vityaz, the world’s largest research vessel and museum; the Project 641 B-413 submarine museum; the Cosmonaut Viktor Patsayev, the world’s only space communication vessel turned into a museum; the SRT-129, Russia’s only fishing vessel and museum; and the Irbensky, Russia’s last floating lighthouse. A museum district was built around the embankment.

The museum’s Navy Centre serves as a patriotic education facility for young people and carries out educational projects such as Sailing School, School Day in a Museum and One Step Towards Victory. Ocean Planet, the main exhibition building that will include the Ocean&I Museum and Educational Centre, is nearing completion.

The museum has won multiple awards in Russian and international museum competitions. It ranked among the top 10 most visited museums in Russia in 2016. In 2017, the museum had more than 630,000 visitors.

The museum is also involved in the preservation of historical vessels. Svetlana Sivkova initiated an inter-agency commission on marine legacy of the Russian Government Marine Board as well as the Russian Marine Heritage Association, which she heads.

The 2017 Russian Federation National Award in literature and the arts has been awarded to Yury TEMIRKANOV for his contribution to the development of Russian and international music culture.

Yury Temirkanov was born on December 10, 1938, in the village of Zaragezh (Urvansky District, Kabardino-Balkar ASSR). He is the Artistic Director of the Shostakovich St Petersburg Academic Philharmonia.

Yury Temirkanov is a remarkable symphonic and opera conductor and is a highly respected musician in Russia and all over the world. He has been heading the symphony orchestra of the St Petersburg Academic Philharmonia for 30 years. The orchestra’s tours around Russia and abroad, various concert programmes and Mr Temirkanov’s signature style have turned it into one of the world’s most famed orchestras.

Large international festivals, such as the Arts Square Festival held in St Petersburg since 1999, take place at Mr Temirkanov’s initiative and with his direct involvement. Thanks to his excellent reputation, various generations of world-famous musicians visit St Petersburg ahead of the New Year celebrations to take part in a concert conducted by Mr Temirkanov in his home philharmonic hall.

Helping talented youth is another area of Mr Temirkanov’s important work. He was one of the first to support the idea of holding Crescendo Festival performances featuring young artists at various Russian concert venues. He has established several prizes awarded to the best students of the St Petersburg Philharmonia Specialised Music School and the Specialised Music School in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria.

Yury Temirkanov has established the International Foundation for Cultural Initiatives and the Yevgeny Kolobov Foundation Prize. He chairs the board of the Step Forward international creative festival for children with disabilities.

The 2017 Russian Federation National Award in literature and the arts has been awarded to Boris EIFMAN for his contribution to the development of Russian and world choreographic art.

Boris Eifman, born July 22, 1946, in Rubtsovsk, Altai Territory, is Chief Choreographer of the St Petersburg Eifman Ballet.

Boris Eifman founded the Leningrad New Ballet company in 1977 (now the St Petersburg Eifman Ballet). He is the author of over 50 original productions, including those based on Russian and international works of classical literature such as I, Don Quixote, My Jerusalem, Don Juan, or Moliere Passions, Anna Karenina, The Seagull, Onegin, Rodin, Beyond Sin, Requiem, Tchaikovsky. PRO et CONTRA, and Russian Hamlet.

Boris Eifman uses the language of dance to study global ethical and philosophical issues and the nature of human passion. Unique choreographic solutions, the exceptional drama of his productions and the high performance standards of the Eifman Ballet ensemble render additional depth and expression to his productions, winning the hearts of Russian and international ballet lovers.

The Eifman Ballet has a busy schedule in Russia and abroad. It also participates in prestigious international festivals.

In 2013, he created the Boris Eifman Dance Academy in St Petersburg to train universal dancers using the best achievements of the Russian school of ballet, modern dance and sport. The academy is a social enterprise offering free education to some 270 children from around Russia. The construction of a children’s dance theatre is being completed in St Petersburg.

There are plans to open a Boris Eifman Dance Palace in the next few years. It is designed to become a global ballet centre and to give fresh impetus to the development of Russian ballet.

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Winner of the 2017 Russian Federation National Award for outstanding achievements in humanitarian activity.

The 2017 Russian Federation National Award for outstanding achievements in humanitarian activity has been awarded to Irina ANTONOVA.

Irina Antonova was born on March 20, 1922, in Moscow. She is the President of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.

Ms Antonova is a full cavalier of the Order of Merit to the Fatherland. She has been awarded the decoration For Beneficence (2017), the Russian Federation National Award in Literature and the Arts (1996), and the Order of the October Revolution and the Order of the Friendship of Poeples. She is a Commander of the Order of Merit to the Italian Republic, and a Cavalier of the Order of the Legion of Honour and the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, and Gold and Silver stars. Ms Antonova holds a Doctorate in Art History, and is a member of the Russian Academy of Education and the Russian Academy of Arts.

In 1945, Ms Antonova graduated from the art history department of Lomonosov Moscow State University and was invited to work at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. She was its Director from 1961 to 2013.

Ms Antonova is highly respected in the Russian and international museum community, and she has made a broad and versatile contribution to the country’s cultural and public life. Her name is associated with the unprecedented expansion of the international ties of Soviet museums and the return of many areas of domestic and world art to the country’s cultural life. Having served in the top management of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) for over ten years, she was one of the initiators of the International Museum Day in 1977. Ms Antonova’s high reputation allowed the museum to hold a number of large-scale exhibitions and display unique masterpieces of world painting, which very rarely travel abroad.

Ms Antonova’s position of principle on the restitution of so-called ‘displaced valuables’ drew substantial public interest. Having participated in the restoration of the Dresden Gallery’s collection that was saved by the Soviet Army and returned to the German people, Ms Antonova consistently advocated the attitude to ‘displaced valuables’ as saved landmarks of culture rather than “trophy art.”

Ms Antonova has always paid much attention to working with the younger generation of museum visitors. Different educational programmes have been carried out in the museum since the middle 1960s, and the Museion Centre of Aesthetic Education of Children and Youth was opened in 2006.

One more of Ms Antonova’s legendary projects that went far beyond the limits of museum activities is a unique festival of arts, December Evenings, that was inspired and directed by outstanding piano player Sviatoslav Richter and has been conducted since 1981.

The reconstruction of the buildings of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts has been carried out since 2007 at Ms Antonova’s initiative to bring to life the dream of the museum’s founder, Ivan Tsvetayev, to build a ‘museum neighbourhood’.

Established in the early 20^th century as an academic museum under Moscow University, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts has become one of the world’s largest museums, a recognised and popular cultural centre of Russia. Credit for this largely goes to Ms Antonova.