Moscow Region Science Cities: From Nuclear Physics and Spaceflight to Biotechnology

Cities covered in this overview: Dubna, Korolyov, Protvino, Pushchino, Chernogolovka, Fryazino, Reutov, Zhukovsky, Troitsk and Obolensk.

The Moscow Region is not only one of Russia’s largest economic centres; it is also home to an exceptional concentration of scientific expertise. Its science cities specialise in fields ranging from nuclear physics and aerospace engineering to biopharmaceuticals, advanced materials and radio electronics.

Dubna is internationally known for research into new chemical elements, Korolyov is widely regarded as Russia’s space capital, and Zhukovsky remains a major centre of aviation science. Pushchino focuses on biological systems, while Chernogolovka is renowned for its work in chemistry and solid-state physics.

These cities share more than an official designation. Each has cultivated a distinctive intellectual environment in which fundamental research is closely connected with practical engineering and technological development.

What Is a Russian Science City?

A science city, or naukograd, is a city or municipality with a particularly high concentration of scientific and technological expertise. Such locations bring together fundamental and applied research, innovative engineering and knowledge-intensive manufacturing.

Official science-city status is granted by the Russian government to support research, education and high-technology industries. The principal criteria include the presence of research institutes, universities, innovative companies and infrastructure capable of turning scientific discoveries into market-ready products.

Russia’s science cities specialise in aerospace engineering, nuclear technologies, biomedicine, information technology and other advanced fields. Their status may provide access to government support, tax incentives and investment in research and industrial clusters.

1. Dubna

1. Name and status

The city’s official name is Dubna. It was granted federal science-city status in 2001, becoming the first city in Russia to receive this designation.

2. Geography and population

• Dubna lies approximately 120 kilometres north of Moscow, close to the border with the Tver Region.
• It covers 71.5 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 75,000 in 2025.
• The city occupies a distinctive location on the Volga River and the Moscow Canal.

3. Scientific specialisation

• Nuclear physics, elementary-particle research and nanotechnology.
• Its principal research institution is the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, or JINR, an international scientific organisation whose member states and partners span numerous countries.

4. Major institutes and companies

• Joint Institute for Nuclear Research — particle accelerators and the synthesis of new chemical elements.
• Spetsstroytekhnologii — innovative construction materials.
• Tensor — control and safety systems for nuclear power plants.

5. Landmark achievements

• Contributions to the discovery of new chemical elements, including oganesson and moscovium.
• Development of advanced nuclear and particle-physics technologies through the NICA collider project.
• Production of radiopharmaceuticals for medical diagnostics and treatment.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Dubna State University, which trains specialists for science and high-technology industries.
• Lyceum No. 6, a school for academically gifted students.
• Modern residential districts developed for JINR employees and their families.

7. Economy and investment

• Scientific programmes receive billions of roubles from government funding and international grants.
• The Dubna Special Economic Zone offers incentives to IT companies and other knowledge-intensive businesses.

8. Development prospects

• Continued commissioning and development of the NICA collider complex, one of Russia’s most ambitious contemporary physics projects.
• Expansion of international scientific cooperation.
• Development of a new technopolis in the Bolshaya Volga area.

9. Interesting facts

• Dubna has a Kurchatov Street and a monumental statue of Lenin standing approximately 25 metres high.
• Scenes associated with Andrei Tarkovsky’s film Stalker were shot in the area.
• During the 1950s, Dubna was a restricted city that could only be entered with a special permit.

10. Tourism and culture

• The JINR Museum of the History of Science and Technology.
• The Volga embankment and local yacht club.
• Public science festivals offering lectures and guided laboratory tours.

Key challenges:

• Continued dependence on public-sector funding.
• Competition with Moscow for highly qualified specialists.

Dubna is an internationally recognised centre of nuclear and particle physics, distinguished by the atmosphere of a true city of scientists.

2. Korolyov

1. Name and status

Korolyov received federal science-city status in 2001. The city is named after Sergei Korolyov, the pioneering Soviet rocket engineer and one of the principal architects of the country’s space programme.

2. Geography and population

• Korolyov is located around 10 kilometres north-east of Moscow.
• It covers approximately 55 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 225,000 in 2025.
• The city borders Ivanteyevka, Shchyolkovo and Mytishchi.

3. Scientific specialisation

• The space industry, including launch vehicles, satellites and crewed space programmes.
• The Mission Control Centre, responsible for managing Russian orbital missions and operations involving the International Space Station.
• RSC Energia, one of Russia’s leading spacecraft manufacturers.

4. Major institutes and companies

• S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia — Soyuz spacecraft and modules for the International Space Station.
• Keldysh Research Centre — rocket propulsion and space-based energy systems.
• Research organisations specialising in satellite and spacecraft systems.

5. Landmark achievements

• Development of the world’s first artificial Earth satellite, launched in 1957.
• The Vostok spacecraft, which carried Yuri Gagarin into orbit, and the long-running Soyuz programme.
• Development and operation of the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
• Work on the next-generation Oryol crewed spacecraft.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Engineering programmes connected with Bauman Moscow State Technical University.
• A science and engineering lyceum preparing future aerospace specialists.
• Modern residential developments for employees of the space industry.

7. Economy and investment

• The local aerospace sector receives tens of billions of roubles through major government programmes and contracts.
• High-technology companies benefit from access to specialised innovation infrastructure and support mechanisms.

8. Development prospects

• Development of the Oryol spacecraft for future crewed missions, including prospective lunar flights.
• Growth of Russia’s private space sector and partnerships with commercial companies.
• Modernisation of mission-control capabilities for more complex deep-space programmes.

9. Interesting facts

• Korolyov is home to one of Europe’s largest space mission-control complexes.
• Sergei Korolyov and Valentin Glushko, two of the leading figures in Soviet spaceflight, lived and worked here.
• The RSC Energia museum houses authentic spacecraft and other historic exhibits.

10. Tourism and culture

• The RSC Energia Museum, with spacesuits, satellites and spacecraft models.
• Cosmonauts Park and its monuments to prominent figures in space exploration.
• Space-themed festivals featuring lectures and meetings with cosmonauts.

Key challenges:

• Strong dependence on government contracts and public funding.
• Difficulty attracting young specialists in competition with Moscow’s technology companies.

Korolyov is Russia’s space capital—a city where generations of engineers have developed the technologies used to explore orbit and beyond.

3. Protvino

1. Name and status

Protvino was granted federal science-city status in 2008. Its name derives from the Protva River, on whose banks the city stands.

2. Geography and population

• Protvino lies approximately 100 kilometres south of Moscow, near the border with the Kaluga Region.
• It covers around 26 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 36,000 in 2025.
• Surrounded by coniferous forests, it is known as a green and relatively unpolluted city.

3. Scientific specialisation

• High-energy physics, nuclear research and accelerator technology.
• Its principal scientific organisation is the Institute for High Energy Physics, part of the Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre.

4. Major institutes and companies

• Institute for High Energy Physics, home to the U-70 proton synchrotron, one of Russia’s most important particle accelerators.
• Research organisations developing detectors and instrumentation for physics experiments.
• Biopharmaceutical research facilities exploring medical applications of radiation technologies.

5. Landmark achievements

• Construction of one of the Soviet Union’s first major particle accelerators, commissioned in 1967.
• Participation in international projects at CERN, including experiments involving the Large Hadron Collider.
• Development of medical technologies such as proton therapy for cancer treatment.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Educational programmes and research partnerships involving major Russian universities.
• Schools offering advanced instruction in mathematics and the natural sciences.
• Residential districts originally designed to support a specialised scientific community.

7. Economy and investment

• Research is financed through government programmes and international scientific collaborations.
• The city has plans to expand its innovation cluster in biopharmaceuticals and medical technology.

8. Development prospects

• Modernisation of the accelerator complex for new research programmes.
• Expansion of medical applications, including proton therapy and radiopharmaceuticals.
• Initiatives designed to attract and retain young scientists and engineers.

9. Interesting facts

• Protvino has an extensive system of underground accelerator tunnels.
• The city was built according to a unified architectural plan as a model Soviet research centre.
• Nobel Prize-winning physicist Vitaly Ginzburg worked in Protvino.

10. Tourism and culture

• Exhibitions devoted to the history of high-energy physics and accelerator engineering.
• Peace Park and monuments celebrating prominent scientists.
• The annual Protvino Readings, which bring together researchers and members of the public.

Key challenges:

• Ageing research infrastructure that requires substantial modernisation.
• The departure of younger residents in search of a broader labour market in Moscow.

Protvino is a major centre of high-energy physics where sophisticated research infrastructure supports both fundamental science and medical innovation.

4. Pushchino

1. Name and status

Pushchino received federal science-city status in 2005. Its name comes from a settlement that had existed in the area since the sixteenth century.

2. Geography and population

• Pushchino lies approximately 120 kilometres south of Moscow, on the right bank of the Oka River.
• It covers 18.3 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 20,200 in 2025.
• The city is situated near the Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve, giving it a distinctive natural setting.

3. Scientific specialisation

• Life sciences, including molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry.
• Radio astronomy, supported by one of Russia’s largest radio-astronomy facilities.
• The city’s research community was historically centred on the Pushchino Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

4. Major institutes

• Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry.
• Institute of Protein Research.
• Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory.
• Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics.

5. Landmark achievements

• Research into protein structures and the molecular mechanisms of life.
• Development of new pharmaceutical compounds.
• Participation in international radio-astronomy projects.
• Establishment of one of the Soviet Union’s first major biological research centres in 1963.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Higher-education programmes focused on the natural sciences.
• Schools offering advanced biology and chemistry curricula.
• A campus environment for students and early-career researchers.
• An extensive network of scientific libraries and laboratories.

7. Economy and investment

• Research programmes funded through Russian Academy of Sciences grants and international projects.
• Expansion of the local biotechnology cluster.
• Plans for new pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.

8. Development prospects

• Broader biotechnology and biomedical research programmes.
• Modernisation of radio-astronomy infrastructure.
• Development of an innovative medical centre.

9. Interesting facts

• Pushchino is home to the DKR-1000 radio telescope, one of Europe’s largest facilities of its kind.
• The city was purpose-built as a centre for biological research.
• Distinguished Soviet and Russian biologists have worked in its institutes.

10. Tourism and culture

• Exhibitions on the history of biological research.
• Nature trails in and around the nearby protected areas.
• Annual science festivals and public educational events.

Key challenges:

• Insufficient funding for fundamental research.
• The movement of young specialists from academic science into the commercial sector.

Pushchino is one of Russia’s leading life-science centres, combining fundamental research with an exceptional natural environment.

5. Chernogolovka

1. Name and status

Chernogolovka was granted federal science-city status in 2008. Its name is traditionally associated with the Chernaya River, which flows through the area.

2. Geography and population

• Chernogolovka lies approximately 50 kilometres north-east of Moscow.
• It covers about 62 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 23,000 in 2025.
• The city is surrounded by forests and lakes and is known for its relatively clean environment.

3. Scientific specialisation

• Chemistry, including advanced materials, catalysts and nanotechnology.
• Physics, particularly solid-state physics, superconductivity and quantum technologies.
• Its research ecosystem includes several institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

4. Major institutes and organisations

• Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics.
• Institute of Solid State Physics.
• Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics.
• Chernogolovka technology and innovation facilities supporting research-based start-ups.

5. Landmark achievements

• Development of new polymer materials with specialised properties.
• Research into high-temperature superconductors.
• Work on quantum-computing technologies.
• Participation in international scientific collaborations.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Academic partnerships and programmes involving the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.
• Schools with advanced curricula in mathematics and the natural sciences.
• Modern housing developed for employees of local research organisations.

7. Economy and investment

• Research financed through Russian Academy of Sciences grants and government programmes.
• Development of an innovation cluster focused on new materials.
• Efforts to attract private investment to knowledge-intensive projects.

8. Development prospects

• Establishment of a dedicated quantum-technology centre.
• Growth of nanotechnology-based manufacturing.
• Expansion of international research cooperation.

9. Interesting facts

• Nobel Prize-winning physicist Vitaly Ginzburg worked in Chernogolovka.
• The city has a specialised scientific library containing rare publications.
• It has preserved much of the character of a purpose-built Soviet research settlement.

10. Tourism and culture

• Science and technology exhibitions.
• Lakeside parks and recreation areas.
• Annual public science festivals.

Key challenges:

• Limited funding for fundamental research.
• Competition with Moscow’s universities and research centres for talent.

Chernogolovka is a leading Russian centre for chemistry and physics, with a distinctive scientific culture that continues to shape the city.

6. Fryazino

1. Name and status

Fryazino received federal science-city status in 2003. The modern city developed from an older settlement known by the same name since the sixteenth century.

2. Geography and population

• Fryazino lies approximately 35 kilometres north-east of Moscow.
• It covers 9.2 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 60,800 in 2025.
• The city is located near Shchyolkovo and other major communities north-east of the capital.

3. Scientific specialisation

Fryazino specialises in radio electronics and microwave engineering, including:

• Electronic components.
• Radar systems.
• Equipment for aerospace and defence applications.

Its principal enterprise is the Istok Research and Production Corporation, named after Alexander Shokin.

4. Major institutes and companies

• Istok, established in 1943 and specialising in microwave electronic devices.
• Fryazino Instrument-Making Plant.
• Platan Research Institute, specialising in electronics.
• Engineering education programmes associated with MIREA—Russian Technological University.

5. Landmark achievements

• Development of some of the first Soviet klystrons in the 1940s.
• Radar systems for air defence.
• Components for satellites and launch vehicles.
• Contributions to the GLONASS satellite-navigation programme.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Technical higher education focused on radio electronics and engineering.
• A lyceum with an advanced physics and mathematics curriculum.
• Residential districts constructed for employees of local technology companies.
• The Istok Palace of Culture.

7. Economy and investment

• The defence-industrial sector remains the city’s principal employer.
• Local enterprises participate in national programmes aimed at expanding domestic electronics production.
• The city is developing new industrial and technology infrastructure.

8. Development prospects

• Modernisation of electronic-component manufacturing.
• Expansion into civilian electronics.
• Development of facilities for IT companies and technology start-ups.

9. Interesting facts

• Fryazino is home to one of Russia’s largest microwave-electronics manufacturing complexes.
• Technologies developed in the city have been used in strategic aerospace and defence systems.
• Examples of monumental Soviet architecture from the 1950s remain visible throughout the city.

10. Tourism and culture

• The Istok corporate museum.
• The municipal park and a monument to Alexander Shokin.
• Annual events celebrating radio engineering and communications technology.

Key challenges:

• Dependence on state defence contracts.
• The need to modernise production facilities.
• Competition with Moscow’s IT companies for skilled personnel.

Fryazino is one of Russia’s foremost centres of radio electronics, combining specialist industrial expertise with advanced microwave engineering.

7. Reutov

1. Name and status

Reutov received federal science-city status in 2003. The city developed from the historic settlement of Reutovo, which has been known since the sixteenth century.

2. Geography and population

• Reutov lies around five kilometres east of the Moscow Ring Road and effectively forms part of the capital’s continuous urban area.
• It covers approximately nine square kilometres and had an estimated population of 113,000 in 2025.
• It is one of the smallest Russian science cities by area and one of the most densely populated.

3. Scientific specialisation

The city specialises in rocket and space engineering, including:

• Missile systems.
• Spacecraft.
• Guidance and control technologies.

Its principal industrial organisation is NPO Mashinostroyenia, one of Russia’s major aerospace and defence companies.

4. Major institutes and companies

• NPO Mashinostroyenia, established in 1944 as a developer of advanced missile and space systems.
• Reutov Experimental Plant.
• Organisations specialising in spacecraft and satellite systems.
• Engineering programmes affiliated with Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

5. Landmark achievements

• Development of the Meteorit and Yakhont cruise-missile systems.
• Creation of the Almaz orbital stations.
• Participation in the Buran spaceplane programme.
• Development of satellite-communications systems.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Engineering education linked to Bauman Moscow State Technical University.
• A lyceum with an aerospace-oriented curriculum.
• Modern residential developments for employees of local enterprises.
• The Mir Palace of Culture.

7. Economy and investment

• Rocket and space engineering remains the city’s principal industrial sector.
• Local companies participate in major government aerospace and defence programmes.
• Reutov continues to develop its innovation and technology infrastructure.

8. Development prospects

• Modernisation of spacecraft and aerospace-equipment production.
• Expansion of civilian applications for space technologies.
• Development of a local technology park.

9. Interesting facts

• Reutov played an important role in the development of the Almaz military orbital-station programme.
• Prominent spacecraft designer Vladimir Chelomey worked in the city.
• Local urban legends and historical accounts connect parts of today’s cityscape with former aerospace testing infrastructure.

10. Tourism and culture

• The NPO Mashinostroyenia museum.
• Fabrichny Pond Park and the monument to Vladimir Chelomey.
• Space-themed public festivals and educational events.

Key challenges:

• Strong dependence on defence-sector contracts.
• A shortage of available land for further development.
• Competition with Moscow-based employers for engineers and researchers.

Reutov is a key centre of Russia’s rocket and space industry, where advanced aerospace systems have been developed for more than seven decades.

8. Zhukovsky

1. Name and status

Zhukovsky received federal science-city status in 2007. It is named after Nikolai Zhukovsky, the pioneering scientist widely regarded as the founder of modern aerodynamics in Russia.

2. Geography and population

• Zhukovsky lies approximately 25 kilometres south-east of Moscow, near the Moscow River.
• It covers 47.3 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 107,000 in 2025.
• The city forms part of the wider south-eastern Moscow metropolitan area.

3. Scientific specialisation

The city specialises in aviation and aerospace research, including:

• Aerodynamics.
• Aircraft testing.
• Development of aviation systems.

Its leading organisations are:

• Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, internationally known by its Russian acronym TsAGI.
• Gromov Flight Research Institute.

4. Major institutes and companies

• TsAGI, established in 1918 and internationally recognised for its aerodynamics research.
• Gromov Flight Research Institute, which tests new aircraft and aviation systems.
• Research organisations specialising in aircraft equipment.
• The Myasishchev Design Bureau.

5. Landmark achievements

• Testing of the first Soviet jet aircraft during the 1940s.
• Participation in the development of the Buran spaceplane.
• Aerodynamic research supporting Sukhoi and MiG aircraft.
• Hosting the MAKS International Aviation and Space Salon.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Aviation-engineering programmes associated with the Moscow Aviation Institute.
• A technical college specialising in aviation.
• Schools offering aerospace-oriented education.
• Residential districts developed for aviation-industry employees.

7. Economy and investment

• Aviation research institutes and industrial companies are the city’s principal employers.
• Local organisations participate in national aircraft-industry development programmes.
• Zhukovsky is expanding its innovation and aerospace research infrastructure.

8. Development prospects

• Further development of Russia’s national aviation research centre.
• Support for civil-aircraft programmes, including the MC-21 and SJ-100.
• Broader technological cooperation with international partners.

9. Interesting facts

• Zhukovsky is home to one of Europe’s largest wind-tunnel complexes.
• Most major Soviet and Russian aircraft programmes have undergone testing in the city.
• Zhukovsky retains a distinctive ensemble of Soviet architecture dating from the 1930s.

10. Tourism and culture

• Exhibitions devoted to the history of TsAGI and Russian aviation science.
• The MAKS aviation and space show.
• The municipal park and monuments honouring Nikolai Zhukovsky.

Key challenges:

• Dependence on government aviation contracts.
• The need to modernise its experimental and testing infrastructure.
• Competition with Moscow-based employers for engineers and scientists.

Zhukovsky is an internationally important centre of aviation science, where new aircraft and aerospace technologies are developed, tested and refined.

9. Troitsk

1. Name and status

Troitsk received federal science-city status in 2007. Its name derives from the historic village of Troitskoye, known since the seventeenth century.

2. Geography and population

• Troitsk lies approximately 20 kilometres south-west of the Moscow Ring Road.
• Since 2012, it has formed part of the expanded federal city of Moscow, commonly known as New Moscow.
• It covers approximately 16.3 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 65,000 in 2025.
• The city is surrounded by forest parks and retains a comparatively green urban environment.

3. Scientific specialisation

• Physics, including nuclear research, laser technology and astrophysics.
• Nanotechnology, advanced materials and catalysts.
• One of its leading organisations is the Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Fusion Research, known as TRINITI.

4. Major institutes and organisations

• TRINITI, specialising in fusion research and plasma technologies.
• Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation.
• Institute of Spectroscopy of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
• Innovation facilities supporting high-technology start-ups.

5. Landmark achievements

• Contributions to the development of the T-15 fusion research reactor.
• Industrial laser technologies.
• Research into solar-terrestrial physics.
• Development of new magnetic materials.

6. Education and infrastructure

• Higher-education partnerships in physics and materials science.
• Schools with advanced physics and mathematics programmes.
• Residential districts developed for researchers and their families.
• Cultural and community facilities serving the scientific population.

7. Economy and investment

• Funding through government programmes and international scientific projects.
• Development of a high-technology innovation cluster.
• Efforts to attract private investment to knowledge-intensive manufacturing.

8. Development prospects

• Expansion of quantum-technology research.
• Development of a specialised laser-technology cluster.
• Broader international cooperation in major physics programmes, including fusion research.

9. Interesting facts

• Troitsk hosts important facilities for observing and studying the Earth’s magnetosphere.
• Nobel Peace Prize laureate and physicist Andrei Sakharov had close associations with the scientific community of the wider Moscow research network.
• The city has preserved the distinctive atmosphere of a research settlement.

10. Tourism and culture

• Exhibitions on the history of scientific research.
• The Troitsk arboretum and its collection of unusual plants.
• Public science festivals and guided visits to research institutes.

Key challenges:

• Limited funding for fundamental research.
• Competition with Moscow’s major scientific and technology organisations for talent.

Troitsk is a leading physics research centre where fundamental science is closely connected with practical technological development.

10. Obolensk

1. Name and status

Obolensk is a specialised research settlement whose modern identity is closely associated with Russia’s microbiology and biotechnology sector. Its name recalls the historic Obolensky princely family.

2. Geography and population

• Obolensk lies approximately 100 kilometres south of Moscow, in the Serpukhov urban district.
• It covers around 4.5 square kilometres and had an estimated population of 5,300 in 2025.
• The settlement is surrounded by mixed forests and has a relatively quiet, green environment.

3. Scientific specialisation

Obolensk specialises in biopharmaceuticals and microbiology, including:

• Vaccine research.
• Immunobiological products.
• Molecular biology.
• Infectious-disease diagnostics.

Its principal research organisation is the State Research Centre for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

4. Major institutes and companies

• State Research Centre for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.
• Pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers operating in and around Obolensk.
• Research facilities specialising in epidemiology and microbiology.
• Production sites focused on medicines, diagnostic systems and biotechnology products.

5. Landmark achievements

• Research contributing to vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases.
• Development of new-generation immunomodulatory products.
• Production of diagnostic test systems.
• Participation in national research programmes responding to emerging biological threats.

6. Education and infrastructure

• A specialised research campus with laboratory facilities.
• Local education with an emphasis on biology and the natural sciences.
• Housing for employees of scientific and pharmaceutical organisations.
• Medical infrastructure supporting research and public health.

7. Economy and investment

• Funding through government research and public-health programmes.
• Participation in national initiatives to expand domestic pharmaceutical production.
• Private investment in biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

8. Development prospects

• Expansion of genomic research.
• Development of new vaccine platforms, including mRNA technologies.
• Broader scientific and industrial cooperation.

9. Interesting facts

• Obolensk is one of the smallest specialised research communities in Russia.
• Local scientists have worked on medical technologies intended for use in extreme environments.
• Historic buildings and religious architecture can be found in the surrounding area.

10. Tourism and culture

• Exhibitions on microbiology and pharmaceutical research.
• Nature trails through the surrounding forests.
• Scientific conferences on microbiology, epidemiology and immunology.

Key challenges:

• Limited space for physical expansion.
• Dependence on public funding and major institutional programmes.
• A shortage of highly qualified personnel.

Obolensk is a distinctive biopharmaceutical and microbiology centre whose research contributes to the development of vaccines, diagnostic technologies and other essential medical products.