Garib Murshudov, Head of the Computational Structural Biology Group at the Institute of Molecular Biology of the UK Medical Research Council and Honored Scientist of Azerbaijan, delivered a lecture titled "Three-Dimensional Structure of Proteins" at Baku State University (BSU).

In his opening remarks, BSU Rector Elchin Babayev highlighted that Professor Murshudov, an alumnus of the university’s Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Cybernetics, is a world-renowned expert in bioinformatics. He emphasized that Professor Murshudov's significant contributions to the study of protein structures and bioinformatics have brought great pride not only to BSU, but also to Azerbaijan and the broader Turkic world. In recognition of his achievements, Murshudov was awarded the title of "Honored Scientist" in 2022.

During the lecture, Professor Murshudov introduced the field of structural biology, explaining that it investigates the biological processes and molecular structures that underpin life. He noted that proteins play a role in virtually every process within the body, and that understanding their three-dimensional structures is key to unlocking fundamental biological mechanisms. This knowledge, he explained, is essential for developing new therapeutic drugs.

He went on to describe global efforts in this area, mentioning that over 235,000 protein structures have been catalogued in the protein database, and discussed current research methods. Professor Murshudov also shared insights into how artificial intelligence is being used to advance the study of protein structures and emphasized the rapid growth and future potential of structural biology. He stressed the urgent need to develop modern computational methods and encouraged young Azerbaijani scientists to pursue careers in this evolving field.

The event concluded with a Q&A session, where students and university staff had the opportunity to engage directly with Professor Murshudov.