Category: 2022

 11:51, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Parliament adopted the bill banning cash payments in making bookmaking bets or other gambling activities.

The law will take effect after 10 days.

Furthermore, after 6 months the bookmakers and gambling organizations will be banned from accepting bets via payment terminals.

Bets will be allowed to be made only by bank cards, and the winners will receive their sum again in non-cash method.

The bill is authored by Civil Contract lawmakers as part of fighting gambling addiction in the country.

The bill passed with 67 votes in favor.

The opposition lawmakers were not participating in the session.

 11:53, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. Young researcher Irina Tirosyan had decided to pursue science since early childhood. She has had plenty of riveting experiences in her career but her enrollment in the AI Bootcamp, a course in data science and artificial intelligence, by the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) appeared to be a turning point that predetermined Irina’s future career path. She could never envision before that, by going for computer science, she would deal with the discovery of drug-like candidates. Since the year 2020 Irina has been working for Denovo Sciences as a data scientist, also giving lectures at the American University of Armenia in parallel to her scientific activity.

 

What was the stimulus behind your decision to become a scientist?

 

I’ve been curious since childhood, and have always wanted to figure out what this or that substance was made of, and how it worked. I kept disassembling and reassembling toys and any other items at hand so as to understand the mechanism. Many will definitely recall small kits we had back in childhood to conduct chemical experiments. Exploring the new was my element.

I was into maths at school. To my mind, maths is a fundamental science which best explains the composition of things and their connection through rules and formulas. When I had to choose a future profession, I opted for the Department of Data Science at the American University of Armenia. The reason is data science enables one to work in diverse fields.

I started work throughout my university studies. My first experience was with a large American company Wolfram Research, also did an internship in machine learning research at PicsArt.

I both studied and worked as an assistant to the professor while doing my Master’s degree. This was when FAST organized the AI Bootcamp which I took part in with great pleasure, having even accomplished a project together. Later on, I was offered to work for Denovo Sciences, a company created within the framework of the ASCENT (Advanced Solutions Center) program by FAST.

 

Were there any people around you who inspired or encouraged you to pursue science?

 

I didn’t have any scientists in the family or among my relatives before. My parents simply respected my resolution. My career orientation did not surprise them in the slightest as they perfectly knew my personality. I am extremely grateful to them for all the support I am given.  

 

Would you highlight any scientist as a role model?

 

Certainly. For instance, the co-founder and CEO of Denovo Sciences Hovakim Zakaryan, who breaks all the stereotypes about a scientist. He is young, has a family, and has his preferences and interests. At the same time, he does science, and runs his own laboratory. Hovakim Zakaryan is an exemplary scientist for many. Having him on your team is the best inspiration and motivation.

 

Would you please elaborate on the nature of your work as a data scientist at Denovo Sciences?

 

We deal with the discovery of medicine candidates. Our team incorporates biologists, chemists, as well as data scientists. Conventionally, data scientists have to master enormous amounts of information regarding medications or other relevant substances, synthesize plenty of molecules, to carry out various experiments, without any certainty about the ultimate result. Newer experiments might be needed which require time-consuming work and huge financial investments.

 

We do not have to synthesize innumerable molecules and then conduct laboratory experiments. Instead, we have worked out algorithms based on artificial intelligence which accelerate the process of drug discovery without the need for those databases.

 

The algorithm singles out quality molecules, creates simulations, and then we have them synthesized and tested to find out how they affect the target of this or that disease and have them filtered, which saves a lot of time and financial resources. It is also worth noting that we constantly improve algorithms which enable research of the targets of diverse diseases, whilst conventional data science is constrained by the limits of a database.

 

Currently, we are working on the discovery of drugs for viruses hepatitis B and hepatitis C. In the case of the former, we have been cooperating with Emory University and professor Raymond F. Schinazi personally. As for the latter, with San Diego University and professor Thomas Herman.

 

Would you recall any milestone in your career path?

 

I would rather mention my participation in the AI Bootcamp held by FAST, where I first met my future teammates and got to know the nature of the work. I would have never imagined before I could discover novel medications.

 

Who is a scientist for you?

 

There is a stereotype that in case you have no scientific degree, you can never be a scientist, but I tend to believe that if you apply scientific methods, discover new schemes, and have your own research techniques, that’s enough to be considered a scientist. A contemporary scientist is well-rounded, their work is continuous, and it does not merely imply research. Science is not up in the air; practical application nowadays has become equally important as theory.

 

Haven’t the stereotypes you mentioned above ever got in your way?

 

Most people would get surprised to see a girl pursuing science in the past but a lot has changed in social conceptions so far. These days doing science is trendy.

 

What motivates you to get up in the morning?

 

Thoughts about the coming day, that it can be better than today or yesterday. Relentless perfection of your skills, gradual results of your work, that’s beyond words. To explore the new, to be a forerunner…

 

What would you tell a child who wants to pursue science?

 

I would urge their closest circle to give them the opportunity, to encourage them to never give up on it to keep a child’s interest and love for science awake up to the point when they are capable of pursuing their career path.

 

What is your dream as a scientist?

 

To go to the chemist’s and see the drug I have discovered.   

 

 

Previous interviews of the “10 questions to a scientist” series are below:

From Ashtarak to Yerevan, then to Milan and Basel, chasing the childhood dream of becoming a scientist. Smbat Gevorgyan

Any beneficial discovery for the sake of humankind would be regarded as a career peak for me. Ella Minasyan 

 I decided to carry on with the family tradition of pursuing science. Karen Trchunyan

Nothing brings as much joy to a person as the feeling of the reward of a scientific result. Ani Paloyan

The story of Anoxybacillus karvacharensis found in the geothermal spring of Artsakh as a source of inspiration. Diana Ghevondyan

In an American lab 20 years ago I felt like in a Hollywood movie. Anna Poladyan

Science excelled all jobs because it is perspective: Sargis Aghayan

The easiest way to change the world is to do science: Sona Hunanyan

 12:55, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The second meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani commissions for delimitation will take place in Moscow, the Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan’s office confirmed.

However the timeframes aren’t yet specified.

“The date of the second meeting of the delimitation commissions isn’t decided yet, but the location, yes, it will take place in Moscow,” Grigoryan’s office said.

Meanwhile, the Russian Deputy FM Andrey Rudenko had said that he hopes the next meeting will take place next week.

 13:11, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Foreign Ministry denies the media reports claiming that FM Ararat Mirzoyan was late to his meeting with United States Senators Bob Menendez and Jim Rich.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan said these reports are false.

“The delegation headed by the Armenian Foreign Minister arrived to the meeting on time. We call on the press to refrain from generating another information garbage,” Hunanyan said.

 13:42, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The opposition will introduce an initiative on convening an emergency session of parliament next week, the Vice Speaker of Parliament Ishkhan Saghatelyan from the opposition Hayastan faction, who is one of the leaders of the anti-government protests, said in a press briefing.

“We’ve clearly said that we will return to parliament with our agenda, and here today I say again that we will develop this agenda. Next week we will demand an emergency session. I will present details of the agenda in the evening,” Saghatelyan said.

 13:49, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. Red Wings airlines will start flying from Volgograd to Yerevan starting June 7^th.

The roundtrip flights will be operated once a week on Tuesdays.

 14:04, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The economic activity index of Armenia increased 9.4% in January-April 2022 compared to the same period of the previous year, the Statistical Committee said.

Industrial production volume increased 2.6% in January-April 2022 compared to January-April 2021. Construction volume increased 9%, and the increase in the trade turnover comprised 7.8% for the period of January-April 2022.

The services sector also registered growth – 23.5%, in the first four months of 2022.

In January-April 2022, the consumer price index increased 7.4%, the index of industrial production prices – 10.8%. Electricity production volume increased 14.1%.

The increase in external trade turnover volumes is 33.8%. Moreover, the export increased 25.2%, and the import – 39.1%, compared to January-April 2021.

The dram exchange rate against the US dollar comprised 484,55 drams as of January-April.

Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan said that the 6.7% economic activity index registered in March has turned into 8.8% in April. In other words, the economic growth has been accelerated.

“This growth would have been significantly higher if there were no queues in the Upper Lars, over which the Armenian government is conducting different works in order to solve the situation as quickly as possible. Today, I also had a quite substantive online discussion with my Russian counterpart Maxim Reshetnikov and other colleagues”, the minister said.

 14:18, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Presidential Office said.

During the meeting the Armenian President highlighted the continuous active cooperation with the ICRC in solving a number of humanitarian issues.

He particularly emphasized the importance of ensuring the return of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and civilian captives who are still held in Azerbaijan following the 44-day war unleashed against Artsakh. The President attached great importance to the need for the active engagement of the ICRC to this process.

Issues relating to ensuring the continuation of the search operations for the missing servicemen were also discussed at the meeting.

The ICRC President assured that the issues voiced by the President of Armenia are a priority for him and are under the spotlight of the structure led by him.

 14:20, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. As part of Europe Day, the EU Head of Delegation in Armenia Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin visited the Goris Medical Center in Syunik on May 25.

Ambassador Wiktorin donated a modern x-ray machine to the hospital as part of a larger EU assistance to Armenia’s COVID-19 response.

As part of the EU’s Solidarity for Health Initiative, the Goris Medical Center was equipped with 1 ECG device and 3 oxygen concentrators, which helped hundreds of patients recover from COVID-19 related diseases.

Ambassadors of EU-member states joined the event. The ambassadors also visited a vaccination site in Goris where they met senior citizens who received medical consultation and were vaccinated as part of the EU-funded Vaccination is Care campaign.