During a visit of high academic and scientific value, Professor S.V. Naidenko, Director of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS), met on Tuesday with the leadership of the National University of the Amazon in Peru (Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana). The main topic of the meeting was opportunities for collaboration in scientific research aimed at preserving Amazon biodiversity.
The meeting took place at the University of Iquitos. S.V. Naidenko, along with José Antonio Hernández Blanco, PhD (Biology), Senior Researcher at IEE RAS, B.D. Efeikin, Researcher at IEE RAS, and D.S. Kostin, PhD (Biology), Researcher at IEE RAS, met with Mildred García Dávila, Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences. Henry Vladimir Delgado Wong, Head of the University's International Relations and Cooperation Office, also participated in the event.
The main goal of the meeting was to assess the possibility of concluding a scientific cooperation agreement that would enable joint research in various fields related to ecology, evolution, and species conservation.
The Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences is one of the most important biological research centers in Russia and worldwide. Founded in 1934, it has over 90 years of experience in research on animal ecology, biodiversity, behavior, and evolutionary morphology, as well as in developing conservation strategies.
S.V. Naidenko, Professor and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, is known worldwide for his work on big cat conservation, mammalian behavioral ecology, and the protection of endangered species. His experience includes successful conservation projects for the Amur tiger and Far Eastern leopard, both critically endangered species.
Potential areas of collaboration discussed at the meeting include parasitological research, biodiversity assessments using modern environmental DNA methods, and assessments of the impact of microplastics on organisms.
Potential collaboration between the IEE RAS and the National University of the Amazon in Peru could yield the following results:
- Access to advanced research methods developed in Russia for wildlife studies.
- Opportunities to conduct joint research for publication in international journals with a high impact factor.
- Strengthening the position of the Faculty of Biological Sciences as a center for Amazonian research at the continental level.
- Increasing competitiveness for obtaining international funding for research projects.
Both organizations agree that scientific research should directly contribute to the sustainable development of the Amazon region. Protecting and preserving biodiversity not only ensures the survival of unique species but also provides ecosystem services on which local communities depend.
The IEE RAS can assist the University in implementing successful conservation programs that will help restore populations of species on the brink of extinction.
Although the meeting was of an introductory nature, both parties expressed interest in formalizing an interinstitutional cooperation agreement that would lay the foundation for joint research projects, the exchange of researchers and students, and the organization of international academic events.
This work is being carried out under grant No. 075-15-2025-655 from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, dated August 21, 2025.