Leading Russian medical university transferred to agency overseeing longevity research that reports directly to Vladimir Putin
The Russian government has transferred Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, one of the country’s leading medical schools, from the Ministry of Health to the Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), which reports directly to Vladimir Putin. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed the order confirming the move on Nov. 3. In statements from the FMBA and the university, the transfer…
On November 3, the Russian government moved Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, a top-tier medical institution, from the Ministry of Health to the Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), a body directly under President Vladimir Putin's control. The transfer, officially announced by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, was framed as establishing a "unified framework for the development of Russian biotechnology."
The FMBA, which assumed control of the university in June 2024 under Presidential Decree No. 522, is headed by former Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova. The agency oversees various risk-related medical services, including those for employees in nuclear, space, and defense industries, as well as those facing heightened radiation, chemical, and biological threats.
The relocation aimed to consolidate scientific and educational resources at the university. FMBA officials stated that the university's departments are already operating at 12 of the agency's research centers, with a total of 36 academic departments already established jointly. Cooperation areas include gene therapy, immunomedicine, neurotechnology, and bioinformatics.
FMBA Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova emphasized that the consolidation would facilitate the development of educational programs in biomedical and genetic technologies. The FMBA clarified that the university would not become a closed institution solely serving the agency. This move comes as Russia advances large-scale state programs in biotechnology and longevity research, with Putin's daughter Maria Vorontsova and Mikhail Kovalchuk, head of the Kurchatov Institute, leading significant initiatives.
The FMBA's medical genomics department investigates biological aging and genetic characteristics of aging, while its Center for Biomedical and Additive Technologies focuses on regenerative medicine and organ/tissue bioprinting. In September 2025, Putin reportedly discussed the potential for biological immortality during a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, expressing optimism about human longevity in the 21st century.
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