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Science TCA Interviews Biology Parkinson's disease

Kazakh Researchers Uncover Important Step Towards Treating Parkinson’s Disease

Kazakhstan’s reputation in the global scientific community is evolving, thanks to research conducted by local scientists. Aizhan Ahmadi, a doctoral graduate from Nazarbayev University’s (NU) School of Natural, Social, and Human Sciences, and her team have made a discovery that could pave the way for future treatments for Parkinson’s disease. TCA: Tell us about your research. Aizhan: I recently completed my doctoral studies, defended my dissertation, and earned my PhD. Before that, I worked at a university for five years. During my research, I focused on a mutated protein called DJ-1, which is found in patients with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. More than 20 years ago, European scientists identified mutations in DJ-1 in some patients suffering from these diseases. Despite extensive research in dozens of laboratories, the protein’s exact role remained unclear. While analyzing previous studies, we came across a large European research project with an interesting hypothesis about DJ-1. We decided to explore this direction further and we succeeded in proving that DJ-1 has a previously unknown function. Understanding how DJ-1 protects biomolecules is not only crucial for developing new treatment methods for Parkinson’s disease but also for explaining cell aging. This discovery is vital for pharmacologists, as they cannot develop effective drugs without fully understanding a protein’s function. For the first time, we have proven a new function of DJ-1. I believe this is a fundamental breakthrough for both global science and Kazakhstan’s scientific community. We submitted our findings to Nature Communications, a leading scientific journal. After a rigorous eight-month review process, our research was accepted. This was a difficult but rewarding journey. Our study is the first from independent Kazakhstan to be published in such a prestigious journal, making it a landmark achievement for our country. TCA: What challenges come with studying biology in Kazakhstan? Aizhan: Basic biological research is extremely resource-intensive. It takes time, energy, and has no guaranteed results. We invested grant funding and used millions of dollars’ worth of equipment. However, when a discovery is made, its contribution to science and medicine is invaluable. Our study was conducted entirely within Kazakhstan, without relying on foreign laboratories. This is particularly significant because many still doubt whether serious scientific breakthroughs can come from Kazakhstan, especially in biochemistry. Alongside me, my supervisor, Darkhan Utepbergenov, and several undergraduate students participated in the research. Professor Utepbergenov, a Kazakhstani scientist, graduated from Novosibirsk State University, worked in Germany and the U.S. for nearly 20 years, and then returned to Kazakhstan as a professor. He has said that this is his most significant work to date, and even he still finds it hard to believe that such a discovery was made in Kazakhstan. His contribution to both research and teaching at Nazarbayev University has been immense. TCA: As a young woman in science, what motivated you to pursue this path? How can Kazakhstan raise the status of scientists? Aizhan: First and foremost, better financial support is essential. Salary structures need improvement, bureaucratic obstacles must be reduced, and science communication should be...

5 days ago

Russia Politics U.S.A

Opinion: How Central Asia Has Strengthened Ties with the West Since 2022

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has changed the relationship between Russia and Central Asia. Russia’s decision to invade a neighboring country, and the devastation and destruction that followed, has forced Central Asia to reconsider its relationship with the Russian Federation. Russia is no longer seen as an “invincible superpower,” meaning it cannot be relied on to protect other members of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization). In addition, the U.S. and European countries have levied heavy sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Russia has attempted to evade these sanctions by conducting business with third parties, but the international community has warned several organizations and countries not to partake in these relations. Otherwise, should these businesses and countries opt to help Russia, then the international community has said that it will impose stiff penalties on these Russian intermediaries as well. Given these events, the Central Asian states have now been actively pursuing new relationships beyond Russia to bolster national, economic, and energy security within the region. During this process, China has attempted to assert itself as Central Asia’s new ally. Like Russia, China already has a significant trade relationship with Central Asia. In addition, China is Central Asia’s largest gas consumer, meaning the Chinese have attempted to force Central Asia into an economic and energy partnership. Despite this relationship, the countries of Central Asia have opted not to increase their reliance on China. Instead, recent developments have led them to improve their relations with the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. But how has the West strengthened its relationship with Central Asia since 2022? Take, for example, the United States. When Russia’s invasion began in February 2022, the then U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to discuss the war. During their meeting, Secretary Blinken stated that the United States supports Central Asia’s “sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.” He also said that the United States will continue to strengthen its relationship with the region. Since this meeting, Blinken has met with foreign ministers from Central Asia on several occasions in 2023 and 2024, where they further discussed how Central Asia can “develop the strongest possible capacities for their own security, their growing economic prosperity, and the strength and resilience of their societies.” Furthermore, U.S. President Joe Biden met with senior officials from Central Asia. During his meeting with his Central Asian counterparts in September 2023, Biden said that the United States would help “invest in and develop Central Asia’s energy infrastructure.” The United States also established a new business initiative with Central Asia, where the United States has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to the region. Then, during the United States-Central Asia Trade Investment Framework Council in June 2024, the United States and the Central Asian states discussed new investment opportunities and how they could diversify trade. These discussions were well received, and the United States called for future engagements between it and Central...

5 days ago

Railway Development Transport Infrastructure railroads Transport and Logistics

Modernization of Kazakh Railway Infrastructure is a Priority

According to the National Infrastructure Plan of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2029, the overall level of wear and tear of the railroad network is about 50%. In addition, the qualitative characteristics of the track do not meet current business demands and are inferior to other countries in terms of its development. In order to improve the quality and guarantee reliable and safe transportation of passengers and cargo by rail, KTZ plans to repair about 11,000 km of railway sections by 2029. According to JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, which operates the country's railway mainline network, 1,430 km of track was repaired as part of last year's summer track works, including 570 km of major railway track overhauls. As Sakеn Rakhmetov, Brach Director of KTZ’s Mainline Network Directorate, told The Times of Central Asia, train speed improvements were achieved on 413 km of track for passenger trains with Talgo cars, 605 km for passenger trains, and 406 km and 507 km for freight and container trains, respectively. In the upcoming season, which will begin in March, 1,480 km of track across the country are planned for repair, including 512 km of major overhauls. "Repair work will be carried out on key railway sections with heavy train traffic. The first projects are planned on the Beineu-Mangystau, Zhambyl-Tyulkubas, Shu-Almaty, and Makat-Aksarayskaya sections," Rakhmetov explained. KTZ has developed a corresponding Program for the Development of Railway Infrastructure Capacity. Several modernization and reconstruction projects are planned, including upgrades to signaling, centralization, and blocking systems. "A limiting factor in the railway infrastructure's throughput capacity is the processing ability of stations, as well as the useful length of receiving and departure tracks. With the introduction of modern locomotive types and the increasing share of container trains, both train weight and composition length have grown, while station infrastructure has remained unchanged. For instance, 59% of stations and passing loops currently cannot accommodate long trains. Therefore, by 2029, the development of approximately 200 stations and junction points is planned. This year alone, work is set to begin on 31 stations," Rakhmetov stated. Notably, to increase the processing capacity of railway stations, a Sorting Systems Development Program was approved in 2024. As part of this program, work will begin this year on modernizing the sorting system at Karaganda-Sortirovochnaya station. Overall, by 2029, Kazakhstan plans to construct 5,000 km of new railway lines and repair 11,000 km of tracks, with 2,800 km already having been renovated over the past two years. Regarding the modernization of station buildings and passenger platforms, efforts to provide high-quality services to the population saw the completion of routine repairs on 36 stations in 2024. Architectural lighting was installed at the Astana-1 and Kurort-Borovoe stations, while heating systems were repaired at 16 stations. In total, between 2024 and 2029, 54 stations across the country will undergo modernization and major renovations at an estimated cost of 100 billion tenge ($204 million).

6 days ago

Security

Videos Show Man Tackling Hostage-Taker at Almaty Airport

A Kazakh man who disarmed a hostage-taker by grabbing the knife from his hand at Almaty International Airport is being celebrated internationally for his courage. Several videos and accounts of the dramatic scene in the airport on Friday are circulating widely on the internet. The videos show the assailant holding a woman by her hair and making threats as security officials converge. He then lets go of the woman after a man offers himself as a hostage - and disarms the hostage-taker shortly afterward. A scuffle ensues as the man and officials subdue the attacker. Multiple reports identified the man who disarmed the attacker as former boxer Musa Abdraim, who is in his early 50s. The World Boxing Council identified him as Mussa Abraimov. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman said on Instagram that he had a “great” video call with the former boxer and that he would receive the council’s “bravest man on earth” award. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was informed about the hostage situation at the airport, according to presidential press secretary Ruslan Zheldibay. “The President highlighted the bravery and skill of the man who disarmed the criminal and ordered that he be nominated for a state award,” Zheldibay said on social media platforms. The woman who was taken hostage and released was in uniform, suggesting that she was an airport employee. The attack occurred in the security check area of the airport. A criminal case has been opened against the hostage-taker. Authorities have not commented on his motivations. Abdraim spoke to journalists after the incident. "I watched him carefully, and as soon as his grip weakened slightly, I had to seize the knife from his hands,” Tengri News, a media outlet based in Kazakhstan, quoted him as saying. “As a man, as a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I simply could not have acted differently."

1 week ago

Diplomacy Education Security Afghanistan Women's rights Regional Security

Opinion: Balancing Rights and Realities – Engaging Afghanistan for Change

The attention of the international community has once again turned to human rights in Afghanistan following the latest report by Richard Bennett, the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan. In his report, Bennett recommended that member states consider the concept of gender apartheid and support its codification, noting that Afghan women regard this term as the most accurate description of their situation. This initiative emerged in response to the tightening restrictions on women and girls imposed by the Taliban. The renewed focus on gender issues is not exactly what Central Asian countries expect in the context of Afghan settlement. For them, it is far more important to address pressing issues of security, economic cooperation, and control of migration flows, which directly affect regional stability. Therefore, Central Asian states prefer to concentrate on practical steps and avoid over-politicizing issues that could complicate dialogue with the Taliban and exacerbate the situation in neighboring Afghanistan. Today, women’s rights have become a cornerstone in the international community’s attempts to establish dialogue with the Taliban. The rights of women in Afghanistan have been a journey, with different periods bringing different challenges. Back in the 1920s, Amanullah Khan was a real game-changer, giving Afghan women the official equal status they deserved. But then things changed a bit during King Zahir Shah's reign (1933–1973) when education became a priority, and girls started going to school. By 1973, a heartening number of 150,000 girls were proudly enrolled in schools across the country. And let's not forget the momentous step of Kabul University opening its doors to women in 1947. Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, women’s rights in Afghanistan have been significantly curtailed. Women are banned from attending educational institutions, working in most sectors, traveling without a male escort, and participating in public life. These measures have already received widespread international condemnation — rightfully so — but the official recognition of "gender apartheid" as a crime against humanity could give this issue a new legal status and increase pressure on the Islamic Emirate. The question is: How productive is this approach? The politicization of Afghan settlement, especially through the lens of women’s rights, may only worsen the situation. Making gender issues a precondition for dialogue severely limits the space for negotiations with the Taliban regime. In the United Nations itself, the Taliban are considered the "de facto authorities" of Afghanistan, and dialogue with them takes place at various bilateral and multilateral levels. In this context, strict demands on women’s rights could delay or even halt the process of engagement. This is because the Taliban perceives such conditions as interference in their internal affairs and cultural norms. Dialogue at an Impasse: Is an Inclusive Government Being Set Aside? The international community — primarily its Western segment — and the Islamic Emirate have taken extremely rigid positions. For international actors, women’s and girls’ rights have become the top priority, while the issue of forming an inclusive government in Afghanistan has receded into the background....

1 week ago