Borisiuk Yulian Galaktionovich (1901-1970)

Director of Kharkov Pharmaceutical Institute

1941-1942; 1944-1957

Yulian Galaktionovich Borisiuk was born on 29 March 1901 inKiev province. In 1927 he graduated from the Kyiv Pharmaceutical Institute, and then graduated from Kharkov Pharmaceutical Institute (KhPhI). Since 1932 he worked as an assistant and since 1937 as an Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry, from 1938 to 1966 he was head of the Department of Pharmacognosy (since 1941 as a second job).

Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy, entitled “Study of essential oils and their use in medical practice”, he defended in February 1960 by specialty 15.00.02. He was awarded the title of professor in 1962.

Doctor of Pharmacy, professor Yu.G. Borysiuk was a constant member of the editorial boards of the “Pharmaceutical Journal” and the magazine “Pharmaceutics”. He was marked with government awards.

Yu.G.Borysiuk became a head of the Institute on the eve of harsh military trials. In September 1941, due to the risk Kharkov occupation by fascist invaders, KhPhI was evacuated to Semipalatinsk. All activities on evacuation were led by Director. Thanks to his efforts it was possible to evacuate in full scale the learning and research library, laboratory equipment. However, due to the important governmental assignment, Yu.G.Borisiuk didn’t go to Semipalatinsk together with the institute. He returned to perform the director’s duties only in 1944, after re-evacuation of the institute. Naturally, the material facilities of the institute were in bad condition at that time. Building on 12, Melnikova Street was dilapidated, departments were looted, and personnel were practically absent. Despite the significant undamaged condition of library fund, the textbooks and manuals were lacking.

In winter season of 1944/1945 academic year even in absence of fuel the educational life of the institute continued, but there were no conditions at all to conduct researches. By 1945 the academic staff of the departments and students were mostly engaged in the restoration of the laboratories, classrooms and creation of conditions necessary for educational and scientific activities. The Ministry of Public Health of the USSR has allocated significant resources and construction materials to repair buildings and dormitories of the Institute.

The 1945/1946 academic year KhPhI has already started stable. In total at the Institute studied 370 students, including 150 people enrolled in 1944, and other students of prewar enrollments of different years that didn’t graduate from the institute on time, mainly because of a departure to the frontlines. By this time the new curricula that have been personally approved by Yu.G.Borysiuk were fully developed; training programs were updated, academic calendar was completed.

Gradually, the educational and scientific life of KhPhI was restored. The necessary equipment was bought, teaching became more consistent. Particular attention the director paid to the problems of students’ living conditions and manufacturing practice. In the 1946-1947 academic year was held the first postwar manufacturing practice in Pharmacognosy. Subsequently, it was followed by the practice in technology of formulations and herbal medicines. In 1952-1958 because of the aroused demand at the Institute functioned the Department of Military Pharmacy.

Under the leadership and with the participation of the director in 1954 a new curriculum was introduced, which included a five-year period of study with 23 subjects and increase in the overall percentage of core subjects (31%) and 30 weeks of manufacturing practice (in pharmacies, control-analytical laboratories, at pharmaceutical factories) and practical training on the cultivation of medicinal plants and collection of starting materials of herbal origin.

Scientific life of the Institute was revived. At the department of Inorganic Chemistry the research on reactions of interaction of chlorine with metal oxides was conducted, the problems of elemental analysis using “wet” methods of burning of organic matter were studied. There were developed methods for determining oxidation numbers and the quantity of carbon in the oxidation of some organic substances. Employees of the Department of Organic Chemistry investigated the absorption spectra in the ultraviolet rays of different organic compounds. Employees of the Department of Analytical Chemistry studied problems of analysis of pharmaceuticals, including multicomponent dosage forms.

Yulian Galaktionovich was in charge of not only overall management of scientific and educational activities of the Institute, but also took an active part in it as a scientist. He worked on the research of essential oils and fatty plant of Celery family of Ukrainian flora and their use in medical practice. He developed drugs: “Antibacterial drops”, “Tymolitsyd”, “Antibacterial candy”. He has published 51 scientific articles, has received three copyright certificates on inventions, two of which have found practical application in industry. He has trained 12 candidates of sciences.

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