Alexander Boronin received a Ph.D., and D.Sci in Biology from IBPM in Pushchino. He is currently the Director, Head of Department for Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of Russian Academy of Sciences (IBPM); Rector, Lecturer (subject "Genetics of microorganisms, environmental biotechnology") at Pushchino State University; Member of the Bureau Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences, Department of Physico-Chemical Biology; and Vice President of the Russian Biotechnological Academy. His research interests include molecular biology and genetics of microorganisms (biology of plasmids); rhizosphere microorganisms (plant protecting bacteria with plant growth-promoting effect); environmental bioremediation (soils and water contaminated by oil and oil products, products of chemical warfare agents degradation, and obsolete pesticides). Alexander Boronin Mikhailovich is author and co-author of over 300 research papers, monographs, etc. mostly on microbiology, microbial genetics; biotechnology of environmental bioremediation, plant-microbial interactions, etc. Editor, Russian-English Dictionary on Microbiology, 1991, NAUKA (Science), Moscow

Email address: boronin@ibpm.serpukhov.su