Margeris LIDAKA*

(14.03.1928-19.08.2003)

Professor Margeris LIDAKA Latvian Academy of Sciences Akademijas laukums 1, Riga, LV 1524 Phone: +371 7 617491 Fax: +371 7 821153 E-mail: chem@ac.lza.lv

Born: May 14, 1928, Stelpe, Latvia

Departed:  August 19, 2003, Riga, Latvia

Interests:

• Organic Chemistry
• Chemistry of Purines , Pyrimidines, Nucleosides and their Analogues,
• Synthesis of New Pharmaceuticals in the Series of Nucleic Acid Components
• Pharmacy Technology, Pharmacy

Main Research:

• Synthesis of cyclic and Acyclic Nucleoside analogues , relationship between their biological and physico-chemical properties.
• Development of regiospecific methods for alkylation of purine derivatives and application of phase-transfer catalysis for the synthesis of nucleoside analogues.
• Application of the modified sugar components in the glycosylation reactions, sudies of the conditions influencing the stereo- and regioselectivity of the process.
• Obtaining of optically active pyrimidinyl-1 and purinyl-9 -aminoacids, their application in oligo- and polypeptide synthesis.
• Studies of biogenic polyamines containing nucleic acids bases.

Languages: Latvian, Russian, German, English

Education:

• University of Latvia (Faculty of Chemistry), 1951
• Dr.chem. (Candidate of Science in former USSR, Ph.D. in Western countries), Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1964
• Dr.habil. chem. (Doctor of Science in former USSR), Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1974

Experience:

• Researcher, Institute of Forestry Problems, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1949-1952
• Head of Laboratory, Chemical-Pharmaceutical Factory, Riga, 1952-1958
• Head of Laboratory, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, 1958 - 1998
• Deputy-director , Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis , 1964-1971
• Chairman, Division of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1990 - 1998

Honours and Awards:

• Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences , 1978
• Full Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences , 1990
• Professor, 1994
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences G.Vanags Prize (in Chemistry), 1990
• The Merited Scientist of Latvia, 1976
• The Latvian State Prize, 1965
• The D.H. Grindel Medal (company "Grindex"), 1995
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences&Public Joint-Stock Company "Grindex" Prize, 1998
• State Emeritus Scientist, 1998

Professional Activities and Memberships:

• Member of Senate, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1992 -1998
• Chairman, Latvian Council of Science Expert Committee for Chemistry, 1993 -1996
• Member of Editorial Board for:

              Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds, Riga 
              Voprosi Virusologii (Advisory Editorial Board), Moscow
              Experimental and Clinical Pharmacotherapy (Editor-in-Chief, 1976-1991), Riga, 
              Proceedings of Latvian Academy of Sciences

• Member, International Society of Nucleic Acid Chemistry (ISNAC)

Recent/ Representative Publications:

• Blokhina N.G., Garibzhanyan B.T., Lidaks M., Syrkin A.B. Ftorafur - Antitumour Drug, 1979, Moscow: Meditsina, 181 pp. (in Russian).
• Mauriòð J.A., Paegle R.A., Lidaks M.J. Synthesis and spectral properties of uric acid ribosides. - Nucleosides & Nucleotides, 1986, vol.5, N 1, pp. 79-93.
• Madre M., Zhuk R.A., Lidaks M. New Products of Acyclovir with Antiviral Activity. - Nucleosides&Nucleotides, 1991, vol. 10, pp. 279-282.
• Ozola V., Ramzajeva N., Maurinsh J., Lidaks M. Synthesis of 8-substituted 7-(a -L-arabinofuranosyl)theophylines. - Nucleosides & Nucleotides, 1993, vol. 12, pp. 479-486.
• Paegle R.A., Lulle I., Poritere S.E., Lidak M. Synthesis and properties of b -(uracylyl-1)-a - hydroxypropionic acids. - Khim. Geterotsikl. Soedin., 1990, pp. 954-959 (in Russian).
• Gudriniece E. Y., Lidaks M., Yure M. Synthesis of cytokinins in purine series. - Latvian J. Chem., 1991, pp. 137-155 (in Russian).
• Madre M., Zhuk R.A., Lidaks M. Derivatives of acycloguanosine with O-alkoxyalkyl group in acyclic part of molecule. - Bioorg. Khim., 1991, vol. 11, pp. 1516-1520 (in Russian).
• Alksnis E., Lidak M. Synthesis of aminoalcohol fragment containing adenine derivatives. - Chem. Heterocycl. Comp., 1996, vol. 32, pp. 333-337.
• Jansons J., Maurinsh J., Lidaks M. Synthesis of 8-substituted adenine b -D-xylofuranosides and L-arabinoforanosides. - Nucleosides & Nucleotides , 1995, vol. 14, pp. 709-724.
• Lidaks M., J.Maurinsh J., Jansons J., Lulle I. Polyamines modified with nucleosides and their bases. - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci., B, 1995, N 11/12, pp. 97-103.
• Poluektova L., Maurinsh J., Lidaks M., Gromova N. Immunostimulating properties of the complexes of inosine derivatives. - Int. J. Immunopharmacol., 1995, vol. 17, pp. 941-947.

Research Projects:

• M.Lidaka (Head of Project). Chemical Cancer Prevention. Latvian Council of Science (1991- 1993).
• M.Lidaka (Head of Project). Nucleoside Drug Preparations. Latvian Council of Science (1991-1993).
• M.Lidaka (Head of Project). Medicamentous Prophylaxis of Cancer. Latvian Council of Science (1991- 1993).
• M.Lidaka (Head of Project). Minor Nucleosides and Nucleotides: their Use in the Synthesis of New Drugs. Latvian Council of Science (1994-1996).

Last update 25.08.2003