Anatoly Skalny

Anatoly Viktorovich Skalny (born 12 May 1962) is a Russian physician and biomedical scientist in the field of trace elements, founder of the Bioelementology scientific school. Doctor of Sciences in Medical Sciences, Prof., head of the Medical Elementology Department of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Vice President of the Trace Element Institute for UNESCO, head of the Laboratory of Molecular Dietetics of the First Moscow State Medical University, director of the Institute of Bioelementology of the Orenburg State University, founder of the Center for Biotic Medicine and сhairman of the Russian Society of Trace Elements in Medicine (RUSTEM).

Life and work

Anatoly Skalny was born in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukrainian SSR. He graduated with honors from Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University in 1985 and started working for the Serbsky State Scientific Center for Social and Forensic Psychiatry in the Cerebral Palsy department.

In 1990 Skalny attained a Candidate of Sciences degree defending a thesis in the field of Addiction Medicine (“Study of the effect of chronic alcohol intoxication on the metabolism of zinc, copper and lithium in the body”).

In 2012 Skalny became the Vice President of Special Projects of the Trace Element Institute for UNESCO (TEU).

RUDN University's Department of Medical Elementology was established with Skalny's active participation in April 2016. It is developing a methodological basis for studying trace elements and mineral metabolism in humans. Another area of research is studying the effect of the elements’ imbalance on the development of various diseases.

Anatoly Skalny organized a large-scale study of the trace element status of the Russian Federation's population. Based on the obtained data, a detailed map of the country's regions was developed and published in a five-volume monograph series (“Element status of Russia”). The revealed imbalance of elements is useful for the diagnosis, prediction, and treatment of many diseases.

Anatoly Skalny is an editorial board member in two journals in the field of trace elements research: Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology and Biological Trace Element Research.

Skalny is a popularizer of science. For example, Skalny participated in a debate with Russian biologist and science popularizer Alexander Panchin. Skalny is also a frequently invited expert in various TV projects.

Awards

Vladimir Vernadsky National Ecology Award for the “Element status of Russia” project (Science for Ecology nomination), 2016.

Selected works in English

Keen C.L, Uriu-Adams J.Y., Skalny A., Grabeklis A., Grebeklis S., Green K., Yevtushok L., Wertelecki W. W., ChambersCh.D. The plausibility of maternal nutritional status being a contributing factor to the risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: The potential influence of zinc status as an example // BioFactors (Oxford, England). — 2010. — V. 36 (2). — P. 125–135. Skalny, A. V., Skalnaya, M. G., Grabeklis, A. R., Skalnaya, A. A., &Tinkov, A. A. (2018). Zinc deficiency as a mediator of toxic effects of alcohol abuse. European journal of nutrition, 1-10. Bjørklund, G., Skalny, A. V., Rahman, M. M., Dadar, M., Yassa, H. A., Aaseth, J.... &Tinkov, A. A. (2018). Toxic metal (loid)-based pollutants and their possible role in autism spectrum disorder. Environmental research, 166, 234–250. Skalny A.V. Bioelementology as an interdisciplinary, integrative approach in life sciences: Terminology, classification, perspectives // Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. — 2011. — V.25. — P.3-10. Tinkov, A. A., Filippini, T., Ajsuvakova, O. P., Aaseth, J., Gluhcheva, Y. G., Ivanova, J. M.... &Skalny A.V. (2017). The role of cadmium in obesity and diabetes. Science of the Total Environment, 601, 741–755. Skalny, A. V., Simashkova, N. V., Klyushnik, T. P., Grabeklis, A. R., Bjørklund, G., Skalnaya, M. G.... &Tinkov, A. A. (2017). Hair toxic and essential trace elements in children with an autism spectrum disorder. Metabolic brain disease, 32(1), 195–202.