The head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, announced the dismissal of Rinat Maksyutov, the director general of the Vector State Scientific Center for Virology and Biotechnology, for violations of anti-corruption laws and a conflict of interest. The ministry confirmed that Maksyutov’s employment contract would end on May 18, with Popova signing the corresponding order on May 16.
Rospotrebnadzor stated that the termination was prompted by breaches of the Anti-Corruption law and a conflict of interest by Maksyutov, who led the Center for Virology and Biotechnology research. The department added that Vector would continue its work in line with established scientific plans and missions.
Nikita Kanshin, the head of Vector’s press service, told NHS that the center has consistently met its obligations to study dangerous viruses and to develop preventive and diagnostic drugs. He emphasized that ongoing work would proceed as before.
Reports about Maksyutov’s dismissal had already appeared in Interfax and Kommersant-Sibir. Those sources cited a loss of confidence as a reason, with Kommersant noting that the decision may have been tied to unresolved conflicts of interest.
“Good Explorer”
Anatoly Altshtein, a professor at the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, described Maksyutov as a capable specialist during an interview on Moscow Speaks radio. He praised Maksyutov for leading solid work within the smallpox research group and for his qualifications as a researcher.
Altshtein suggested that the dismissal could be connected to the development of the EpicVacCorona vaccine for COVID-19. He noted Maksyutov’s long association with Sergei Nikolaevich Shchelkunov from Novosibirsk and his leadership at Vector, implying that shifts in vaccine projects may have influenced the outcome. Altshtein added that the vaccine developer’s decisions likely affected Maksyutov’s career path.
Working in Vector
Maksyutov, aged 41, joined Vector in 2001 as a senior laboratory assistant and moved through several roles, including trainee researcher, junior researcher, researcher, senior researcher, and laboratory head in charge of genomic studies and DNA-based diagnostics for smallpox viruses. In 2016, the center was led by a doctor of biological sciences.
According to NGS observations, Maksyutov established himself as an active contributor to scientific work. He has authored or co-authored more than 70 scientific papers and holds ten patents. His participation extended to the development of the EpiVacCorona COVID-19 vaccine, one of four vaccines created in Russia to address the pandemic.
Some European researchers from Saint Petersburg questioned the effectiveness of EpiVacCorona. In January 2022, they published a preliminary assessment casting doubt on the vaccine’s efficacy, and Vector responded by stating that the study’s results could not be trusted due to the small sample size.
Vector Center, founded in 1974, operates under Rospotrebnadzor and stands as one of Russia’s largest facilities for virology and biotechnology. The center maintains a notable collection of microorganism cultures and is among the few institutions worldwide with a storage facility for the smallpox virus.