Position: director of the Scientific Research Institute of Oncology of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center, head of the Department of Head and Neck Tumors at the Siberian State Medical University, chief non-staff oncologist of the Siberian Federal District

Degree: DSc

Title: Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences

E-mail: choynzonov@tnimc.ru

Education and professional experience

After graduation from the Faculty of Medical Practice of the Tomsk Medical Institute, clinical residency at the Department of Otolaryngology, Dr. Choynzonov was invited to work as a junior researcher at the Department of Head and Neck Tumors of the Siberian branch of the All-Union Oncological Scientific Center. In 1984, he successfully defended his PhD thesis “Treatment of patients with cancer of the oral cavity and its effect on the immunity” and was hired as a senior researcher. In 1995, after his successful defense of DSc dissertation “Cancer of the upper parts of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts (epidemiological and immunoviral aspects, evaluation of treatment efficiency)” he became the leading researcher at the same department. In 2002, he received the title of Professor of Oncology. In 2005, he was elected a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences with specialization in oncology, in 2011 he became a full academician. Between 2002 and 2016, he served as the director of the Tomsk Scientific Research Institute of Oncology; between 2016 and 2018 – as the director of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center; since 2018, he serves as the director of the Scientific Research Institute of Oncology of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center.

Scientific interests

Pr. Choynzonov’s scientific interests include development of methods of early diagnosis, organ-sparing and reconstructive plastic surgery, combination therapy, rehabilitation of patients with malignant tumors of the head and neck, study of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis and tumor progression. To improve the effectiveness of treatment and functional results in patients with malignant tumors of the maxillofacial area and the pharynx he has developed and implemented in medical practice original surgical operations using one-step substitution of postoperative defects with endoprostheses made of porous titanium nickelide alloy and microsurgical tissue autotransplantation. He had proposed new approaches to treatment of cancers of the thyroid, parotid glands, nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses based on organ-sparing operations in combination with intraoperative electron and external beam neutron therapy. He had developed advanced approaches to restoration of vocal function in patients after combination therapy of cancers of the pharynx, organs of the oral and nasal cavities, paresis of the pharynx using biological feedback based on mathematical modeling. Fundamental problems studied under Pr. Choynzonov’s supervision include the role of the immune system and oncogenic viruses in tumor growth. His work led to elucidation of the mechanisms of tumor resistance to free radical damage, clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of multiple primary tumors of the head and neck.

Pr. Choynzonov supervised 10 federal targeted programs (2006-2007, 2010-2012, 2016), 6 grants of the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (2008-2015), integration project of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (2006-2007), grant of the Tomsk Region Administration (2008), grant of the Russian Science Foundation (2016-2018, 2019-2021), federal targeted program “Development of pharmaceutical and medical industry of the Russian Federation from 2020 and in future perspective” (2017-2019), federal targeted program “Study and development of the priority directions of development of Russian scientific and technological complex in 2014–20202” (2017-2019, 2019-2020).

Publications

Pr. Choynzonov has authored more than 1000 publications including 27 monographs, 1 textbook for doctors, 13 clinical guidelines, 323 Russian and international articles. He holds 47 patents for inventions and 20 certificates of state registration of software, 5 licensing agreements. Under his supervision, 11 DSc and 21 PhD dissertations were defended.

Pr. Choynzonov regularly presents his work at Russian and international scientific meetings.

Due to his status of a leading oncologist in Russia, Pr. Choynzonov actively participates in publishing of Russian and international journals. He is the editor-in-chief of the Sibrian Oncological Journal, member of the editorial boards of Oncology. Journal named after P.A. Hertzen, Problems in Oncology, Oncosurgery, Head and Neck Tumors journals; member of the editorial council of Siberian Scientific Medical Journal, Annals of Oncology, New Approaches in Oncology; Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas, Tumors of the Skin; Head and Neck journals; and member of the editorial boards of Belarus scientific journals Eurasian Oncological Journal and Oncological Journal.

Memberships in professional medical organizations

Pr. Choynzonov serves as a representative of Russia in the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies (IFHNOS, USA) and Eurasian Society of Head and Neck Oncology (EASHNO).

Pr. Choynzonov is the head of the Scientific Council of the Scientific Research Institute of Oncology of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center; member of the Coordination Council of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center, member of the Scientific Council of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center, head of the Dissertation Committee D 002.279.01 (specialization in oncology, medical sciences); head of the Problem Commission on Oncology of the Multiagency Council on Medical Problems of Siberia, the Far East and the Far North; member of the board of the Association of Directors of Centers and Institutes of Oncology and Radiology CIS and Eurasian Countries; member of the Presidium of the Russian Association of Oncologists; head of the Tomsk Regional Society of Oncologists; vice-chairman of the Problem Commission of Head and Neck Tumors of the National Council on Malignant Tumors; head of the Oncology Department of the Siberian State Medical University; member of the commission under the Governor of the Tomsk Region on monitoring of achievement of target values of social and economic development in Tomsk Region proposed by the President of the Russian Federation; member of the Expert Council on evaluation of new drugs, medical products and devices, methods of diagnosis, prevention and treatment under the Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations; head of the Civic Chamber of the Tomsk Regions of the fifth calling; chief non-staff oncologist of the Siberian Federal District; member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences (represents the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Association of Directors of Centers and Institutes of Oncology and Radiology CIS and Eurasian Countries, presidium of the Russian Society of Oncologists, organizes development of proposal on priority basic and experimental research in personalized medicine, high-tech healthcare and technologies of health preservation); member of the Council on priority scientific and technological development of the Russian Federation “Transition to personalized medicine, high-tech healthcare and technologies of health preservation including through rational use of pharmaceuticals (primarily antibacterial)”; expert of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Awards

Pr. Choynzonov’s many years of productive scientific, organizational, and teaching work are highly praised and widely recognized. He was awarded the Excellent Worker of Public Health decoration (2004), anniversary medal “400 years of Tomsk” (2004), Certificate of Merit of the State Duma of the Tosk Region (2004), Honorary Medal of R. Vikhrov (2005), Certificate of Merit of the Healthcare Workers’ Union (2009), Medal for Merit to the Siberian State Medical University (2011), Certificate of Acknowledgement of the Healthcare Department of the Tomsk Region (2011), Silver Decoration Tomsk Region Crest (2012), Honorary Silver Order Public Recognition (2012). Pr. Choynzonov is a laureate of the Award of the Tomsk Region for Education and Science (2012), was included in the Book of Honor of the Federation of Professional Unions of the Tomsk Region (2013), has acknowledgements from the President of the Russian Federation (2012), Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation in the Siberian Federal District (2012), Medal of the Order For the Merit to the Fatherland class II (2015), anniversary medal “120 years of the Tomsk Polytechnic University (2016), Companion of the Gold Honorary Decoration “Siberia Heritage” in the “Ecology. Health. Sport” nomination for improvement of the system of medical service in Siberia (awards of the Interregional Association of Economic Interaction between the subjects of the Russian Federation “Siberian Agreement”, 2016), Honorary Title Honored Veteran of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2017), honorary decoration “For Merit to Development of Science” (Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations, 2017), honorary decoration “Pride of Tomsk” (2017), honorary decoration “For Merit to the Tomsk Region” (2017), certificate of merit of the Upper Chamber of the Russian Parliament (2017), Honorary Professor of Siberian State Medical University (2017), certificate of merit from the Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations (2018), anniversary decoration “25 Years of Tomsk Region Duma” (2019), anniversary decoration “75 Years of Tomsk Region” (2019), certificate of acknowledgement of the Council of Rectors of the Higher Education Facilities of the Tomsk Region (2019), Medal “For Merit to Oncology” named after the founder of Russian oncology Professor N.N. Petrov (2021), laureate of the State Award of the Russian Federation for Science and Technology for creation of basic interdisciplinary approach to treatment, reconstruction and rehabilitation in head and neck tumors (2021).