Ukrainian biologist Bijan Sharopov killed in war

With the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bijan Sharopov returned to the army. He had been considered missing since April.

The information about the scientist's death was confirmed by the Bohomolets Institute of Physiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, of which Sharopov was a staff member, the Suspilne news agency has said.

A statement from the institute on Facebook said:

Today it became known that Bijan died. Courageous, cheerful, young. Chairman of the Council of young scientists, researcher, defender, young man, son. Condolences to family and colleagues. This is an irreparable loss for the whole team and relatives. Rest in peace.

In 2016, he founded a private biotechnology company to produce reagents for biological laboratory research in Ukraine. In spring 2020, the company announced the creation of a PCR-based test system to detect the causative agent of coronavirus disease, Suspilne reported.