The Department of Organic Chemistry and Polymers provides training for specialists in the fields of chemical and petrochemical production, modern pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, and offers undergraduate and master’s degree programs.

 

Students of the department have the opportunity to study in the following programs: “Chemistry and Chemical Engineering” and “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology.” The curriculum includes relevant and in-demand courses such as Modern Polymeric Composite Materials, Computer Modeling in the Production of Organic Materials, Design of Modern Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Facilities, Standardization and Quality Control of Medicinal Substances, Industrial Pharmaceutical Technology, and others.

 

Graduates of the department can be employed at enterprises engaged in the production of organic substances, polymers, paints and coatings, propellants, solid and liquid rocket fuels; at oil, gas, and coal processing enterprises; organizations involved in the extraction, preparation, transportation, and rational use of hydrocarbon raw materials; defense industry enterprises; mining and mineral processing industries; sectoral research and design institutes; secondary technical educational institutions; pharmaceutical organizations involved in the preparation and production of medicinal products; pharmacy organizations; bodies of standardization and certification of medicinal products (testing centers, quality control, standardization and certification laboratories); chemical and toxicological departments of forensic medicine centers; toxicology centers at emergency hospitals; pharmaceutical information bodies; educational institutions; scientific organizations; and social protection institutions.

 

The department hosts student scientific clubs in four areas: chemistry of organophosphorus and heterocyclic compounds; chemistry of polymeric materials; synthesis and study of polymers based on polyester resins; and development of drug delivery systems using micro- and nanoparticles.

 

The research interests of the department focus on the synthesis and study of new biologically active substances based on functionally substituted heterocyclic and organoelement compounds; heterocyclic chemistry; synthesis and investigation of polymers based on polyester resins; drug delivery systems employing micro- and nanoparticles; and the properties of “smart” materials.

 

Dates and Facts

History

 

The Department of Organic Chemistry and Polymers was established in 1972 during the transformation of the Karaganda State Pedagogical Institute into Karaganda University.

 

The first Head of the Department was E.K. Gafurov, Candidate of Chemical Sciences (PhD equivalent), Associate Professor.

 

In its early years, the department staff consisted of six members: Head of the Department Associate Professor E.K. Gafurov, Associate Professor Kazanstev (Candidate of Chemical Sciences), Senior Lecturer A.I. Vyugova, and lecturers M.M. Aksartov, M.I. Ibraev, and B.T. Ermaganbetov.

 

The first postgraduate students of the department were M.L. Li, K.K. Dosmukhambetova, M.N. Zhubekova, L.I. Litovchenko, M.M. Aksartov, B.T. Ermaganbetov, M.I. Ibraev, M.G. Meiramov, and A.M. Kenzhetaeva.

 

In 1977, the department was headed by A.V. Kazantsev, Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor, who defended his doctoral dissertation in 1975 at Rostov-on-Don University.

 

From 1993 to 2000, the department was led by O.Sh. Kurmanaliev, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Professor, who made a significant contribution to the development of both the department and the Faculty of Chemistry.

 

In September 1994, the department was renamed the Department of Organic Chemistry and Polymers.

 

From 2000 to 2001, the Head of the Department was M.Zh. Burkeev, Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor, who defended his doctoral dissertation in 2003.

 

From January 2002 to 2020, the department was headed by L.K. Salkeeva, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Professor, who defended her doctoral dissertation in November 2002.

 

From 2020 to 2025, the Department was headed by Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Professor T.S. Zhumagaliyeva.

In 1972, laboratories of carboranes (A.V. Kazantsev) and synthesis and investigation of organophosphorus compounds (E.K. Gafurov) were established.

In 1974, Professor O.Sh. Kurmanaliev founded the laboratory for synthesis and investigation of monomers and polymers.

 

In 1978, the laboratory of acetylene compounds was opened under the supervision of M.L. Li.

 

In 1993, with the arrival of N. Merkhatuly, Candidate of Chemical Sciences, the laboratory of natural compounds chemistry was established.

 

In 2000, Professor M.Zh. Burkeev founded the laboratory “Physicochemical Research Methods.”

 

In 2011, the laboratory “Chemical Materials Science” was opened under the leadership of Professor E.M. Tazhbaev.

 

In 2016, Professor M.Zh. Burkeev established the laboratory of thermodynamics and thermochemistry of polymerization and polycondensation processes.

 

For over 50 years of the university’s and department’s history, leading educators included Associate Professors A.I. Vyugova, M.I. Ibraev, B.T. Ermaganbetov, and M.M. Aksartov.

 

From the early 1980s, the department was strengthened by Candidates of Chemical Sciences M.L. Li, T.V. Shustova, and Doctors of Chemical Sciences O.Sh. Kurmanaliev and N. Merkhatuly.

In 2025, the Zh. Akylbayev Technopark was opened. Within its structure, the Research Institute of Chemical Problems operates. The institute includes two laboratories: the Laboratory of Physicochemistry of Polymer and the Laboratory of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Polymers.

 

Since the early 2000s, the department staff has been gradually renewed and currently includes: Doctors of Chemical Sciences, Professors L.K. Salkeeva and E.M. Tazhbaev; Candidates of Chemical Sciences, Professors S.O. Kenzhetaev, A.V. Omasheva, M.T. Nurmaganbetova, T.S. Zhumagaliyeva, A.T. Kazhmuratova; Candidates of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professors L.M. Sugralina, E.V. Minaeva, E.Zh. Zhakupbekova, R.Z. Kasenov, B.N. Karimova; Candidates of Chemical Sciences, Assistant Professors S.Yu. Panshina, G.M. Kadirberlina; PhD holders L.Zh. Zhaparova and G.K. Burkeeva; Senior Lecturers S.K. Topaeva, I.S. Tolepbek, Zh.B. Satpayeva, G.M. Aikynbaeva, A.M. Tazhibai, R.S. Seitzhan; and Lecturer A.Ö. Uaidilda.

 

Students

 

A steady increase in student enrollment has been observed at the department. Over the past five years, the number of students has grown by one and a half times, with particularly strong growth in the “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology” program. More than half of the department’s students study under state-funded educational grants.

The department also enrolls international students from China, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan, as well as students from other regions of Kazakhstan.

 

Graduate Employment

 

The graduate employment rate across the department’s programs ranges from 80% to 100%.

 

Faculty

 

At present, the department is staffed with a highly qualified academic faculty possessing strong foundational education, including 3 Doctors of Sciences, 12 Candidates of Sciences, 2 PhD holders, and 7 Master’s degree holders.

 

In addition, many faculty members are recipients of the national title “Best University Lecturer”, including:

Doctors of Chemical Sciences, Professors L.K. Salkeeva and E.M. Tazhbaev;

Candidates of Chemical Sciences, Professors S.O. Kenzhetaev, A.V. Omasheva, and T.S. Zhumagalieva;

Candidates of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professors L.M. Sugralina, B.N. Karimova, and E.V. Minaeva;

PhD holder, Professor G.K. Burkeeva.

 

Professor E.M. Tazhbaev is a Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

E.V. Minaeva and G.K. Burkeeva are recipients of scholarships from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan for talented young scientists.

Doctors and Candidates of Sciences of the department are also recipients of the named award of Professor O.Sh. Kurmanaliev.

 

Educational Laboratories

The department operates the following teaching laboratories:

 

Chemistry of organophosphorus and heterocyclic compounds;

 

Synthesis and investigation of physicochemical properties of polymers;

 

Nanomaterials laboratory.

 

Accreditation and Rankings

 

All academic programs of the department hold national accreditation and occupy strong positions in national rankings (NAOKO, IQAA). According to these rankings, in 2020, the educational program 6B07201 “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology” ranked 1st and 2nd nationwide in the Republic of Kazakhstan, respectively.

The academic programs of the department are accredited by the Central Asian Association for Accreditation of Educational Systems for the period 2025–2030.

 

Academic Mobility and Internships

 

Student A. Mantel completed studies under the interuniversity mobility master’s program Erasmus Mundus.

Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor E.V. Minaeva studied at the University of Warwick (UK) under the Soros Foundation program.

Master’s student A. Kazhgaliev completed a one-year master’s program at Eindhoven University of Technology under Erasmus Mundus.

Professor, Candidate of Chemical Sciences S.O. Kenzhetaeva completed a research internship at the Research Institute of Organic Chemistry (Irkutsk, Russia) under the international Bolashak program.

Assistant Professor, Candidate of Chemical Sciences S.Yu. Panshina studied in the master’s program at Tomsk Polytechnic University under a university cooperation memorandum.

 

Within the framework of academic mobility, students of the department study at Altai State University (Russia) and M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University. Tezekbay B. studied under the academic mobility program at Kastamonu University (Turkey, Ankara).

 

Partners

 

The Department of Organic Chemistry and Polymers cooperates with a wide range of universities and research institutes, including: JSC International Research and Production Holding “Phytochemistry”;

LLP Institute of Organic Synthesis and Coal Chemistry; A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds (Moscow, Russia); .E. Arbuzov Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Kazan Scientific Center of RAS (Kazan, Russia); Institute of High Molecular Compounds of RAS (Saint Petersburg, Russia); University of Warwick (UK); Jacobs University Bremen (Germany); Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands); National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University (Tomsk, Russia); National Research Tomsk State University (Tomsk, Russia); Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic); Altai State University (Barnaul, Russia).

 

Research Projects

The research group founded under the leadership of Professors M.Zh. Burkeev and E.M. Tazhbaev, and currently led by Professor E.M. Tazhbaev focused on the development of polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery.
Research on the development of a new generation of specialized engineering materials, initiated under the leadership of Corresponding Member of the NAS RK, Professor M.Zh. Burkeev, is also ongoing. The department conducts synthesis and investigation of polyester resin–based polymers, studies the physics and mechanics of polymers, and carries out research on the application of polymers and multicomponent polymer structures in medicine, agriculture, and environmental protection.
A research group led by Professor L.K. Salkeeva focuses on the synthesis, chemical modification, and investigation of practically significant properties of various phosphorylated derivatives based on heterocyclic compounds, in collaboration with National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, National Research Tomsk State University, and Charles University (Prague).
Another research group led by Professor M.K. Ibraev conducts studies aimed at developing a new affordable class of fluorescent labels based on diazapentalenes—an important class of novel organic fluorophores with tunable emission wavelengths, used in bioimaging sensors, analytical sensors, lasers, and light-emitting devices.