Prof. Samvel Haroutiunyan's interest is the theoretical and experimental study of the order-disorder transitions in DNA and DNA-ligand complexes, which are based in Izing model for the one-dimentional crystall systems and the development of the theory of helix-coil transitions in double helix DNA and olygonucleotides. During the recent years Prof. Samvel Haroutiunians teams research was mainly focused on compounds showing potential anti-tumor and antibiotic properties. In this regard the teams scientific activity is the elaboration of the thermodynamic theory of helix-coil transition in the DNA-ligand complexes, and the experimental investigation of some problems by the UV-spectroscopy, CD, microcalorimetry methods. They investigate the interaction of these drugs with DNA and search for correlation between this features and the practical biological activity of compounds. These studies involve the investigation of the molecular mechanisms of DNA -anticancer drugs complex formation (Pt- complexes, metalloporphyrins, mitoxantron etc.)
Other trend of the teams scientific activity is the development of helix-coil transition theory, including subjects such as helix-coil transition in Closed Chain DNA, in competing solvent conditions, etc. The theoreticians team also works on theory of one-and two-strand biopolymers melting, investigation of different inter- and intra-molecular interactions role on co-operative conformational transitions in biopolymers. The theory is constantly developing and already includes many peculiarities of the real systems (one-dimensional structure of polymer, the heterogeneity of DNA of both hydrogen bonds and stacking, the possibility of the long-range distance interaction between ligands absorbed on DNA, mismatches and solvent properties).
The experimental laboratory owns up-to-date equipment necessary to perform high precision optical, calorimetrical and other experiments. The personnel have a great experience in the field and skilled in using computational methods. The atmosphere in the laboratory is motivating; here young beginner scientists conjunctively work shoulder-to-shoulder with their older teachers and colleagues. They are the authors of numerous publications concerning the mentioned problems.

Selected Publications of the last 5 years

1. Dalyan Y.B., Haroutiunian S.G., Ananyan G.V.,Vardanyan V,.I.,Lando D.Yu.,Madakyan V.N.,Kazaryan R.K., Messori L.,Orioli P.l., Benight A. // Interactions of Meso-tetra-(4-N-oxyethylpyridyl) Porphyrin, its 3-N analogs and their Metallocomplexes with Duplex DNA. J.Biomol.Structure & Dyn., v.18,No.5, (2001).
2. V.B.Arakelyan, S.G.Haroutiunian,T.S.Harutunyan,A.V.Arakelyan // Adsorption of ligands on macromolecules in the fluctuating medium. Journal of Biomol. Structure & Dynamics, (2002), v.20, No.1.
3. V.B.Teif, V.I.Vorobev, S.H.Haroutiunian, D.Yu.Lando // Short-Range Interactions and Size of ligands Bound to DNA Strongly Influence Adsorptive Phase Transition Caused by Long-Range Interactions. Journal of Biomol. Structure & Dynamics, (2002), v.19, No.6, p.1093- -1100.
4. Y.B.Dalyan, T.S.Haroutiunyan, S.G.Haroutiunian, P.O.Vardevanian // Melting of complexes of DNA-cis-DDP in Acidic Enviroment . Experimental and Molecular Medicine, (2003), v. 35, No.6, p.527-533
5. V.B Arakelyan, S.G.Haroutiunian, H.H.Abgaryan, A.V.Arakelyan, T.S.Haroutunyan // Ligand Binding With Continuous Modification of Binding Sites. J.Biomol. Structure & Dyn., (2004), v.22, No.2, p.245-252.
6. R.Arutyunyan, A. Rapp, K.O.Greulich, G.Hovhannisyan, S.Haroutiunian, E.Gebhard // Fragility of telomeres after bleomicin and cisplatin combined treatment measured in human leukocytes with the comet-fish technique. Experimental oncology, (2005), v.27, No.1, p.38-42.

Selected presentations of the last 5 years.

1. Alexander S. Fridman, Samvel G. Haroutiunian and Dmitri Y. Lando // Interstrand Cross-Linking Caused by Local Stabilization of the Double Helix. (Abstract) Biomolecular Stereodynamics; SUNY at Albany, the 12th Conversation. June 19-23, 2001, Albany, USA.
2. Teif V. B., Vorobev V. I., Lando D. Y. // Calculation of DNA condensation caused by ligand binding using a two-state model. (Abstract) Biomolecular Stereodynamics; SUNY at Albany, the 12th Conversation. June 19-23, 2001, Albany, USA.
3. Haroutiunian S. G., Dalyan Y. B., Vardanyan V. I. // The role of central metal at the interaction of metalloporphyrins with DNA. (Abstract) 10th International Conference on Bioinorganic Chemistry, August 26 31, 2001, Florence, Italy.
4. Teif V. B., Lando D. Y. // Conditions for DNA phase transition induced by ligand binding (Poster) 10th International Congress of Human Genetics, May 14-19, 2001, Vienna, Austria. Published in Europ. J. Human Genet. 9 suppl. 1, p.. 241 (2001)
5. Haroutiunian S. G., Dalyan Y. B., Haroutunyan T. S., Papoyan A. A. // Ternary structure of DNA in aqueous solutions of platinum containing compounds (Abstract). 10th International Conference on Bioinorganic Chemistry, August 26 31, 2001, Florence, Italy.
6. Dalyan Y. B., Haroutiunian S. G., Ananyan G. V. // Complex Formation of Metalloporphyrins with DNA. Effect of the Central Ion. The Second International Congress Problems of Biochemistry, Radiation and Space Biology in Memory of N. M. Sisakyan, May 29-31, 2001, Moscow-Dubna, Russia.
7. Haroutiunian S. G., Dalyan Y. B. // Structural Peculiarities of DNA complexes with Pt(II) and Ru(III) Compounds. The Second International Congress Problems of Biochemistry, Radiation and Space Biology in Memory of N. M. Sisakyan, May 29-31, 2001, Moscow-Dubna, Russia.
8. D.Y. Lando, A.S. Fridman, S.G. Haroutiunian and H.M. Haliuk. // Cross-linking Effect Caused by Local Stabilization of the Double Helix. (Poster) 14th International Biophysics Congress, Argentina, April 27-May 2, 2002, Buenos Aires.
9. Sargsyan S., Dalyan Y., Abgaryan H., Chalikian T., Haroutiunian S. // Melting of DNA Complexes with Cis-Diaminedichlorplatinum(II) at Acidic pH. (Poster Presentation). In Abstracts of HUPO 2nd Annual & IUBMB XIX World Congress, Molecular & Cellular Proteomics (2003) v. 2, No.9, p.971.
10. Dalyan Y., Karapetyan N., Haroutiunian S., Ananyan G., Aloyan L., Vardanyan V., Chalikian T. // Binding of New Meso-Tetra-(3N-Pyridil) Porphyrins to DNA. (Poster Presentation) In Abstracts of HUPO 2nd Annual & IUBMB XIX World Congress, Molecular & Cellular Proteomics (2003) v. 2, No.9, p.972.
11. Gyulkhandanyan, G., Ghambaryan, S., Aroutiunian, R., Hovhannisyam, G., Haroutiunian, S. // Cytotoxi and Genotoxic Effects of Action of Porphyrins and their Metal Complexes on Human Blood Lymphocytes. (Poster Presentation) In Abstracts of HUPO 2nd Annual & IUBMB XIX World Congress, Molecular & Cellular Proteomics (2003) v. 2, No.9, p.984.
12. Ghazaryan A.A., Dalyan Y.B., Haroutiunian S.G., Chalikian T.V. // RNA binding by novel porphyrins: role of peripheral substituents. (Poster Presentation) Int. Symposium on Hydration and Thermodynamics of Molecular Recognition, Tsakhkadzor, Armenia, Mar. 1-5, 2005.
13. Ghazaryan A.A., Dalyan Y.B., Haroutiunian S.G., Chalikian T.V. // Binding of TAlPyP(4) and AgTAlPyP(4) porphyrins to double helical RNAs. (Poster Presentation) Int. Symposium on Hydration and Thermodynamics of Molecular Recognition, Tsakhkadzor, Armenia, Mar. 1-5, 2005.
14. Dalyan Y.B., Ananyan G.V., Ghazaryan A.A., Aloyan L.R., Vardanyan V.I. // Interaction of new porphyrins with DNA. (Poster Presentation) The Second International Conference Modern Problems of Genetics, Radiobiology, Radioecology and Evolution dedicated to N. W. Timofeeff-Ressovsky, Yerevan, 8-11, September, 2005.
15. Y.B.Dalyan, L.S.Abgaryan Specificity of interaction of Cu2+ ions with DNA. (Poster Presentation) 2005 Current Trends in Microcalorimetry, July, 27-30, 2005, Boston, MA,USA.
16. Aloyan L.R., Vardanyan V.I.,Dalyan Y.B. // The effect of peripheral substituent on interaction of meso-tetra-(3N-pyridyl)porphyrins with DNA. 15thIUPAB & 5th EBSA International Biophysics Congres Aug. 27-Sept.1, 2005, Montpellier, France, Abstracts in European Biophysics Journal vol.34, No.6, August 2005, p.667.