Yeszhanov Aidyn Baurzhanovich
PhD in Biology, specialist in hosts and vectors of particularly dangerous infections
e-mail: aidyn.yeszhanov@zool.kz
Born on April 16, 1987, in Karkaraly, Karaganda Region. In 2005, he graduated from Linguistic Gymnasium No. 18 in Almaty.
He is a graduate of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU), where he studied Biology at the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology:
Bachelor’s degree (2009) – Department of Cytology and Histology. Thesis: “Features of the fine structure of the lungs of desert amphibians and reptiles”.
Master’s degree (2011) – Department of Biodiversity and Bioresources. Thesis: “External morphometric parameters of the marsh frog (Rana ridibunda) from selected water bodies of the Ili River basin”.
Doctoral studies (2015) – Department of Biodiversity and Bioresources. Dissertation: “Effects of biotic and abiotic factors on populations of the great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) and the activity of the plague epizootic process in the Southern Balkhash region”.
In 2016, after receiving a prestigious award from the Newton-Al-Farabi Partnership Programme, he joined the University of Liverpool (Liverpool, United Kingdom) as a postdoctoral researcher. His research project was entitled “Assessing the nature of small terrestrial carnivore movements and their importance as alternative hosts of plague” (2016–2018, ref.216379961).
In August 2021, he joined the Institute of Zoology of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan as Head of the Laboratory of Arachnology and Other Invertebrates.
In July 2026, he was appointed General Director of the Institute of Zoology of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Order No. 37-жқ dated July 3, 2026.
He has been a member of the Academic Council of the Institute of Zoology and a member of the Institute’s Council of Young Scientists since 2021. Since July 2026, he has served as Chairman of the Academic Council of the Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Previous research experience:
Head of Laboratory – Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology (2020)
Leading Researcher – M. Aikimbayev National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Department of Epizootology of Especially Dangerous Infections (2019–2020). From 2010 to 2019, he progressed from Junior Researcher to Leading Research Specialist at the Laboratory of Zoology and Parasitology of the National Scientific Center.
Junior Researcher – Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Research Institute of Ecology (2009–2010)
PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
Aidyn Baurzhanovich Yeszhanov has participated in the implementation of a number of fundamental and applied research programs and projects.
Scientific Supervisor of the program “Development of an information system for maintaining a cadastre of wild animals of the Western Tien Shan for their conservation and sustainable use” (2024–2026), IRN BR24993060
Responsible Executor of the project “Treatment of the great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) with fipronil-based bait to control vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis (Leishmania major) and bubonic plague (Yersinia pestis) in southern Kazakhstan” (2016, U.S. Department of Defense, Genesis Laboratories, Inc.)
Responsible Executor of sections of the following programs:
“Development of the Red Data Book of Animals of Kazakhstan and an electronic database of rare and endangered animals” (2023–2025), IRN BR18574058
“Development of a wildlife cadastre of the Northern Tien Shan for the conservation of its genetic diversity” (2021–2023), IRN ВR10965224
“Development of a national electronic data bank for the scientific zoological collection of the Republic of Kazakhstan to ensure its effective use in science and education” (2020–2022), IRN OR11465437
Project participant:
“Development of the scientific foundations for a unified system in the Republic of Kazakhstan for monitoring, diagnosis, and microbial collection of pathogens of especially dangerous, re-emerging, emerging, and imported infections” (2018–2020), IRN BR05636941
“Development of an integrated system for increasing productivity and improving the breeding qualities of farm animals, using Baiserke-Agro LLP as a case study” (2018–2020), IRN BR06249249
“Complex relationships in a host-pathogen interaction model: behavior in the mediated spread of infectious disease through structured host populations” (2013–2014). Supported by the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen (F.W.O.), University of Antwerp (Belgium)
“Forecasting plague outbreaks in the Southern Balkhash region” (2010–2013). Supported by the Wellcome Trust, University of Liverpool (United Kingdom)
“Assessment of the current state of ecosystems in the Ili-Balkhash region and improvement of principles and methods for their classification and mapping” (2010–2013). Project of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Scientific publications and intellectual property:
Aidyn Baurzhanovich Yeszhanov is the author of 1 patent and approximately 50 scientific publications and other works published in leading international and national journals.
Research interests: invertebrate zoology, arachnology, medical theriology, medical entomology, toxicology, epizootology, biological control, ecology.
Citation profiles:
ORCID | Scopus | WoS | Google Scholar