biology

Viktor Zhdanov

Viktor Zhdanov is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Viktor Zhdanov rather than just read about it. In short: Viktor Mykhailovych Zhdanov (Ukrainian: Віктор Михайлович Ждaнов; Russian: Виктор Михайлович Ждaнов, romanized: Viktor Mikhaylovich Zhdanov; 14 February [O.S. 1 February] 1914 – 14 July 1987) was a Soviet scientist, virologist and epidemiologist. He was instrumental in the effort to eradicate smallpox globally.

Key takeaways

Viktor Zhdanov belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Viktor Zhdanov to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Viktor Zhdanov from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Viktor Mykhailovych Zhdanov (Ukrainian: Віктор Михайлович Ждaнов; Russian: Виктор Михайлович Ждaнов, romanized: Viktor Mikhaylovich Zhdanov; 14 February [O.S. 1 February] 1914 – 14 July 1987) was a Soviet scientist, virologist and epidemiologist. He was instrumental in the effort to eradicate smallpox globally. Zhdanov was born in the village of Shtepino, Russian Empire (in present-day renamed as Sviatohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine). After Zhdanov graduated from Kharkiv Medical Institute in 1936, he spent the next decade working as an army doctor, where he became interested in epidemiology; this work would directly lead to his doctoral thesis on Hepatitis A. In 1946, Zhdanov was invited to become Chief of the Epidemiology Department of the I. I. Mechnikoff Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Kharkiv, becoming its director two years later. His work in virus classification saw him admitted to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses as a life member. In addition to his accomplishments in the field of public health, Zhdanov chaired the Soviet Union's Interagency Science and Technology Council on Molecular Biology and Genetics.

Smallpox eradication In 1958, Zhdanov, as Deputy Minister of Health for the Soviet Union, called on the World Health Assembly to undertake a global initiative to eradicate smallpox. The proposal (Resolution WHA11.54) was accepted in 1959. Zhdanov left the Ministry of Health in 1961 and focused on scientific research for the rest of his career. This work included studying influenza, hepatitis, and in the 1980s, HIV. William MacAskill wrote, "Smallpox was one of the worst diseases to ever befall the human race, and its eradication is one of the greatest achievements of humanity. Bill Foege and Viktor Zhdanov should be celebrated for their contributions, and should inspire us today to take effective action to tackle the world's most pressing problems." Despite Zhdanov's relative obscurity, some—including MacAskill—have argued that Zhdanov has done "more good for humanity" than any other human in history. Because of his belief in the value of international cooperation, Zhdanov maintained close working associations with scientists in the West, even during the Cold War. Joint influenza research projects were done with Walter Dowdle (CDC), Robert Webster, Edward J. Kilbourne (Harvard Medical School), and Nancy Cox (CDC); joint viral oncogenesis research projects were done with John Moloney (National Cancer Institute) and Fred Rapp (Penn State); joint viral hepatitis research projects were done with Daniel Bradley (CDC) and James E. Maynard (CDC), to mention but a few.

Awards and honors For his efforts to eradicate smallpox, Zhdanov was the co-winner of the 2020 Future of Life Award along with William (Bill) Foege. Foege and Zhdanov (through his sons Viktor and Michael) received that award in a ceremony including Bill Gates, Anthony Fauci and freshly minted Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna. The ceremony was held remotely as it took place during the 2019 Coronavirus Pandemic. In consideration of the achievements of Zhdanov and Foege, Bill Gates added that Zhdanov and Foege "are phenomenal examples of what it means to harness science for global health". "We're all indebted to Bill Foege and Viktor Zhdanov for their critical contributions to the eradication of smallpox, which demonstrated the immense value of science and international collaboration for fighting disease", said António Guterres, Secretary General, United Nations. UNICEF estimates that smallpox eradication has saved close to 200 million lives as of 2018. On 8 May 1980, the 33rd World Health Assembly officially declared: 'The world and all its peoples have won freedom from smallpox.' According to the World Health Organization, the US$300m price-tag to eradicate smallpox saves the world well over US$1 billion every year since 1980. WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "As the world confronts the COVID-19 pandemic, humanity's victory over smallpox is a reminder of what is possible when nations come together to fight a common health threat". The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA), in collaboration with WHO, signifies what national unity and global solidary can achieve. Numerous countries, such as Guinea, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Togo and others issued smallpox stamps to show support for, and raise awareness about WHO's Intensified Smallpox Eradication Programme launched in 1967.

Later life and death Zhdanov later turned his attention to researching AIDS, becoming the first Soviet official to confirm the existence of the disease in the USSR. However, starting in 1984, Zhdanov became the target of anonymous denunciations accusing him of nepotism and plagiarism. On June 6, 1987, upon reading a letter from the Academy of Medical Sciences informing him that a committee investigation had been opened into these allegations, Zhdanov had a stroke. He died in hospital 8 days later. The person who denounced Zhdanov was never identified.

References

External links The best person who ever lived BoingBoing Aug. 3, 2015.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Viktor Zhdanov

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Viktor Zhdanov claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Viktor Zhdanov before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Viktor Zhdanov ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Viktor Zhdanov

In research: Viktor Zhdanov appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Viktor Zhdanov in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Viktor Zhdanov is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1914 births, 1987 deaths, Academicians of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Viktor Zhdanov outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Viktor Zhdanov in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Viktor Zhdanov means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Viktor Zhdanov out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Viktor Zhdanov in simple terms?

Why does Viktor Zhdanov matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Viktor Zhdanov?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Viktor Zhdanov.