Ain Raal

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Dr. A. Raal is a full-time Professor of Pharmacognosy and Head of the Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu.

Dr. Raal obtained his MSc (Pharm) degree in 1984 in Tartu (Estonia, previously U.S.S.R.) and PhD (Pharm = Candidate of Sciences in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy) in 1989 at The Institute of Chemistry and Pharmacy of Leningrad, U.S.S.R. for the theses ‘The pharmacognostical study of Matricaria matricarioides of Estonian origin.’ He received Docentship in Pharmacognoy at the University of Tartu in 1993. In 2016, he was appointed as a full-time Professor in Pharmacognosy at the University of Tartu. In 2014-2022 he was the Head of the Institute of Pharmacy, University of Tartu.

Over the last two decades, his research works have focused on pharmacognosy, phytochemistry and biological activity of medicinal plants of Estonia, Europe and Asia. He is also specialized in pharmacy history and in social pharmacy in the field of medicinal plants.

Today, the key research areas of his group are:

1. Essential oil content and composition of medicinal plants of different origin; 
2. Phenolic substances in medicinal plants of different origin; 
3. Isolation and identification of biologically active substances from medicinal plants of different origin; 
4. Biological activities of plants extracts and individual compounds;
5. History of pharmacy with focus to University of Tartu, natural products history of common pharmacies and pharmaceutical industry;
6. Utilization of medicinal plants in aspects of social pharmacy.

To date, Dr. Raal has authored or co-authored 116 original peer-reviewed scientific articles in international (category 1.1.) journals, and over 120 abstracts in domestic and international conference proceedings. He has published or co-publiched 35 textbooks, monograps and popular-scientific books. He has received the Estonian Academy of Sciences Award for popularization of science for the ’Encyclopedia of medicinal plants of the World’) (in Estonian, 2010), and the Estonian Academy of Sciences Award to use the badge ’Nationally awarded popularizer of science’ (2011), Medal of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tartu (2021), Merit Badge of the University of Tartu (2022), etc

He has also supervised or co-supervised total 2 PhD theses and more than 140 Msci (Pharm) theses in the abovementioned research fields.

Research projects:

• "Development of evidence-based pharmaceutical preparations from domestic colostrum powder". Principal Investigator: Ain Raal (LMVFA20516 (EU60320, 2020-2022).
• "Development of science-based food supplement to reduce of mental stress" (1.04.2021−31.03.2022); Principal Investigator: Ain Raal (LMVFA21190, 2021-2022). 
• "Development of science-based food supplement to improve sleep quality". Principal Investigator: Ain Raal (LMVFA21189, 2021-2022).
• "Development of prototypes of science-based food supplements containing elder extract". Principal Investigator: Ain Raal (LMVFA21169, 2021-2022).
• RESTA21 "Upvaluation of sour whey into high value-added functional foods". Principal Investigator: Reet Mändar (RESTA21, 2021-2022).
• "Pharmaceutical formulation development, process analytical technology (PAT) and endproduct analysis of 3D-printed medicines". Principal Investigator: Jyrki Tapio Heinämäki (VMVFA22189, 2022-2055).
• “Development of new sprays and rinsing solutions based on Värska mineral water.” Principal Investigator: Ain Raal (LMVFA22396, 2022-2023).
• "Antrobotanicus" (5.04.2021−31.12.2025); Principal Investigator: Mare Kõiva (8-2/21/2, 2021-2025).

More detailed CV and Publications in ETIS https://www.etis.ee/Portal/Persons/Index?rvn=1%3Fpersoninfo.searchtext&searchmergedinstitutions=true&searchmode=Beginning