The department was founded in 1981 in Almaty State Medical Institute. Until that time, immunology was not taught in medical schools, not only the country, but also the entire Soviet Union. Founder of the Department – Ph.D., Academician of Natural Sciences, Academician of the Academy of Preventive Medicine of Kazakhstan, member of the Academy of Education of Kazakhstan, professor Shortanbaev A. Alikhan.
Employees of the department are the authors of the textbook “General Immunology” 3 edition of the textbook “General Immunology” in Russian and Kazakh languages, recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan and used as the main textbook on the subject in all medical schools of the country, dictionary of Immunology, and a number of training manuals in the Kazakh and Russian languages.
Technical training aids are widely used in the educational process with innovative techniques. More than 20 certificates of implementation of innovative technologies in the educational process are received. Along with teaching of general immunology staff of the Department, being a doctor of the highest category in “Doctor allergist-immunologist” actively provide advice on all clinics in Almaty and Almaty region.
Intensive research work conducted at the department. Employees of faculty have published more than 500 scientific papers. All members of the department have PhD-degree. For the first time in Kazakhstan in the early 1990s under the leadership of Shortanbayev A. immune genetic studies on the relation of histocompatibility antigens with susceptibility to a variety of diseases, taking into account the influence of environmental factors on the immune system of the person began. Research is being conducted in other areas: the problems of genetic determination of immune response Immune correcting drugs, vaccines and adaptogenes; development of new schemes immune diagnosis, immune and immunization of a number of diseases, including cancer, infectious, autoimmune and allergic ones. Only in the last decade, 9 scientific and technical projects were done. Teaching staff of the department constantly improve their level of qualification. Teachers regularly are trained in the specialty and technology of modern education training courses both within the country and in leading foreign centers. Particular attention is paid to the introduction polylinguism, continuous improvement the level of knowledge of the professional Russian, Kazakh and English languages. Almost all teachers teach in three languages in a professional manner.
Staff of the department is optimistic about the future and is making every effort in the preparation of high-level doctors.