[Ol'ha Petrivna Chepinoha--a founder of investigations of nucleic acids in biochemistry in Ukraine. To the 100th anniversary of birthday, 1.07.1907--27.04.1983].

Olga Petrivna Chepinoga, doctor of science (biology), senior scientific worker, was born on July 1, 1907, in Kyiv. She graduated from the 1st Kyiv Medical Institute (1927-1931). In 1931-1935 she worked at various medical institutions of Ukraine. In 1935 O. P. Chepinoga was employed by the Institute of Biochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of the Ukr.SSR as a laborant, then as an assistant, junior and senior scientific worker. In 1940 O. P. Chepinoga defended a thesis for a Candidate's degree, and from 1941 she was given a rank of the senior scientific worker. During the Great Patriotic War she served in the armed forces of the Soviet Army (1941-1945) as a medical officer in the rank of captain. In 1944-1963 she worked at the Instutute of Biochemistry of the AS of the Ukr.SSR as a senior scientific worker, and in 1963-1965 headed the Laboratory of Nucleic Acids. In 1952 O. P. Chepinoga defended a thesis for Doctor's degree in biology On Biologic Role of Nucleic Acids. Investigations of O. P. Chepinoga were first devoted to oxidation processes in muscles in various physiologic conditions, physico-chemical properties of myosin and its ATPase activity. Since 1948 her scientific interests had been concentrating on studying the biologic role and metabolism of nucleic acids, their transformation in the organism in norm and in pathological states. She was the first to find that various proteins interacted with DNA molecule. The highest activity of DNAse and RNAse was revealed in the organs which permanently synthesize proteins (liver, spleen, pancreas). Under quantitative undifferentiated growth of malignant tumors (Brown-Pierse carcinoma and Crocker sarcoma) the great part belongs to the process of DNA disintegrations; DNAse activity increases considerably in the animal and human blood that is not observed at other somatic diseases and is of great diagnostic value. Considerable shifts in DNAse activity at various pathologies were not found. The enrichment of transport RNA with methyl groups with chemical modifications does not disturb the integrity of the polynucleotide chain and secondary structure but decreases their acceptor activity. O. P. Chepinoga has published 100 scientific works including one monograph and one handbook. Two candidate's theses were defended under her supervision. She was awarded the medals For Courage, For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and numerous jubilee medals.