Professor Yakov Yulievich Bardakh (1857-1929): pioneer of bacteriological research in Russia and Ukraine.

Odessa physician Yakov Bardakh had an unusually high number of bacteriological 'firsts' to his credit: in 1886, while working at the Odessa Bacteriological Station, he was the first to test Louis Pasteur's anti-rabies vaccine on himself in order to demonstrate its safety. In the 1890s, in addition to conducting pioneering research on diphtheria, he created the first extensive course in bacteriology at the Novorossiya University--the first such course in Russia--and established the first university laboratory in Russia to specialize in bacteriology. In 1903 he created the first Medical Emergency Service in Russia.