Winner. Scientist of the Year 2026

Vagif Rakhmanov

Academic title, degree: Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences (DSc), Academician, Honored Doctor of Ukraine
Fields of science: Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychology, and Medical and Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Research interest: Non-Pharmacological Neuropsychiatric Treatment, Psychotherapy and Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Autism and Developmental Disorders, Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation, Neurotic and Psychosomatic Disorders, Sensory-Based Therapeutic Methods, Predictive Modeling of Treatment Outcomes
Career Development: Senior
Organization: Research Institute of Child and Family Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychology, Medical and Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Position: Director
City: Dnipro
Country: Ukraine

Professor Vagif Mamedovich Rakhmanov is a distinguished physician-scientist, academic leader, and internationally recognized expert in Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychology, and Medical and Psychosocial Rehabilitation. Born in 1951 in Azerbaijan, he has devoted his professional life to advancing innovative therapeutic approaches to complex neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders, with a particular emphasis on non-pharmacological treatment methodologies.

He holds the degree of Doctor of Medical Sciences and the academic title of Professor. In recognition of his contributions to the advancement of medical science and clinical innovation, he has been awarded the honorary titles of Honored Doctor of Ukraine and Honored Rationalizer of Ukraine. Professor Rakhmanov is an Academician of the Academy of Higher Education of Ukraine, the European Academy of Natural Sciences, and the International Academy of Education and Science. He is also an Honorary Professor of the International Personnel Academy and a member of the European Association of Psychotherapists.

Professor Rakhmanov currently serves as Director of the Research Institute of Child and Family Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychology, Medical and Psychosocial Rehabilitation, where he leads multidisciplinary clinical, scientific, and rehabilitation programs. His professional responsibilities extend to several prominent national institutions, including his role as Scientific Consultant to the Department of Hearing Rehabilitation of the Research Institute of Otorhinolaryngology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, and as a Senior Research Fellow at the Research Institute of Social, Forensic Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

He is actively engaged in academic and professional development as a member of the Editorial Board of the peer-reviewed journal Archives of Psychiatry, Director of the Ukrainian Branch of Psychoanalysts, and Head of the Ukrainian Center for Psychotherapeutic Rehabilitation. In addition, he holds a professorship in the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology at the Dnipro State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports and is a physician of the highest professional category in both child and adult psychiatry.

A defining milestone in his career was the establishment, in 1986, of a regional Deaf-Neurological Center, which became a pioneering institution dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with neurological and sensory impairments. The clinical methodologies developed under his leadership were formally evaluated and recommended for implementation by leading scientific institutions, reflecting their recognized medical and practical value.

Professor Rakhmanov’s work is characterized by a rigorous interdisciplinary approach that integrates psychiatry, psychotherapy, neurology, and psychosocial rehabilitation. A notable aspect of his research includes the development of mathematical predictive models for psychotherapeutic and psychosocial treatment outcomes, supporting more precise, individualized, and evidence-informed rehabilitation strategies.

His work has been recognized through numerous national and international distinctions, including the Order of Saint Sophia (First Degree), the Order of St. Panteleimon in the Healthcare Innovator category, and the international award “Rose of Paracelsus” presented at the European Medical Association forum “Best Medical Practice.” He is also a multiple-time recipient of international recognition as a Scientist of the Year, underscoring the sustained impact and relevance of his contributions.

Professor Rakhmanov’s scientific and clinical contributions are centered on the advancement of non-pharmacological medicine, particularly in the treatment of complex and treatment-resistant neurological and psychiatric conditions.

His academic and research output includes 12 scientific monographs, 10 methodological guidelines, 30 rationalization proposals, 7 patents, and 3 registered inventions, reflecting a sustained commitment to both theoretical development and clinical innovation. His patented methods encompass psychophysical and psychophysiological treatment approaches for autism and related disorders, tactile therapeutic systems, and integrative rehabilitation techniques for language, neurotic, and somatoform conditions.

A central achievement of his career has been the development and implementation of comprehensive non-drug therapeutic systems for patients with organic pathologies of the central nervous system. These approaches have been applied to a wide range of conditions, including sensorineural hearing impairments, autism spectrum disorders, speech and developmental disorders, neurotic disorders, and complex psychosomatic conditions.

Professor Rakhmanov's clinical work demonstrates measurable and sustained outcomes. In the field of autism rehabilitation, his therapeutic programs have contributed to the successful integration of a significant number of children into mainstream educational environments following treatment. His approaches have also been applied in the treatment of eating disorders, infertility, and neurodevelopmental conditions, emphasizing functional recovery, cognitive development, and psychosocial adaptation.

Professor Rakhmanov’s contributions extend to the development of innovative therapeutic devices and clinical methodologies designed to enhance sensory processing, improve cognitive and communicative functions, and expand the effectiveness of rehabilitation strategies without reliance on pharmacological intervention. His rationalization proposals further reflect a continuous effort to refine and optimize clinical practice through applied innovation.

Through his leadership, scientific inquiry, and clinical innovation, Professor Vagif Rakhmanov has established a distinctive and influential model in modern medical rehabilitation, one that integrates scientific rigor, interdisciplinary methodology, and patient-centered, non-pharmacological therapeutic solutions.