Prof Oganov graduated from Moscow State University in 1997 with magna summa cum laude and diploma in Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. In 2002 he obtained a PhD degree in Crystallography from University College London, and in 2007 got a Habilitation degree from ETH Zurich.  In 2008–2017 he was a professor at Stony Brook University. In 2012 Oganov received the "1000 talents" professorship in China. In 2013, having won a megagrant awarded by the Russian Government, Oganov opened a laboratory at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Since 2015 he is a professor at Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. 

Prof Oganov’s research focuses on computational materials discovery, study of matter at high pressures, and development of novel computational methodologies for predicting the structure and properties of materials. The unique evolutionary method for crystal structure prediction, developed by Prof. Oganov, is currently used by over  8500 researchers worldwide. This method allows prediction of novel materials, both organic and inorganic, with desired properties, and has produced many breakthroughs, both in fundamental and applied research.