Short characteristics of personality and activity of Doctor of Philology, Professor of Tambov State University named after G.R. Derzhavin L.V. Polyakova is given. Her basic scientific achievements are stated, the role of scientist in organization of educational-methodical, scientific-research and educational work, in preparations of skilled workers in philology and specialists in Russian philology for schools and higher educational institutions of Russia are analyzed. The comprehensive activity of the researcher as of one of leading E.I. Zamyatin’s works studies of Russia and creative collective of International Centre for Zamyatin’s Creative Heritage Studies headed by L.V. Polyakova are considered. The stages of becoming and development of literary studies school “Study of Russian Literature in National and Cultural Context”, uniting the scientists from Tambov, Moscow, Yelets, Borisoglebsk, Michurinsk and other cities are described. Different verctors of research activity of schools (G.R. Derzhavin, N.M. Karamzin, M.Yu. Lermontov, V.G. Belinsky, A.I. Herzen, A.P. Chekhov, S.N. Sergeyev-Tsensky, M. Gorky, A.P. Platonov, M.S. Sholokhov, A.I. Solzhenitsyn and many others), her scientific connection and contacts, the forms of transmission of modern literary studies in educational process, improvement of educational programs on master course, doctoral degree. The role of L.V. Polyakova in becoming of new scientific direction “philological regional studies” is shown.