Previous work experience - Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy - INEP, University of Belgrade, Banatska 31b, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia, 05/04/1998. - 31.12.2022.
Education - Doctor of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade (2009); Master of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade (2002); graduate molecular biologist, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade (1998).
Research area - Investigation of the innate immune response to infection, molecules of the first line of defense, pattern recognition receptors. Examination of molecules, cells and mechanisms that mediate the modulation of the immune response and are involved in the modulation of autoimmune and other chronic inflammatory conditions.
Professional activities - Last national projects:
- Prizma: "Inflammation-driven cancer repopulation: seeds of progression and platform for therapy" (Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, 2024-);
- Promis: "Novel Immunotherapeutic Approaches for Autoimmune Diseases based on Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells induced by Nanomaterials" (Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, 2020-2022);
- Proof of Concept: "Development of anti-allergic intranasal spray EVTRIS based on extracellular vesicles from Trichinella spiralis" (Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia, 2020-2021).
Participation in international projects:
- COST action BM1305: Action to Focus and Accelerate Cell-based Tolerance-inducing Therapies (A FACTT) (2014-2017);
- Bilateral projects: 1) "Testing the Hygiene Hypothesis: Trichinella spiralis secreted proteins in treatment of airway inflammation" (project participant; No.: 451-03-02141/2017-09/16; 2018-2020); 2) "Trichinella spiralis releases extracellular vesicles: Can they modulate the host's immune system?" (337-00-577/2021-09/41; 2022-2024) (project leader).
Membership in domestic and international societies – Immunological Society of Serbia; EFIS, IUIS; Biochemical Society of Serbia; Biological Society of Serbia.
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
EDUCATION
1993 PhD in Immunology, University of Belgrade (UB), Faculty of Pharmacy (FP)
1988 MSc in Immunology, UB, FP
1985 BSc in Pharmacy, UB, FP
RESEARCH CAREER
2015-present Principal Research Fellow, Department of Immunology IBISS, UB
2004-2014 Principal Research Fellow, Head of the Scientific Research Department, Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera “Torlak”, Belgrade
1998-2003 Senior Research Associate, “Torlak”
1994-1997 Research Associate, Immunology Research Center (IRC), Belgrade
1989-1993 Research Assistant, IRC
1985-1988 Junior Research Assistant, IRC
RESEARCH INTEREST
Relationship between the intestinal immune system and autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system; neuropeptides and hormones in the modulation of inflammation and autoimmune diseases, including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and collagen-induced arthritis; aging of the immune system and its relationship to the development of autoimmune diseases.
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES MEMBERSHIP: Immunological Society of Serbia; Serbian Society for Molecular Biology; Serbian Biochemical Society.
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
Miljana Momčilović was born on 23rd of January, 1978 in Belgrade. She is a research professor at the Institute for Biological Research „Siniša Stanković“, University of Belgrade, where she is in the Department of Immunology in the Group for Neuroimmunology. She obtained her PhD in Immunology at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade in 2008. Her main research interest is in autoimmunity, multiple sclerosis in particular. Her current lines of investigation include gut immune cells and their role in autoimmunity, physiological and pharmacological modulation of autoimmunity.
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
Neurobiology studies the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the nervous system. From the molecular and biochemical basis of this system, to the study of behavioral plasticity, to understanding the driving forces of neurodegenerative diseases and how they can be treated. Electrophysiology studies biophysical properties in vertebrate neurons and links morphofunctional features of the brain to observed animal behavior. The ultimate goal is to identify active substances that may have a protective effect in neurological and psychiatric diseases.
EDUCATION
2017- 2021 PhD in Immunobiology (“Effects of hydrogen-sulfide donor, morpholin-4-ium 4-methoxyphenyl (morpholino) phosphinodithioate, on immune cells involved in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis pathogenesis”), Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
2016- 2017 Master of Science in Immunobiology (“Anti-encephalitogenic effects of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel extract”), Department of Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia;
2012- 2016 Bachelor of Science, Department of Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia;
RESEARCH CAREER
2022- present Research Associate, Department of Immunology IBISS, UB
2020- 2022 Research Assistant, Department of Immunology IBISS, UB
2018- 2020 Junior Research Assistant, Department of Immunology IBISS, UB
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES MEMBERSHIP
Immunological Society of Serbia
Serbian Biochemical Society
Serbian Society for Molecular Biology
Serbian Neuroscience Society
RESEARCH FIELD
Immunology, neuroimmunology, autoimmunity, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, gut and lung immune system
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
Neurobiology studies the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the nervous system. From the molecular and biochemical basis of this system, to the study of behavioral plasticity, to understanding the driving forces of neurodegenerative diseases and how they can be treated. Electrophysiology studies biophysical properties in vertebrate neurons and links morphofunctional features of the brain to observed animal behavior. The ultimate goal is to identify active substances that may have a protective effect in neurological and psychiatric diseases.
Dr. Marija Mojić received her Ph.D. in 2013 from the University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” National Institute of the Republic of Serbia. The same year, her doctoral thesis was awarded “Best Doctoral Dissertation”, from the Foundation “Goran Ljubijankić”, Belgrade, Serbia. She spent five years (2014-2019) as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Hayakawa’s group in the Division of Pathogenic Biochemistry, Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Japan. There, her research focused on defining the changes in CD8 T cell activation markers in the tumor microenvironment during tumor progression and the changes in the phenotype of immune-escaped tumor cells. Aside from postdoctoral training, Marija also received training at the pharmaceutical company Novartis in Basel, Switzerland (2008) and at the University of Tokyo, Japan (July-September 2009). Since 2020 she has been employed at the Department of Immunology, where her research focuses on exploring anti-cancer properties and mechanism of actions of newly synthetized compounds. Marija is a work package coordinator of the project ADVANCED from the Prisma program, funded by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia (2024-2027). She is also an active member of the Serbian Biochemical Society, the European Federation of Biochemical Societies, The Serbian Society for Molecular Biology, the Immunological Society of Serbia, and the European Federation of Immunological Societies.
Understanding the physiological and functional characteristics of cancer cells at the individual level, and the tumor tissue as a highly orchestrated multicellular formation, by whose activity the tumor expands, invades and disseminates, is the main goal of cancer biology research today. Defining the causes of abnormal behavior of neoplastic cells individually and in the context of the tumor microenvironment, including the histological, metabolic and immunological specificities of this tissue, represents a platform for designing new approaches in cancer treatment. Investigating the phenomenon of initial or acquired tumor resistance helps to gain deeper insights into the reasons for limited effects of the conventional treatments, enabling the improvement of existing protocols.
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
Natural products are complex chemical compounds synthesised by living organisms through biochemical processes, with a specific physiological or ecological function. Researchers at the Institute study the chemical characterization and isolation of natural products, metabolic engineering, as well as the assessment of the possibility of their application in industry (as medicaments, dietary supplements and functional food, biopesticides).
Redox biology is the study of all aspects of biology mediated or influenced by biochemical processes involving reduction (gain of electrons) and oxidation (loss of electrons). Redox homeostasis is central to the basic functions of life, including metabolism and respiration, and when altered it can promote the progression of disease and ageing.
Ivana Stojanović is a principal research fellow who finished Molecular Biology and Physiology graduate studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade in 2001. Dr. Stojanovic obtained her PhD in Immunology at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade in 2004. From 2001. she is employed at Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković“ – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia (IBISS), University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. She participated in three national projects financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia, two funded by Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, one Innovation project and four international projects. Dr. Stojanovic was a principle investigator in the project “The role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in beta cell apoptosis and pathogenesis of obesity-associated type 2 diabetes” funded by EFSD/AstraZeneca Young Investigator Award (2007-2009), “Generation of insulin-specific T regulatory cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes” funded by Iacocca Family Foundation (USA) (2016-2017), Serbian Science and Diaspora Collaboration Program funded by Science Fund (2020-2022). Dr. Stojanovic supervised 7 Master and 3 PhD theses. She is a lecturer at the PhD programme at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. Currently, Dr. Stojanovic is a leader of the Group for Diabetes Study at Department of Immunology, IBISS that focuses on the basics of type 1 diabetes pathogenesis and the possibilities of diabetes modulation by innovative therapeutic approaches. Her work involves ILC3 and regulatory T cell modulation through AHR and FFAR2 receptors and the application of mesenchymal stem cells and plant-derived compounds for the treatment of type 1 diabetes using a mouse model. Dr. Stojanovic has published 76 full-length peer-reviewed papers in international journals and 2 chapters in international books with h-index 24 and total number of citations (excluding auto citations) over 1900.
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
EDUCATION
2020 - PhD in biology, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology (Doctoral Dissertation: Effects of ethyl pyruvate on the development of type 1 diabetes in C57BL/6 mice)
2016 - MSc in biology, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology
2014 - BSc in biology, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2021 – Research Associate, University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković', Department of Immunology
2020 – Research Assistant, University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković', Department of Immunology
2017 – Junior Researcher, University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković', Department of Immunology
2016 - PhD student, University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković', Department of Immunology
OTHER ACTIVITIES
2021 - Club of Serbian Young Immunologists membership
2016 - Immunological society of Serbia membership
2016 - Serbian Biochemical Society membership
2016 - Serbian Society for Molecular Biology membership
RESEARCH INTERESTS
o Physiological and pharmacological modulation of the autoimmune process directed against pancreatic β cells in a type 1 diabetes (T1D) model
o Studying the role of the intestinal immune system in the development and regulation of the autoimmune response in T1D
o Examining the immunomodulatory potential of newly synthesized modulators of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
Đorđe Miljković is a research professor (from 2008) at the Institute for Biological Research „Siniša Stanković“, University of Belgrade, where he is the head of the Department of Immunology (appointed in 2015) and leader of the Group for Neuroimmunology (from 2010). He obtained his PhD in immunology at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade in 2002. His main research interest is in autoimmunity, multiple sclerosis in particular. His current lines of investigation include gut immune cells and their role in autoimmunity, tolerogenic dendritic cells in the treatment of autoimmunity, physiological and pharmacological modulation of autoimmunity.
Past and ongoing projects:
• Cellular and molecular mechanisms of recovery of rats from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
• Characterization of cell death mechanisms in the central nervous system of rats suffering from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
• Human gut microbiota transfer for novel insights into central nervous system autoimmunity pathogenesis
• The role of gut microbiota and gut immune cells in the CNS-directed autoimmunity induced in rats without the use of the complete Freund’s adjuvant
• Modulation of gut ILC3 by a FFAR2 agonist for the treatment of autoimmune diseases
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
Neurobiology studies the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the nervous system. From the molecular and biochemical basis of this system, to the study of behavioral plasticity, to understanding the driving forces of neurodegenerative diseases and how they can be treated. Electrophysiology studies biophysical properties in vertebrate neurons and links morphofunctional features of the brain to observed animal behavior. The ultimate goal is to identify active substances that may have a protective effect in neurological and psychiatric diseases.
Dijana Bovan completed her undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade in 2013 and obtained the title of graduate molecular biologist and physiologist. She enrolled in doctoral studies at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Belgrade in 2013, on the Molecular Oncology module. Since January 2015, she has been employed in the Department of Immunology at the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - an Institute of national importance for the Republic of Serbia. In September 2017, she was elected to the position of research assistant. She defended her doctoral dissertation entitled "Molecular mechanisms of the action of antitumor agent from the synthetic tubulysins’ group, tubugi 1, on selected melanoma model systems" in October 2020 and in 2021 she received "Stanka Romac" award for the best doctoral thesis in the field of Human Molecular Genetics or Biomedicine. In February 2021, she received the title of research associate. As part of the bilateral scientific-technological cooperation project between the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Germany, Dijana Bovan spent a month at the Leibniz Institute for Plant Biochemistry in Halle on three occasions (2015, 2016 and 2017), and 25 days in 2018. in Leipzig, Germany within the Erasmus + program. In addition, she was a participant in the National Project (2019), a bilateral project with China (2018-2021), as well as two projects sponsored by Zepter International for the period (2019-2020 and 2020-2021). He is currently a participant in the project of the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia from the Prism program (ADVANCED). She is an active member of the Serbian Society of Cancer Researchers (SDIR), the European Association for Cancer Research (EARC), the Serbian Society for Molecular Biology (MolBioS), the Club of Young Immunologists of Serbia (KMIS), the Young European Federation of Immunological Societies (yEFIS), the Biochemical Society of Serbia (BDS). Her research interests are experimental oncology and immuno-oncology.
Understanding the physiological and functional characteristics of cancer cells at the individual level, and the tumor tissue as a highly orchestrated multicellular formation, by whose activity the tumor expands, invades and disseminates, is the main goal of cancer biology research today. Defining the causes of abnormal behavior of neoplastic cells individually and in the context of the tumor microenvironment, including the histological, metabolic and immunological specificities of this tissue, represents a platform for designing new approaches in cancer treatment. Investigating the phenomenon of initial or acquired tumor resistance helps to gain deeper insights into the reasons for limited effects of the conventional treatments, enabling the improvement of existing protocols.
Danijela Maksimovic-Ivanic graduated in Molecular Biology and Physiology from the University of Belgrade (Serbia) in 1998. She obtained MSc in Immunology on Faculty for Biology, University of Belgrade in 2000, and at the same faculty she got PhD in Immunology in 2003. She is currently employed as a principal research fellow at Department of Immunology. She participated in three national, two innovation and four bilateral projects financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia. Dr. Maksimovic-Ivanic was a principle investigator in one national and three bilateral projects financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia, two projects financed by the Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia and two projects with industry. Currently she is the PI of the project: “Inflammation-driven cancer repopulation: seeds of progression and platform for therapy” financed by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, program Prisma. Dr. Maksimovic-Ivanic supervised 2 Master and 3 PhD theses. Dr. Maksimovic-Ivanic is a leader of Cancer biology group. She is also a lecturer at the doctoral studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade and Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade. Her major research interests are immunooncology, experimental oncology, pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. Her current research is focused on evaluation of anticancer properties of metal complexes, naturally occurring compounds and nanotechnology on numerous experimental models in vitro and in vivo and definition of molecular mechanism of their action. She has more than 130 papers, h index is 31, Citation number (excluding self-citations) from SCOPUS citation database: 4029.
Understanding the physiological and functional characteristics of cancer cells at the individual level, and the tumor tissue as a highly orchestrated multicellular formation, by whose activity the tumor expands, invades and disseminates, is the main goal of cancer biology research today. Defining the causes of abnormal behavior of neoplastic cells individually and in the context of the tumor microenvironment, including the histological, metabolic and immunological specificities of this tissue, represents a platform for designing new approaches in cancer treatment. Investigating the phenomenon of initial or acquired tumor resistance helps to gain deeper insights into the reasons for limited effects of the conventional treatments, enabling the improvement of existing protocols.
Inflammation is a response to damage and danger in organisms and is an integral part of research in immunology, but also in other scientific disciplines, since inflammation occurs in numerous pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Immunology studies body’s defence mechanisms at cellular and molecular level in infective diseases, as well as immune system malfunctions in autoimmune diseases and allergies Modification of body’s immune system is useful in treatment of these diseases, and can be performed through pharmacological modulation or immunotherapy, where immune cells or their parts are used. Acute-phase proteins and potential biological markers of inflammation involved in the modification and integration of signalling pathways are being investigated in order to predict and intervene in diseases.
Natural products are complex chemical compounds synthesised by living organisms through biochemical processes, with a specific physiological or ecological function. Researchers at the Institute study the chemical characterization and isolation of natural products, metabolic engineering, as well as the assessment of the possibility of their application in industry (as medicaments, dietary supplements and functional food, biopesticides).
Phone: +381 11 20 78 300
Fax: +381 11 27 61 433
Email: ibiss@ibiss.bg.ac.rs
Bulevar despota Stefana 142
11108 Belgrade
Serbia
IBISS uses analytical cookies to analyze the use of the site in order to improve the user experience, by clicking "Accept" you consent to the use of cookies.