Education:
• Ph.D. (Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 2013.)
• M.Sc. (Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 2004.)
• B.Sc. (Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 2000.)
Research interests:
• Electrical activity of animals brain
• Animal behavior
• Magnetobiology
Work experience:
• Since 2001, employed at the Institute for Biological Research, Department of Neurobiology, Department of Neurophysiology
Projects:
• 2002-2006. “Modulation of membrane excitability and rhythms of bioelectrical activity of neurons of invertebrates and vertebrates. Analysis and modeling”
• 2006-2011. “Effects of traumatic, neurotoxic and neuroprotective factors on electric activity of brain of mammals. Analysis and modeling”
• 2011-2019. ”Interactions of membranes with the intracellular and apoplastic space: studying bioenergetics and signaling using biophysical and biochemical methods” and “The influence of magnetic fields and other environmental stressors on the physiological responses and behavior of different species”
• 2019- “Influence of magnetic field and neuroactive substances on CNS, neuromotor development and behavior of animals”
Memberships in scientific societies:
• Serbian Biology Society
• Society for Neurosciences of Serbia
• FENS
Behavioural biology studies animal behaviour at a systemic level by integrating behavioural, ecological, physiological, and molecular approaches to describe how different behavioral elements have been shaped through evolution.
Animal physiology studies how biological processes work, how they operate under different environmental conditions, and how these processes are regulated and integrated. They can be studied at different levels of organisation, from organelles and cell membranes to cells, tissues, organ systems, and the whole animal, both during development and in adulthood.
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.
Ana Despotović graduated in 2016 (Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade). She defended her Master's thesis entitled "Synergistic antitumor effect of vitamins C and K3 on human glioblastoma cells U251 in vitro" and obtained M.Sc. degree in 2017 (Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Biology). In the same year, she started PhD studies, also at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade.
Since 2018, Ana has been working as a researcher in the Department of Neurophysiology at the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković". In 2021, she obtained the title of research associate. In the period from 2018 to 2020, she was involved in the project "The role of autophagy in the regulation of tumor cell death" (173053) and in the period from 2018 to 2019 in the project "Modulation of intracellular energy balance-controlling signalling pathways in therapy of cancer and neuro-immuno-endocrine disorders" (III41025). Both projects were funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia. As part of the bilateral cooperation project between the Republic of Serbia and the People's Republic of China "Investigation of the strontium carbonate and strontium fluoride addition to calcium-silicate dental cements: physico-chemical and biological characterisation" (451-02-818/2021-09/20), she stayed at institutes of the Fujian Medical University in China in April 2023.
Her scientific research is based on the monitoring of intracellular signals and the investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying the response of malignant cells to potential antitumor agents of different origins, with the aim of discovering new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of malignant diseases. Ana is also involved in the biocompatibility testing of bioactive materials for use in regenerative medicine as bone/dental replacement materials.
Ana is a member of the Society for Neuroscience Serbia (DNS), the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), the Serbian Biological Society (SBD), the Society for Free Radical Research - Europe (SFRR-E), the Serbian Society for Mitochondrial and Free-Radical Physiology (SSMFRP), the Serbian Society for Molecular Biology (MolBioS), the Serbian Association for Cancer Research (SDIR) and the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR).
Behavioural biology studies animal behaviour at a systemic level by integrating behavioural, ecological, physiological, and molecular approaches to describe how different behavioral elements have been shaped through evolution.
Animal physiology studies how biological processes work, how they operate under different environmental conditions, and how these processes are regulated and integrated. They can be studied at different levels of organisation, from organelles and cell membranes to cells, tissues, organ systems, and the whole animal, both during development and in adulthood.
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.
Valentina Simeunović is a PhD student in the Molecular Biology study program, in the Animal and Human Physiology module at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, on the Molecular Biology study program, on the Molecular Biology and Physiology module, while she completed her master's studies at the Faculty of Biology, on the Experimental Physiology of Animals and Humans module.
Valentina is employed as a research trainee at the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" (IBISS), Institute of National Importance for the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade in the Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology and Behavior. Her area of research includes monitoring the effect of different nutritional regimes (dietary restriction, fermented food) on behavioral and molecular changes in the brain during aging. In addition, the effects of these treatments on changes in the male and female reproductive system during different periods of life are monitored.
Valentina completed training in Laboratory Animal Science at the Department of Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. In 2022, she also attended a summer school called "Molecular Targets for antiaging interventions" (Joint IUBMB/FEBS Advanced Lecture Course, "Molecular Targets for antiaging interventions").
Valentina is an active member of the European Program for Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Technological Research (COST), the Federation of European Neurosciences (FENS), the Neuroscience Society of Serbia (DNS) and the ALBA Society (The ALBA Network).
The biology of ageing is focused on better understanding the molecular, cellular and physiological processes underlying the ageing process and the diseases associated with this process.
Animal physiology studies how biological processes work, how they operate under different environmental conditions, and how these processes are regulated and integrated. They can be studied at different levels of organisation, from organelles and cell membranes to cells, tissues, organ systems, and the whole animal, both during development and in adulthood.
Nutrition is the process by which the body uses food to produce energy and sustain life. The science of nutrition studies the role of nutrients and other food components in the growth, reproduction, health and disease of the organism. Food ingredients with medicinal properties are called nutriceuticals and can be used to treat or prevent disease. There are more and more alternative sources of food, such as edible insects, which should limit the negative impact of food production on the environment.
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.
Olga Dubljević is a Research associate at the Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia. The topic of her doctoral dissertation, under the mentorship of scientific advisor Dr. Vesna Pešić at the Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology and Behavior, was approved by the Teaching-Scientific Council of the Faculty of Biology under the title: "Identification and Characterization of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Endophenotype in the A53T Transgenic Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease". In her previous work, she has been involved in investigating cognitive, behavioral, neurophysiological, and neuroimmune changes under various conditions of pathology, health, and development using eclectic methods on various animal models as well as human subjects. She enrolled in PhD studies in 2020 as part of the Translational Research in Neurobiology and Biomedicine module at the Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. She completed her undergraduate and master's studies at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade. She completed her internship as a neuropsychologist at the Clinic for Neurobiology, Clinical Center of Serbia. She is a member of Serbian Neuroscience Society (SNS), Federation of European Neuroscience Society (FENS), Serbian Biological Society (SBS) and The Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART).
Behavioural biology studies animal behaviour at a systemic level by integrating behavioural, ecological, physiological, and molecular approaches to describe how different behavioral elements have been shaped through evolution.
The biology of ageing is focused on better understanding the molecular, cellular and physiological processes underlying the ageing process and the diseases associated with this process.
Animal physiology studies how biological processes work, how they operate under different environmental conditions, and how these processes are regulated and integrated. They can be studied at different levels of organisation, from organelles and cell membranes to cells, tissues, organ systems, and the whole animal, both during development and in adulthood.
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.
The object of his Ph.D. thesis in the Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Behavior is related to the effects of a synthetic neuroactive steroid in male and female APP knock-in mice. APP KI mice represent a new generation model of Alzheimer's disease and are particularly suitable for studying the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in the early stages of the disease. The results may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the onset of Alzheimer's disease and to the development of potential therapeutics.
Education:
• Ph.D. student, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 2021 -
• M.Sc. in Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 2021
• B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 2020
Professional Memberships:
• Serbian Neuroscience Society (SNS)
• Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS)
• Serbian Biological Society (SBS)
• Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART)
Behavioural biology studies animal behaviour at a systemic level by integrating behavioural, ecological, physiological, and molecular approaches to describe how different behavioral elements have been shaped through evolution.
The biology of ageing is focused on better understanding the molecular, cellular and physiological processes underlying the ageing process and the diseases associated with this process.
Animal physiology studies how biological processes work, how they operate under different environmental conditions, and how these processes are regulated and integrated. They can be studied at different levels of organisation, from organelles and cell membranes to cells, tissues, organ systems, and the whole animal, both during development and in adulthood.
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.
Nejla Ademović completed her basic and master academic studies at the State University in Novi Pazar, in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Biology study program. She completed her undergraduate studies in 2018, and her master's academic studies in the Biomedicine module and the Biology Professor module in 2019. In 2019, she enrolled in doctoral studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, in the Molecular Biology of Eukaryotes module. She worked as an assistant/demonstrator at the State University in Novi Pazar during the summer semester of 2018/19. She is currently employed at the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", as a research associate since 2022, where she is conducting research for her doctoral dissertation, focusing on the study of brain cancer. She is a member of the Serbian Society for Molecular Biology, the Serbian Society of Cancer Researchers and the European Association for Cancer Research. Her scientific and research work is focused on studying malignant brain tumors, specifically Glioblastoma and Astrocytoma, which are the most invasive and aggressive malignant brain tumors characterized by poor prognosis and low survival rates. The research aims to identify new, previously unknown genetic changes in genes that may play a potential role in the progression and promotion of malignant brain tumors in order to contribute a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the origin and progression of Glioblastoma and Astrocytoma, as well as the eventual development of new therapeutic protocols. She is also involved in breast cancer research, specifically focusing on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), identification of mutations in genes involved in molecular pathways leading to breast carcinogenesis.
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.
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.
Milica Prvulović is a Research Assistant at the Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" (IBISS), National Institute of the Republic of Serbia University of Belgrade, and a PhD student at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia (subfield: Animal and human physiology). She received BSc degree in Biology in 2017 (subfield: Molecular Biology and Physiology), (average grade 8.10/10) and MSc degree in Molecular Biology and Physiology in 2018 (subfield: Experimental biomedicine), (Master’s thesis title: Cholesterol metabolism in rat cerebellum during aging: the influence of different dietary regimes (average grade 9.83/10), both from Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Milica joined Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology and Behaviour in 2017 as a Master student and proceeded as a doctoral candidate since 2018.
Her research interests include brain aging, caloric restriction, nutrition and animal behavior, while her ongoing PhD research focuses on the role of onset and duration of caloric restriction and sex specificity. A particular focus is on animal frailty status, behavior (including motor skills, anxiety, learning, and memory), and changes in expression of key proteins of the mTOR signaling pathway. In addition to the topic of her PhD, Milica is involved in several projects related to age-related neurodegenerative diseases, different nutritive approaches (fermented foods, chrononutrition), neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, and cholesterol metabolism in the brain. Milica’s technical skills include animal behavior, Western Blot, immunohistochemistry, data analysis, and statistics. Milica is a member of the Youth Committee of the Mediterranean Neuroscience Society (MNS), an active member of COST Action CA20128, Promoting Innovation of ferMENTed fOods (PIMENTO), Federation of European Neuroscience society (FENS), ALBA Network, Serbian Neuroscience Society (SNS) and Serbian Society for Molecular Biology (MolBioS). She was a travel grant awardee from COST (2021 and 2023), FENS (2022 and 2023), and IBISS (2022).
Behavioural biology studies animal behaviour at a systemic level by integrating behavioural, ecological, physiological, and molecular approaches to describe how different behavioral elements have been shaped through evolution.
The biology of ageing is focused on better understanding the molecular, cellular and physiological processes underlying the ageing process and the diseases associated with this process.
Animal physiology studies how biological processes work, how they operate under different environmental conditions, and how these processes are regulated and integrated. They can be studied at different levels of organisation, from organelles and cell membranes to cells, tissues, organ systems, and the whole animal, both during development and in adulthood.
Nutrition is the process by which the body uses food to produce energy and sustain life. The science of nutrition studies the role of nutrients and other food components in the growth, reproduction, health and disease of the organism. Food ingredients with medicinal properties are called nutriceuticals and can be used to treat or prevent disease. There are more and more alternative sources of food, such as edible insects, which should limit the negative impact of food production on the environment.
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.
Milica Potrebić is in her final year of doctoral studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade (UB) in Biology, Animal and Human Physiology. She begin her academic journey in Biology in 2012, where she completed her undergraduate studies in September 2016, and in the same year she embarked on her master's studies in Zoology, Faculty of Biology, completing them in 2017 with an average grade of 9.66 out of 10. Transitioning to her doctoral studies in 2017, thanks to the Fellowships for advanced graduate students, Ministry of Science, Technological development and innovation of Republic of Serbia, she secured employment at the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković,", a National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, within the Department of Neurobiology, where she currently works as Research Assistant. The title of her doctoral dissertation is "The influence of social isolation on emotional reactions, psychomotor activity, and antioxidative status of peripheral organs in peripubertal rats". Her primary research lies in understanding how psychosocial stress in adolescent rodents affects social behavior (such as social cognition and motivation), and the development of various affective disorders. She is an active member of Serbian Neuroscience Society, Serbian Molecular Biology Society and Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS).
Behavioural biology studies animal behaviour at a systemic level by integrating behavioural, ecological, physiological, and molecular approaches to describe how different behavioral elements have been shaped through evolution.
Animal physiology studies how biological processes work, how they operate under different environmental conditions, and how these processes are regulated and integrated. They can be studied at different levels of organisation, from organelles and cell membranes to cells, tissues, organ systems, and the whole animal, both during development and in adulthood.
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:
2021: PhD, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade
2020–2021: MSc, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade
2016–2020: BSc, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade
RESEARCH AREA:
molecular oncology, experimental biomedicine, preclinical studies, cell culture
MEMBERSHIPS:
Serbian Neuroscience Society
Serbian Biochemical Society
Serbian Association for Cancer Research
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies
European Association for Cancer Research
European Society for Medical 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.
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.
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).
Milena Jović is a PhD student in the Molecular Biology and Physiology study program, in the Experimental neurobiology module at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, on the Molecular Biology and Physiology study program, on the Applied genetics module, while she completed her specialist studies at the Faculty of Biology, on the Immunology with microbiology module.
Milena is employed as a research assistant at the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" (IBISS), National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Department for Neurobiology, in the Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology and Behavior. Her research focus encompasses the examination of the impact of bioactive compounds, such as fish oil and 18 alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid, on both behavioral and molecular alterations within the cerebral milieu of transgenic 5XFAD mice, serving as a pertinent model system for probing the intricacies of Alzheimer's disease pathology. Of particular intrigue is the broader investigation into the immunological facets, notably the involvement of glial cells, in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration observed in the aging brain and in age-associated neurodegenerative disorders.
Milena completed training in Laboratory Animal Science at the Department of Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. She also attended a summer school IUBMB/FEBS Advanced Lecture Course, "Molecular Targets for antiaging interventions") in 2022, 2nd CellFit Training School: “Add a new dimension to cell culture” A practical full immersion course on 3D matrix in 2019, and 3rd Catania International Summer School of Neuroscience (CISSN 2018), Synaptic Function and Dysfunction: new Targets for Brain Diseases Pharmacology in 2018.
Milena is an active member of the Federation of European Neurosciences (FENS), the Serbian Neuroscience Society (SNS) and she is also technical support of SNS.
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.
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.
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
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