Project leader: Dr. Ivana Drvenica

Project collaborators: Dr. Vesna Ilić, Dr. Drenka Trivanović, Dr. Biljana Ristić, Dr. Marijana Kovačić

Duration of the project: 1.10.2025-31.5.2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Description of the project:

Iron deficiency remains the most prevalent nutritional disorder worldwide, highlighting the need for innovative, effective, and sustainable iron supplementation strategies. This project aimed to transform the meat-industry byproduct, slaughterhouse blood, into a high-value, sustainable, and consumer-friendly ingredient by revalorizing hemoglobin into an innovative, heme-iron-based formulation for dietary supplements and functional foods. The developed technology delivers a long-term stable, bioavailable heme-iron protein complex with superior nutritional value and enhanced taste and color, improving consumer appeal and facilitating its incorporation into a wide range of food matrices.

The technology is based on a dual natural origin (bovine and porcine), globally adaptable to dietary and cultural preferences, enabling broader market applicability. Furthermore, it turns by-products into sustainable bioactive ingredients, supporting circular bioeconomy principles and reducing waste from the meat industry.

During the project, the technology was successfully advanced from TRL 4 to TRL 6, including formulation optimization, safety and functionality validation, consumer acceptance studies, market assessment, and commercialization planning. The project established a strong foundation for intellectual property protection, industrial partnerships, and market entry, demonstrating the potential to bridge the gap between scientific research and industry while delivering innovative solutions for improved nutrition and sustainable resource utilization.

Project leader: Dr. Aleksandar Krmpot

Project collaborators: Dr. Ivana Drvenica, Dr. Drenka Trivanović, Dr. Mihajlo Radmilović, Dr. Stanko Nikolić, Dr. Danica Pavlović

Duration of the project: 1.9.2020–31.8.2022.

Leading institution: Institute of Physics, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Description of the project:

In this project, we are aiming to utilize state-of-the art optical microscopic techniques expanding their applicability for erythrocytes and erythrocyte derivatives imaging as a potential diagnostic method for modern age disorders, such as cancer, diabetes and other inflammatory/autoimmune diseases. Our research will be mostly based on two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy (TPEF) and recently demonstrated intrinsic feature of hemoglobin to become a fluorescent molecular target upon two-photon excitation by ultra-short laser pulses. We will unite our “know-how” on TPEF with third harmonic generation (THG) imaging of erythrocytes and complement it with quantitative information obtained by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). The latter two will be developed within this project. Using erythrocytes as sensitive markers, we will demonstrate how combining the data acquired by custom–made techniques and established protocols for in vitro and ex vivo hemoglobin based imaging can contribute to a better understanding of the underlying biological basis of specific disorders. This is the first step in development of novel methods for diagnosis and disease risk stratification. We will also boost our initiated research on TPEF microscopy as an effective tool for label- and fixation -free imaging of erythrocytes and their membranes at single cell level. The research revealed the relation between spatial distribution of hemoglobin within erythrocytes and their morphology implying that this relation is an indicator of erythrocytes functional status.

Six researchers from two leading national institutions and from various, complementary, fields (physics, biology, biophotonics, pharmacy) will carry out the activities divided into 7 tasks and deliver 13 items, amongst two new techniques will be developed: THG and FCS for the benefit to the broad international and Serbian scientific community. HEMMAGINERO is supported by DESY, Germany and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden formally and by open access to the equipment. The project will be realized in 2 years and by cca 200,000EUR employing and upgrading the most valuable equipment in Serbian scientific institutions and respecting all the safety and ethical issues.

Project leader: Dr. Đurđica Jovović

Project collaborators: Dr. Zoran Miloradović, Dr. Nevena Mihailović-Stanojević, Dr. Jelica Grujić Milanović, Dr. Milan Ivanov, Dr. Dinko Sušić, Dr. Slađan Milanović, Dr. Dijana Jovanović, Dr. Dragana Dekanski, Dr. Anamarija Simić, Dr. Jasmina Varagić, Dr. Danijela Karanović, Dr. Una-Jovana Vajić

Project number: 175096

Duration of the project: 2011-2019.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, “Galenika” A.D.

Description of the project:

The results of the project demonstrated that therapy with olive leaf extract has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular and renal parameters. It reduced oxidative stress, arterial blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean), and total peripheral resistance in a rat model of essential hypertension. In the same experimental model, the olive leaf extract led to an improvement in renal circulation, a reduction in renal vascular resistance, and a decrease in the synthesis of harmful reactive oxygen species.

Similarly to the olive leaf extract, therapy with resveratrol—an active ingredient found in grapes—led to a reduction in arterial blood pressure and vascular resistance in an animal model of essential hypertension. In an experimental model of malignant hypertension, this therapy resulted in even greater improvements in hemodynamic parameters compared to essential hypertension, as well as the prevention of degenerative changes in the arterioles.

Angiotensin 2 receptor blockade, applied in a rat model of post-ischemic acute renal failure associated with hypertension, led to the improvement of systemic and renal hemodynamic parameters and reduced damage to the glomeruli and tubules. Additionally, therapy with synthetic analogues of the enzyme superoxide dismutase in the same experimental model reduced renal vascular resistance.

Project leader: Dr. Vesna Vučić

Project collaborators: Dr. Danijela Ristić-Medić, Dr. Aleksandra Arsić, Dr. Maja Milošević, Dr. Snježana Petrović, Dr. Nebojša Ivanović, Dr. Biljana Pokimica, Dr. Anđelija Čukić, Dr. Marijana Kovačić

Project number: 5050

Duration of the project: December 1, 2023-December 1, 2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade

Description of the project:

With 3700 new breast cancer (BRC) cases each year in Serbia, and 2.1 million globally, BRC is one of the biggest health challenges today. Available anticancer therapies have limited efficacy and are coupled with toxic side effects. Nutritional intervention can ameliorate undesirable effects, reduce exhaustion, psychological harm, and costs spent on treating these side effects.

The project AID aims to improve clinical outcome, quality of life (QoL) and survival rate in BRC patients on adjuvant endocrine therapy with aromatase inhibitors (AI) by nutritional interventions. In a three-arm randomised controlled nutritional trial involving 80 BRC patients who receive either supplement or placebo pills (control group), or an anti-inflammatory diet for 4 months, along with the AI therapy, changes in nutritional status, QoL, biochemical and clinical parameters аrе measured in comparison among three groups.

The second goal is to establish cause-and-effect relationships among the clinical outcomes, nutritional status and biochemical parameters related to cancer, including inflammatory and redox status, plasma lipidome and polymorphism of fatty acid desaturase (FADS) genes. The challenges are tackled by our research team which holds the expertise to accomplish the nutritional, clinical, and biochemical tasks of the project.

The project tends to go beyond the current state-of-the-art by implementing high-throughput lipidomic analyses in nutritional trials. This helps in building the research capacity of our team with the long-term goals toward the elucidation of the biochemical pathways by integration of machine learning and to the creation of the first lipidomic centre in Serbia. Introducing an effective nutritional intervention in BRC patients as an integral part of the multimodal therapeutic approach through this project will immediately have an outstanding impact for patients and their families, as well as for local and global economy in a long run.

Project leader: Dr. Tijana Štajner

Project collaborators: Dr. Jelena Srbljanović, Dr. Branko Bobić, Dr. Vladimir Dobričić, Dr. Anđelija Ilić, Dr. Dragana Vujić, Đorđe Zlatković, Olivera Lijeskić, Jelena Trajković

Project number: 7328

Duration of the project: 2023-2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Belgrade

Description of the project:

Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is a parasitic protozoan that infects almost a third of the global population. In cases of prolonged immunosuppression, reactivation of the infection occurs in chronically infected patients , which can be life-threatening. Reactivated toxoplasmosis (RT) is a particularly devastating complication in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients, who represent the fastest growing population of immunosuppressed patients in Europe. Despite this, there are still no guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of RT. Moreover, the limited therapeutic options for RT are not only inadequate for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients due to pronounced myelotoxicity, but also ineffective because they only act on circulating parasites.

The main goal of the ToxoReTREAT project is to solve the problem of RT in the population of recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells using a multidisciplinary approach (medicine, pharmaceutical analysis, chemical industry); improve efficiency and reduce side effects; and the formulation of national guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of RT. Namely, molecular monitoring of RT, isolation and characterization of T. gondii strains, identification of risk factors and evaluation of the effectiveness of standard treatment options will result in the formulation of National Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients. The activity of newly synthesized and modified derivatives of acridine and acridone will be investigated both in vitro and in vivo experimental models of RT. T. gondii strains will be isolated from patients diagnosed with RT. Our research will identify at least one RT drug candidate with reduced toxicity and increased overall efficacy against T. gondii tachyzoites and bradyzoites, compared to standard therapy. We expect that the results of our project will arouse the interest of the pharmaceutical industry to engage in the development of new drugs for the treatment of toxoplasmosis. The sustainable transfer of knowledge gained through chemotherapy experiments will be contributed by the application of the freely available ImageJ software for the improvement of the automated assessment of the results of the experiments.

Project leader: Dr. Hristina Obradović

Project collaborators: Dr. Ivana Okić Đorđević, Dr. Sanja Momčilović, Dragana Aleksandrović, Dr. Ivana Gazikalović (external team member), Dr. Nikola Jeftić (external team member)

Project number: 11073

Duration of the project: 2024-2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Innovation Center, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia

Description of the project:

Despite their safety and feasibility for patients, existing breast reconstruction techniques following mastectomy carry the risk of potential complications, and do not significantly alter the likelihood of disease recurrence compared to mastectomy alone. Hence, these factors must be considered when evaluating the available breast reconstruction options post-mastectomy. The field of tissue engineering has been intensively growing primarily focusing on crafting diverse scaffolds that act as templates for tissue regeneration. For nearly a century, the amniotic membrane (AM) of the placenta has been utilized in skin and cornea regeneration, and numerous studies have demonstrated its antitumor, antifibrotic, antiinflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. AmnioPrintCare aims to develop the scaffold biomaterial using human AM homogenate that will preserve and exhibit its regenerative and antitumor effects over an extended period when applied. By establishing advanced 3D bioprinting techniques for scaffold fabrication, AmnioPrintCare will enable more accessible and personalized regenerative medicine practices in breast reconstruction. To achieve that, by using different technological methods and advanced 3D software and bioprinter, we will establish 3D printed bioscaffold based on hAM. Also, we will confirm its biocompatibility with the breast tissue niche cells and its regenerative potential in vitro related to adipogenesis and angiogenesis along with the antitumor effect towards breast cancer cell lines. We will further evaluate its regenerative and antitumor effect upon transplantation in mice. This interdisciplinary project will bring advancement in biotechnology that will lead to improvements in biomedicine and provide basis for better healthcare and survival rate among patients, novelties in the medical and biotechnological education, and improvement of biotech industry in Serbia as it could patent the new ‘’bioink’’ for commercially available bioprinters.

Project leader: Dr. Tamara Kukolj

Project collaborators: Dr. Jasmina Lazarević, Dr. Uroš Ralević, Dr. Nenad Lazarević from Institute of Physics, University of Belgrade

Project number: “Start up for science” 2019/2020 funded by Philip Morris Company

Duration of the project: 2019-2020.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Description of the project:

Analysis of the characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at the level of individual cells using Raman spectroscopy with the aim of developing Raman spectroscopy as a fast, simple, and non-destructive Single Cell method for evaluating the regenerative potential of MSCs. Most biochemical changes, caused by physiological or pathological changes, are observed in the Raman spectrum under appropriate conditions, as a change in the intensity and/or position of the Raman mode. Therefore, the characteristics of MSCs originating from different tissues and donors will be investigated, as well as changes in age-related characteristics in MSCs populations. Changes in the Raman spectrum resulting from replicative age, i.e. prolonged cultivation in vitro, will be monitored, as well as changes in the spectrum caused by certain pharmacological substances used in the therapy of various diseases, which accelerate the aging process. Based on the obtained results, the correlation between the vibrational spectrum and the regenerative potential of primary MSCs will be determined, which will enable the establishment of Raman spectroscopy as a fast, simple, and non-invasive method for the qualitative analysis of the regenerative potential of a certain population of MSCs. This project will contribute to the detailed characterization of MSCs, to significantly speed up and facilitate their further application in cell therapy and tissue engineering.

Project leader: Dr. Ivana Klun

Project collaborators: Dr. Duško Ćirović, Dr. Oliver Tošković, Dr. Aleksandra Penezić, Dr. Stanislav Simin, Dr. Aleksandra Uzelac, Vladimir Ćirković, Dragana Miličić, Nikola Betić, Neda Bogdanović, Ilija Pantelić

Project number: 2424

Duration of the project: 2024-2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology

Description of the project:

The increasing prevalence of food and waterborne parasitoses in humans and animals in Europe calls for the need for holistic surveillance to detect emerging threats and identify reservoirs of infection, so that public health authorities can be alerted in a timely manner. Systematic monitoring programs for most of the parasites which cause these diseases do not exist and most parasitoses are not notifiable, thus it is upon the scientific community to gather evidence of these silent epidemics, raise awareness and advocate for innovative and improved food safety measures to reduce disease burden.

PARASITE HUNTER aims to incorporate One Health principles in food safety, with a strong emphasis on environmental matrices, as the 21st century is characterized by significantly perturbed ecosystems due to anthropogenic disturbances. The impact of ecosystem health and wildlife on food safety will be evaluated and communication with stakeholders will be established. Standardized parasitological methods [sedimentation, (Mini)FLOTAC] and validated molecular techniques (multiplex qPCR, nested PCR) will be applied to detect, quantify, and assess viability (staining and in vitro culture) of food and waterborne parasites (FWP) of public health significance in various human and animal foods, water and soil in which the food is produced. This project aims to establish a data driven surveillance framework for FWP to improve food safety beyond the current standard by including monitoring of vulnerable groups (humans and animals) not covered by the current food safety legislation. Stakeholders will be engaged through questionnaires to assess the level of awareness regarding FWP and help draft a white paper with proposals to reduce/control the FWP burden. As a result of the project activities, a sustainable, state of the art FWP surveillance program for timely identification of emerging threats to public health, and stakeholder approved measures to improve food safety are expected.

Project leader: Dr. Aleksandra Uzelac

Project collaborators: Dr. Katarina Breka, Dr. Jelena Karanović, Dr. Nikola Betić, Dr. Milica Kuručki, Dr. Tijana Kukurić

Project number: 10841

Duration of the project: 2024-2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad

Description of the project:

Analysis of the population genetics of Echinococcus is an ongoing effort in some parts of Europe, while the Balkans represent a significant knowledge gap. This project proposes to comprehensively survey the entire transmission cycle consisting of intermediate and definitive animal hosts and the environment using sample processing and analytical methods which have been standardized, validated and harmonized at the EU level to obtain high quality population genetics data via mitochondrial gene (cox1 and nad1) sequencing and characterization of the EmsB microsatellite from single eggs, larvae and adults. Specifically, this approach allows for the survey of as of yet underexplored reservoirs with a potentially high transmission capacity to humans. The population genetics data along with GPS coordinates of identified infected hosts will be systematized and graphically displayed through an interactive bioinformatics database, WormProfiler, to help identify transmission foci and ultimately model transmission dynamics. WormProfiler’s user interface will be specifically tailored to veterinarians and physicians, who are key stakeholders for transmission prevention, in order to facilitate education of the public and raise awareness of echinococcosis. Ultimately, the project’s goal is to create a software supported framework for systematic surveillance of  Echinococcus to aid in the development of targeted transmission control actions to reduce echinococcosis case burden.