Project leader: dr Hristina Obradović

Project collaborators:

dr Ivana Okić-Đorđević, Dragana Aleksandrović, Sanja Momčilović, Ivana Gazikalović (external team member), 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.

Principal Investigator: Ivana Klun

Project team members:

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

Project number: 2424

Project duration: 2024-2026

Lead 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

Abstract:

Background: 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.

Novelty: PARASITE_HUNTER aims to incorporate One Health principles in food safety, with a strong emphasis on environmental matrices, as the 21^st 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.

Methods: 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.

Impact: 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.

Expected results: 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.

Project leader: Vesna Vučić

Project collaborators:

Danijela Ristić Medić, Aleksandra Arsić, Maja Milošević, Snježana Petrović, Nebojša Ivanović, Milica Kojadinović, Biljana Pokimica, Marija Paunović

Project number: 5050

Duration of the project: 2023 – 2026.

Leading Institution:

Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Project Description:

The project is designed as a randomized clinical trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the anti-inflammatory nutritional intervention (in form of tailored diet or supplements) in managing nutritional status, clinical outcomes, and quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitors. The implementation of this project will help BRC patients to prevent the decline in nutritional status, to better tolerate the therapy, decrease side effects and risks of comorbidities, and thereby improve quality of life, clinical outcomes and survival rates.

Project leader: Aleksandra Uzelac

Project collaborators:

Katarina Breka, Jelena Karanović, Nikola Betić, Milica Kuručki, 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.

Project leader: Snežana Tomanović, PhD, Research Professor

Project collaborators: Ratko Sukara, PhD, Research associate, Darko Mihaljica, PhD, Research associate, Gorana Veinović, PhD, Research associate, Velantina Ćirković, PhD, Research associate.

Duration of the project: 2023-2026

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, National Institute for Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade

Description:

TalkToTick is a project that answers the question of to what extent ticks and tick-borne pathogens present in a specific region pose a risk to human health. Climate change, intensification of transport, and migration undoubtedly lead to changes in the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases. Globally, and in our region, there has been a discrepancy between the registered number and diversity of ticks, the pathogens they transmit, and confirmed clinical cases of the disease. It is believed that many cases of tick-borne diseases remain unrecognized or misdiagnosed. The main objective of our project is to develop adequate approaches for diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of tick-borne diseases based on the knowledge of local ecology, epidemiology, and geographic distribution of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Although the TalkToTick project is conceived in Serbia as a model for the region, our ambition goes beyond the local interest. The knowledge and results we generate during the project implementation are extremely important for all regions with a similar eco-epidemiological situation (Southern Europe, neighboring countries), and as a conceptual approach, our model can be applied anywhere. The project is largely focused on citizens too. The most important and economical form of prevention of tick-borne diseases in humans are personal protection measures and to increase the effectiveness of these measures, it is necessary to inform, educate, and actively involve citizens.

Project leader: Ana Marija Mandić

Project collaborators:

Project number: TR31029

Duration of the project: 2011-2020.

Leading Institution:

Description of the project:

Project leader: Jovana Bjekić

Project collaborators:

Project number: 6058808

Duration of the project: 15. 07. 2020 – 14. 10. 2022

Leading Institution:

Description of the project:

Project leader : dr Suzana Dimitrijević-Branković

Project collaborators: Marija Ranić

Project number: TR31035

Duration of the project:

Leading Institution:

Description of the project:

Project leader: dr Dragan Alavantić

Project collaborators:

Project number: III 41028

Duration of the project: 2011-2020.

Leading Institution:

Description of the project: