Cardiovascular Physiology

A group consists of scientists with different academic backgrounds whose research focuses are mechanisms involved in cardiovascular and renal diseases. This diverse team of researchers brings together complementary expertise, enabling collaborative multi- and interdisciplinary research. The main activities of the group are:

  • In vivo investigation of the pathophysiological mechanisms of hypertension, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, and cardiomyopathy in animal models
  • Preclinical studies of new drug candidates/plant-derived compounds/therapies
  • Hemodynamic, biochemical, molecular biological, histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis
  • Conducting training in experimental cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology

NEXT THREE YEARS:

Given the wide prevalence and diversity of cardiovascular disease, we plan to develop and apply new experimental disease models and test new compounds of natural and synthetic origin that have potential cardio-renal protective effects. The main activities of the group are:

 

  • The induction of autophagy and the role of autophagy mechanisms in cardio/renal disease models
  • Investigation of the therapeutic potential of hyperbaric oxygenation in cardio/renal disease models
  • Investigation of the therapeutic potential of plant-derived bioactive molecules/phytochemicals from Serbia’s flora in experimental models of human diseases
  • Genomics of hypertension – precision medicine approach
  • Establishment of the Center for genetic research with genebank

Head of the Research Group

Principal research fellow

Zoran Miloradović

Principal research fellow

Zoran Miloradović

Zoran Miloradović, Senior Research Felow, doctor of biological sciences, has been employed in the Group for Cardiovascular Physiology since 1996. From 2022 he is a Head of this Group. He has a master’s degree and a doctorate from the Faculty of Biology University of Belgrade. During his professional career, dr Miloradović was engaged in research into the pathophysiological mechanisms of kidney diseases, as well as the causes and consequences of of essential hypertension in experimental rat models. For most of his career, he focused his research on post-ischemic acute kidney injury, i.e. the mechanisms of its occurrence and maintenance, as well as possible pharmaco-therapeutic approaches to eliminating the consequences of this serious condition, primarily to mitigating the destructive effects of acute ischemia on renal tissue. In addition to research work, he actively participated in the teaching of postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry of the University of Belgrade. He is a mentor of several master’s and doctoral theses. Besides, he was a member of the IMI Board of Directors and the secretary of the IMI Scientific Council, as well as the secretary of the Serbian Physiological Society.

Email:zokim@imi.bg.ac.rs

Group Members

Principal Research Fellow

Djurdjica Jovovic
Principal research fellow

Jelica Grujić-Milanović
Research associate

Danijela Karanovic
Research associate

Una-Jovana Vajić
Principal research fellow

Milan Ivanov
Principal research fellow

Nevena Mihailović-Stanojević
Principal Research Fellow

Jelena Aleksić
Junior Research Assistant

Radoš Knežević
Junior Research Assistant

Jelena Pavlović

Principal Research Fellow

Djurdjica Jovovic

Djurdjica Jovović, Principal Research Felow, doctor of medical sciences, has been employed in the Group for Cardiovascular Physiology since 1990. She received her doctorate from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Belgrade. Since 2000 was head of the Group for Cardiovascular Physiology and led all basic research projects that resulted in three doctoral theses and two master’s theses. Her projects included research into the pathophysiological mechanisms of acute and chronic renal failure associated with hypertension, with a special focus on morphological and functional changes in the kidneys and molecular mechanisms that link glomerular damage and the development of tubulointerstitial fibrosis, as well as the factors of their progression, as well as the causes and consequences of essential hypertension in experimental rat models. She actively participated in the teaching of postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry of the University of Belgrade. She was a member of the IMR Board of Directors, current president of the IMR Scientific Council.

Email:djurdjica@imi.bg.ac.rs

Principal research fellow

Jelica Grujić-Milanović

Jelica Grujic-Milanovic, professor of research, group of cardiovascular physiology, has 22 years of experience in basic and preclinical research, with an emphasis on the issue of molecular mechanisms of action for the biologically active molecules, lipids, polyphenols, vasoconstrictor molecules, receptor antagonists, inhibitors, and enzyme stimulators of oxidative stress in hypertension models and chronic renal failure. She was a leader in one international project, and a participant on two international projects and five national projects. She was/is teaching PhD students of Medical Faculty, as well as student of Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, and was a mentor of one PhD thesis. Besides, she was reviewer for several international journals and, moreover, is a member of FEPS, ISP, IUPS, IACS, SFRR-E, EPHAR, etc. Furthermore, she is the winner of the award for Extraordinary results Ministry of Science and Environment of Republic of Serbia as well as four awards for the best scientific paper of the IMR.

Email:jeca@imi.bg.ac.rs

Research associate

Danijela Karanovic

Danijela Karanović is a research associate with a PhD in biological sciences. Her research is focused on the pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic kidney disease and hypertension. She is primarily interested in molecular mechanisms of action of the plant extracts, synthetic antioxidants, hyperbaric oxygenation, and antihypertensive drugs on oxidative stress and antioxidative defence systems, glomerulosclerosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in various animal models of chronic kidney disease and hypertension. She has years of experience in conducting of the animal experiments, biochemical and molecular biological analyses. She is an active member of serbian, and international societies for physiology, and pathophysiology. She is a participant of national projects, and bilateral international cooperations with Republic of Austria and Republic of Croatia.

Email:danijela.karanovic@imi.bg.ac.rs

Research associate

Una-Jovana Vajić

Una-Jovana Vajić holds a Ph.D. in biochemical engineering and biotechnology, and her research areas are the pathophysiology of experimental hypertension, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease. This researcher has 10+ years of experience investigating the therapeutic potential of compounds of natural and synthetic origin, as well as the application of various therapeutic procedures (e.g. hyperbaric oxygenation) in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. She has experience in preclinical studies, working with experimental animals, as well as various biochemical and molecular methods.

Email:unajovana@imi.bg.ac.rs

Principal research fellow

Milan Ivanov

Milan Ivanov is a Principal Research Fellow, doctor of biological sciences, employed since 2007 in the Cardiovascular Physiology Group of IMR. His research is directed towards molecular mechanisms of action of biologically active substances, lipids, polyphenols, vasoactive molecules, receptor antagonists, inhibitors and enzymatic stimulators of oxidative stress in models of hypertension and aacute kidney injury in basic and preclinical projects. He is a member of national and international scientific societies, participant/PI of national projects and projects of bilateral international cooperation (Austria, Slovakia and Croatia), head of the institute’s vivarium at IMR, and participant of doctoral study program, mentor, reviewer of papers in leading international journals, and patent reviewer.

 

Email:ivmilan@imi.bg.ac.rs

Principal research fellow

Nevena Mihailović-Stanojević

Nevena Mihailović Stanojević is a Principal Research Fellow, doctor of biological sciences, molecular biologist and physiologist, with 25+ years of research experience in the Group for Cardiovascular Physiology of IMR. Her research is directed towards molecular mechanisms of action of biologically active substances, lipids, polyphenols, vasoactive molecules, receptor antagonists, inhibitors and enzymatic stimulators of oxidative stress in models of hypertension and chronic kidney disease in basic and preclinical research projects. She is a member of national and international scientific societies, participant/PI of national projects and projects of bilateral international cooperation (Austria, Slovakia and Croatia), president of the Ethics Committee for the Protection of the Welfare of Laboratory Animals at IMR, and participant of doctoral study program, mentor, reviewer in leading international journals, and patent reviewer.

Email:nevena@imi.bg.ac.rs

Principal Research Fellow

Jelena Aleksić

Dr. Jelena M. Aleksić is a Principal Research Fellow, doctor of biological sciences, employed in the Cardiovascular Physiology Group since December 2023. She graduated from the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, received her doctorate from the Universität für Bodenkultur (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, and completed her post-doctoral training at the Ludwig-Maximilians Universität (LMU), Munich. She received education and continuous training first in the field of plant physiology and then in the fields of population and conservation genetics and evolutionary biology as the holder of several national and foreign scholarships (Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia; Bioversity International; Österreichische Austauschdienst GmbH; Erasmus Mundus MEME program in the field of evolutionary biology; Government of the Republic of France), as well as numerous visits to renowned scientific research and educational institutions abroad (Bundesforschungs- und Ausbildungszentrum für Wald, Naturgefahren und Landschaft – BFW, Vienna, Austria; Institute of Biosciences and BioResources of the National Research Council of Italy – IBBR-CNR, Florence, Italy; Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; Institute of Applied Genomics – IGA, Udine, Italy; CREA Research Center for Viticulture and Enology, Conegliano, Italy) financed by national and international funds. She devoted her scientific career to biodiversity research, conservation of genetic resources of plant and animal species, primarily those endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, as well as better understanding of their evolutionary history. She is a reviewer of manuscripts for over 20 scientific journals and projects funded by European funds, an editor of two sections of a national scientific journal, as well as an accredited lecturer at doctoral studies at two faculties in the country and one faculty in the region, and a mentor/member of the committee for the defense of 17 doctoral dissertations in the country and abroad. During her scientific career, she participated in more than 15 national and international projects as a coordinator or participant. In the Group for Cardiovascular Physiology, she is engaged in: 1) application of the population-genetic/genomic approach in cardiovascular disorders research, including studies of the association of genetic profiles with acute and chronic conditions of cardiac and nephrological diseases, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions; 2) innovative application of plant and animal resources in order to commercialize products for human consumption and improve human health; and 3) commercialization of services related to the practical application of genotyping of the human population, as well as populations of plant and animal species, and the establishment and maintenance of gene banks as a strategic national resource of the Republic of Serbia.

Емаил:jelena.aleksic@imi.bg.ac.rs

Junior Research Assistant

Radoš Knežević

Radoš Knežević, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, is a Junior Research Assistant in the Group for Cardiovascular Physiology. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Molecular Biomedicine at the Faculty of Biology, as well as specialist academic studies in Biochemical Diagnostics at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade. His research interests include clinical pathology, genetics, kidney diseases of various etiologies, and novel biomarkers for the early detection and monitoring of kidney injury.

Junior Research Assistant

Jelena Pavlović

Jelena Pavlović is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and a Junior Research Assistant at the Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade. Her career at the Institute began in July 2025 in the Vivarium as a veterinary technician. Later that year, upon graduation, she started her PhD program at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade. In March 2026, she joined the Group for Cardiovascular Physiology. Her scientific interests are focused on monitoring morphological and histopathological changes, particularly in cardiovascular and renal tissue, in rat experimental models. Within the Group for Cardiovascular Physiology, she participates in preclinical testing of various bioactive compounds. Through morphological evaluation, she aims to contribute to the understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms of hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and renal diseases. In the coming period, she plans to further develop her expertise in immunohistochemical techniques and the application of modern digital pathology methods.

Latest PROJECTS

All projects of this group

Latest RESEARCH PAPERS

  1. Karanovic D, Mihailovic-Stanojevic N, Ivanov M, Vujacic U-J, Grujic-Milanović J, Zivotić M, Dekanski D, Jovovic Dj, Miloradovic Z. Olive Leaf Extract Added to Losartan Treatment Improved Klotho/Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Hypertensive Rats with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis Antioxidants 2026, 15, 146. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010146 M21a
  2. Kovacevic S, Mitovic N, Brkic P, Ivanov M, Zivotic M, Miloradovic Z, Nesovic Ostojic J. Hyperbaric Oxygenation: Can It Be a Novel Supportive Method in Acute Kidney Injury? Data Obtained from Experimental Studies. Cells. 2024; 13(13):1119. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13131119 M21
  3. Vukovic A, Karanovic D, Mihailovic-Stanojevic ND, Miloradovic Z, Brkic P, Zivotic M, Nesovic Ostojic J, Ivanov M, Kovacevic S, Vajic U-J, et al. Apocynin and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Improve Renal Function and Structure in an Animal Model of CKD. Biomedicines. 2024; 12(12):2788. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12122788 M21
  4. Vajic U-J, Mihailovic-Stanojevic N, Karanovic D, Zivotic M, Ivanov M, Jovovic D, Grujic-Milanovic J, Miloradovic Z. Urtica dioica L. Leaf Extract Dose-Dependently Modulates Oxidative Stress in the Kidney and Exerts Anti-Fibrotic and Anti-Inflammatory Properties by the Molecular Mechanisms Independent of NRF-2 Signalization Mirroring the Effects of Losartan in SHR. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024; 25(24):13272. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252413272 M21
  5. Nesovic Ostojic, J.; Kovacevic, S.; Ivanov, M.; Brkic, P.; Zivotic, M.; Mihailovic-Stanojevic, N.;Karanovic, D.; Vajic, U.J.; Jeremic, R.; Jovovic, D.; et al. Hyperbaric Oxygen Reduces Oxidative Stress Impairment and DNA Damage and Simultaneously Increases HIF-1α in Ischemia–Reperfusion Acute Kidney Injury. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024, 25, 3870.https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073870 M21

All papers

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