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SDIRSACR Oncology Insights

concluded that dedicated biological institutes would significantly stimulate ongoing scientific work, as well as train
future generations of Serbian biologists.
Following this recommendation, the Serbian Academy founded three seminal institutes on 31 May 1947:
• Institute for Ecology and Biogeography
• Institute for Developmental Physiology, Genetics and Selection
• Institute for Parasitology
These institutes, officially operating under the Academy, formed the foundational core of what would become IBISS.
In 1954, these bodies moved to independent financing, and by 1956, they merged into a single entity: the Biological
Institute. This integration marked the beginning of unified, multidisciplinary biology research in Serbia. In 1968, the
institute was renamed the Institute for Biological Research, and in 1974, it was further renamed in honor of its leading
visionary, Academician Siniša Stanković, to become the Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”.
The vision behind IBISS’s founding was multifaceted. It aimed not only to advance pure scientific knowledge in biology
but also to provide the expertise and research crucial for the development of other fields: medicine, agriculture,
forestry, biotechnology, and environmental sciences. By uniting researchers from various biological and adjacent fields,
IBISS was meant to foster a multidisciplinary approach that has remained its hallmark.
The evolution of IBISS has mirrored broader transformations in Yugoslavian and Serbian scientific policy, moving from
Academy-administered governance to state and University of Belgrade partnership. Over the years, the institute
navigated political and financial changes while steadily building an identity of scientific excellence recognized by the
state as of national importance in 2018.
This steady development allowed IBISS to impact Serbian and European biology fundamentally, as it built a cadre of
skilled scientists, created specialized departments, and contributed numerous discoveries, including biomedicine and
cancer research.

Current organizational structure

IBISS today operates as a large, multidisciplinary scientific institution with 14 specialized departments (Biochemistry,
Cytology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Genetic Research, Genetics of Populations and Ecogenotoxicology,
Hydroecology and Water Protection, Immunology, Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Neurobiology,
Neurophysiology, Physiology, and Plant Physiology) and several support units, making it unparalleled in Serbia regarding
the breadth of biological research covered. The scientific focus ranges from biochemistry through molecular biology
to systematics and environmental protection. Each department is headed by accomplished senior scientists, ensuring
managerial accountability and intellectual leadership.
The supporting units include administrative, legal, accounting, IT, and technical services and also infrastructural
platforms for research support. This structure enables both horizontal and vertical integration of research efforts,
which is indispensable for multidisciplinary cancer research endeavors.
The Institute’s leadership consists of a Director (currently Dr. Mirjana Mihailović), assisted by deputies and department
heads. Governance is managed via an executive council, a scientific council, and administrative bodies, ensuring
transparency, scientific freedom, and alignment with national research strategies.
IBISS employs over 300 researchers, with about 86% women - reflecting gender equity in scientific leadership. Over
two-thirds of IBISS staff hold doctoral degrees, and around 65 PhD students are also employed. In addition, IBISS plays
a significant role in higher education, providing facilities for undergraduate and graduate teaching in partnership with
the University of Belgrade and mentoring a large body of Master’s and PhD students each year.

Legacy in biomedical and cancer research: a multidisciplinary approach

A cornerstone of the institute’s legacy lies in translating multidisciplinary biology into tangible advances against cancer.
Departments spanning biochemistry, molecular biology, neurobiology, neurophysiology, cytology, genetics, physiology,
and immunology collaborate seamlessly, aligning their research agenda to address critical challenges in oncology. Task-
focused teams bring together molecular biologists, chemists, physicians, and mathematicians, both nationally and
internationally, to attack complex malignancies from every scientific angle.
In recent years, multiple research efforts at the institute have exemplified its dual commitment to fundamental discovery
and clinical translation in cancer. Each effort targets a distinct aspect of tumor biology: personalized diagnostics,
microenvironment-focused therapies, and metabolic rewiring – yet together they form an integrated strategy for more
effective disease control.
At IBISS, a functional diagnostic platform for non-small cell lung carcinoma has been developed that combines detailed
biomarker profiling with assays on patient-derived tumor cultures. This innovation includes a fluorescence-based
immunoassay capable of distinguishing malignant cells from surrounding support cells in mixed samples, enabling

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