Eco-biotechnology and drug development

Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic, PhD, is a Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, where she leads the Group for Eco-Biotechnology and Drug Development. Her team is dedicated to developing sustainable biotechnological solutions to global challenges such as plastic pollution and the rise of antimicrobial resistance. She earned her PhD from the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia), focusing on the biosynthesis of amphotericin B, a natural antifungal product from Streptomycetes. Following postdoctoral research in the United States and Ireland, she continued her scientific and academic career in Serbia.

Her research centers on innovative approaches in biocatalysis, bioactive bacterial metabolites and the functionalization of bacterial biopolymers, such as bacterial nanocellulose and polyhydroxyalkanoates. She also works on transforming plastic waste into valuable biopigments and biopolymers.

Through numerous national and international projects, including H2020, Horizon Europe and EIC Pathfinder initiatives, Dr Nikodinovic-Runic contributes to the advancement of circular bioeconomy and the development of environmentally friendly technologies. Her scientific achievements include the development and application of efficient biocatalysts, the use of bacterial products in combating fungal and cancer-related diseases and the improvement of methodologies for biopolymer synthesis. She is one of the authors of four international patents in biotechnology and has mentored over twenty PhD candidates, both in Serbia and abroad, significantly contributing to the growth of the next generation of researchers. She is an active member of several European and global scientific societies and serves on the editorial boards of leading journals, underscoring her international recognition in applied microbiology and biocatalysis.

Beyond research, she is deeply engaged in science communication through academic and public channels. She strongly advocates for bridging academia and industry through innovation-driven projects, as well as for strengthening interdisciplinary collaborations between science and the arts.