Sociomicrobiology

The Sociomicrobiology Group studies bacterial communities and their interactions with the host and the environment. The research focuses on small molecules and enzymes that regulate microbial communication, virulence, biofilm formation, and adaptation within complex communities.

Our research activities focus on the following topics:

Novel strategies for the treatment of infections- Development of small molecules and identification of new enzymes of microbial origin that inhibit the virulence of pathogenic bacteria and fungi, with particular emphasis on biofilm inhibitors. Improvement of selected enzyme properties through in silico engineering, and their immobilisation on various materials, such as bacterial nanocellulose.
The role of infections in the development and progression of pathological conditions - Investigation of interactions among microorganisms in polymicrobial infections, and pathogen-host interactions in chronic conditions such as chronic wounds and intestinal infections.
Bacteria and bacterial consortia in bioremediation and plant growth promotion - Investigation of microbial communities in soil and water using metagenomic approaches, and the potential of individual bacteria and bacterial consortia for bioremediation and plant growth promotion through identification of key microorganisms and their enzymes, and the design of synthetic communities.

Our goal is to develop novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of resistance-prone infections, particularly chronic infections associated with biofilms. In addition, we aim to apply environmental bacteria and bacterial consortia in bioremediation, agriculture, and biotechnology.

Lidija Šenerović

Full Research Professor

Group for Sociomicrobiology
Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology

lidija.senerovic@imgge.bg.ac.rs

Lidija Senerovic. PhD, is a Principal Research Fellow and Head of the Sociomicrobiology Group. She received her PhD from the Humboldt University of Berlin in 2009 in the field of Infection Biology. Her research focusses on the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for bacterial and fungal chronic infections, particularly those associated with biofilms. She works on development of small molecules that inhibit microbial virulence by targeting quorum sensing pathways using rational drug design. Through bioprospecting of a diverse collection of environmental bacteria, she seeks to identify novel quorum quenching enzymes or enzymes that specifically degrade components of the biofilm matrix. Together with her team, she explores strategies to improve enzymes’ performance by in silico engineering and/or immobilisation on different materials such as bacterial nanocellulose intended for wound dressings. Using advanced multi-omics approaches, she investigates the causative agents of chronic infections, microbe-microbe, and host–microbe interactions to improve the understanding of pathogenesis and treatment resistance in persistent clinical settings such as chronic wounds and recurrent intestinal infections. She has also been working on the development of the tools and methods for rapid diagnosis of biofilms to improve treatment outcomes and prevent chronic infections.

Her interdisciplinary research is conducted in collaboration with experts in chemistry, immunology, bioinformatics, pharmacy and clinical medicine, both from academia and industry. She has led two research and two R&D projects. The results of her scientific work have been published in numerous renowned international journals. Collaborations with industry partners have resulted in two patent applications and the development of a product that is already on the market (CandBerrol). She has supervised two master's theses and four doctoral dissertations.

IMGGE work program for 2025 - Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, 451-03-136/2025-03/200042, 2025

Diabetic chronic wounds prevention and eradication – patients come to the rescue (2024-2026)

FULL RESEARCH PROFESSOR

Lidija Đokić

ASSOCIATE RESEARCH PROFESSOR

ASSISTANT RESEARCH PROFESSOR

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

JUNIOR RESEARCHER

Anđela Dilparić

RESEARCHERS

Milija Jovanović

Key publications:

Senerovic L, Stojanović I, Koprivica I, Jonić N, Radulović N, Despotović S, Rokic M, Marković D, Nikolić M, Savić S, Pantelić I, Djokic L. Microbial nanocellulose as an effective lactonase immobilization matrix for enhanced wound healing. Int J Biol Macromol. 2025;315(Pt 2):144147. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.144147.
Atanaskovic M, Moric I, Rokic MB, Djokic A, Pantovic J, Despotovic D, Senerovic L. Inhibition of Salmonella Enteritidis adhesion and biofilm formation by β-glucosidase B from Microbacterium sp. BG28. Food Biosci. 2024;57:103543. doi: 10.1016/j.fbio.2023.103543.
Pavic A, Radakovic N, Moric I, Stankovic N, Opsenica D, Senerovic L. Long-chain 4-aminoquinolines inhibit filamentation and increase efficacy of nystatin against Candida albicans infections in vivo. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2024;10(1):146. doi: 10.1038/s41522-024-00608-3.
Galic I, Bez C, Bertani I, Venturi V, Stankovic N. Herbicide-treated soil as a reservoir of beneficial bacteria: microbiome analysis and PGP bioinoculants in maize. Environ Microbiome. 2024;19(1):107. doi: 10.1186/s40793-024-00654-6.
Djokic L, Stankovic N, Galic I, Moric I, Radakovic N, Šegan S, Pavic A, Senerovic L. Novel Quorum Quenching YtnP Lactonase From Bacillus paralicheniformis Reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence and Increases Antibiotic Efficacy in vivo. Front Microbiol. 2022;13:906312. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.906312.

Publications