The Genomics Section of the Serbian Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BIRBI) was founded on June 23 at the initiative of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution of Serbia. The inauguration ceremony of the section took place during the BelBI 2023 conference at Hotel Metropol in Belgrade, bringing together key participants in Serbia’s genomic ecosystem.
The opening remarks were given by Prof. Dr. Nenad Mitić, the president of the BIRBI and a professor at the Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade. Subsequently, Dr. Nevena Veljković, a consultant for C4IR Serbia and a scientific advisor at the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, presented the publication “Genomic Ecosystem of Serbia”. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about current genomic projects in Serbia and hear about the future goals of the section from Dr. Branislava Gemović, project manager for C4IR Serbia and a scientific collaborator at the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences.
As of November 2023, the Section has 41 members from 19 institutions and companies, including BGI Genomics, the Faculty of Biology at the University of Belgrade, Velsera, the Department of Biology and Ecology at the University of Novi Sad, East Diagnostics d.o.o, ELTA 90 MS, EPAM Systems d.o.o, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), Institute for Medical Research at the University of Belgrade, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering at the University of Belgrade, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences at the University of Belgrade, Institute of Pathology ”Dr. Đorđe Jovanović”, UKCS, Klaren Bioinformatics, Clinic for Neurology, UKCS, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia.
The goal of the Section is to push the boundaries in the fields of bioinformatics, molecular biology, medicine, and pharmacology through collaborative efforts. There will be a specific focus on promoting research and achievements, as well as educating young individuals in this innovative and current field. So far, the Section has conducted a workshop on establishing a master’s program in bioinformatics. Additionally, Section members participated in a working meeting of the GA4GH community during this year’s Biotech Future Forum, which focused on GA4GH and other standards for storing genetic and health data.
The Section is currently in the process of creating a work plan for the year 2024. For any additional information, please contact us via email at nemanja.bogavac@c4ir.rs.
