The Centre for Laser Microscopy (CLM) was founded in 2004. It is situated at the premises of the Institute for Physiology & Biochemistry at the Faculty of Biology University of Belgrade.
The Centre consists of the preparatory laboratory and the imaging facility with a confocal (LSM 510 ZEISS) and a videomicroscope system (Visitron, Axiovert Zeiss and Evolve CCD). The Centre is also situated in the vicinity of the School’s electron microscope and close to the Animal block.
Upon founding he strategic aims of the Centre were defined as the following :
- strengthening the research potential of the Faculty, especially of the Institute for Physiology & Biochemistry,
- strengthening the hands-on potential for education,
- providing research and teaching positions for young colleagues,
- development of innovative protocols in research,
- increasing competitiveness for national and international projects, and
- increase the impact of national science.
The main starting funds were obtained through the European Comission FP6 SSA INCO “NEUROIMAGE” grant (450,000 Euros for the period 2006-2009). The main part of the equipment purchased through this fund was the confocal laser scanning microscope LSM 510 (Carl Zeiss). Adaptation of the infrastructure needed for the installation of the microscope, equipping the laboratory and the labs Animal facility was supported by the Faculty and by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia. Through the following projects and collaborations the Centre developed and grew, and in the 2011-2015 cycle of national projects funded by the European Bank, the Centre was further expanded and we purchased the “Visitron” – based system for dynamic video-microscopy. Today Centre is fully equipped for the preparation and maintenance of cell cultures and for immunocyto- and immunohistochemistry. The Animal facility next to the Centre accommodates both rats and mice (for mice we have special closed air filtration cupboard system). For the purpose of the research in the Center the Animal facility houses the transgenic ALS rat strain (hSOD1G93A) – unique both in country and region, as well as the mouse strain with a gene “knockout” for the extracellular matrix protein tenascin C – a rare strain even at the European level.
The Centre is one of the youngest facilities of the School, however it developed quickly as measured by many scientific projects and high-quality publications. The Centre started with only 4 researchers, but today it hosts 10 researchers (from research trainees that started PhD studies to full professors) with a couple of additional master students. From its foundation, 5 PhD thesis were performed in the Centre (6 more are in progress) as well as 8 master thesis. International collaborations have special emphasis in the Centre’s management which is reflected in current and previous bilateral and multilateral projects.
The Centre is hosting practical microscopy courses for all levels of students. The Centre was also a host and organizer of several international imaging schools on biomedical research with special emphasis on techniques in advanced fluorescent microscopy.
Contact information
Address
The Centre for Laser Microscopy
The Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry,
Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade
Studentski trg 3
P.O. Box 52
11001 Belgrade
Serbia
Prof. Pavle R. Andjus, PhD, head of Centre
pandjus (et) bio.bg.ac.rs
Phones
Prof. Pavle R. Andjus, PhD, head of Centre
(+381 11) / 30 32 356
Laboratory :
(+381 11) / 30 36 088
Fax :
(+381 11) / 30 32 356
(+381 11) / 26 38 500