The construction of the “BIO4 campus” will begin in Belgrade in 2023, which will be the first such campus in the wider region and a recognizable point on the global map of development in the fields of biomedicine, bioinformatics, biotechnology and biodiversity.
Insiders say the fourth industrial revolution is blurring the boundaries between the physical, digital and biological worlds. 4.0 revolution will not only affect the economy and financial markets, but will shape societies and have a direct impact on our lives, says for “Entrepreneur” Dr. Jelena Begovic, director of the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering of Serbia (IMGGI).
“We are aware of the unstoppable development, but also of connecting artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, biotechnology. Three trends are also noticeable – digitalization of health care, development of biomedicine and generation of a large amount of data,” adds Begović.
These “revolutionary booms” are looking for innovations in education and flexible systems that can keep up with change and produce experts in fields that were not known until a few decades ago, such as bioinformatics. Begović points out that answers and solutions to modern challenges are provided by the BIO4 campus project:
“The campus is a national project of building a unique complex within which experts, knowledge and infrastructure will gather. The guiding idea is to make Serbia recognizable on the global map of research and development. The campus will become a place of meeting and communication, where large biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies can establish cooperation with scientists of various profiles, clinicians, startup companies, entrepreneurs and develop products that will make the lives of all of us better and better. This center should also attract a part of our diaspora, enable the flow of people in both directions, intensify the internationalization of science by attracting experts from the region and the whole world.”
It is planned that the campus will include the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, at least five institutes – IMGGI, Institute for Medical Research, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, Panda Center of the Institute for Biological Research “Sinisa Stankovic”, part of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Science and Technology park Belgrade for BIO4 startups, development departments, production capacities…
Serbia hub for nanotechnologies
The President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Marko Cadez and Jelena Begovic talked with Dror Fixler, director of the Bar-Ilan Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA) in Israel last month about the possibilities of implementing joint projects, including cooperation within the BIO4 campus. On that occasion, Cadez pointed out that Serbia is ready to apply Israel’s knowledge and experience in the development of innovations and nanotechnologies and become a regional hub for networking with renowned Israeli institutes, universities, startups and innovation centers, Novosti reports.
