INSTITUT ZA MOLEKULARNU GENETIKU I GENETICKO INZENJERSTVO

Their core work

IMGGE is Serbia's leading molecular genetics and genetic engineering research institute, based in Belgrade. Their core work spans molecular biology, rare disease research, and applied biotechnology — particularly enzyme-based approaches to plastic degradation and circular economy solutions. They also run a long-standing public science engagement programme (SCIMFONICOM) that brings laboratory science to the general public through interactive events, open labs, and science demonstrations. In EU-funded research, they contribute specialist genetics and bioprocessing expertise to large international consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014-2019), IMGGE focused almost entirely on science communication, running the SCIMFONICOM public engagement events with themes like open labs, science vans, and green science. From 2019 onward, a clear shift occurred toward research-intensive participation: rare disease genomics through EJP RD and industrial biotechnology through BioICEP. This evolution suggests the institute used initial EU funding to build international visibility, then transitioned into substantive research consortia where their molecular biology expertise could be directly applied.

IMGGE is moving from outreach-only EU participation toward research-heavy roles in biotechnology and health, with their largest funding (BioICEP) signalling a serious push into circular bioeconomy.

How they like to work

IMGGE plays dual roles: they coordinate smaller science communication projects independently, while joining large international research consortia (165 partners across 36 countries) as a specialist contributor. Their coordinator experience is limited to the recurring SCIMFONICOM outreach events, while their research contributions come through participation or third-party arrangements in much larger programmes. This makes them a reliable but still-developing research partner — experienced in EU project management at a small scale, and increasingly embedded in major European research networks.

Despite only 5 projects, IMGGE has touched 165 unique consortium partners across 36 countries, primarily through the large EJP RD and BioICEP programmes. This gives them an unusually wide European network for a Serbian research institute of their size.

What sets them apart

IMGGE is one of very few Serbian research institutes with a continuous H2020 track record spanning 2014-2024, combining both public engagement and deep research roles. Their dual profile — science communication expertise plus molecular genetics research — makes them a distinctive partner for projects that need both technical contributions and dissemination capacity. For consortium builders targeting Western Balkans participation or Widening Country requirements, IMGGE offers proven EU project experience and a broad existing network.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BioICEP
  Their largest project by far (EUR 473,500), focused on enzymatic plastic degradation — represents IMGGE's strategic move into applied industrial biotechnology and circular economy research.
• EJP RD
  A massive European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases connecting IMGGE to a pan-European health research network, broadening their profile well beyond their traditional genetics focus.
• SCIMFONICOM 2014-15
  The first of three recurring public engagement projects that IMGGE coordinated, establishing them as a consistent science communication organiser in Serbia.