TRANSFER PARTNER: UoM IMBK

University of Montenegro - Institute of Marine Biology

Name of the organization: University of Montenegro – Institute of Marine Biology (UoM IMBK)

Address: Put I Bokeljske brigade 68, 85330 Kotor

Main contact for 2B-BLUE: Danijela Joksimovic
Email: danijela.j@ucg.ac.me

Website and other relevant links: https://www.ucg.ac.me/ibm

Description of the organization

The Institute of Marine Biology Kotor (IMBK) is a member of the University of Montenegro and was established in 1961. The Institute’s professional activities are organised across six laboratories. The decades-long research programme of the Institute, the only institution in Montenegro dedicated to marine research, covers a broad range of activities, including: biological, ecological, taxonomic, and hydrographic research of marine life population dynamics and recommendations for the rational exploitation of economically important species of fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods; research and protection of marine flora and fauna, as well as the hydrographic characteristics of the Boka Kotorska Bay; oceanographic research in the South Adriatic; and preservation and improvement of the marine environment in the South Adriatic area (Montenegrin littoral). The Institute of Marine Biology is increasingly involved in marine biotechnology. Building on our existing expertise in marine research and environmental monitoring, we are gradually expanding our activities towards the application of biotechnological approaches to marine organisms and resources, to contribute to innovation, the sustainable use of marine resources, and the development of new value chains in the region. So far, we have participated in two COST Actions, Ocean4Biotech and WasteValue, which have provided valuable opportunities to strengthen our expertise, establish international collaborations, and further develop our activities in the field of marine biotechnology and the sustainable valorisation of marine resources.

COMPETENCES AND INVOLVEMENT IN 2B-BLUE

IMBK participate in communication and dissemination activities within the 2B-BLUE project.
IMBK will serve as one of the pilot areas within the project, where the method developed by the project partners will be implemented and tested in a real marine environment.
IMBK will organize a stakeholder meeting to present the results of the pilot implementation and facilitate knowledge exchange with relevant stakeholders from the blue biotechnology sector.

Team members


	Danijela Joksimović She is a marine chemist with a PhD in analytical chemistry in 2012. She is a Scientific Advisor and Head of the Laboratory for Marine Chemistry and Oceanography and the Quality Manager for MEST EN ISO 17025:2018.Her research focuses on marine chemistry, with special emphasis on the determination of heavy metals in sediments and biological material, as well as the assessment of anthropogenic impacts on the quality and condition of seawater. More recently, her research activities have also expanded towards marine biotechnology, particularly through the investigation and valorization of marine biological resources and the application of biotechnological approaches in the assessment and sustainable use of marine resources. She is also involved as a researcher and/or task coordinator in numerous national, regional, and EU projects related to marine science, environmental monitoring, and marine biotechnology. More: CV
	Ana Perošević Bajčeta She has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Belgrade. Her research focuses on marine environmental chemistry, with particular emphasis on geochemistry, metal bioaccumulation, and microplastics, including their ecological and potential human health implications. Her expertise includes the analysis of trace metals, nutrients, and other physico-chemical parameters in marine samples, as well as participation in interlaboratory comparisons and proficiency testing. She has been involved in national and international research projects addressing the assessment of marine environmental quality, multiple anthropogenic impacts, and potential human health risks associated with contaminated seafood, contributing to marine environmental protection and integrated coastal zone management.
	Rajko Martinović Rajko Martinović is a Senior Scientific Associate at the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro, where he has been affiliated since 2012 and works in the Laboratory for Marine Chemistry and Oceanography. He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade (2018). His research combines marine ecophysiology and genotoxicology with marine biotechnology. He has led the Montenegrin Marine Biotechnology Laboratory (MEMBER) initiative and contributed to the ShellMED project on chemical indicators and molecular biomarkers in marine mussels and fish. His research also includes the isolation and characterisation of organic scaffolds from mollusc shells and chitinous scaffolds from marine demosponges, as well as their potential applications, including the assessment of trace metal accumulation in the Boka Kotorska Bay.
	Dragana Drakulović Dragana Drakulović obtained a PhD in Biological Science at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Belgrade (2012). She joined the Institute of Marine Biology in 2008 and was promoted to Scientific Advisor in 2024. She works in the Laboratory for Plankton and Sea Water Quality. She has been Head of the Laboratory for Plankton and Sea Water Quality since 2017, which has accredited methods for microbiological and biological sampling and analysis. Her work focuses on marine ecology, determination of abundance and composition of phytoplankton organisms. Research on the role of phytoplankton in coastal pelagic food webs (diversity, biomass, abundance of phytoplankton species and primary production). Also research on harmful algal blooms (HABs) – toxic and harmful microalgae and their impacts on the ecosystem; long-term changes in phytoplankton communities in relation to climate change and eutrophication. She has contributed as a leader and team member to many more.
	Teodora Kuč She graduated in 2026 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Protection – Environmental Protection Analyst from the University of Novi Sad. Her research focuses on marine environmental chemistry, with particular emphasis on metal bioaccumulation and microplastics, including their ecological and potential human health implications.
	Tatjana Rađenović She is an accounting manager at the Institute of Marine Biology. She graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Montenegro. Her work is based on the administrative support of the employees in the organization.