With the goal of advancing their scientific activities and fostering collaboration in the field of immunology, in 1971, the Institute of Immunology and Virology “Torlak” with the Faculty of Pharmacy (Department of Microbiology and Hygiene) and the Institute for Biological Research (Department of Immunology), established a scientific unit—the Immunology Research Center at the Institute “Torlak”.
The Immunology Research Center emerged as an independent scientific institute in 1991, separating from the Institute “Torlak” It was registered in compliance with the Law on Scientific Research to conduct scientific research. In 1996, it adopted the name the Immunology Research Center ‘Branislav Jankovic’ in honor of its inaugural director, Professor Branislav ‘Brana’ Jankovic. During the project cycle of 1996-2000, the Immunology Research Center ‘Branislav Jankovic’ served as the coordinator of the national macro-project ‘Immunological Research in Medicine’ (13M14) based on a contract with the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Considering that the Immunology Research Center ‘Branislav Jankovic’ and the former Institute of Immunology and Virology “Torlak” were institutions with related activities, and recognizing the need to rationalize the network of health and scientific research organizations, in 1998, a merger occurred. The Immunology Research Center ‘Branislav Jankovic’ was incorporated into the Institute of Immunology and Virology “Torlak.” The Center then became one of the departments within the institute, which subsequently changed its name to the Institute of Immunology and Virology “Torlak.”
In this manner, alongside other activities, the scientific research and educational activities in 2006 become part of the activities of the Institute of Virology, Vaccines, and Sera “Torlak” registered with the Commercial Court in Belgrade.
The Scientific Council of the Institute of Virology, Vaccines, and Sera “Torlak” was formed in 2007, and the Institute was accredited for conducting scientific research activities of general interest as a scientific institution.
Since 2018, the Institute of Virology, Vaccines, and Sera “Torlak” has been a member of the Association of Institutes of Serbia (ZIS). As of 2021, the institutional repository , InTOR, has been fully funcitional.
Research and Science division is structured into four departments:
1. Pre-clinical Studies & Immunology department
This department focuses on designing and conducting preclinical studies (on animal models) of new vaccines and other products for human and veterinary use: safety, local tolerance, immunogenicity, and protectiveness, according to GLP standards, as well as fundamental research in the field of immunology.
2. Protein Engineering and Biochemistry department
The Department is involved in designing new proteins-enzymes and conducts tasks such as cloning, expression, isolation, purification, synthesis, or modification of protein structures (hybrid, chimeric, and proteins with modified amino acids). It also performs functional tests and analytical work.
3. Molecular Genetics department
The focus of this department is on discovering relationships between phenotypic characteristics and genes responsible for their expression. Research includes the investigation of gene expression regulation, gene-operon cloning, testing in heterologous systems, sequencing, determining function, and examining interactions with other genes-proteins.
4. mRNA Vaccines department
The department is responsible for designing the construction of new RNA vaccines, creating novel vectors for expression, and overseeing the vaccine construction processes. This includes plasmid isolation, RNA synthesis, incorporation into liponano particles, and testing for cytotoxicity.
