Plant Molecular Biology

The Laboratory for Plant Molecular Biology (PMB) has been established by Vesna Maksimovic, PhD in 2002. Using different methodological approaches and various model organisms we investigate:

the cellular processes involved in plant stress response by generating CRISPR-Cas knockout and/or knockdown as well as overexpressing mutant lines of Arabidopsis thaliana;
sink-source interactions in variegated leaves in terms of carbon and nitrogen allocation and reactive oxygen species production related to photosynthetic activity;
mechanisms underlying the desiccation tolerance in the resurrection plant Ramonda serbica– the role of phenolic compounds, cell wall organization, and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins;
abiotic stress in plants (high light intensity, UV-B radiation, drought and cold stress);
the leaf transcriptome and metabolome in maize with the aim to find novel molecular markers involved in low temperature and water deficit stress tolerance;
the cell-cell communications between plants and the plant growth promoting bacteria;
the molecular bases of important cellular processes: genome integrity protection, resistance to desiccation and recycling of oxidatively damaged biomolecules in Ustilago maydis;
genetic status and evolutionary history of agronomically important autochthonous plant crops and autochthonous breeds of domestic animals, as well as wild plant species using molecular-genetic/genomic analyzes, which are essential for their conservation and innovative use, and for better understanding the distribution and evolution of the biodiversity of the Balkan Peninsula.

Jelena Samardžić

Associate Research Professor

Group for Plant Molecular Biology
Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology

jelena.samardzic@imgge.bg.ac.rs

Jelena Samardžić, PhD, is a plant molecular biologist with more than 25 years of experience in plant stress physiology, molecular genetics, and bioactive compounds. Since 1999, she has been affiliated with the IMGGE, where she is currently a Research Associate Professor and Head of the Group for Plant Molecular Biology. Her research vision is to integrate advanced molecular insights with practical interventions that strengthen food security, promote environmental sustainability, and enhance human well-being.

Her work employs an integrative approach that combines molecular biology, physiology, and omics technologies to investigate how plants respond to abiotic stress. A central focus has been on the role of beneficial elements and seed priming in enhancing plant resilience. These studies have advanced the understanding of plant nutrition and stress tolerance while revealing new strategies to improve crop performance under adverse environmental conditions. By linking fundamental research with applied science, she contributes simultaneously to scientific progress and sustainable agricultural development.

Dr. Samardžić’s career is marked by interdisciplinarity and international collaboration, at the interface of plant molecular biology, biotechnology, biosafety, and policy. Through active participation in European and national research and policy-making consortia, she has fostered innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture and contributed to shaping the responsible application of new biotechnological tools.

Beyond her research achievements, Dr. Samardžić is committed to education, mentorship, and science communication. She has supervised one doctoral student and co-supervised two additional doctoral and five master’s students to completion.

She is the mother of two young men and is owned by a cat.

IMGGE work program for 2025 - Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, 451-03-136/2025-03/200042, 2025