Gordana Timotijević, PhD, is a molecular biologist whose career at the IMGGE began in 2001. She earned her MSc in 2003 and completed her PhD in 2009, both in the field of plant molecular biology. Over the past two decades, she has worked extensively in plant physiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry. Her research focuses on unraveling the molecular mechanisms that govern plant responses to oxidative stress. She investigates gene structure and function, with particular emphasis on the fine regulation of gene expression mediated by microRNAs. Early in her career, Dr. Timotijević studied genes encoding buckwheat aspartic proteinases and their biochemical properties, shedding light on their role in plant defense against abiotic stress and their potential applications in biotechnology. Her work also explores the bioactivity of plant-derived compounds and their ability to modulate stress and immune responses. More recently, her research has shifted toward the functional analysis of highly homologous genes that encode small, intrinsically disordered proteins in Arabidopsis. Using CRISPR-Cas gene editing, she investigates the roles of these proteins and their contribution to maintaining protein and genomic homeostasis in plant cells. Dr. Timotijević has participated in several national projects, coordinating subproject activities in some. In addition to her research, she contributes to the Institute’s commercial service for GMO quantification via Real-Time PCR, bridging scientific expertise with practical applications in biotechnology. She was actively involved in doctoral training programs, where she contributed to teaching molecular biology methodologies. Also, she supervised several doctoral and master’s theses in plant molecular biology.