The Science and Technology Park Belgrade hosted a forum marking the 78th anniversary of the Institute for Medical Research. A dedicated panel, organized by BIO4 Campus, explored a fundamental question: are the institutions within BIO4 passive tenants or active drivers of Serbia's biotechnology transformation?

The panel, titled "BIO4: An Ecosystem That Develops Its Constituents – Tenants or Hosts?", brought together representatives from research, higher education, innovation support, and industry to discuss how BIO4 Campus is redefining collaboration across Serbia's life sciences sector.

Participants:

• Smiljana Krivokuća, Director, BIO4 Campus
• Marija Milić, Director, Science and Technology Park Belgrade
• Ljubiša Stanisavljević, Dean, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade
• Goran Bijelić, Director of International Development, Tecnalia
• Drenka Trivanović, Scientific Advisor, Institute for Medical Research

Beyond infrastructure

Panelists agreed that BIO4 Campus is not defined by buildings or equipment alone. The real foundation is human capacity — knowledge, expertise, and the ability to collaborate across traditionally separate domains.

The Institute for Medical Research framed its role within BIO4 as that of an active host, balancing basic and applied research. Examples like mRNA technology were cited to show how foundational research enables long-term innovation. The Institute is working on improving industry collaboration, standardizing procedures, and validating research outputs for practical use.

The Faculty of Biology emphasized its responsibility for educating specialists who will staff labs, launch startups, and build spin-offs. The faculty sees BIO4 as an opportunity to dissolve the traditional divide between academic institutions and research institutes, creating a unified ecosystem that retains talent in Serbia.

Science and Technology Park Belgrade outlined its role as an intermediary: providing infrastructure, mentoring, and targeted programs such as innovation camps, the Raising Starts accelerator, and access to prototyping tools. STP connects academic knowledge with industry needs and international networks.

Tecnalia contributed an industry perspective, highlighting the importance of aligning research priorities with market opportunities and building partnerships that go beyond borders.

A self-sustaining model

The panel concluded with a shared understanding: long-term sustainability depends on diverse revenue streams — project financing, international collaboration, commercialization, and continuous investment in people. BIO4 Campus should function as a living system, not a structure dependent on state budgets alone.

The forum also featured panels on the SAIGE project, the role of young researchers, and the development of strategic resources for Serbia's scientific community. BIO4's panel reinforced a central message: Serbia's biotech ecosystem is not being built from the outside in — it is being shaped by the institutions and people already embedded within it.