Department of Biochemical Engineering
Representative
Antonio Starčević, PhD
| Phone: | +385 1 4605 147 |
| Fax: | + 385 1 4836 083 |
| Email: | astar@pbf.hr |
| Email: | antonio.starcevic@pbf.unizg.hr |
The Department of Biochemical Engineering has its origin in the Department of Technical Microscopy and Technical Microbiology at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Zagreb. The first head of the Department was Professor Bogdan Varićak, who, as early as the academic year of 1945/46, lectured in subjects “Technical Microscopy” and “Technical Microbiology”. Thanks to his great dedication, he equipped the newly established department with microscopes and apparatus. His pioneering work ended in 1951 with his passing. The lectures were carried out by Boris Vrtar, PhD, for several years, and from 1958, the teaching and running of the Department was taken over by Assistant Professor Vera Johanides, PhD. Initially, the Department had only four employees and, together with the Department of General Chemistry and Food Technology, it served as the backbone of the Food and Technology Department of the (at that time) Faculty of Technology. By transforming that department into the Biotechnology Department, in 1961, the Chair of Biotechnology was established, consisting of: Laboratory for Biology with Technical Microscopy, Laboratory for General Microbiology, Laboratory for Industrial Microbiology, Laboratory for Brewing Technology and Laboratory for Chemistry and Antibiotic Technology. The chairpersons were Prof. Vera Johanides, PhD and Prof. Gavra Tamburašev, PhD. Based on the reorganization that followed, since 1980, within the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, the Department for Biochemical Engineering has five laboratories and one section:
- Laboratory for Biology and Microbial Genetics
- Laboratory for Biochemical Engineering, Industrial Microbiology and Malting and Brewing Technology
- Laboratory for Cell Technology, Application and Biotransformation
- Laboratory for General Microbiology and Food Microbiology
- Laboratory for Antibiotic, Enzyme, Probiotic and Starter Cultures Technology
- Section for Bioinformatics
The Department of Biochemical Engineering teaches modules in all undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate doctoral and specialist study programmes at the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology. These include natural and engineering scientific disciplines and are based on the latest scientific discoveries in the biotechnological production of traditional products, such as alcoholic beverages, vinegar, bakery, fodder and food yeast, starter cultures, ethanol, organic acids, amino acids, enzymes, antibiotics, steroid hormones, vitamins etc., as well as in the area of modern (so-called High-Tech) biotechnology based on genetic engineering and hybridoma technology (monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, diagnostic agents, enzymes, antibiotics, probiotics as living drugs, therapeutic proteins, hormones, enzyme inhibitors, signal molecules, etc.) and on the application of bioprocess engineering in exploitation of renewable resources for energy, biofuels and different biochemicals production.
The research of the Department’s staff includes exploitation of renewable resources for different purposes, application of integrated bioprocesses systems for the production of organic solvents, studies of probiotics, prebiotics and functional starter cultures, palindromic elements in genomes and mechanisms of gene replacement in yeast, mycotoxins in food and feed, improvements in application of animal and plant cell technology, biocatalysis and extraction with green solvents, studies of biologically active compounds, and the influence of mutagens and antimutagens on molecular cell processes, the development of bioinformatics tools in the field of genomics, proteomics and nutrigenomics, in silico evaluation of potential drugs etc.
The Department staff collaborate with numerous companies on the development of biotechnological processes and products and through international and national research and professional projects contribute to the development of products and services in all branches of biotechnology.
The following members of the Department were awarded honorary title of professor emeritus: Prof. Vera Johanides, PhD, Prof. Marija Alačević, PhD, Prof. Senadin Duraković, PhD and Prof. Zlatko Kniewald, PhD.
Subdepartments
Employees
| Name and surname | Academic title | Job title |
|---|---|---|
| Sunčica Beluhan | PhD | Full Professor |
| Ksenija Durgo | PhD | Full Professor |
| Jadranka Frece | PhD | Full Professor |
| Višnja Gaurina Srček | PhD | Full Professor |
| Mirela Ivančić Šantek | PhD | Full Professor |
| Blaženka Kos | PhD | Full Professor |
| Ksenija Markov | PhD | Full Professor |
| Jasna Novak | PhD | Full Professor |
| Vlatka Petravić Tominac | PhD | Full Professor |
| Ivana Radojčić Redovniković | PhD | Full Professor |
| Kristina Radošević | PhD | Full Professor |
| Tonči Rezić | PhD | Full Professor |
| Anita Slavica | PhD | Full Professor |
| Igor Slivac | PhD | Full Professor |
| Antonio Starčević | PhD | Full Professor |
| Ivan-Krešimir Svetec | PhD | Full Professor |
| Božidar Šantek | PhD | Full Professor |
| Lidija Šver | PhD | Full Professor |
| Vesna Zechner-Krpan | PhD | Full Professor |
| Ana Bielen | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Marina Cvjetko Bubalo | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Janko Diminić | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Reno Hrašćan | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Andreja Leboš Pavunc | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Mario Novak | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Mladen Pavlečić | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Marina Svetec Miklenić | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Antonija Trontel | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Jurica Žučko | PhD | Associate Professor |
| Tomislav Vladušić | PhD | Assistant Professor |
| Martina Banić | PhD | Senior Scientific Assistant |
| Iva Čanak | PhD | Senior Scientific Assistant |
| Nenad Marđetko | PhD | Senior Scientific Assistant |
| Katarina Butorac | PhD | Scientific Assistant |
| Ana Dobrinčić | PhD | Scientific Assistant |
| Ana Huđek Turković | PhD | Scientific Assistant |
| Dora Pavić | PhD | Scientific Assistant |
| Ela Šarić | PhD | Scientific Assistant |
| Martina Bagović | mag. ing. | Scientific Assistant |
| Nina Čuljak | mag. ing. | Scientific Assistant |
| Mia Radović | mag. ing. | Scientific Assistant |
| Ana Slišković | mag. ing. | Scientific Assistant |
| Tin Škugor | mag. | Scientific Assistant |
| Ljiljana Blažević | Technical Associate | |
| Vesna Jurišević | Technical Associate | |
| Ana Kozina | Technical Associate | |
| Ines Kuk | Technical Associate | |
| Grozdana Kuleš | Technical Associate | |
| Igor Livada | Technical Associate | |
| Maja Valentić | Technical Associate | |
| Marina Vnučec | Technical Associate | |
| Zlatko Kniewald | PhD | professor emeritus |
| Jagoda Šušković | PhD | professor emeritus |
Associates
| Name and surname | Academic title | Job title |
|---|---|---|
| John Cullum | PhD | Full Professor |
| Ksenija Vitale | PhD | Full Professor |
| Ruža Frkanec | PhD | Senior Scientist |
| Anto Vrdoljak | PhD | Senior Scientific Associate |
| Nives Pustišek | PhD | Scientific Associate |
| Leonida Kutle | PhD | Lecturer |
| Mirta Weber Sušanj | PhD | Lecturer |
| Slaven Reljić | PhD | Research Assistant |
| Alemka Jaklin Kekez | Associate | |
| Krešo Bendelja | PhD | Associate |
| Alenka Gagro | PhD | Associate |
| Alemka Markotić | PhD | Associate |
| Mirjana Turkalj | PhD | Associate |
Courses (preddiplomski)
Courses (diplomski)
Courses (poslijediplomski)
| Course Title | Course number | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| Food microbiology | 165611 | 3 (doktorski); 5 (poslijediplomski specijalistički) |
| Sustainable development and biotechnology | 165594 | 3 |
Courses (doktorski)
Courses (poslijediplomski specijalistički)
| Course Title | Course number | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| Food microbiology | 165611 | 3 (doktorski); 5 (poslijediplomski specijalistički) |
| Gut Microflora, Nutrition and Health | 54283 (DN), 54284 (DUSH); 239521(DN) | 4 |
| Indicator microorganisms in Food Quality Control | 3 |