ZAGREB, February 22, 2018 - A new unique multi-disciplinary centre for marine bioprospecting in the Adriatic Sea, called BioProCro, was officially opened on Thursday at the Ruđer Bošković Institute (IRB) and this will be the venue for research by internationally recognised research groups in the fields of chemical and biological diversity, microbiology and ecology.
The centre consists of office space and laboratories as a platform that brings dislocated researchers together, and the 980,000 kuna refurbishment of the premises was financed by the City of Zagreb.
The centre will facilitate more efficient use of existing equipment, accumulated know-how, expertise and human resources for biotechnical research of the sea as part of the "Bioprospecting of the Adriatic Sea" project and beyond, as well as enabling the successful transfer of knowledge to the economy.
The centre's head Rozelindra Čož Rakovac said that the City of Zagreb helped with the refurbishment of the premises for the BioProCro centre at which a score of young researchers will be working on the bioprospecting project.
The project is valued at 37 million kuna and involves equipment for bioactive molecular research in the sea that have biotechnical potential and streamline the process of discovery and evaluation of natural products, biomaterials and bioactive substances from the Croatian marine environment and could lead to the development of new products, IRB said on its web site.
