National Institute of Biology

National Institute of Biology is the third largest public research institute in the field of Natural Sciences in Slovenia and represents the most piercing and contemporary research potentials in basic and applied biological research. Currently, the Institute has total of 81 employees, out of which there are 55 researchers (34 PhDs and 6 MsSci and 15 young researchers) besides 14 research assistants (technicians) and 12 administration staff. The Institute is located in the Biological Centre in Ljubljana, and Marine Biological Station in Piran, located at the Adriatic Coast. Basic Activities cover a whole spectrum of research - from bacteria to Man and his environment. Basic and Applied Research involves: - Ecology and Conservation of the Environment. In the past there were imbalances in industrialisation, urbanisation, and intensive agriculture leading to a decline in the healthy environment. The approach to such studies must be interdisciplinary and demands knowledge of biological taxonomy, anatomy, ecology, physiology, biochemistry, biophysics and oceanography. Particularly: - Fresh water systems: Alpine, permanent lowland and periodic lakes; - Land systems: marshlands and forests; - The sea. - Neurophysiology, which studying insect communications. These studies will aid in the development of substances safe to the environment or methods, which would - similar to insecticides - prevent the multiplication of harmful insects such as true bugs and cockroaches. - Plant physiology, studying plant factors that prevent the effects of bacterial, viral, or other stress on plants. Plant in tissue cultures and plant genetic transformation are important in the agricultural economics. - Genetic toxicology, investigating the effects of toxins on the bacterial genetic substance and animal genomes, important in veterinary science and practice. - Cancer biology, studying the effect of proteolytic enzymes and inhibitors in the development of cancer. - Biotechnology involves mostly plant in tissue cultures, resulting in production of pathogens - free plants and plant genetic transformation are important in the agricultural economics. Plant tissue cultures are important for the production of secondary metabolites important in pharmaceutical industry.