Jovana Grahovac

Jovana Grahovac is full professor in the field of Biotechnology and head of the Research group for the intensification of biotechnological production from Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Serbia.

Our group is formed with the aim of providing answers to modern scientific challenges imposed by the dynamic development of biotechnological production. The group's activities include the development of bioprocess solutions in accordance with the principles of the circular economy as well as techno-economically justified methods of separation and purification of biotechnological products. With the aim of achieving these tasks, the members of the group apply various procedures for the isolation and genetic characterization of production microorganisms, statistical methods and artificial intelligence for modeling and optimization of the raw material basis and process parameters, modern methods of bioprocess monitoring, techniques for bioprocess scale-up solutions from the laboratory to the industrial level while simultaneously preserving process efficiency and control of production costs as well as a wide range of analyzes of the quality of biotechnological products.

Our research group has applied its knowledge and skills through projects (funded by HORIZON program -European Union, EU4TECH PoC Western Balkans program - European Commission, COST Action, Bilateral projects – Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Inovation, PROMIS and Proof of Concept programs - the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, programs of Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research, AP Vojvodina, Serbia etc.) aimed at the development of bioprocess solutions for the production of bioactive compounds intended for human, veterinary and phytomedicine, innovative probiotics formulations and functional food products development,  production of microbial biomass intended for use in human and animal nutrition, in agriculture as well as in the production materials with antimicrobial activity. Also, group members are competent in the field of technology transfer and innovation entrepreneurship, responsible research and innovation, gender equality and science communication as well promotion of science among wider community outside the academia.

Jovana is also lecturer in the accredited Chemical Advisor Training Course based on a certificate, issued by the Ministry responsible for environmental protection, and is an associate of the yeast testing department operating within the accredited Food Testing Laboratory of the Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, as well as an associate of the projects for the transfer of scientific knowledge into industrial production through a cooperation agreement between the Faculty of Technology Novi Sad and business entities.