Vladimir Glisin, founder of the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering IMGGE, the ICGEB Affiliated Centre in Belgrade, Serbia, passed away on December 22, 2019.
In 1982, as expert of the United Nations for biotechnology, he participated as a key scientific reviewer in determining the seat of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Trieste, Italy. He subsequently served on the ICGEB Council of Scientific Advisers between 2000 and 2008.
Prof. Vladimir Glisin was Director of the IMGGE, University of Belgrade for two terms (between 1986-1989 and 1990-1995); his lifelong passion for science and scientific truth influencing generations of molecular biologists and contributing to establishing science education world-wide.
He graduated from the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Sciences in Belgrade as a student of Pavle Savic and gained his PhD following postgraduate studies at Harvard University in the USA. He undertook postdoctoral research at Harvard where he worked with Prof. Paul Dotty.
Professor at the Center for Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Belgrade, he was also Head of the Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Institute for Biological Research “Sinisa Stankovic”, Head of the Laboratory for Molecular Embryology, Institute of Marine Biology in Kotor. He had served as professor of the Medical Faculty, University of Kuwait and was a visiting professor at Harvard and the Universities of Palermo and Bari until recent years.
Officially retiring in 1995, he continued to read avidly and passionately about science, write articles (mainly for “Politika”, the Serbian daily newspaper) and teach science to the young.
Serbia has been a full Member State of the ICGEB since 1987.
