Biotechnology B3

BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Pharmaceutical biotechnology
• Molecular biology of plants and fungi
• Stress response in plants
• Sweet proteins
• Natural pesticides
• Cell biology
• Biochemistry of cancer
• Regulation of immune response

Head of Department
Prof. Janko Kos, Ph. D., janko.kos@ijs.si

Secretary
Maja Šimaga, M. Sc., simaga.maja@ijs.si
Telephone: +386 1 477 34 11

Departmental web pages

The quality of life of modern man depends on the care for health and environment. Modern concepts in biotechnological sciences ensure both, the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools as well as the improvement and monitoring of healthy environment. Plant protein and peptide molecules with protective effect against predators can be used as lead compounds to design therapeutics for man and animals. On the other hand, the knowledge on molecular mechanisms in human diseases may help to prepare molecules with regulatory function in plants. Interdisciplinary approach, including various fields of modern biotechnology has made possible a qualitative lap and resulted in new products which were not available in the past. Various pharmaceutical compounds which are investigated in our laboratory are of plant origin, similarly as sweet proteins, which can be used in food industry.

An important part of our research are natural enzyme inhibitors of plant and fungi origin and recombinant proteins and peptides, produced in various expression systems by means of recombinant DNA techniques. On the same way the molecules involved in metabolism of lipids and synthesis of cholesterol have been developed. Important targets for inhibitors are proteases, which are associated with the progression of diseases, for example cancer. We investigate also the role of inhibitors and lectins in regulation of processes of immune response. Nevertheless, we have developed also systems for delivery of peptides and oligonucleotides to the site of their action to control their release and to improve the biological effectiveness and transport through the barriers.