Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics

Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences is located in a small township Ivanka pri Dunaji some 5 km from city limits of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It has been established in 1990 from the former branch of the Institute of Animal Physiology SAS Kosice that existed in Ivanka pri Dunaji from 1969. During the first years of its independent existence the Institute experienced several organizational changes and reductions of scientific and service staff. Today the Institute has around 50 employees and graduate students working in three research departments: Department of Biochemistry of Biomembranes, Department of Immunogenetics and Department of Physiology and Ethology. The activities of IABG SAS are focused on basic and applied research in biological and agricultural sciences, particularly on biochemical, physiological and genetic processes in higher animals and microorganisms.

The main focus of our research are membranes and their roles in energy transformation, role of membrane antigens in immunological and reproductive processes, neurobiological and physiological mechanisms controlling the behaviour of animals in normal and extreme environments, as well as the application of the knowledge about membrane processes in nanotechnology, biotechnology and agriculture. The Institute maintains long-term professional contacts with several top-ranking scientific institutes and universities abroad (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Russia, Sweden, U.S.A.). Many of these collaborations are supported by international research grants. Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics is involved in pre-graduate and graduate studies at four faculties of two major Slovak universities – Comenius University (Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics; Faculty of Natural Sciences; Pharmaceutical faculty) and Slovak Technical University (Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology). Research staff of the IABG is involved in lecture courses, seminars and laboratory courses as well as in the research projects of undergraduate students. In cooperation with the Comenius University and Slovak Technical University, the Institute is accredited as external teaching institution it two PhD. study programs: Biochemistry and Animal Physiology.