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New Paper Published in RNA Biology (Taylor & Francis)

In collaboration with researchers from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, our team members Dr. Maša Ždralević, Dr. Janja Rašović, and Andrijana Radović prepared a joint original scientific paper in the field of translational bioinformatics and immuno-oncology, titled “Conserved miRNA regulators of PD-1/PD-L1 in glioblastoma and colorectal cancer.” The paper was published on August 19, 2026, in the international journal RNA Biology (Taylor & Francis).

The study is based on an integrative analysis of publicly available transcriptomic and clinical datasets from several international databases (TCGA, CGGA, CPTAC, and GEO). It identifies five conserved microRNAs dysregulated in both glioblastoma and colorectal cancer, showing inverse correlations with the expression of PD-1/PD-L1/PD-L2 immune checkpoint molecules and pointing to their role in tumor immune evasion. The findings highlight these microRNAs as potential biomarkers of immunotherapy response and possible therapeutic targets.

Link to the paper: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13568575/

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BIOCAN Researchers Presented Their Work at ICIMTH 2026 in Athens

Members of the BIOCAN project team from the University of Donja Gorica (UDG), Prof. Dr. Ramo Šendelj and Prof. Dr. Ivana Ognjanović, represented the project at the International Conference on Informatics, Management and Technology in Healthcare (ICIMTH 2026), held in Athens, Greece, on July 3–4, 2026.

At the conference, the team presented the paper “Understanding Biomedical Researchers’ Expectations of Biobanks: Experience in Montenegro,” exploring researchers’ expectations and needs regarding the organization and functioning of biobanks, based on experiences and challenges within Montenegro’s national research context. The topic is directly linked to the project’s work on establishing standardized procedures for the collection, processing, storage, and management of biological samples and data.

The presentation strengthened the international visibility of the BIOCAN project and enabled valuable exchange with the broader community of researchers in biomedical informatics, biobanking, and translational research.

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Montenegro Becomes an Observer in the European Biobanking Infrastructure BBMRI-ERIC

As part of the BIOCAN project’s efforts to establish the first cancer biobank in Montenegro, an initiative was launched by Dr. Maša Ždralević for the country’s accession to BBMRI-ERIC (Biobanking and BioMolecular Resources Research Infrastructure – European Research Infrastructure Consortium), the leading European research infrastructure in the field of biobanking. The initiative was supported by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montenegro, the Council for Scientific Research Activity, and the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, before being formally submitted for evaluation by the Government of Montenegro. Following this process, Montenegro was granted observer status within BBMRI-ERIC at the organization’s General Assembly in June 2026.

Within this new framework, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montenegro has been designated as the national contact institution, while the BIOCAN biobank represents the country’s central operational biobanking structure. Dr. Maša Ždralević was appointed head of the national BBMRI-ERIC center. With this step, Montenegro joins the European research infrastructure network alongside its existing membership in ELI-ERIC and ESS-ERIC.

This milestone represents a significant strategic step for the development of biomedical research in Montenegro, enabling the integration of national biobanking capacities into the European research space, access to international standards, expertise, and collaborative networks, as well as future participation in international translational and multicenter studies. It also contributes to the long-term sustainability of the biobank established within the BIOCAN project.

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Guest Appearance on TV E

Our active researchers Dr Maša Ždralević and Dr Janja Rašović spoke about the project’s achievements and upcoming activities during their guest appearance on TV E’s programme E uživo.

The interview highlighted key results from the first year of the project, including the development of the Biobank Information Management System (BIMS), the establishment of the foundations for Montenegro’s first national cancer biobank, as well as scientific achievements and international collaboration through COST TRANSLACORE.

The discussion also focused on the activities planned for the project’s second year, including intensified participant recruitment and research into circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers for colorectal cancer. The researchers also discussed the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, the involvement of young researchers, and the development of research infrastructure that will support future molecular oncology research in Montenegro.

Watch the full interview on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr1nB9zTX34

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Recognition for Our Research

We are proud to share that our paper, “Advances in microRNAs as Emerging Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Early Detection and Diagnosis”, has been selected as one of the Top Viewed Papers of IJMS in 2024. Congratulations to the entire team on this great achievement!

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First Annual Board Meeting

The first annual board meeting of the BIOCAN project was held on May 29th, at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montenegro.

Over the past year, significant progress has been made across all key areas of the project. Ethical approvals were secured, patient recruitment is ongoing, and laboratory analyses have commenced. The project software has been successfully developed and deployed, and the project website is live.

A scientific review paper has been published in a Q1 journal, and a doctoral candidate involved in the project has successfully defended her dissertation topic.

With active support from the project’s governing bodies, the team remains committed to advancing the research and achieving the project’s goals in the upcoming period.

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Evaluation of the Trial Version of BIMS

The partner organization from the University of Donja Gorica has developed a trial version of the Biobank Information Management System (BIMS) designed for the needs of the project BIOCAN. A meeting dedicated to the evaluation of the trial version was held at the Faculty of Medicine on November 25th, bringing together members of our research team and colleagues from the University of Donja Gorica.

During the meeting, the functionality of the software was jointly analyzed through practical testing to identify potential shortcomings and areas for improvement. Participants provided feedback and highlighted the key strengths of the current version of the software, as well as the challenges that need to be addressed prior to its official implementation.

We extend our gratitude to our partners from the University of Donja Gorica for their wonderful collaboration.

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Exciting News: Our New Paper is Published

We are excited to announce that a new review article entitled: “Advances in microRNAs as Emerging Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Early Detection and Diagnosis” by BIOCAN research team has been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) as part of the Special Issue: New Insights into Colorectal Cancer.

This comprehensive review summarizes the latest findings on deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in both precancerous lesions and CRC, in different types of samples, highlighting their potential as diagnostic tools. We specifically reviewed the roles and diagnostic relevance of four key miRNAs – miR-15b, miR-21, miR-31, and miR-146a – each of which consistently exhibits altered expression in CRC. Challenges and opportunities of integrating miRNA diagnostics into current screening methods are discussed, and the authors are confident that miRNAs have a potential to radically transform CRC diagnosis, leading to improved patient outcomes and new treatment strategies.

Six dedicated members of our BIOCAN team — Maša Ždralević, Andrijana Radović, Janja Raonić, Nataša Popović, Aleksandra Klisić, and Ljiljana Vučković — collaborated on this paper, which you can access through the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/20/11060

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Young researcher training in biobanking

We are pleased to share that Andrijana Konatar, our young research associate and PhD student, attended TRANSLACORE Biobanking Training School, hosted by the Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG) from June 10-12. This event was supported within the scope of the CA 21154-TRANSLACORE COST project (www.translacore.eu).


During this three-day event, Andrijana participated in a series of activities including presentations, case studies, interactive panel discussions, and hands-on training sessions conducted by distinguished experts in the field. The training enabled Andrijana to gain basic biobanking skills, learn about the collection, processing, and storage of high-quality human biological samples, which is a very important step in effective cancer research, and of particular importance to the activities within BIOCAN project.

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Patient recruitment for the BIOCAN study started

We are pleased to announce that the patient recruitment for our project started on May 8th, 2024, upon receiving approval of Ethical Committees of the Faculty of Medicine (no. 378/2), Clinical Center of Montenegro (no. 03/01-6812/1) and Primary Healthcare Center in Podgorica (no. 05/17-2725).

Recruitment is performed at the Center for Laboratory Diagnostics at the Primary Healthcare Center in Podgorica. It is fully anonymous, voluntary, and is oriented towards patients with indication for colonoscopic examination by their treating physician. Patients for the BIOCAN study are referred to us by gastroenterological team of the Clinical Center of Montenegro, led by Dr. Damir Muhović.

Dr. Maša Ždralević and our research associate Andrijana Konatar are responsible for the recruitment, interviewing, and collection of blood samples, with the assistance from the head of Center for Laboratory Diagnostics, Dr. Aleksandra Klisić and her team.

We would like to thank all the patients recruited so far and all the team members for their wonderful cooperation!

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