University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies – Belgrade

Associate Professor, UCPS team leader, Bio weapon expert

Ana Branković, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies in Belgrade, Serbia. She earned her doctorate in Biology, specializing in Molecular Biology, from the University of Belgrade, with a research focus on genetic variants associated with prostate cancer. Earlier in her academic career, she completed her undergraduate studies in Molecular Biology and Physiology with a graduation thesis on The effect of mutations on resistance to antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV, reflecting her early interest in the clinical applications of molecular genetics.

Since joining the academic field in 2008, Dr. Branković has advanced through several roles, from Assistant Trainee to Associate Professor. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in biology, forensic sciences, and biosecurity, with particular expertise in forensic botany and zoology.

Her research interests lie in the application of genetics and molecular biology to forensic sciences, biological weapons, and biosecurity. Dr. Branković has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and conference papers and contributed to national legislative initiatives, including as a consultant on the Serbian National DNA Registry Law draft. She has participated in several national and international research projects and maintains an active publication record, with over 240 citations and an h-index of 7.

Full professor

Zvonimir Ivanović is a Full Professor at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies in Belgrade, Serbia. He was born in 1976 in Smederevska Palanka.

Professor Ivanović graduated from the Faculty of Law in Kragujevac in 2001 and passed the bar exam in March 2005. His career began in the Tax Administration, followed by a position as an investigative and operational worker in the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Serbia. In 2005, he joined the Higher School of Internal Affairs in Belgrade as an expert associate, becoming an independent inspector in 2006.

He started his academic career at the Criminal Police Academy in 2007 as a teaching assistant for “Introduction to Criminology.” He later became a teaching assistant for “Organized Crime,” “Illegal Migration and Human Trafficking,” “Criminal Tactics,” and “Tactics for Securing Testimony.” He also taught “Corruption and Money Laundering” and “Organized Crime and Terrorism.”

In 2008, he earned his master’s degree from the Faculty of Law in Kragujevac with a thesis on “Modus operandi system and criminal profiling in the detection of perpetrators of criminal acts.” He completed his doctoral dissertation in 2011, also at the Faculty of Law in Kragujevac, on “Criminal Procedure and Criminal Aspects of High-Tech Crime.” In the same year, he was elected an assistant professor at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies.

Professor Ivanović has participated in specialist courses for polygraph examiners and forensic technicians. He has authored and co-authored one monograph and over 70 scientific and professional papers. His teaching and research interests include criminalistic tactics, methodology, and practice, with a focus on organized crime, high-tech (or cyber) crime, and the tactics of providing statements and interviewing. Also, he has been involved in CBRNe with focus on first responders and forensics.

He has been involved in many projects, starting with European FP7, Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and Cost action, mainly in cybercrime, CBRNe, and illegal drugs and guns distribution. Also, he has been the evaluator expert for Horizont projects.

Full Professor, field of expertise: explosives, forensic

Ivana Bjelovuk is a Full Professor at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies in Belgrade, specializing in criminal-forensic sciences. She earned her undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade, in the field of Military Mechanical Engineering. Her academic research has primarily focused on the forensic analysis of explosive effects, with her doctoral dissertation addressing the forensic modeling of crater characteristics caused by surface detonations.

Since 1998, Professor Bjelovuk has built a distinguished teaching and research career in the field of criminalistics, initially at the Higher School of Internal Affairs in Zemun and later at the Criminalistic-Police Academy. She has delivered courses in criminalistic techniques, forensic expertise, explosives engineering, and crime scene investigation, as well as conducted specialist training for police personnel both in Serbia and internationally.

She has actively contributed to international police cooperation projects, including the Swedish-Serbian initiatives SweSeI and SweSeII, aimed at advancing crime scene processing and forensic training systems. Professor Bjelovuk also served as a two-term President of the Academy Council and was recognized by the Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs for her exceptional achievements in police education.

An accomplished author, she has published numerous scientific and professional papers, a monograph, and a practical handbook on criminalistic techniques. She is married and the mother of two children.

Assistant Professor, chemical weapons expert

Dr Biljana Koturević, an assistant professor at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies (UCIPS), holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Belgrade. She completed her undergraduate studies in Chemistry/Biochemistry at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad.

Her research focuses on developing and analyzing advanced extraction techniques (microwave, ultrasound, and hydrodynamic cavitation) for isolating bioactive compounds from plant matrices. This work aims to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of analytical protocols in toxicological chemistry and forensic applications. She also explores the implementation of these techniques in forensic sample preparation.

At UCIPS, Dr Koturević, among other courses, teaches the chemical weapons module within the course Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear weapons, offered in the forensic engineering study program. As part of the ongoing project, she contributes as a chemical weapons expert, bringing together her academic background, research expertise, and teaching experience in the field.

Dr Koturević is the author and co-author of numerous scientific papers published in high-ranking international and national journals, and she has presented her work at various scientific conferences. She is also the co-author of the laboratory manual Introduction to Chemistry. Through her research on advanced extraction techniques and chemical analysis, she strengthens institutional excellence, enhances research infrastructure, and fosters collaboration between academia and industry.

Researcher

Marija Mićović works as a researcher at Scientific Research Centre of the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies in Belgrade. She graduated from the Faculty of Civil Defence, University of Belgrade, in 2000, and earned title of Professor of Civil Defense. She earned her master’s degree from the Faculty of Security, University of Belgrade, in 2009, with a thesis on “The role of special units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia in peacetime emergencies.” In 2016, she completed her doctoral dissertation titled “Safety aspects of the critical infrastructure in emergency situations” at the same faculty.

From 2005 to 2006, she worked as a professor of Security Culture and school safety manager at the Secondary Technical School “Jovan Vukanović” in Novi Sad. Since 2006, she has been employed at the Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies, now the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies.

Her research interests include environmental safety, emergency management, critical infrastructure protection, industrial safety, and civil defense.

Responsible for maintaining records and providing support to the manager

Nikola Mitrović, M.Sc., earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2022 at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade, at the Department of Process Engineering and Environmental Protection. He is employed at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies as a teaching assistant. In the academic year 2022/2023, he enrolled in doctoral studies at the Department of Forensic Engineering at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies. His professional interests are in the field of forensic engineering, especially in the field of activities in emergencies, explosions, and fires.

Head of the Scientific Research Centre, administrative staff on the project

Born in 1986, graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade. Completed specialist studies at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies, where he has been employed since 2011 as a Fellow Associate at the Scientific Research Centre, and since 2024 as the Head of the Scientific Research Centre. He has participated in several international projects (Erasmus+, ISFP, UNDP, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe).

Chief Financial Affairs Officer, administrative staff on the project

Svetlana Petrović is a Chief Financial Affairs Officer currently employed in the Department for Material and Financial Affairs at the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies, where she has worked for over 20 years. In this role, she is responsible for preparing financial plans, maintaining business records, compiling periodic and annual financial reports, and ensuring compliance with financial and legal regulations.

Her duties include managing financial resources, projecting cash inflows and outflows, reconciling accounting records, processing payments, and overseeing the calculation of salaries, allowances, and other payments. She also handles invoicing through the Electronic Invoicing System (SEF), maintains and updates financial databases, and manages all supporting financial documentation.

Svetlana holds a Master of Applied Studies in Economic Sciences from the Belgrade Academy of Business and Art Professional Studies. Throughout her career, she has acquired extensive experience in public sector financial management, reporting, payroll processing, and regulatory compliance, contributing significantly to the financial operations of the institution.