SiSB – Udruga studenata biologije

SiSB10 – Ten Years of Connecting Young Biologists

The jubilee tenth edition of the Symposium of Biology Students (SiSB10) was held on June 7th and 8th, 2025, at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. SiSB is a two-day scientific event that brings together students, young researchers, and experts from various fields of biological sciences with the aim of exchanging knowledge, ideas, and experiences.

The symposium is designed as a platform that offers students a unique opportunity to present the results of their research, gain experience in public speaking, receive constructive feedback, and establish new acquaintances and professional contacts. For many participants, SiSB is their first chance to engage in scientific presenting, which further motivates and inspires them to continue developing in the academic sphere. The presented works included student research projects, bachelor’s and master’s theses, as well as works awarded prestigious recognitions such as the Rector’s Award.

This year’s program was exceptionally rich and diverse. In total, there were two plenary lectures, two panel discussions, six professional and twelve student presentations, eighteen posters, and seven workshops. The symposium gathered around 200 participants, including student presenters, guest lecturers, members of the Scientific Committee, volunteers, and numerous passive participants.

The symposium opened with a plenary lecture by Beata Halassy, PhD, “Viruses Against Cancer”, which explored oncolytic virotherapy—an innovative approach to cancer treatment using viruses to selectively target tumor cells while stimulating immune responses. Another highlight was Assoc. Prof. Zoran Marčić, PhD from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, who addressed the urgent conservation needs of Croatia’s highly endemic freshwater ichthyofauna. Austrian ecologist and evolutionary biologist Maximilian Wagner, PhD presented findings from field research on gravel beaches along the Croatian coast, focusing on the fascinating fishes of the genus Gouania.

Engaging expert talks were also delivered by Martina Pöltl, PhD on the hidden diversity of mosses in the genus Riccia, Pavel Ankon, PhD on the impact of thermal anomalies on Adriatic corals, Bruno Gašperov, PhD on the link between evolution and machine learning, and Maja Ilić, PhD on the role of essential fatty acids in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Workshops—now an integral and highly anticipated part of the SiSB program—once again drew strong interest. This year’s activities included natural cosmetics making, bird identification through the study of plumage morphology and coloration, designing independent research projects, and bat identification using sonogram analysis.

We extend our sincere gratitude to all participants, speakers, members of the Scientific Committee, and volunteers whose dedication made this year’s symposium a success. Special thanks go to our sponsors and donors for their invaluable support, to the Department of Biology for its continuous assistance, and to the Faculty of Science (PMF), University of Zagreb, for providing the venue for SiSB. Thank you all for your enthusiasm, commitment, and for fostering an inspiring and collaborative atmosphere. We look forward to future meetings and partnerships—and hope to see you next year for another edition of SiSB!

Symposium schedule:

To keep up with the latest information about applications and other news, visit our Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/bius.sisb/ ) or reach out to us via e-mail (sisbstudent@gmail.com).

GOLD SPONSORS

OIKON

OIKON Ltd – Institute of Applied Ecology is a leading licensed and accredited consulting company / research institute in the field of applied ecology in Croatia and the region with 26 years of experience. Oikon’s specialties are nature and environmental protection, natural resource management, landscape analysis and design, industrial ecology, ecological modelling, renewable energy, sustainable mobility, environmental law, policy and economics, project management, remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS).

Such a broad range of activities requires a broad range of expertise. Oikon employs experts covering as many as 20 disciplines, including biologists and ecologists, and nearly a quarter of the staff are PhDs. They all regularly attend training and seminars, use modern, state-of-the-art, professional and specialized equipment, hardware and software, and apply innovative and often groundbreaking approaches to successfully conduct sophisticated research and provide highly professional services to clients.

Oikon also has extensive experience abroad and collaborates with leading consulting firms throughout Europe. The company has extended its expertise beyond Croatia with offices in Ljubljana and Dubai. OIKON SI Ltd. in Slovenia OIKON MEA Ltd. covering the Middle East and Africa, both focus on delivering sustainable development services and environmentally friendly solutions, particularly in the field of renewable energy.

Learn more about Oikon here: https://oikon.hr/

Oikon is also active on social networks:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OikonLtd

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oikon-institute-of-applied-technology/

SILVER SPONSORS

MERCK d.o.o.

DOK-ING

DOK-ING is a Croatian company that develops advanced robotic and autonomous systems used in challenging environments such as industry, infrastructure maintenance, and public safety. Its innovative unmanned vehicles and technologies improve efficiency while reducing human exposure to risk.

As a member of the DOK-ING group, Indeloop is a company that designs, develops and builds proprietary gasification systems that provide environmentally friendly sustainable solutions for non-recyclable organic materials (mostly waste), carbon emission reduction and production of clean energy.

BRONZE SPONSORS