Branko Velebit, PhD
PRINCIPAL RESEARCH FELLOW
Head of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology
Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology (INMES)
Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia
Mob: +381 65 9108 979
Tel: +381 11 26 50 655
E-mail: branko.velebit@inmes.rs
EDUCATION
2010 – Philosophiae Doctor in Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade
2007 – Master of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade
2003 – DVM, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2020 – Principal Research Fellow
2016 – 2020 – Senior Research Associate
2011 – 2015 – Research Associate
2007 – 2010 – Research Assistant
2005 – 2007 – Junior Researcher
2004 – 2005 – Research Trainee, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology (INMES)
WORK EXPERIENCE
2015 – Head of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology
2009 – 2015 – Vice-head of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Member of ISO/TC 34/SC 9/WG 3 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO/FWI 16140-# Viruses and parasites, as of 2020;
Member of ISO/CEN workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 19020 for the immunoenzymatic detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in foodstuffs, as of 2014;
Member of WG6 NWIP EN ISO 20836 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 20836 for the thermal performance testing of thermal cyclers, as of 2018;
Member of WG6 NWIP EN ISO 23418 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 23418 for the general requirements and guidance for whole genome sequencing for typing and genomic characterization of bacteria, as of 2018;
Member of CEN/TC275/WG6/TAG19 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 10272-2017 part 1 and 2 for the detection and enumeration of Campylobacter spp. in food, as of 2017;
Member of CEN/TC275/WG6/TAG4 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 15216-1 and 15216-2 for the determination of hepatitis A virus and norovirus using real-time RT-PCR, as of 2017;
Member of NoroNet and HEVNET, collaborative and interdisciplinary European networks for molecular characterization and epidemiological studies of foodborne viruses;
Member of Serbian Standardization Institute’s Committee KS E034-9 Microbiology and Biotechnology.
AREA OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST
Research, Development, Validation and Application of Diagnostic Methods in Food Microbiology (Classical and Emerging Pathogens);
Implementation of ISO 17025 requirements in Food Microbiology laboratory;
Building up National Monitoring Plan on food-borne pathogens;
Implementation of EU acquis communautaire in Serbian Food Processing Plants concerning Food and Process Hygiene and harmonization of national legislative pertaining to requirements laid down in Cluster 5, Chapter 12 of the Negotiation Process.
SELECTED SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
Baylis, S. A., Adlhoch, C., Childs, L., Suin, V., Lamoral, S., Nasheri, N., Velebit, B.,… Kulka, M. (2022). An Evaluation of Hepatitis E Virus Molecular Typing Methods. Clinical Chemistry, 68(1), 181-191. doi: 10.1093/clinchem/hvab186
Csorba, C., Pajić, M., Blagojević, B., Forsythe, S., Radinović, M., & Velebit, B. (2022). Prevalence, characterization, and antibiotic susceptibility of Cronobacter spp. in a milk powder processing environment: The first reported case in Serbia. Food Science and Nutrition, 10(2), 554-563. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2681
Mulder, A. C., Kroneman, A., Franz, E., Vennema, H., Tulen, A. D., Takkinen, J., Velebit, B. et al. (2019). HEVnet: a One Health, collaborative, interdisciplinary network and sequence data repository for enhanced hepatitis E virus molecular typing, characterisation and epidemiological investigations. Eurosurveillance, 24(10), 42-47, doi:10.2807/1560-7917.es.2019.24.10.1800407.
2Vasilijevic, B., Mitic-Culafic, D., Djekic, I., Markovic, T., Knezevic-Vukcevic, J., Tomasevic, I., Velebit, B., Nikolic, B. (2019). Antibacterial effect of Juniperus communis and Satureja montana essential oils against Listeria monocytogenes in vitro and in wine marinated beef. Food Control, 100, 247-256, doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.01.025.
Nastasijevic, I., Milanov, D., Velebit, B., Djordjevic, V., Swift, C., Painset, A., Lakicevic, B. (2017). Tracking of Listeria monocytogenes in meat establishment using Whole Genome Sequencing as a food safety management tool: A proof of concept. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 257, 157-164, doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2017.06.015.
Milojević, L., Velebit, B., Teodorović, V., Kirbiš, A., Petrović, T., Karabasil, N., Dimitrijević, M. (2019). Screening and Molecular Characterization of Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughter Pigs in Serbia. Food and Environmental Virology, 11(4), 410-419. doi: 10.1007/s12560-019-09393-1.
Babic, M., Pajic, M., Radinovic, M., Bobos, S., Bulajic, S., Nikolic, A., Velebit, B. (2019). Effects of Temperature Abuse on the Growth and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A Gene (sea) Expression of Staphylococcus aureus in Milk. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, 16(4), 282-289, doi:10.1089/fpd.2018.2544.
Lepsanovic, Z., Djordjevic, V., Lakicevic, B., Savic, D., Velebit, B., Josic, D., Karabasil, N. (2018). Detection of toxin genes and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA typing of Bacillus cereus isolates from infant milk formulas. Journal of Food Safety, 38(4), 1-7, DOI: 10.1111/jfs.12474.
Jovanovic, M., Tosic, T., Jovanovic, S., Stosovic, R., Stevanovic, G., Velebit, B., Zervos, M. J. (2018). Presence of the esp gene in Enterococcus faecium derived from oropharyngeal microbiota of haematology patients. Archives of Oral Biology, 88, 54-59, doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2018.01.008.
Ilic, N., Velebit, B., Teodorovic, V., Djordjevic, V., Karabasil, N., Vasilev, D, Djuric S., Adzic, B., Dimitrijevic, M. (2017) Influence of Environmental Conditions on Norovirus Presence in Mussels Harvested in Montenegro. Food and Environmental Virology, 9(4), 406-414, doi:10.1007/s12560-017-9298-0.
Milicevic, D. R., Spiric, D., Radicevic, T., Velebit, B., Stefanovic, S., Milojevic, L., Jankovic, S. (2017). A review of the current situation of aflatoxin M-1 in cow’s milk in Serbia: risk assessment and regulatory aspects. Food Additives and Contaminants Part A-Chemistry Analysis Control Exposure & Risk Assessment, 34(9), 1617-1631, doi:10.1080/19440049.2017.1363414.