The 18th Scientific Conference dedicated to the life and work of Professor Ivan Berkes organized by the Society of Medical Biochemist of Serbia and the Institute of Medical Biochemistry MMA was held at the Military Medical Academy.

The Acting Head of the Military Medical Academy Colonel Prof. Dr Zoran Segrt said in his opening remarks that for the MMA, being the academic institution, keeping this tradition is very important. He pointed out that Professor Berkes was a doyen of medical biochemistry that under his mentorship a large number of candidates defended their PhDs and master thesis including 150 specializations in medical biochemistry. Due to his dominance in this field, the awarding of this recognition and rewards is inspiring for students of pharmacy because they get the additional motivation and a public recognition for their knowledge and work. Prof. Segrt added that over several million different procedures which are integral part of all stages of diagnostics and treatment of patients have been done at the Institute of Medical Biochemistry of the MMA per year.

Prof. Dr. Nada Majkic-Singh, executive director of the Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia said it was not by chance that the annual conference dedicated to Prof. Berkes was held at the Military Medical Academy having in mind that the first specialization in medical biochemistry was introduced at the MMA in 1955 under the leadership of Colonel MPharm Ljubomir Puric. She stated that those gatherings were the opportunity to find out about recent achievements in this field as well as to award the best students of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University in Belgrade. This year those are MPharm Branislava Supljeglav and Milan Milojevic.

The best scientific papers in the field of medical biochemistry in the previous period were presented during the Conference.