History

Lecturing of Toxicology in the process of educating pharmacists in Serbia began in 1930, when the four-year curriculum of Pharmacy studies at the Department of Pharmacy at the Medical Faculty in Belgrade envisaged two subjects in the field of Toxicology (Toxicology with toxicological practices and Science of war poisons). After the founding of the Faculty of Pharmacy, on October 19, 1945, classes in Toxicological Chemistry were scheduled for the 4th year of studies (VII and VIII semesters). Dr. Momčilo St. Mokranjac, chemist educated at the Sorbonne University, was elected the first professor of Toxicological Chemistry and the first director of the Institute of Toxicological Chemistry. The development of the Institute began with the efforts of Professor Mokranjac, while published scientific papers became internationally recognized. Professor Mokranjac and his associates expanded the topic of toxic metals and microelements to other areas of Toxicology. He was awarded numerous recognitions for his research contributions. He was elected a corresponding member of the Paris Academy of Pharmacy (1953), winner of the Lavoisier Medal (1954) and holder of the Order of Public Health of France (1955).

After the founding, the first assistants who worked at the Institute of Toxicological Chemistry were Božidar Rašajski (1949-1954), Sava Radmić (1951-1963), Danilo Soldatović (1956-1992) and Mirjana Nedeljković (1964-2001). After the departure of prof. Mokranjac, who retired in 1964, Dr. Danilo Soldatović was appointed the director of the Institute, who was elected a corresponding member of the French Academy of Sciences in the field of medicine in 2006. In the same year, the Department was renamed the Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”. In the short period from 1979 to 1981, the duty of the director of the Institute was performed by mr sc. pharm. Čedomir Petrović, senior expert associate, and in 1981. by Dr. Sc. Mirjana Nedeljković, assistant professor. With her scientific work, prof. Nedeljković made a significant contribution in the field of analytical toxicology. After the departure of prof. Nedeljković, who retired in 2001, and Prof. Dr. Vesna Matović was elected the new head of the Department, who was in the position of until 2018. Prof. Matović deserves special merits for making Serbian Toxicology recognized at the international level. Since 2018, the head of the Department is Prof. Dr. Biljana Antonijević.

With the reform of teaching at the Faculty of Pharmacy in 1987, the curriculum of Toxicological Chemistry was expanded and a new subject of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis was introduced by establishing a direction aimed at the education of medical biochemists. Faculty of Pharmacy achieved principality in the field of Toxicological Chemistry in 1988. It should be noted that, among the first doctoral dissertations and master's theses defended at the newly established Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, were works in the field of toxicology (1956 and 1963, respectively). Also, among the first introduced specialist studies required by the healthcare system at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Belgrade, in 1959, was the specialization in Toxicological Chemistry. By the end of 2021, a total of 20 master's theses and 30 doctoral dissertations had been defended. Also, more than 70 candidates had completed a specialization in Toxicological Chemistry and 51 candidates had completed an academic specialization in Toxicological Risk Assessment.

Today, the Department has four full professors, three associate professors, one assistant with a doctorate, as well as three researchers, two technicians and two cleaners. In addition to the already mentioned names who spent their working life at the Department, numerous associates, technicians and support staff also worked.