HISTORY

When it comes to the earliest days of biology at the University of Zagreb, what we are really discussing is the development of botany and zoology, the only professions of the time that represented biology from the 17^th to the 19^th century. However, neither the Jesuit Neo Academia Zagrabiensis (1669-1773), nor the royal Regia Scientiarum Academia (1773-1850), nor the Orthodox Academy (1859-1874) provided the appropriate conditions for the development of scientific and teaching activities in biology in Zagreb.

That is why the first scientific discussions in the field of biology were berthed outside of these institutions, and it was in 1780 that the Jesuit Augustin Michelazzi published the Compendium Regni Vegetabilis (Gorizia, 1780), outlining the insights in botany of the time. That same year, Peter Nutrizio Grisogono published the natural geography atlas of Dalmatia, Notizie per servire alla storia naturale della Dalmazia, in which he gave an overview of the fauna of the Adriatic Sea.

Increasingly frequent discussions in natural sciences followed soon after, including botany and zoology, i.e. biology. These scientific discussions, along with others, fostered the idea of a need to establish a university such as those that “advanced” nations had.

After lengthy debate, the Croatian Parliament established the University (1874), within which three faculties were established. Among them was the Faculty of Philosophy and its Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. This year marked the beginning of organised scientific and teaching work at the University of Zagreb as well as the initiation of the systematic development of biology in our country.

Gradually, new departments and divisions were established within the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, including the Department of Zoology and the Division of Botany and Physiology. Classes in biology began on 21 April 1876, in the summer semester. That year, only botany professor Dr Bohuslav von Jiruš held classes, whereas zoology professor Dr Spiridion Brusina began doing so in April 1877.

The natural sciences within the Faculty of Philosophy were never able to procure sufficient resources for contemporary scientific work, and especially not for experimental work, which is why their aspiration to become independent and transform into a separate faculty was understandable. This was realised in 1946, when the Faculty of Science was founded.

Looking back at the development of the Department of Biology during this period, it was undoubtedly the centre of many naturalistic research directions in the Republic of Croatia and the wider region. Initially, the research included two basic directions: botany and zoology.

Research covered all areas of botany and zoology; from cells and organisms to communities. Groundwater ecology and fauna studies were worthy of particular note. During this period, many members of the Department profiled themselves into leading Croatian botanists and zoologists, whose expertise was also recognised internationally.

Here we should mention the botanist Prof Radovan Domac, author of Little Flora of Croatia, Prof Beatrice Đulić, whose collection of small mammals is one of the most valuable and interesting in this part of Europe (now owned by the Department), and Prof Milan Meštrov, a pioneer of biospeleological research.

Today, there are five divisions and four collections within the Department of Biology.

DIVISIONS

Division of Botany

The Division of Botany was founded in 1946 with the establishment of the Faculty of Science and together with the Botanical Garden. The history of the Division of Botany begins with the introduction of continuous classes in botany in Zagreb, as far back as during the academic year 1875/1876. Classes were held at the Division of Botany and Physiology, as it was originally called, which was then part of the Faculty of Philosophy. The Division was located in the building of the Upper Town Gymnasium and already then boasted a herbarium collection of 10,000 specimen. From these quite spatially limited premises, the Division was moved to the main University building, the present Rectorate, and later to 20 Marulić Square. At the time of its founding in 1889, the Botanical Garden, together with the Division of Botany and Physiology, was part of the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Philosophy. Research covered all areas of botany and focused on algae, mosses, and vascular plants at the cell, organism, community, and ecosystem levels.

Today, classes at the Division are held in almost all botanical fields included in the curricula and programmes of teaching, undergraduate, and graduate studies of biology as well as interdisciplinary studies at the Department of Biology.

Division of Zoology

The Division of Zoology was founded in 1874 as the Department of Zoology, and was part of the Faculty of Philosophy from 1875. With the founding of the Faculty of Science, in 1946, it became part of the Department of Biology. At the same time, until 1950, the Division worked together with the Zoological Section of the Croatian National Museum.

The Division of Zoology conducts extensive research in various fields of zoology. Limnology research focuses on biocenology, saprobiology, chemistry, and water fauna. Groundwater ecology and fauna studies are worthy of particular note. The work of the Division also revolves around the study of the taxonomy, evolution, molecular phylogeny, and population dynamics and ecology of certain invertebrate (e.g. protozoa, cnidaria, oligochaeta, polychaeta, bryozoa, isopoda, gammarus, copepods, decapods, caddisflies, lepidoptera, diptera, etc.) and vertebrate groups (fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals).

In addition to investigations into the demersal living communities of the Adriatic Sea, the impact of pollution on their spatial distribution is also monitored. Of particular importance are studies in the fields of histology, histochemistry, embryology, animal cytogenetics, and regeneration of some invertebrates. The Division of Zoology is also renowned for its ecotoxicological research and protection of biological diversity. The Division has a library and a rich collection of zoological preparations and cooperates with many domestic and foreign institutions.

Division of Animal Physiology

The Division of Animal Physiology was founded in 1963 thanks to the efforts and dedication of Prof Borislav Nakić. Initially, scientific work was focused on the fields of physiology and immunology.

Today, the scientific and teaching as well as associate staff are engaged in scientific work within immunohematopoietic system biology, ecotoxicology, radiobiology, tumour biological therapy and metastasis, molecular diagnostics of hereditary diseases in domestic animals, and animal behaviour. Apart from the instruments necessary for teaching and conducting research, the Division also owns a facility where inbred strains of mice and rats are bred.

Division of Molecular Biology

The Division of Molecular Biology was established in 1989 with the aim of advancing biological research at the molecular level and establishing a study programme in molecular biology. Research at the Division of Molecular Biology is carried out within ten or so research projects. Molecular and biological research is performed on plant and animal models, while research in the fields of biomedicine and bioinformatics is also strong.

The Laboratory for Electron Microscopy of the Department of Biology also functions within the premises of the Division. The Division is responsible for classes within the undergraduate and graduate programmes in Molecular Biology as well as for classes in general courses such as Cell Biology and Genetics within all study programmes of the Department of Biology. In addition to the teaching staff of the Department of Biology, scientists from various institutions, most notably the Ruđer Bošković Division, also participate in holding classes.

Division of Microbiology

The Division of Microbiology was established in 2010, although microbiology has been part of the research and teaching at the Department of Biology for more than half a century. During this time, two laboratories stood out, in which the smallest and simplest biological entities are investigated from the molecular-biological and ecological points of view.

The modern concept of biology implies the division of the living world into three areas, two of which (Bacteria, Archaea) are completely and one (Eukarya) is partially the subject of microbiology studies. If we add viruses and subvirus entities to these, and if we take into account the importance of these biological entities as pathogens, dominant environmental and evolutionary factors, pioneering but to this day irreplaceable models in molecular biology, and "tools" in biotechnology and gene therapy, it is rather easy to recognize the particularity and importance of microbiology as a branch of biology.

COLLECTIONS