MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

Councils, expert college and committees of the Institute of Immunology are governed by the Regulation on the establishment of the Institute of Immunology, the Statute of the Institute of Immunology, the Law on Labor (Workers’ Council), and the relevant decisions of the director. The Institute of Immunology may also have another expert and advisory councils and committees.

GOVERNING COUNCIL
DIRECTOR
EXPERT COLLEGE
ETHICAL COMMITTEE
MEDICINAL PRODUCTS COMMITTEE
QUALITY COMMITTEE
INTERNAL CONTROL COMMITTEE
ANIMAL WELFARE COMMITTEE
WORKERS’ COUNCIL

GOVERNING COUNCIL

The Institute of Immunology is managed by the Governing Council in accordance with the provisions of the Institutions Act, the Health Care Act and the Statute of the Institute of Immunology. The Governing Council consists of five members, as follows:

  • The President (Chair) and two members appointed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, on the proposal of the Minister responsible for health
  • Two members of the Institute’s representatives, one of whom is appointed by the Institute’s Workers’ Council, and one member by the Institute’s Expert Council from among the Institute’s employees with a university degree

Composition

Chair, Danica Kramarić, MD
Member, Martina Bogut Barić, univ. mag. oec., univ. mag. admin. sanit.
Member, Jasminka Hlupić, MD
Member, Tomislav Javor, MD
Member, Hrvoje Hadrović, mag. ing. techn. inf.

DIRECTOR

Director of the Institute of Immunology is responsible for the legality of the work and operations. He performs the following tasks:

  • manages the work and operations of the Institute of Immunology
  • proposes to the Governing Council the work program, financial plan, annual report on the work and operations of the Institute of Immunology, and general acts of the Institute of Immunology
  • decides on the acquisition, alienation or encumbrance of real estate and other property, or on concluding another legal transaction, when the value of an individual contract does not exceed EUR 30,000
  • decides, with the consent of the Governing Council and the act of establishment of the Institute of Immunology, on the acquisition, alienation or encumbrance of real estate and other property, or on concluding another legal transaction, when the value of an individual contract exceeds EUR 30,000
  • decides, with the consent of the Governing Council and its founder and the act of establishment of the Institute of Immunology, on the acquisition, alienation or encumbrance of real estate and other property, or on concluding another legal transaction, when the value of an individual contract exceeds EUR 150,000
  • performs other duties in accordance with the law, the Act of Establishment of the Institute of Immunology and the Statute of the Institute of Immunology.

The Institute of Immunology is represented, represented and managed by Director Vedran Čardžić, MD.

The Director of the Institute of Immunology is elected and appointed based on a public competition by the Governing Council of the Institute of Immunology, with the consent of the Minister responsible for health.

  • Decision on the election of the Director
  • Consent of the competent Minister
  • Decision on the appointment of the Director,

Vedran Čardžić, MD was re-appointed as Director of the Institute of Immunology for the mandate period from March 21, 2023 to March 21, 2027 by Decision of the Governing Council of the Institute of Immunology REG.NO.: 560/2023 of March 16, 2023, adopted with the prior consent of the Minister of Health, Assoc. Prof. PhD Vili Beroš, MD dated March 9, 2023 (CLASS.NO.: 007-01/23-02/04, REG.NO.:  534-07-2-1/2-23-4), which was issued upon the Decision of the Governing Council of the Institute of Immunology REG. NO.: 403/2023 dated March 1, 2023.

Vedran Čardžić, MD was born on September 23, 1964 in Zagreb, where he graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb in 1990. He is married, father of two children.

He completed his mandatory medical internship at the Sestre Milosrdnice Hospital. As a doctor, he worked at the Health Center in Velika Gorica and at the Teaching Institute for Emergency Medicine of the City of Zagreb. He continued his professional career at Krka-farma Zagreb, where he worked for sixteen years, fourteen of which in the positions of Marketing and Sales Manager, Marketing Director and Deputy Director of KF Zagreb. According to IMS data, at that time Krka-farma maintained its strong position as the third pharmaceutical company in terms of sales results in the Republic of Croatia, while in 2005 he was awarded the Marketing Manager of the Year award at the Krka, Inc. level.

He joined PharmaS Zagreb in 2010 as the Director of Marketing and Sales, where he established, organized and managed the marketing and sales team. In just three years, PharmaS achieved larger market shares in marketed molecules than significantly larger companies with a longer presence on the domestic market.

He came to the position of Acting Director (February 4, 2019), and then Director of the Institute of Immunology (March 20, 2019 (1st term) and March 21, 2023 (2nd term)) from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, where he held the positions for five years as Head of Regional Services in the Zagreb Regional Office, Head of Contracting Service and Acting Assistant Director of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund for Health Protection.

Vedran Čardžić, MD, is a Croatian veteran of the Homeland War. He earned this status by participating in the combat sector of the Ministry of Defense as a doctor.

EXPERT COLLEGE

The Expert Council is appointed by the Director of the Institute of Immunology and consists of at least the heads of the Institute’s organizational units.

Scope

  • discusses and decides on issues in the field of the Institute’s professional work
  • proposes professional solutions within the scope of the Institute’s activities
  • proposes professional foundations for the Institute’s work and development program
  • provides the Board of Directors and the Director with opinions and proposals regarding the organization of work and conditions for the development of the Institute’s activities
  • proposes to the Board of Directors and the Director the harmonization of professional work with the Institute’s financial capabilities
  • proposes professional training of the Institute’s professional workers for the needs of improving the Institute’s activities
  • takes care of the implementation of internal supervision over the professional work of the Institute’s professional workers, and performs other professional tasks prescribed by the Institute’s regulations

Composition

President, Željka Pelin, B.A. in Economics
Member, M.Sc. Vesna Šporec Dragović, B.Eng. in Chemistry
Member, Anja Britvec Generalić, B.Eng. in Biotechnology
Member, M.Sc. Gorana Marić, B.Eng. in Biology
Member, Ana Vučenović Mijatović, M.D. in Veterinary Medicine, Univ. Mag. Chir.
Member, Ljerka Kotarski, B.Eng. in Biology
Member, Dančo Arsov, M.D.
Member, Hrvoje Šindler, M.D. in Veterinary Medicine
Member, M.Sc. Dragica Hećimović, B.Eng. in Chemistry
Member, Tomislav Petrović, B.Eng. in Preh. Technology
Member, Mariana Krajnović Vržina, M.Pharm.
Member, M.Sc. Nediljko Pavlović, B.Eng. in Chem. technologies
Member, Zora Flegar, B.A. in Economics
Member, Tomislav Javor, M.D.

EXPERT COUNCIL

A professional council may be established to consider issues in the field of professional work in each organizational unit of the Institute.

Composition

The professional council meets as needed, and includes all employees with a university degree in a particular service.

ETHICAL COMMITTEE

The Ethical Committee ensures that the activities of the Institute of Immunology are carried out in accordance with the principles of ethics related to the activities of the Institute.

The Ethics Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors for a term of four years and consists of five members (a president and four members), of which at least two members are of the opposite sex. One member who is a representative of non-medical professions is also a member who is not an employee of the Institute. The Board of Directors also appoints the deputies of the Ethics Committee.

The members of the Ethics Committee and their deputies who are employees of the Institute are proposed by the Expert Council of the Institute, and external members are proposed by the Director of the Institute.

Scope

  • Monitors the application of ethical professions in the performance of the activities of the Institute
  • Approves scientific and other research at the Institute
  • Resolves other ethical issues in the performance of the activities of the Institute

Composition

Alojzija Pintera, B.Sc. Biology, President M.Sc. Gorana Marić, B.Sc. Biology, Deputy
Marela Bajić Čivgin, Prof. Philology and Croatian Culture and Journalist, Member Ivan Jukić, B.Sc. Law, Substitute
Hrvoje Šindler, Dr. Med. Vet., Member Ana Vučenović Mijatović, Dr. Med. Vet., Univ. Mag. Chir., Substitute
Vedran Lulić, B.Sc. Biotechnology, Member M.Sc. Marijana Kapustić, B.Sc. Biology, Substitute
PhD. Ruža Frkanec, Member Dr. Sc. Krešo Bendelja, Substitute

MEDICINAL PRODUCTS COMMITTEE

The Medicines Committee of the Institute of Immunology ensures the implementation of all activities related to the production of immunological medicines, medicines from human blood or human plasma and other biological medicines in the Institute.

The Medicines Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors of the Institute of Immunology and consists of five members. They are appointed from among the employees of the Institute of Immunology in the medical and pharmaceutical professions.

Scope

  • Supervises the production of immunological medicines, medicines from human blood or human plasma and other biological medicines
  • Submits to the Board of Directors and the Director a quarterly financial report on clinical trials of medicines conducted at the Institute
  • Coordinates activities related to the registration of immunological medicines, medicines from human blood or human plasma and other biological medicines with the competent authority, and performs other tasks specified by law.

Composition

President, Mariana Krajnović Vržina, mag. pharm.
Deputy President, Dančo Arsov, dr. med.
Member, Tomislav Javor, dr. med.
Member, Hrvoje Šindler, dr. med. vet.
Member, Ana Vučenović Mijatović, dr. med. vet., univ. mag. chir.

QUALITY COMMITTEE

The Quality Committee ensures the quality control of immunological medicines, medicines from human blood or human plasma and other biological medicines of the Institute, and ensures the implementation of the inventory in the field of quality.

The Quality Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors upon the proposal of the Director and has seven members.

Scope

  • Keeps a register of adverse outcomes of the use of immunological medicines, medicines from human blood or human plasma and other biological medicines of the Institute, in accordance with special regulations
  • Conducts quality control of documentation
  • Conducts activities related to the establishment of a quality assurance and improvement system
  • Conducts activities related to the establishment of a safety system for medicines and medical products it produces
  • Conducts the implementation of the procedure for laboratory accreditation

Composition

Ljerka Kotarski, B.Sc. in Biology, member Marija Živković, B.Sc. in Biology, substitute
Vedran Lulić, B.Sc. in Biotechnology, member Ivona Švagelj, M.Sc. in Biotechnology, substitute
Julije Čučuk, M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, member Hrvoje Hadrović, M.Sc. in Information Technology, substitute
Ivan Jukić, B.Sc. in Law, member Željka Pelin, B.Sc. in Economics, substitute
Mr. Sc. Marijana Kapustić, B.Sc. in Biology, member Gordana Skorić, B.Sc. in Preh. Technology, substitute
PhD. Mirna Tominac Trcin, M.Sc. in Bioprocess, member M.Sc. Nediljko Pavlović, B.Sc. in Chemical Technology, substitute
Mr. Sc. Dragica Hećimović, B.Sc. in Chemistry, member Dančo Arsov, Dr. Med., substitute

ANIMAL WELFARE COMMITTEE

Based on the Statute of the Institute of Immunology, the Animal Protection Act and the Regulations on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes, the Director of the Institute of Immunology has appointed the Animal Welfare Committee.

Composition

President, Hrvoje Šindler, MD, PhD. Vet.
Member, Marina Ivančić, MSc. Biol. Exp.
Member, PhD. Mirna Tominac Trcin
Member, Marija Živković, B.Sc. Biology
Member, Ana Vučenović Mijatović, MD, PhD. Vet., Univ. MSc. Chir.

INTERNAL CONTROL COMMITTEE

The Institute organizes and conducts internal supervision over the work of organizational units and employees. Supervision also includes professional self-inspections related to ensuring product quality in accordance with the rules of good manufacturing practice according to which the Institute’s GMP documentation is maintained.

Composition

President, Ana Vučenović Mijatović, dr. med. vet., univ. mag. chir.
Member, Ivona Švagelj, mag. ing. biotechn.
Member, Mihael Keškić, mag. ing. traff.

WORKERS’ COUNCIL

Based on the Labor Act, the Workers’ Council protects and promotes the interests of the employees of the Institute of Immunology by consulting, co-decision-making or negotiating with the employer on issues relevant to the position of employees.

Composition

President, Hrvoje Hadrović, mag.ing.techn.inf.
Member, Mario Zmiš
Member, Saša Pilić