Dr Marija Stankovic is an Associate Research Professor at the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Serbia. She obtained her BSc in Molecular Biology and Physiology in 2003 and a PhD in Molecular Biology in 2010 at the University of Belgrade. Dr Marija Stankovic’s scientific work is dedicated to chronic lung diseases which affect large population, have unknown etiology and have no cure. The main focus of her research is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. She established research interest towards genetics and molecular aspects of lung pathology such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and remodelling. Particularly, exogenous factors like cigarette smoke, allergens and microbes are a great challenge in her research, from elucidation of their effects and interactions to proposing potential therapeutics. Her research is multidisciplinary directed including COPD patients, basic research, therapeutic agents, and bioinformatic tools.