Vladimir

– founder and the owner –

Since the beginning of my career, I dreamed about applications of microorganisms which will serve the mankind. During more than twenty years I specialized in molecular microbiology, doing groundbreaking research with bacteria and viruses. As my career progressed, my interests gradually shifted from functions of a single cell towards microbial communities. This is how I realized the power of microbiomes in all spheres of life.

I was privileged to work with some of the best scientists around the world. While playing in the scientific “Champions League”, I explored some fundamental questions, such as “how microbes move?”, “how do they sense and process signals from their environment?”, “how pathogenic microbes interact with their host and with the other microbes?” 

My career continued in project management in different fields, from biotechnology to regional development. I networked stakeholders from executive level of corporations to the heads of universities, institutes and start-ups and I did technology scouting for large healthcare companies. All these experiences were great for me to learn how the world of entrepreneurs functions and what are the obstacles in knowledge translation between different fields and different audiences.

It took me some time to realize (what we all already heard and read so many times…) that to be truly successful, man has to follow his passion. Surely, to navigate the road better, it is quite useful if one has previous knowledge and experience in the particular field of activity.

Microbes have been my passion eversince and molecular microbiology is a field in which I have deepest expertise. On the other side, I always had an intrinsic need not to be focused only on details but to see a bigger picture. This is how I decided to combine best of my passion and skills and go down the path of entrepreneurship for something that might have a true impact.

I hope you will enjoy the ride with me.

Heidelberg, Germany, 17.Dec. 2020
Vladimir Jakovljevic, PhD


…they said about Vladimir…

“I know Vladimir as a first-class scientist in the field of microbiology – we collaborated closely together on an important study of the human commensal bacterium E. coli. His insights were central to understanding how bacteria respond to the environment of a human host.”

Prof. Ned Wingreen, Princeton University

“From my quite extensive experience in working together with Vladimir, I can safely state, that he is one of the most reliable and trustworthy life science professionals in the market. Next to being able to manage complex projects, he’s a creative thinker, always staying on track, and meeting tight deadlines. Junior team members benefit from his experience and love to teach, bringing team output to its peak in no time. I would highly recommend him to any life sciences company where human capital is the most important asset!”

Dr. F.S. Paldy, Market segment director, Big Labtech and Pharma Supplier

“I first met Vladimir in 2008, in the four years we worked together I have been constantly impressed by his willingness and ability to advise colleagues on how to improve their experimental approaches and more in general on how to streamline their projects. A microbiologist by training and an experienced microscopist, Vladimir had no difficulties interacting and collaborating with people from the most diverse background, including engineers and experimental and theoretical physicists, both within the laboratory and in the context of external collaborations. Being a trained physicist myself, I could directly benefit from his ability to communicate concepts in a way that would cross disciplinary boundaries. His in-depth scientific knowledge and his strong communicative skills made it very easy for him to cooperate with every member of the research group and to efficiently train junior members of the staff. I have no doubts that Vladimir´s unique combination of skills would be a great addition to any team working in the life sciences sector.”

Dr. Gabriele Malengo, Max-Planck Institute for terrestrial Microbiology

“Between 2013 and 2016 I worked with Vladimir in a project concerning unknown virus diseases which we wanted to identify by Next Generation Sequencing. He was always competent, helpful and a reliable supervisor for me.”

Constanze Berwarth, Julius-Kühn-Institut

I was working together with Vladimir during my PhD and Postdoc research for several years. He is an outstanding researcher with a fundamental background in Molecular Biology and Microbiology, and extremely passionate doing research. Unfortunately, we are not working in the same professional areas any longer, so collaboration has to take place on a private level.

Dr. Erik Sommer, Senior QA Manager, Medical equipment manufacturer

Partners and Collaborators:

Dimitrije Vuk  Velickovic

– Web Design / Digital Marketing –

LocoLobo
Zagreb, Croatia

“My career in turbulent times in the volatile region of Balkans is a proof that there are no borders which boldness and a can-do attitude of an entrepreneur can not cross.”

Vuk holds a master´s degree in Adult Education and has more than twenty years of experience in public relations, media, marketing, web design and e-commerce. He´s currently a marketing manager and developer of a large web shop in Croatia and owner of a company.

Natasa Moravic-Balkanski

– Graphic Design –

DoYouPlayArt / Douglas College
Vancouver, Canada

“I am a graphic designer based in Vancouver, BC. I love to make – about anything! …and by making I mean taking my passion for art, solid education and more than two decades of experience, bringing it onto a playground with two things on my mind: to provide results and to have fun!”

Natasa holds a degree in Visual Arts. She is currently working as a Graphic Designer in the Marketing and Communication Office at Douglas College in Vancouver, BC and holds clients’ accounts worldwide.

Simone Giesler

– Text / Communications –

Redaktionsbüro Simone Giesler
Sandhausen, Germany

“My passion for science and communication drives me to transfer innovative and sustainable content to a broad interest group.”

Simone holds a degree in biology. After working as researcher in a biotech company and in press and public relations at Heidelberg University Hospital, she set up her own business as freelance editor and author. She has years of experience in public relations, research and writing.

Selected Publications: 

Mechanism of bidirectional thermotaxis in Escherichia coli (2017) Paulick A, Jakovljevic V, Zhang SM, Erickstad M, Groisman A, Ryu W, Meir Y, Wingreen N and Sourjik V. Elife. 2017 Aug 3;6. pii: e26607. doi: 10.7554/eLife.26607

Jakovljevic V, Otten P, Berwarth C and Jelkmann W (2016) Analysis of the apple rubbery wood disease by next generation sequencing of total RNA. European Journal of Plant Pathology – DOI 10.1007/s10658-016-1119-z

Wille T, Barlag B, Jakovljevic V, Hensel M, Sourjik V, Gerlach RG (2015) A gateway-based system for fast evaluation of protein-protein interactions in bacteria. PLoS One. 2015 Apr 9;10(4):e0123646. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123646. eCollection 2015

Bi S, Yu D, Si G, Luo C, Li T, Ouyang Q, Jakovljevic V, Sourjik V, Tu Y, Lai L (2013) Discovery of novel chemoeffectors and rational design of Escherichia coli chemoreceptor specificity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Oct 15;110(42):16814-9.

Starruß J, Peruani F, Jakovljevic V, Søgaard-Andersen L, Deutsch A, Bär M (2012) Pattern-formation mechanisms in motility mutants of Myxococcus xanthus. Interface Focus. Dec 6;2(6):774-85

Peruani F, Starruss J, Jakovljevic V, Søgaard-Andersen L, Deutsch A and Bär M (2012) Collective motion and nonequilibrium cluster formation in colonies of gliding bacteria. Physical Review Letters, 108 (9), 098102

Oleksiuk O*, Jakovljevic V*, Vladimirov N, Carvalho R, Paster E, Ryu WS, Meir Y, Wingreen NS, Kollmann M and Sourjik V (2011) Thermal robustness of signaling in bacterial chemotaxis. Cell 145, 1–10

*-equal contribution

Report: https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/presse/news2011/pm20110415_coli.html

Yigal M, Jakovljevic V, Oleksiuk O, Sourjik V and Wingreen NS (2010) Precision and kinetics of adaptation in bacterial chemotaxis. Biophysical Journal, 99 (9):2766-74

Bulyha I, Schmidt C, Lenz P, Jakovljevic V, Höne A, Maier B, Hoppert M and Søgaard-Andersen L (2009) Regulation of the type IV pili molecular machine by dynamic localization of two motor proteins. Molecular Microbiology, 74(3): 691-706

Clausen M, Jakovljevic V, Søgaard-Andersen L and Maier B (2009) High force generation is a conserved property of type IV pilus system. Journal of Bacteriology, 191 (14), 4633-4638

Rolbetzki A, Ammon M, Jakovljevic V, Konovalova A and Sogaard-Andersen L (2008) Regulated Secretion of a Protease Activates Intercellular Signaling during Fruiting Body Formation in Myxococcus xanthus. Developmental Cell 15 (4), 627-634

Jakovljevic V, Leonardy S, Hoppert M and Sogaard-Andersen L (2008) PilB and PilT are ATPases acting antagonistically in type IV pili function in Myxococcus xanthus. Journal of Bacteriology 190 (7), 2411-2421

Jakovljevic V, Jock S, Du Z, Geider K (2008) Hypersensitive response and acyl-homoserine lactone production of the fire blight antagonists Erwinia tasmaniensis and Erwinia billingiae. Microbial Biotechnology 1 (5), 416-424

Geider K, Auling G, Du Z, Jakovljevic V, Jock S, Volksch B (2006) Erwinia tasmaniensis sp. nov., a non-phytopathogenic bacterium from apple and pear trees. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 56 (Pt 12):2937-43