The Department of Cell and Tissue Biology developed under the auspices of the Department of Animal Developmental Dynamics through the work of Prof. Jelena Grozdanović-Radovanović, who, in collaboration with her mentor, Academician Siniša Stanković, introduced the methods of histology, cytology and embryology into biological research, thereby laying the foundations of modern cell biology and histology at the Faculty of Biology. The work of Prof. Grozdanović-Radovanović was continued by Prof. Nada Šerban and Prof. Vesna Koko by introducing the methods of electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and stereology and their application on various animal models. With the arrival of Prof. Aleksandra Korac and Prof. Maja Čakić-Milošević, and later their doctoral students and associates, scientific research work at the Department continued to follow the increasingly rapid development of cell and tissue biology, expanding with the addition of Assoc. Prof. Maria Marin and the field of plant cells.

In addition to their scientific work, the members of the Department are committed to teaching in the field of cell biology and histology, through a large number of modernly organized courses at all levels of study. The Department's scientific and teaching activities are greatly contributed to by expert associates in electron microscopy.

Teachers and associates of the Department of Cell and Tissue Biology teach in the appropriate modules of the undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral academic study programs of the University of Belgrade - Faculty of Biology. In addition to its teachers, the Department also engages experts from relevant scientific institutions for doctoral studies upon invitation.

The scientific work of the teachers and associates of the Department is carried out within the narrow scientific field of Cell and Tissue Biology, and their scientific interest is primarily directed towards the histological and cellular structure and function of animal and plant organs. Using the most modern methods of cell and molecular biology and microscopy, the processes of cell proliferation and differentiation, regulatory mechanisms of fertilization of the egg, organelle biogenesis, tissue and cell remodeling in physiological and pathological conditions, as well as cell death are studied. Through their work at the Center for Electron Microscopy, members of the Department also study the ultrastructure of endemic species, the introduction and distribution of nanomaterials into invertebrate and mammalian cells, the structure of bacterial walls and exosomes.

The Department's teachers are the authors of the first peer-reviewed textbooks and practical courses in Serbia in the field of Cell Biology and Histology, and that tradition continues today by publishing teaching literature for mandatory and some elective courses in undergraduate studies.

The teaching activities of the Department members are rounded off by working with talented high school students at the Petnica research station and co-authoring several textbooks for high school and elementary school.