Laboratory of Radiobiology was established in 1949, shortly after the founding of the Vinča Institute. The Institute was founded according to the model of the Nuclear Institutes in other countries consisting of the laboratories for physics, chemistry, and also for radiobiology. The laboratory was established to investigate the effects of radiation on structure and function of simple and complex living organisms, which will contribute to solving a series of problems relating to radiation harmful effects on humans and nature en general. Peaceful uses of nuclear energy imposed the need and development of radiobiology in Vinča, at that time new scientific discipline in our country. For better understanding of fundamental mechanism of radiation effects on living organisms, it was necessary to develop other biological discipline, and carry out research primarily in the fields of biochemistry, genetic, physiology (endocrinology), embryology and immunology, and later molecular biology.
Furthermore, it was expected from radiobiology in Vinča to solve fundamental scientific problems, to apply and develop new methods and techniques in order to fulfill the needs of this Institute, as well as other scientific institutions and industrial organizations. The Laboratory in Vinča, as the first institution in Yugoslavia, investigated radioactive isotopes for the scientific researches in biology, and, at one time, served as a school for training of the employees for the isotope application in biology, medicine, agriculture and forestry.
In March 1949, Dr. Dušan Kanazir joined the Institute as first of the biologists. In early 1950, Petar Martinović came to Institute with his six collaborators from Laboratory for Experimental Biology and Medicine in Novi Sad, member of Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. These people quickly gathered a large group of biologists, doctors, physicians, technologists, pharmacists and technicians. Behind the building No 26 where the Laboratory was settled, there were built three facilities for experimental animalst, which continue to serve the same purpose.
In the first half of the fifties, Laboratory worked as one organizational/operational unit. In 1957, three departments were formed: Department of Tissue Culture, Department of Biochemistry and Department of Pathophysiology.
In 1966, Department of Tissue Culture became independent laboratory, and in 1970, associates from Department of Biochemistry created Laboratory of Molecular Biology, having three laboratories at that time: Radiobiology, Molecular biology and The Tissues Culture laboratories.
In 1973, Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Tissue Culture became integral part of Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Endocrinology which continues to work under the same name till nowadays.