The Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology (INPP) is involved in basic research in experimental medicine, in particular normal and pathological physiology with the focus on the cardiovascular and the nervous system. A special attention is paid to hypertension and circulation disorders, the structure of the cardiovascular system, social stress, brain information processing, the mechanisms of posture and balance control, as well as modelling of the processes in the nervous and cardiovascular systems. The institute has an established collaboration with several research institutions and clinical departments in Slovakia and abroad.
In 1953, when the Slovak Academy of Sciences was founded, several medical research laboratories were established and were later (in 1957) included as departments in the former Institute of Experimental Medicine. In 1965, the institute’s departments of Experimental Surgery and Experimental Hygiene were constituted as independent institutes, and, given its research profile, the Institute of Experimental Medicine was renamed to the Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology. The establishment of the Institute promoted scientific research in human cardiovascular physiology, neurophysiology and psychophysiology in Slovakia.
Over many years, the Institute has been involved in considerable international activities. The institute has played a major role in the foundation of the Collegium Internationale Activitatis Nervosae Superioris and the International Society of Electrocardiology. Furthermore, the researches of the institute have established a professional organisation “NO club”, promoting research of the transmitter nitric oxide (NO). The Institute is a publisher of the scientific journal Activitas Nervosa Superior Rediviva.
Since 1 January 2018, INPP joined the Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology and the Institute of Heart Research to create the Centre of Experimental Medicine of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (CEM SAS).