The National Research-Development Institute for Biological Sciences (INCDSB) is proud to announce the successful organisation of the Romanian Governmental Scientific Expedition to Antarctica - ROICE 2026, coordinated by CSII Iris Tușa.

The expedition was launched on 24 January 2026 and is being carried out at the King Sejong Antarctic Station on King George Island, as part of the ROICE expeditions organised since 2015 by INCDSB. Four Romanian specialists from INCDSB and the University of Bucharest are part of the research team, carrying out scientific field and laboratory activities in extreme environmental conditions.

INCDSB has obtained, as the organiser, the governmental permit issued by the Ministry of Environment to carry out complex scientific activities and sampling on Antarctic territory, including within the Antarctic Special Protected Area ASPA 171 - an area of high protection due to its scientific and ecological values.

During the expedition, the team is working intensively in areas such as Sejong Hill, Araon Valley, Marian Cove and ASPA 171, collecting soil and water samples, documenting micro-ecosystems and conducting studies relevant to understanding climate change, biodiversity dynamics and biological adaptations under extreme conditions.

The scientific coordination of the expedition by CSII Iris Tușa, coordinator of the INCDSB Department of Arctic and Antarctic Research, based on the research authorisations issued by the Romanian authorities, reflects the institutional commitment to promote Romanian research to international standards and to strengthen Romania's role in the global polar research network.

The preliminary results obtained so far will be further analysed and made available to the scientific community for publication and exploitation in various fields - from biology and ecology to climatology and environmental sciences.