Work Experience

1996‐2017: teaching assistant at the Chair of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, BF, UL (practical courses in Biochemistry)

Since 2004: lecturer in courses »Biochemistry«, "Natural compounds and their use in pharmacology" and »Membrane molecular biology« (BF, UL)

Since 2017: lecturer at the doctoral studies of Biomedicine (Medical faculty, UL) and Biosciences (BF, UL)

2012-2019: visiting professor at the Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Croatia


Competencies

1994: BSc in Biology, Department of Biology, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana (BF, UL)

1998: PhD in Biological Sciences, Department of Biology, BF, UL

2000: Assistant Professor in Biochemistry

2005: Associate Professor in Biochemistry

2011: Full Professor in Biochemistry

 

1995‐1999: several visits (few weeks to few months) at the Laboratory for entomology at the University Paul Sabatier (Toulouse, France); French government fellowship for the work on a post‐doctoral project in the same laboratory (1999)

2000: research work in the Laboratory for bioorganic chemistry, Faculty of Physics, University of Trento (Italy)

2001‐2002: NATO fellowship for the research work on a post‐doctoral project at the Institute of biophysics (CNR centre, Trento, Italy)

2002: research work at the Institute for marine sciences (CNR centre, Genova, Italy) within the COST 520 project

2005: NATO fellowship for the research work on a post‐doctoral project at the Institute of biophysics (CNR centre, Trento, Italy)


Recognitions, awards

2001: international award »Prix scientifique Daniel Jouvance« (1st place) for young

researchers in the field of marine natural products (Paris, France)

2002: Award of the University of Ljubljana for exceptional research and pedagogical achievements

2006, 2008, 2015: Biotechnical faculty award for the best lecturer

2016: National award »Miroslav Zei« for exceptional research achievements in the last 5 years

2019: “Best in science” award of the Slovenian Research Agency for the best scientific paper in the field of Biotechnic

2019: Mentor of the year award (best PhD mentor on national level)

2020: National Lapanje award for exceptional research achievements in the field of Biochemistry

2020: Rector's prize (3rd place) fort the best invention

2021: Prešern prize for the best student’s MSC thesis at the University of Ljubljana (role: mentor)


Research Fields

Isolation, physical and chemical characterization, and investigation of biological activity of natural products, with the emphasis on:

(i) membrane‐active proteins belonging to the aegerolysin family, their interaction with membrane lipids and lipid domains, and their possible use in biomedicine and biotechnology, and

(ii) natural products from marine invertebrates that act as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, cell transfection agents or antifouling compounds