RESEARCH
The Institute of Cell Biology is a research institution with the longest tradition of cell biology-focused research in Slovenia. It combines state-of-the-art equipment with experts in the field of cell biology and microscopy. The Institute of Cell Biology is also chair of the Center of Electron Microscopy and the University infrastructural centre Biomedical Centre of Microscopy at the faculty of Medicine and the founder of Slovenian node of Eurobioimaging organisation as a European microscopy infrastructure consortium.
Basic and applicative research is focused on the epithelium of the urinary bladder – urothelium. Diverse experimental systems including several kinds of cell cultures and animal models are used to study the urothelial differentiation, proliferation, cell death and several lower urinary tract pathologies as carcinogenesis, bacterial and interstitial cystitis. A broad range of methods are employed: fluorescence microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, freeze-fracturing, immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy, Western blotting, single cell analysis as well as transfection methods and cell and tissue culturing. These methods are employed to analyze the markers of urothelial differentiation, i.e. uroplakins, cytoskeleton, molecular components of cell-cell and cell-substrate adhesion. The traffic of endomembrane compartments in urothelial cells is studied by endocytic tracers and by immunolabelling.
The interdisciplinary approach to research is supported by numerous collaborations on the national and international level. On the national level the Institute of Cell Biology collaborates in projects with the Biotechnical faculty, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, University Clinical centre of Ljubljana, Institute of Oncology and National Institute of Chemistry, Institute Jozef Stefan among others. Another successful collaboration is with the pharmaceutical company Lek, as part of Sandoz, the generic division of Novartis. On the international level the Institute of Cell Biology collaborates with the Eugenia Menni Research Center (Poliambulanza Foundation Hospital, Italy), the Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (Italy), prof. Erik Manders (Advanced Microscopy, the Netherlands), Mathew Mulveys Lab (University of Utah, USA), David Križaj’s lab (University of Utah, USA), prof. Tung-Tien Sun (New York University School of Medicine, USA) and prof. Michael Winder, (Sahlgrenska Academy, Sweden).
RESEARCH TOPICS
Current research projects and programmes funded by the Slovenian Research Agency:
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Inflammatory process in interstitial cystitis and evaluation of the influence of cannabinoid receptor agonists in urinary bladder - from cells to patients (project No. J3-2521), principal investigator dr. Peter Veranič
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The amniotic membrane as a novel multimodal therapy for bacterial cystitis and bladder cancer: unravelling its antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and anticancer activity (project No. J7-2594), principal investigator dr. Mateja Erdani Kreft
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Exploitation of the magneto-mechanical effect in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (project No. J2-3043) in collaboration with dr. Slavko Kralj
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Magnetically-controllable nanocarriers mimicking endogenous lipid particles for improved drug/nanoparticle delivery (project No. J2-3040) in collaboration with dr. Darko Makovec
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Bioactive, in situ modified, fibrous membranes based on bacterial cellulose: processing, characterisation and assessment of biomedical potential (project No. J2-2487) in collaboration with dr. Selestina Gorgieva
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Unravelling glioma stem cell niches for novel therapeutic targets in glioblastoma patients (project No. J3-2526) in collaboration with dr. Cornelis J.F. van Noorden
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Selective electroporation by distributed nanoelectrodes (project No. J2-3046) in collaboration with dr. Damijan Miklavčič
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Development of safe multifunctional surfaces for catheters to combat biofilms (DemoCat) (project No. L2-3163) in collaboration with dr. Alenka Vesel
AWARDS
2022
Anja Emri received Prešeren Prize of the Medical faculty for her research thesis "Analysis of cell growth depending on different porosity (mechanical structure) of biocompatible membranes used in reconstructive surgery". The research was supervised by prof. dr. Uroš Ahčan and prof. dr. Mateja Erdani Kreft.
2021
Dr. Taja Železnik Ramuta was awarded the Krka Prize for post-graduates for her doctoral dissertation "Analysis of the effect of amniotic membrane-derived preparations in cancer urothelial cells and uropathogenic bacteria". The doctoral dissertation was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft and Prof. Marjanca Starčič Erjavec.
Dr. Tadeja Kuret was awarded Krka's recognition with special praise for her doctoral dissertation"Cell and molecular markers of systemic vasculitis and autoantibodies against serum amyloid A as physiological regulators of the inflammatory response". The doctoral dissertation was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Snežna Sodin-Šemrl and Prof. Saša Čučnik.
Maja Vodlan received the Krka Prize and Prešeren Prize of the Medical faculty for her research thesis "The effect of metformin on biogenesis of mitochondria in in vitro breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231". The research was supervised by prof. dr. Peter Veranič and prof. dr. Maja Pavlin.
Valentina Vošner received Prešeren Prize of the Medical faculty for her research thesis "Analysis of molecular, morphological and physiological causes for premature rupture of fetal memebranes". The research thesis was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Andreja Trojner Bregar and Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft.
2019
Excellence in Science award, 2019. Within the framework of the Excellent in Science project, the article Protein complexes from the fungal genus Pleurotus as new biopesticides for the control of Colorado potato beetle and corn beetle was included in the selection of achievements for 2019, in which Assist prof. Nataša Resnik and Prof. Peter Veranič from the Institute of Cell Biology of the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana. Excellent in science is a project implemented by the agency within the framework of the promotion of science. It is a selection of the most prominent achievements of the past year, which is proposed to the ARRS Scientific Council by the members of the Scientific Research Councils of individual sciences for approval. Selected achievements are presented every autumn in the form of short popular lectures at events accessible to the public. The article was published on 25/03/2019 in the journal Scientific reports and is available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41450-4, and you can find more about the event at: http://www .arrs.si/sl/promocija/odlicni/odlicni-19.asp
Gaja Markovič was awarded Prešeren Prize of Faculty of Medicine for her research thesis "The role of focal adhesion kinase and its inhibitors in the formation of tunnel membrane nanotubes and the survival of cancer urothelial cells". The research was supervised by prof. dr. Mateja Erdani Kreft and doc. dr. Nataša Resnik.
2018
Research work of our undergraduate student Tina Šket was awarded with Prešeren Prize of Biotechnical Faculty.
Research work of our undergraduate student Irenej Kolšek was awarded with Prešeren Prize of Faculty of Medicine.
2017
Prof. Daša Zupančič was awarded EMBP 'Short Term Fellowship Award' for her work on the project »The role of retinoid signaling pathway in urothelial cancer transformation«. The project was carried out at hte Medical Faculty in Split, Croatia in collaboration with Prof. Janoš Terzić and Prof. Jelena Korać Prlić.
Urška Dragin Jerman was awarded the Krka Prize for post-graduates for doctoral dissertation “Interactions between cancer and normal urothelial cells and establishment of urothelial connective tissue equivalent on amniotic membrane scaffold”. The doctoral dissertation was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft.
Polona Glažar received the Prešeren award of the Biotechnical faculty for the year 2017 for graduation thesis “Detection of motor proteins in tunneling nanotubes and their role in bacterial communication and dissemination”. The graduation thesis was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft.
2016
Polona Glažar received the Prešeren award of the University of Ljubljana for the year 2016 for her research thesis “Carbohydrates of urothelial cells and the integrity of the basal lamina in urothelial neoplasia”. The research thesis was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Daša Zupančič.
Diana Baraga received the Prešeren award of the Biotechnical faculty for the year 2016 for her graduation thesis “Detection of membrane nanotubes between cancer cells and normal urothelial cells”. The graduation thesis was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft.
2014
Matej Skočaj was awarded the Krka Prize for post-graduates for his doctoral dissertation “Labeling of cholesterol-enriched membrane microdomains with ostreolysin A”. The doctoral dissertation was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Kristina Sepčić, Ph.D, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana and Prof. Peter Veranič, Ph.D., Institute of Cell Biology.
Eva Ogorevc was awarded the Unesco L’Oreal For Women in Science Award for the year 2014. She prepared her doctoral dissertation “Membrane vesicles as biomarkers of homeostasis” under the supervision of Prof. Veronika Kralj-Iglič, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, and Prof. Peter Veranič, Institute of Cell Biology.
Taja Železnik received the Prešeren award of the Biotechnical faculty for the year 2014 for graduation thesis “The use of amniotic membrane scaffold for inhibiting the growth of cancer urothelial cells”. The graduation thesis was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft.
2011
The Senate of the Faculty of Medicine awarded the Lavrič teaching award for the year 2011 to Prof. Kristijan Jezernik, the lecturer and the head of the Institute of Cell Biology.
2010
Urška Dragin Jerman received the Prešeren award of the Biotechnical faculty for the year 2010 for graduation thesis “Amniotic membrane as a scaffold for urothelium and its role in differentiation of urothelial cells”. The graduation thesis was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft.
2009
Larisa Tratnjek received the The Pomurje research award for best graduation thesis for the year 2009 rewarded for the graduation thesis “Endocitotic activity in urothelial cells: dependence on differentiation stage and microtubules”. The graduation thesis was prepared under the supervision of Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft.