Projects

Project leader: Dr. Tijana Štajner

Project collaborators: Dr. Jelena Srbljanović, Dr. Branko Bobić, Dr. Vladimir Dobričić, Dr. Anđelija Ilić, Dr. Dragana Vujić, Đorđe Zlatković, Olivera Lijeskić, Jelena Trajković

Project number: 7328

Duration of the project: 2023-2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Belgrade

Description of the project:

Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is a parasitic protozoan that infects almost a third of the global population. In cases of prolonged immunosuppression, reactivation of the infection occurs in chronically infected patients , which can be life-threatening. Reactivated toxoplasmosis (RT) is a particularly devastating complication in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients, who represent the fastest growing population of immunosuppressed patients in Europe. Despite this, there are still no guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of RT. Moreover, the limited therapeutic options for RT are not only inadequate for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients due to pronounced myelotoxicity, but also ineffective because they only act on circulating parasites.

The main goal of the ToxoReTREAT project is to solve the problem of RT in the population of recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells using a multidisciplinary approach (medicine, pharmaceutical analysis, chemical industry); improve efficiency and reduce side effects; and the formulation of national guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of RT. Namely, molecular monitoring of RT, isolation and characterization of T. gondii strains, identification of risk factors and evaluation of the effectiveness of standard treatment options will result in the formulation of National Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients. The activity of newly synthesized and modified derivatives of acridine and acridone will be investigated both in vitro and in vivo experimental models of RT. T. gondii strains will be isolated from patients diagnosed with RT. Our research will identify at least one RT drug candidate with reduced toxicity and increased overall efficacy against T. gondii tachyzoites and bradyzoites, compared to standard therapy. We expect that the results of our project will arouse the interest of the pharmaceutical industry to engage in the development of new drugs for the treatment of toxoplasmosis. The sustainable transfer of knowledge gained through chemotherapy experiments will be contributed by the application of the freely available ImageJ software for the improvement of the automated assessment of the results of the experiments.

Project leader: Dr. Ivana Klun

Project collaborators: Dr. Duško Ćirović, Dr. Oliver Tošković, Dr. Aleksandra Penezić, Dr. Stanislav Simin, Dr. Aleksandra Uzelac, Vladimir Ćirković, Dragana Miličić, Nikola Betić, Neda Bogdanović, Ilija Pantelić

Project number: 2424

Duration of the project: 2024-2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology

Description of the project:

The increasing prevalence of food and waterborne parasitoses in humans and animals in Europe calls for the need for holistic surveillance to detect emerging threats and identify reservoirs of infection, so that public health authorities can be alerted in a timely manner. Systematic monitoring programs for most of the parasites which cause these diseases do not exist and most parasitoses are not notifiable, thus it is upon the scientific community to gather evidence of these silent epidemics, raise awareness and advocate for innovative and improved food safety measures to reduce disease burden.

PARASITE HUNTER aims to incorporate One Health principles in food safety, with a strong emphasis on environmental matrices, as the 21st century is characterized by significantly perturbed ecosystems due to anthropogenic disturbances. The impact of ecosystem health and wildlife on food safety will be evaluated and communication with stakeholders will be established. Standardized parasitological methods [sedimentation, (Mini)FLOTAC] and validated molecular techniques (multiplex qPCR, nested PCR) will be applied to detect, quantify, and assess viability (staining and in vitro culture) of food and waterborne parasites (FWP) of public health significance in various human and animal foods, water and soil in which the food is produced. This project aims to establish a data driven surveillance framework for FWP to improve food safety beyond the current standard by including monitoring of vulnerable groups (humans and animals) not covered by the current food safety legislation. Stakeholders will be engaged through questionnaires to assess the level of awareness regarding FWP and help draft a white paper with proposals to reduce/control the FWP burden. As a result of the project activities, a sustainable, state of the art FWP surveillance program for timely identification of emerging threats to public health, and stakeholder approved measures to improve food safety are expected.

Project leader: Dr. Aleksandra Uzelac

Project collaborators: Dr. Katarina Breka, Dr. Jelena Karanović, Dr. Nikola Betić, Dr. Milica Kuručki, Dr. Tijana Kukurić

Project number: 10841

Duration of the project: 2024-2026.

Leading institution: Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad

Description of the project:

Analysis of the population genetics of Echinococcus is an ongoing effort in some parts of Europe, while the Balkans represent a significant knowledge gap. This project proposes to comprehensively survey the entire transmission cycle consisting of intermediate and definitive animal hosts and the environment using sample processing and analytical methods which have been standardized, validated and harmonized at the EU level to obtain high quality population genetics data via mitochondrial gene (cox1 and nad1) sequencing and characterization of the EmsB microsatellite from single eggs, larvae and adults. Specifically, this approach allows for the survey of as of yet underexplored reservoirs with a potentially high transmission capacity to humans. The population genetics data along with GPS coordinates of identified infected hosts will be systematized and graphically displayed through an interactive bioinformatics database, WormProfiler, to help identify transmission foci and ultimately model transmission dynamics. WormProfiler’s user interface will be specifically tailored to veterinarians and physicians, who are key stakeholders for transmission prevention, in order to facilitate education of the public and raise awareness of echinococcosis. Ultimately, the project’s goal is to create a software supported framework for systematic surveillance of  Echinococcus to aid in the development of targeted transmission control actions to reduce echinococcosis case burden.

Project leader: Dr. Olgica Đurkovi-Đaković

Project number: III 41019

Duration of the project: 2011-2019.

Leading institution:  Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade

Collaborating institutions: Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade

Description of the project: