Neuroendocrinology

This cross-disciplinary research group studies neuroendocrine-immune interactions during ontogenesis, stress, and inflammation. The main areas of research are:

  1. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying erythropoietic response to chronic psychological stress
  2. Interactions between macrophages and tissue-specific mesenchymal stem cells during stress and inflammation
  3. Roles of nitric-oxide and purinergic signalling in macrophage-mesenchymal stem cells interactions during stress erythropoiesis
  4. Appearance, localization, density of endocrine cells in human stomach and pancreas during prenatal and early postnatal development

NEXT THREE YEARS

Considering the significant implication of neuroendocrine-immune dysfunction in cancer development and progression, as well as the fact that the global burden of breast cancer is rising fast, we plan to use the experimental model of breast cancer and focus future research on the mechanisms of neuroendocrine-immune interactions in the tumor microenvironment. This research will include:

  • Molecular mechanisms underlying the tumor-promoting activity of stress erythropoiesis pathways
  • Immunomodulatory properties of stress erythroid progenitors

 

 

  • Roles of glucocorticoids and purinergic signaling on macrophages polarization and their interactions with mesenchymal stem cells within the tumor microenvironment
  • Therapeutic potential of inhibiting ineffective SE in suppressing breast cancer growth and progression

Head of the Research Group

Research associate

Sanja Vignjević Petrinović, MD, PhD, Specialist in laboratory medicine

Research associate

Sanja Vignjević Petrinović, MD, PhD, Specialist in laboratory medicine

Sanja Vignjević Petrinović is the Doctor of Medical Science, Specialist of Laboratory Medicine. She is a lead scientist in the Group for neuroendocrinology. Her research is focused on neuroendocrine-immune interactions during ontogenesis, oncogenesis and stress. She is interested in investigating the immunomodulatory role of immature erythroid cells and targeting stress erythropoiesis pathways in cancer. As a Specialist of Laboratory Medicine, she is highly motivated for the translational research in hematology, endocrinology and immunology as well as for the development of novel laboratory assays for clinical use

Email:sanja.vignjevic@imi.bg.ac.rs

Group Members

Research associate

Maja Milošević, PhD
Research assistant

Sanja Momčilović, MD
Research associate

Dušica Kočović, PhD

Research associate

Maja Milošević, PhD

Maja Milošević, PhD, is a biochemist by training and a research associate in the Neuroendocrinology Group. Her research focuses on cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in stress erythropoiesis, particularly the role of extracellular nucleotides and purinergic signaling in bone marrow and spleen in chronic psychological stress. She also has research experience in neuroscience, rodent models, toxicology, lipidomics, and metabolic syndrome.

Email:mmilosevic@imi.bg.ac.rs

Research assistant

Sanja Momčilović, MD

Sanja Momčilović is medical doctor. She is since 2015 a PhD student on Faculty of medicine University of Belgrade course Molecular medicine, and since 2016 works on Institute of Medical Research University of Belgrade, Department of Neuroendocrinology. Her doctoral dissertation on the role of the microenvironment during stress erythrocytopoiesis caused by chronic psychological stress is begin prepared. She is an expert in work in vivo with experimental mice and for isolation of mouse mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow and spleen. For now, she has experience in RT-PCR analysis.

Research associate

Dušica Kočović, PhD

Dušica Kočović is the Doctor of Biological Sciences in the Group for Neuroendocrinology. During her PhD studies, she worked at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, as a teaching assistant on the courses Biophysics and Experimental Physiology of Excitable Cells. She was a participant of several national and international projects, “Biomarkers in neurodegenerative and malignant processes”, “Horizon H2020 AUTOIgG” and “Connexin”, during she also worked few months at UConn Health clinic in the USA, at the ALBA Synchrotron in Barcelona and at the Medipol University Clinic in Istanbul. She has experience in work with laboratory animals, preparation of tissue samples and cell cultures, immunostaining, imaging with Raman spectroscopy, confocal and fluorescence microscopes, as well as knowledge in image and spectrum analysis. She is the author of several papers in international journals and presentations at national and international meetings. Her currently research studies are focused on the impact of psychological stress on erythrocytopoiesis, role of immature cells of the erythroid lineage in the growth of tumors, as well as on the interaction of macrophages with mesenchymal stem cells. She is also interested in the effects of immunoglobulins in physiological and pathological conditions.

Email:dusica.kocovic@imi.bg.ac.rs

Latest PROJECTS

2023-2026 Anti-Inflammatory Dietary intervention in breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitors – AID

2024-2026 Determining the Potential of Placental Tissue Derivatives for Use in Post-Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction: Development of a 3D-Printed Bioscaffold

2023-2025 Bilateral project (Serbia – Slovenia): Development of mucoadhesive films whit amniotic membrane homogenate for the potential application in oral tissue regeneration.

2023-2024 Bilateral project (Serbia-Germany): Metabolic effects of bone marrow adipose tissue on multiple myeloma. German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

COST actions:

CA21130 – P2X receptors as a therapeutic opportunity (PRESTO)

CA21113 – Genome Editing to Treat Humans Diseases (GenE-Humdi)

All projects of this group

Latest RESEARCH PAPERS

Momčilović S, Bogdanović A, Milošević MS, Mojsilović S, Marković DC, Kočović DM, Vignjević Petrinović S. Macrophages provide essential support for erythropoiesis, and extracellular ATP contributes to a erythropoiesis-supportive microenvironment during repeated psychological stress. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24(14):11373.

 

Vignjević Petrinović S, Milošević MS, Marković D, Momčilović S. Interplay between stress and cancer-A focus on inflammation. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1119095.

 

Vignjević Petrinović S, Jauković A, Milošević M, Bugarski D, Budeč M. Targeting stress erythropoiesis pathways in cancer. Front Physiol 2022; 13:844042.

 

Vignjević Petrinović S, Budeč M, Marković D, Mitrović Ajtić O, Jovčić G, Milošević M, Momčilović S, Čokić V. Nitric oxide-dependent expansion of erythroid progenitors in a murine model of chronic psychological stress. Histochem Cell Biol 2020;153(6):457-468

All papers

Interested in working with our research group?

Our team of experts is committed to advancing health and wellness through innovative research.
If you would like to join our team or cooperate with us, please contact us.
We look forward to cooperation with you!

 

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