Senior Research Asociate, chemist, Ph.D.

Biography

Date and Place of birth:     
September 19, 1964, Zagreb, Croatia

Education:
1989 B.Sc. in chemistry at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb

1993 M.Sc. in natural sciences at the University of Zagreb (M.Sc. thesis: "Determination of zinc and copper in serum by flame AAS and research on zinc, copper and lead interactions in humans"; supervisor: Spomenka Telišman, Ph.D., Scientific Adviser).

2000 Ph.D. in biomedicine and health sciences at the University of Zagreb (Ph.D. thesis: "Toxicokinetic interactions of lead, cadmium, calcium, copper, and zinc in humans"; supervisor: Spomenka Telišman, Ph.D., Scientific Adviser).

2002 Research associate in biomedicine and health sciences, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb

Training:
1994 The Fifth Risk Assessment Summer School, Manor of Groves, U. K.
1995 EUROTOX Seminar "Principles of Risk Assessment from Chemical Exposure”, Łódź, Poland.
1996 EUROTOX Seminar “Modern Trends and Principles of Chemical Safety”, Szeged, Hungary.
1998 “Heavy Metal Pollution Control”, Osaka, Japan (by Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA).
1999 Visiting Research Fellowship, Department of International Affairs and Environmental Sciences of The National Institute for Minamata Disease, Minamata, Japan.

Working experience:
Since 1989  Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb (Clinical Toxicological Chemistry Unit)

Research area:

• Biological monitoring of occupational and environmental exposure to metals
• Health effects of metals in humans: effects on blood pressure, male reproductive function, immune function, oxidative stress
• Interaction of toxic metals (lead, cadmium) with essential elements (calcium, copper, zinc and selenium) in humans
• Influence of age, sex, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and stress on metal exposure and toxicity
• Evaluation of various biomarkers of internal dose and sub-clinical effect of metals in humans

Membership:
Croatian Toxicological Society

Teaching:  
Mentor of B.Sc. Thesis at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 2005.