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Hire Dr. Damjan A.

Belgium

USD 20 /hr

Cancer Researcher & Bioinformatician | Clinical oncology-hematology & Epigenomics/epitranscriptomics | MPharm, PhD, MBA

Profile Summary

Experience and skills: Postdoctoral Researcher in Cancer Epigenomics and Epitranscriptomics (Applied Cancer Epigenomics and Epitranscriptomics group at Institute Jules Bordet, ULB, Brussels, Belgium). Responsibilities: -Work with epigenetic drugs and human specimens from clinical trials to decipher the role of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) mRNA modification in the heterogeneity of breast cancers and their resistance to treatments. -Direct RNA sequencing; Oxford Nanopore Technologies (PromethION, MinION), protocol optimisation. -Cell culture and in-vitro cancer models of therapy resistance, -RNA extraction, RT-qPCR, western blot, -CRISPR, RNAi, -Phenotypic cancer assays (cell viability, cell proliferation with endpoint assays and live-cell imaging platforms (e.g. Incucyte)), -Sample preparation for single-cell RNA sequencing and m6A/MeRIP sequencing, -Bioinformatic analysis. Scientific Researcher/Doctoral Researcher in Oncology (Faculty of Pharmacy, Ljubljana, Slovenia) Responsibilities: -Project evaluation (EU Experts) -Project proposal preparation and reporting (translational research, applicable research) -Coordination and management of domestic (P1-0208, NC-0004, and P3-0289), international/bilateral (CEA BINAL (BI-FR/CEA/xxxxxxxxx) and CEA NOBIL (BI-FR/CEA/xxxxxxxxx), and European projects (European Regional Development Fund OP20.05187 RI-SI-EATRIS) honed my skills in project management and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. -Procurement of research equipment -BSL1 and BSL2 lab manager (GLP, SOP, supply chain management, protocol optimization, training of personnel) -Co-mentor to Master’s students, PhD researchers -Experienced researcher: publishing original and review scientific papers (https://bib.cobiss.net/bibliographies/si/webBiblio/bib201_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_52092.html) -Biobanking cancer samples -Establishment of in vitro models of resistant leukemia (cell line development) -Establishment of ex-vivo screening platform for treatment individualization -Drug development and pharmacology -Target and biomarker discovery and validation (RNAseq, FACS, imaging flow cytometry, ELISA, cytokine profile, qPCR, WES, biostatistics, protein activity and expression, translocation, co-localization, proliferation, cell death, et cetera.) -Cell culture (primary cell culture, mesenchymal stem cells, immortalized cells) Translational research on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); PhD in Biomedicine, investigating the role of constitutive proteasome, immunoproteasome, and autophagy in the therapy of CLL. The aim of this project was to: a) understand the role of these systems in the resistance of CLL cells to Bcl-2 inhibitor venetoclax, BTK inhibitors ibrutinib and acalabrutinib and PI3K inhibitors idelalisib and duvelisib; b) establish in-vitro models of resistant CLL; c) establish immunoproteasome and autophagy as novel targets to combat resistance; d) identify novel biomarkers for predicting the resistance in patients with CLL. Collaborations: Collaboration with Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Institut de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire: discovery of novel biomarkers and individualized therapeutic approaches to overcome drug resistance. Focus on EP4 receptor agonists as novel compounds for the treatment of CLL and activity and protein levels and genotype of Ku70 as biomarkers in CLL. Collaboration with University of Bern, Institute of Pharmacology aimed to uncover the role of serine proteases in RIPK3-MLKL-mediated necroptotic death pathway in neutrophils. Synthesis of serine protease inhibitors and testing for their selectivity against serine proteases, such as human neutrophil elastase, cathepsin G, proteinase 3. Industry collaboration: CeramTec, study of immune response to nanoparticles (ELISA, Q-PCR). -Research topics: translational and basic research on autophagy, proteasome, immunoproteasome in cancer resistance and progression, modes of cell death, autophagy and longevity of human cells, EP4 receptor as a target in leukemia and lymphoma, serine proteases in neutrophilic cell death (necroptosis), activity of proteins as novel biomarker in leukemia, drug resistance,.. Education: -Master's in Pharmacy in 2018 (Faculty of Pharmacy, SI, EU) -PhD in Biomedicine, specialization in hematology oncology in 2023 (Faculty of Pharmacy & University Medical Centre Ljubljana, SI, EU) -MBA from the School of Economics and Business in 2023 (SI, EU) to further develop my professional skills and assume leadership roles in translational research and healthcare innovation. -Postdoctoral fellowship (Institute Jules Bordet, Université libre de Bruxelles in 2023 (ULB), Brussels, BE).

Subject Matter Expertise

• ☆ Biostatistics
• ☆ Biochemistry
• ☆ Apoptosis
• ☆ Molecular Biology
• ☆ Biomarkers
• ☆ Omics
• ☆ Transcriptomics
• ☆ PCR
• ☆ DNA Sequencing
• ☆ RNA Sequencing
• ☆ Cell Biology
• ☆ Data Analysis
• ☆ Image Processing
• ☆ Data Processing
• ☆ Data Visualization
• ☆ Data Collection
• ☆ Data Management
• ☆ Statistics
• ☆ Bioinformatics
• ☆ Biomarker Discovery
• ☆ Cell Culture
• ☆ Primary Cells
• ☆ 3D Cell Culture
• ☆ Cytometry
• ☆ Python
• ☆ SPSS
• ☆ Matlab
• ☆ Excel
• ☆ R
• ☆ Pharmacy
• ☆ Pharmacy Education
• ☆ Drug Discovery
• ☆ High Throughput Screening (HTS)
• ☆ Drug Target Identification
• ☆ Phenotypic Assays
• ☆ High Content Screening/Imaging
• ☆ Drug Design
• ☆ Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) Studies
• ☆ Drug Development
• ☆ Small Molecule Drug Development
• ☆ Biosafety Testing
• ☆ Preclinical ADME/PK/PD
• ☆ Preclinical Research
• ☆ Pharmacogenomics
• ☆ Preclinical Pharmacology
• ☆ In vitro Preclinical Toxciology
• ☆ Patient Recruitment
• ☆ Clinical Data Management
• ☆ Clinical Trials Data Analysis
• ☆ Medical Genetics
• ☆ Breast Cancer
• ☆ Oncology
• ☆ Chemotherapy
• ☆ Precision Medicine
• ☆ Hematology
• ☆ Hematology-Oncology
• ☆ Leukemia & Lymphoma
• ☆ Clinical Laboratory Science
• ☆ Immunotherapy
• ☆ Cancer Research
• ☆ Accounting
• ☆ Personal Finance & Budgeting
• ☆ Business Strategy
• ☆ Business Statistics
• ☆ Innovation Management
• ☆ Project Management
• ☆ Management Consulting

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI
• Product Development

Writing Medical Writing, Non-Medical Regulatory Writing, Technical Writing, Creative Writing, General Proofreading & Editing, Translation

Research User Research, Feasibility Study, Fact Checking, Scientific and Technical Research, Systematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection

Consulting Healthcare Consulting, Scientific and Technical Consulting, Regulatory Consulting

Data & AI Statistical Analysis, Image Processing, Image Analysis, Data Visualization, Big Data Analytics, Text Mining & Analytics, Data Cleaning, Data Processing, Data Insights

Product Development Formulation, Recipe Development, Stability/Shelf Life Testing, Product Evaluation, Material Sourcing, Product Validation, Quality Assurance & Control (QA/QC), Product Compliance , Concept Development, Prototyping, Reverse Engineering

Work Experience

Postdoctroral Researcher

ULB - Free University of Brussels, Institute Jules Bordet

May 2024 - Present

Cancer Researcher

UL Faculty of Pharmacy

October 2018 - January 2023

Education

Post-Doc

ULB - Free University of Brussels

May 2024 - Present

Master of Business and Organization

School of Economics and Business UL

January 2023 - December 2024

PhD

UL Faculty of Pharmacy

October 2018 - September 2023

Master of Pharmacy

UL Faculty of Pharmacy

October 2012 - June 2018

Certifications

• MBA

  UL School of Economics and Business

  January 2024 - Present

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Inhibition of p38 MAPK or immunoproteasome overcomes resistance of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells to Bcl-2 antagonist venetoclax <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh" CONTENT="0;URL=/servlet/useragent"> </head> . Cell Death & Disease.

Damjan Avsec, Tijana Markovič, Helena Podgornik, Sanja Nabergoj, Irena Mlinarič-Raščan (2022). The Enhanced Cytotoxic Effects in B-Cell Leukemia and Lymphoma Following Activation of Prostaglandin EP4 Receptor and Targeting of CD20 Antigen by Monoclonal Antibodies . International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Damjan Avsec, Tijana Markovič, Helena Podgornik, Sanja Nabergoj, Irena Mlinarič-Raščan (2022). The Enhanced Cytotoxic Effects in B-Cell Leukemia and Lymphoma Following Activation of Prostaglandin EP4 Receptor and Targeting of CD20 Antigen by Monoclonal Antibodies . International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Ma{\v{s}}a Kenda and Damjan Avsec and Taja Zore and Eva Kogov{\v{s}}ek and Ur{\v{s}}a Pe{\v{c}}ar Fonovi{\'{c}} and Janko Kos and Kri{\v{s}}tof Bozovi{\v{c}}ar and Toma{\v{z}} Bratkovi{\v{c}} and Nata{\v{s}}a Karas Ku{\v{z}}eli{\v{c}}ki and Bojana {\v{Z}}egura and Metka Filipi{\v{c}} and Marija Sollner Dolenc(2022). Effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on androgen, estrogen α, glucocorticoid and thyroid receptors . Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 434. p. 115818. Elsevier {BV}

(2022). Antagonists of antiapoptotic proteins in the targeted therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia . Farmacevtski vestnik : strokovno glasilo slovenske farmacije = pharmaceutical journal of Slovenia.

Kenda, M., Avsec, D., Zore, T., Kogovšek, E., Pečar Fonović, U., Kos, J., Bozovičar, K., Bratkovič, T., Karas Kuželički, N., Žegura, B., et al.(2022). Effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on androgen, estrogen α, glucocorticoid and thyroid receptors . Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 434.

Avsec, D., Škrlj Miklavčič, M., Burnik, T., Kandušer, M., Bizjak, M., Podgornik, H., Mlinarič-Raščan, I.(2022). Inhibition of p38 MAPK or immunoproteasome overcomes resistance of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells to Bcl-2 antagonist venetoclax . Cell Death and Disease. 13. (10).

Markovič, T., Podgornik, H., Avsec, D., Nabergoj, S., Mlinarič-Raščan, I.(2022). The Enhanced Cytotoxic Effects in B-Cell Leukemia and Lymphoma Following Activation of Prostaglandin EP4 Receptor and Targeting of CD20 Antigen by Monoclonal Antibodies . International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 23. (3).

Damjan Avsec, Alma Tana Jakoš Djordjevič, Maša Kandušer, Helena Podgornik, Matevž Škerget, Irena Mlinarič-Raščan(2021). Targeting Autophagy Triggers Apoptosis and Complements the Action of Venetoclax in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells . Cancers. 13. (18). p. 4557. {MDPI} {AG}

Damjan Avsec, Alma Tana Jakoš Djordjevič, Maša Kandušer, Helena Podgornik, Matevž Škerget, Irena Mlinarič-Raščan (2021). Targeting Autophagy Triggers Apoptosis and Complements the Action of Venetoclax in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells . Cancers.

Xiaoliang Wang and Damjan Avsec and Ale{\v{s}} Obreza and Shida Yousefi and Irena Mlinaric{\v}-Ras{\v}c{\v}an and Hans-Uwe Simon(2021). A Putative Serine Protease is Required to Initiate the RIPK3-MLKL—Mediated Necroptotic Death Pathway in Neutrophils . Frontiers in Pharmacology. 11. Frontiers Media {SA}

Sanja Nabergoj and Tijana Markovi{\v{c}} and Damjan Avsec and Martina Gobec and Helena Podgornik and {\v{Z}}iga Jakopin and Irena Mlinari{\v{c}}-Ra{\v{s}}{\v{c}}an(2021). EP4 receptor agonist L-902688 augments cytotoxic activities of ibrutinib, idelalisib, and venetoclax against chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells . Biochemical Pharmacology. 183. p. 114352. Elsevier {BV}

Nabergoj, S., Markovič, T., Avsec, D., Gobec, M., Podgornik, H., Jakopin, Ž., Mlinarič-Raščan, I.(2021). EP4 receptor agonist L-902688 augments cytotoxic activities of ibrutinib, idelalisib, and venetoclax against chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells . Biochemical Pharmacology. 183.

Wang, X., Avsec, D., Obreza, A., Yousefi, S., Mlinarič-Raščan, I., Simon, H.-U.(2021). A Putative Serine Protease is Required to Initiate the RIPK3-MLKL—Mediated Necroptotic Death Pathway in Neutrophils . Frontiers in Pharmacology. 11.

Avsec, D., Djordjevič, A.T.J., Kandušer, M., Podgornik, H., Škerget, M., Mlinarič‐raščan, I.(2021). Targeting autophagy triggers apoptosis and complements the action of venetoclax in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells . Cancers. 13. (18).

(2020). Zdravljenje kronične limfocitne levkemije . Spatula : glasilo Študentske sekcije Slovenskega farmacevtskega društva.

(2020). Laboratory diagnosis of covid-19 : from virus detection to immune response measurement . Farmacevtski vestnik : strokovno glasilo slovenske farmacije = pharmaceutical journal of Slovenia.

Avsec, D., Flegar, I.(2016). Gene therapy for Huntington's disease,Gensko zdravljenje Huntingtonove bolezni . Farmacevtski Vestnik. 67. (6). p. 374-379.

MAGAZINE ARTICLE

(2021). Targeting autophagy complements the action of ibrutnib and venetoclax in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells . EPSA studentsʹ science publication.