Research interests
• Use of cathepsin B and X inhibitors for the improvement of antitumor therapy
• Cysteine cathepsins in cancer stem cells
• The role of cysteine cathepsins B and X and their inhibitors in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition
• Identification and characterization of new low-molecular weight inhibitors of cysteine cathepsins as antitumor agents and antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2

Research experience and education
2024 – : Scientific associate, Department of Biotechnology, “Jožef Stefan” Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2022 – : Assistant professor for Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2017 – 2024: Postdoctoral research assistant, Department of Biotechnology, “Jožef Stefan” Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2014 – 2022: Assistant for Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2013 – 2017: PhD junior researcher, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia / PhD, Interdisciplinary doctoral program Biomedicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2007 – 2013: Master of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Awards and fellowships
• 2022: Lapanje award for outstanding achievements of a younger member of Slovenian Biochemical Society in the field of biochemical sciences
• 2022: FEBS Bursary for IUBMB FEBS PABMB Congress
• 2018: FEBS3+ Meeting Fellowship, Siofok, Hungary
• 2018: FEBS Bursary for 43th FEBS Congress
• 2018: Slovenian Biochemical Society grant for younger members to attend conference
• 2017: Krka Prize
• 2016: Dean’s award of Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana for publication “Clioquinol-ruthenium complex impairs tumour cell invasion by inhibiting cathepsin B activity” published in Dalton Transactions
• 2016: Young Scientist Program and 16th IUBMB conference Fellowship, Vancouver, Canada
• 2015: FEBS3+ Meeting Fellowship, Portorož, Slovenia
• 2015: Young Scientists’ Forum and 40th FEBS Congress Fellowship
• 2012: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana award for extraordinary average mark in all years of studies
• 2003-2013: Zois Scholarships