Research interests
• Cell biology, immunology, cancer biology
• Cysteine proteases and their inhibitors
• Immune response in cancer
• Tumour microenvironment
• Molecular mechanisms of immunosuppression

Research experience and education
2021 – present: Scientific Associate, Department of Biotechnology, “Jožef Stefan” Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2013 – 2021: Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Department of Biotechnology, “Jožef Stefan” Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2012 – 2013: Postdoctoral Research Assistant Institute for Virusology, Vaccines and Sera “Torlak”, Belgrade, Serbia
2008 – 2012: PhD researcher, Institute for Immunobiology “Branislav Janković”, Belgrade, Serbia / PhD in Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
2006 – 2007: Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Serbia
2004 – 2008: Young researcher, Institute for Immunobiology “Branislav Janković”, Belgrade, Serbia /MSc in Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
2004: BSc at Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
2001 – 2002: Undergraduate researcher (Lab of Prof. Reto Weiler) at the University Carl von Ossietzky, Germany

Awards and fellowships
• 2023 COST IMMuno-model CA21135 Scholarship (E-COST-GRANT-CA21135-a0dc659a) for work at the Institute of Oncology, Republic of Serbia (IORS)
• 2023 EORTC Melanoma Group Scholarship for conference participation
• 2016 EMBO Scholarship for conference participation
• 2004–2006 Ministry of Science and Technology Scholarship for Master’s studies
• 2001 IAESTE Scholarship for work in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Oldenburg, Germany
• 2001 Ministry of Science, RS Scholarship for gifted students
• 2001 Norwegian Embassy Scholarship for gifted students
• 2000/2001 “Madlena Janković” Foundation Scholarship for gifted students

Past and current grants as PI
• CRP/SVN24-01-International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biology, LET (‘s) IMPACT, 2025-2028; €45,000.
• ARIS J3-60067 Slovenian Research Agency, CAthepsin Targeted IMMunotherapy for PAncreatic Cancer Treatment, 2025-2028; €300,000.
• RSF-0041 FUTURE Cathepsin Targeted Immunotherapy with Lab-Informed AI for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment, 2024-2028; €600,000.
• ARIS BI-RS/23-25-044 Bilateral project SLO-RS, Evaluation of the effects of cystatin F inhibition in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: Potential therapeutic approach for multiple sclerosis (TARGET-CYSF-MS), 2.000 EUR
• ARIS BI-US/22-24-155 Bilateral project SLO-USA, Enhancement of NK cell cytotoxicity by cystatin F modulation, 2.000 EUR
• ARIS J3-2516 Slovenian Research Agency, Cystatin F as a mediator of immunosuppression in glioblastoma microenvironment; 2020-2023; €300,000.