Personal information
DOB: December 14th , 1964
Married, mother of three children
Education, degree, duration:
1. Doctoral studies, Dr. Med. Sci. 1993 - 96 Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana
2. Master studies, M. Sci. 1990 - 93 Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana
3. Pharmacy studies, M. Pharm. 1983 - 90 Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana (UL FFA)
Academic Appointments:
2011- Full Professor, UL FFA (fields: Pharm. biochemistry, Pharmacogenomics)
2006 - 2011 Assoc. Professor, UL FFA (fields: Pharm. biochemistry, Pharmacogenomics)
2006 - 2007 Visiting Scientist/professor; Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna
2005 - 2009 Visiting professor, Uni. of Bern, Faculty of Medicine (field: Mol. Pharmacology)
2001- 2006 Assist. Prof., UL FFA
Leading positions
2017 - 2023 Dean of the UL FFA
2016 - EATRIS National director
2016 - EATRIS.ERIC Board of Governors member
2011 - 2017 Vice-dean for research UL FFA
2007 - 2011 Faculty Coordinator for International collaboration UL FFA
2006 - 2010 President of the Board of Governors of the Josef Stefan Institute
2004 - 2006 Member of the Board of Governors of the Josef Stefan Institute
Positions held
2002 - University of Ljubljana: research and teaching appointment
1999 - 2002 Institute Josef Stefan, Ljubljana; Postdoctoral fellow
1996 - 1999 Uni. of Tokyo, Japan, IMSUT, Dept. Mol. Oncology; Postdoctoral fellow
(Mentor: Prof. Dr. Tadashi Yamomoto)
1992 - 1996 University Clinical Center, Ljubljana; PhD-research fellow
(Mentor: Prof. Dr. Nina Canki-Klain)
1991 - 1994 University of Toronto, Canada and SL Institute of Mount Sinail Hospital; Postdoc. fellow
(Mentor: Prof. Dr. Katherine Siminovitch)
Public engagement- promotion of science
- Slovenski raziskovalci do pomembnih odkritij pri zdravljenju levkemije. STA znanost, ISSN 2536-1422. http://znanost.sta.si/2288150/slovenski-raziskovalci-do-pomembnih-odkritij-pri-zdravljenju-levkemije.
- Kako izboljšati zdravljenje avtoimunskih, vnetnih in rakavih bolezni. Delo, ISSN 0350-7521, 2016, http://www.delo.si/znanje/znanost/kako-izboljsati-zdravljenje-avtoimunskih-vnetnih-in-rakavih-bolezni.html.
- Po sledeh napredka, Murska Sobota, TV IDEA, 2016. http://tvidea.si/2016/07/irena-mlinaric-rascan-tudi-o-nastanku-zdravil/
- Mlinarič-Raščan Irena. Biološka zdravila. Radiotelevizija Slovenija, 2012. http://tvslo.si/predvajaj/v-zivo-tv-slovenija-2/tv.slo2/#ava2.132001162
Professional appointments - commissions of trust
2017 - Senator, University of Ljubljana
2015 - Editor, Slovene Medical Journal
2013 - Co-Chair of Modul II. of Cooperative Medicine Development course, in coop with
Semmelweis University, Hungary (www.cemdc.eu).
2012 - Senator, Faculty of Pharmacy
2007 - Co-Organization of Radiopharmacy Course, in co-op with ETH Zurich.
2007 - 2019 Member of the scientific board for GMO at the Ministry of Environment.
2005 - 2019 Member of the high level working group in Heath and Food of the European strategic forum
for research infrastructure (ESFRI)
2004 - Representative of R.Slo. in Bologna process working group
2004 - 2007 Member of the Committee for International Collaborations at the UL
2005 - 2018 Member of the Board of Governors of the Slovene consortia of functional genomics
2002 - 2004 Member of initiative group for establishment of University incubator LUI
2002 - Independent expert EC DG research
2002 - Co-Organization of yearly summer school, University Bern.
2002 - Reviewer in several peer review journals, Biochemical Pharmacology, FEBS letters, IJ Pharm.,
Cell& Molec Biol. Lett, International Journal of Pharmaceuticals, Acta dermatovenerologica
Mentoring
1. I have mentored 9 successful PhD graduates, currently on postdoctoral positions in U California -ZDA (Murn J), MDC- Berlin (Milek M), SIgN-Singapur (Čelhar T), University of Oxford (Urbančič D) , Sandoz-Germany (Prešern M), Lek Ljubljana (Gmeiner T) in UL FFA (Šmid A, Gobec M, Markovič T).
2. Approximately 50 MPharm Gradutes have conducted master thesis under my mentorship. 12 of these students have conducted their research work at partner institutions and Universities (Bern, Brussels, Berlin, London, Madrid, Granda). 9 of my graduates are now PhD students in collaborative laboratories
9 of my M.Pharm students have receives prestigious student’s Prešeren award (only up to 5 awardees yearly).
Research Team
3 PhD students, 3 postdoctoral fellows, 3 research associates, 4 master students and a technician.
Most outspending awardees
1. Tijana Markovič is KRKA' s awaedee (2018)
2. Martina Gobec and Alenka Šmid are recipients of the Dean's award of the Faculty of Pharmacy, for their outstanding research achievements
3. Damjan Avsec (2018), Ana Temeljotov (2018), Katarina Nemec (2017), Žiga Urlep (2012), Darjan Andrejc (2010), Teja Čelhar (2008), Matej Prijatelj (2007),
Fields of expertise:
Pharmacogenomics, Molecular Pharmacology and toxicology, Medicinal Genetics, Pharmacy
Intellectual property rights - Patent application
- SOSIČ, Izidor, GOBEC, Martina, BRUS, Boris, KNEZ, Damijan, OBREZA, Aleš, MLINARIČ-RAŠČAN, Irena, GOBEC, Stanislav. Derivati psoralena kot nepeptidni zaviralci kimotripsinske aktivnosti imunoproteasoma: 24952 (A), 2016-09-30. Ljubljana: Urad Republike Slovenije za intelektualno lastnino, 2016.
- SOSIČ, Izidor, GOBEC, Martina, BRUS, Boris, KNEZ, Damijan, OBREZA, Aleš, MLINARIČ-RAŠČAN, Irena, GOBEC, Stanislav. Psoralen derivatives as non-peptidic inhibitors of chymotrypsin-like activity of the immunoproteasome: Int. Publ. no. WO/2016/151483 A 1. München: World Intellectual Property Organization, International Bureau, 2016.
Principal investigator and coordination of Research projects
2016 - 2018 NOBIL, IP: IMR The project is focusing on; establishment of novel clinically relevant CLL in vitro models; the validation of biomarkers Ku70 and immunoproteasome for clinical use; identification of safe and effective molecules for the treatment of resistant CLL via drug repurpoing and the design and evaluation of innovative therapeutic approaches to overcome the resistance of CLL.
2016 - 2018 Biomarkers and Novel Therapeutic Aapproaches for the Treatment of Leukemia (BINAL). IP: IMR Bilateral project ARRS-CEA (Komisariat za atomsko energijo, Francija. Thus, the overall objective of the proposed project is to contribute significantly to the identification and validation of novel biomarkers to aid the individualization of CLL therapy and to contribute to development of innovative therapeutic approaches to overcome the resistance to hematologic tumors We will delineated the role of prostaglandin EP4 receptor in the regulation of cell proliferation and cell death in normal and transformed lymphocytes. Furthermore, modulators of this receptor will be investigated as potential therapeutic agents in therapy of resistant CLL.
2017 - 2020 New frontiers in folate supplementation in obstetrics and gynecology CoIPs: K Geršak, IMR Disruptions and perturbations in folate metabolism are potential risk factors for the most frequent congenital birth defects, such as neural tube defects, orofacial clefts and congenital heart defects the increased levels of homocysteine and disrupted methylation. The key aim of this research proposal is to introduce individualized treatment of women during pregnancy and those who are planning a pregnancy with the goal of improving maternal health and pregnancy outcomes. The overall objective of the project is to evaluate efficacy of different derivatives and formulations of folic acid in individuals with different genetic backgrounds of folate-methionine pathway on folate status, pregnancy outcomes and the efficacy of the prevention of anti-folate effects of certain drugs. To achieve the objectives we will use several different research approaches (family based and retrospective studies) and study models (cell lines, healthy individuals, OFC, CHD, pre-eclampsia patients and in silico models).
P1-0208 Medicinal chemistry - drug design, synthesis and evaluation CoIPs: D Kikelj, IMR, and others
The long-term goal of the research programme is discovery of new bioactive small molecules with a potential for development to drugs in important therapeutic areas through combined medicinal chemistry approaches. In the next period the research programme will focus on discovery and rational design of bioactive molecules exerting their action on validated drug targets, their synthesis and biological evaluation, aiming at discovery of new and anticancer agents of high importance for public health due to increasing resistance of current therapies.
2014-2017 Translational pharmacogenomic research of thiopurine therapy TRANS TIO, IP: IMR
Based on state-of-the-art in the field and our own contribution and advances we have addressed the following unmet needs. I. Insufficient efficacy and safety of thiopurine therapy, II. Low bioavailability of thiopurines, resistance and drug interactions, III. Insufficient implementation of pharmacogenomic knowledge in clinical practice. The overall objective of the proposed project is to identify new markers of thiopurine response that will enable the development of 6-MP dosing computer software, which will greatly improve the efficiency and safety of thiopurine therapy. Genomic, metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches will be used on in situ and in vitro models, on healthy individuals and on pediatric ALL patients on thiopurine therapy. Thus obtained data will be used by means of contemporary bioinformatics’ tools for the development of 6-MP dosing algorithm and user-friendly computer software that will enable clinicians to make a quick, simple and efficient calculation of optimal 6-MP dose for each individual patient and thus increase efficiency and safety of the ALL therapy.
Other relevant projects:
2008 - 2014 Co-IP Design, synthesis and evaluation of novel substances. ARRS PI: D. Kikelj
2011 - 2014 Co-IP Development and evaluation of radiolabelled bio-molecules PI: H. Fettich
2011 - 2014 IP EPTA: EP4 receptor: potencialna tarča CEA-MVZT Bilateral project
2011 - 2014 Co-IP The role of genetic polymorphisms in treatment result and occurrence of side effects
in children with cancer. PI: J. Jazbec
2013 - 2016 Co-IP Neuronal tube defect. PI: Ksenija Geršak.
2010 - 2013 IP Farmakogenetski pristop k raziskavam, diagnostiki in terapiji levkemij ARRS
2008 - 2010 IP MAL: Modulation of Apoptosis in Lymphoma CEA-MVZT Bilateral project
Mlinarič-Raščan (UL FFA) in Prof. Jozom Delićem, CEA
2006 - 2007 IP INOMA: In a search of novel inhibitors of Apoptosis. CEA-MVZT Bilateral project
dr. Mlinarič-Raščan (UL FFA) in dr. Gidrol (CEA)
2003 - 2006 IP Farmakogenetika 6-merkaptopurina in tiopurinmetiltransferaze
Industrial projects
In cooperation with z Lek d.d., NOVARTIS several projects were initiated and co-managed by applicant.
1. The development of generic product for demanding market. 2013-2014
2. Carrier development. % independent project leading to industrial PhD. (2014-2017)
In the field of functional genomics and cell death mechanisms the following projects were successfully completed, reports are available publicly:
3. Pharmacogenomic studies and DNA microarrays methodology Faculty of Pharmacy [COBISS.SIID1299313]
4. Project: RU3/2003 za obdobje [COBISS.SIID1869169]
5. Project: RU4/2003 za obdobje [COBISS.SIID1869425]
6. Differential gene expression analysis: 341103215267
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