prof. RNDr. Silvia Pastoreková, DrSc.

Director General of the Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Science

Research interest and impact:

Molecular biology of cancer with focus on the role of hypoxia and acidosis in cancer progression, and molecular mechanisms underlying pH regulation, metabolic adaptation and cell adhesion in cancer:

• principal contribution to identification, molecular and functional characterization of carbonic anhydrase IX (MN/CA IX), a marker of tumor hypoxia, prognostic indicator and promising therapy target; including key experimental evidences for CA IX role in extracellular acidosis, in metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells in response to stresses in tumor microenvironment, in cell adhesion, migration, invasion and metastatic dissemination
• production and characterization of CA IX-specific monoclonal antibodies currently used for immunohistochemical detection of MN/CA IX in tumor specimens, evaluated for prediction of treatment outcome, and under development for cancer immunotherapy 

Education and academic career:

• Director of the Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences (since 2016)
• Senior Scientist and Head of the Department of Tumor Biology, BMC SAS (2016-2019)
• Senior Scientist and Member of the Scientific Board of the Institute of Virology, SAS (2000-2015)
• Scientific Secretary of the Institute of Virology, SAS (1992-1998)
• Professor in Molecular Biology at the Comenius University in Bratislava, SK (2011)
• in Experimental Oncology Slovak Academy of Sciences (2003)
• in Virology, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava (1992)
• / RNDr. (Doctor of Natural Sciences), Comenius University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, SK (1985)

Publications/citations:  Web of Science (All databases) record on 19-04-2022:

305 results (including 227 original articles, 27 reviews, and 37 patents), 10 203 times cited (without self-citations)

H-index 57, > 35 invited lectures at international meetings, including the prestigious Keystone symposium on Hypoxia: Molecules, Mechanisms and Diseases on January 19-23, 2020 (hosting all three 2019 Nobel prize winners)

Patents:

Co-inventor of US patent “MN Gene and Protein” (Zavada, Pastorekova, Pastorek) number 5,384,676 issued in 1995 and Continuation-in-part patents/applications related to different uses of MN protein (now named carbonic anhydrase IX, CA IX) for cancer diagnostics and therapy, for details see patents listed in Web of Science (All databases)

Awards:

• Award of the Slovak Academy of Sciences for the research activities (2003)
• “Crystal Wing” in Medicine and Science category (prestigious national award for outstanding achievements, 2006)
• “Slovak Woman of the Year” in Science and education category (2009)
• Award of the Academy of Education of the Slovak Republic for science popularization (2010)
• State decoration “Rad Ľudovíta Štúra” for the advancement of science in Slovakia awarded by the President of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Čaputová (2020)

RNDr. Daniela Gašperíková, DrSc.

Scientific Director of the Institute of Experimental Endocrinology BMC SAS

Research interest:

1. Study of monogenic determinants of insulin secretion and action
2. Study of monogenic obesity
3. Study of genetics of primary mitochondriopathies
4. Study of hereditary hearing disorders

Education:

2015 – DrSc., Faculty of Science, Comenius University in Bratislava, specialization: Genetics

2014 – RNDr., Faculty of Science, Comenius University in Bratislava, specialization: Molecular Biology

1992 – Mgr., Faculty of Science, Comenius University in Bratislava, major: Biochemistry

Awards:

2018 – Science and Technology Award for Best Science and Technology Team of the Year

2012 – 2018 – Awards of the Committee of the Slovak Diabetes Society for best publications

2010 – Member of the above-average scientific team according to ARRA methodology

2009 – Rázus lecture awarded by the Slovak Diabetes Society

2007 – European Endocrinological Society Award for Best Poster

2003 – Guoth Prize of SLS Society for scientific and publishing activities

Mgr. Miroslav Chovanec, Ph.D.

Scientific director of the Institute of Experimental Oncology BMC SAS

Research interest and academic career:

DNA repair mechanisms, Prognostic markers in urogenital malignancies, Tumor cell response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, Inhibition of DNA repair mechanisms in cancer therapy, Mechanisms of action of various selenium compounds

2016 – up to now, BMC SAS, independent researcher, head of grant projects and head of the working group, head of the Department of Genetics, scientific director of IEO BMC SAS

2011 – 2015, KRD molecular technologies, p. r. o., independent researcher, researcher of grant projects

2002 – 2015, Institute of Experimental Oncology SAS, Head of Grant Projects and Head of Working Group, Head of the Department of Genetics, Deputy Director

2000 – 2002, Genome Damage & Stability Center, Science Park Road, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9RQ, UK, a postdoctoral fellow

1995 – 1999, Institute of Experimental Oncology SAS, researcher

Education:

1998 – PhD., Faculty of Science, Comenius University in Bratislava, specialization: Genetics

1992 – Mgr., Faculty of Science, Comenius University in Bratislava, specialization: Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, and Genetic Manipulation

Pedagogical Activities:

Participation in teaching the subject Selected Chapters in Genetics at the Faculty of Science, Comenius University in Bratislava
Participation in the teaching of the subject Mutagenesis at the Faculty of Science, Comenius University in Bratislava

Awards:

2013 – Award of the Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic for science and technology in the category “Personality of science and technology”

2009 – Premium for three-year scientific response in the category of natural and medical sciences

2007 – Exceptional young personality of Slovakia

2002 – Young Researcher of the Year

MUDr. Miroslav Vlček, Ph.D.

Scientific Director of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Research BMC SAS

Research interest and academic career:

Neuro-endocrino-immune interactions, sympathetic nervous system, rheumatic diseases, glucose metabolism and insulin resistance

2016 – present, Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Center of SAS, scientific director of ÚKTV BMC SAS, independent researcher

2013 – present, Institute of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak University of Health

2009 – 2015, Molecular and Medical Center of SAS, researcher, director of MMC

2004 – 2015, Laboratory of Human Endocrinology, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, SAS, internal postgraduate student, researcher

MVDr. Juraj Kopáček, DrSc.

Deputy Director and Scientific Director of the Institute of Virology BMC SAS

Research interest:

Molecular biology of viruses and prions, regulatory mechanisms of gene transcription, physiological factors of viral infections and tumor progression

Education:

2010 – DrSc., Institute of Virology SAS, branch: Virology branch of virology

1996 – CSc., the University of Veterinary Medicine in Košice, specialization: Virology, supervisor prof. Mgr. Jaromir Pastorek, DrSc.

1987 – MVDr., the University of Veterinary Medicine in Košice, specialization: Veterinary Medicine / Food Hygiene

Long-term stays abroad:

Institute of Animal Health, Compton, United Kingdom (6 months)

Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan (3 years)

University of Agronomy, Gembloux, Belgium (6 months)

Coordinator of 7 national projects (4 VEGA, 3 APVV), coordinator of several SF projects

Pedagogical activities:

2002 – present, teaching the subject of biochemical methods at KMV PRIF UK

2014 – 2015, supervisor of 4 Ph.D. students, Institute of Enzymology, Tokushima University, Japan

Awards:

2011 – Member of the team awarded by the Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport as the Science and Technology Team of the Year 2011

RNDr. Ján Gálik, CSc.

Scientific Director of the Institute of Neurobiology BMC SAS

Research interest:

Use of electrophysiological methods in the examination of damaged nerve tissue.

Solver and co-solver of 7 national and 1 international projects

Education:

1997 – Csc., Faculty of Science, University of Applied Sciences in Košice, specialization: General Biology, supervisor prof. MD. Jozef Marsala, DrSc.

1984 – RNDr., Faculty of Natural Sciences, UPJŠ in Košice, specialization: Biophysics and Chemical Physics

Awards:

2014 SAS Award for Popularization of Science (collective)
2012 SAS Award for Popularization of Science (individual)

JUDr. Iveta Šárniková

Head of the Legal Department

Work Experience:

1990 – present, Institute of Virology SAS – BMC SAS

Head of the Secretariat
Head of the Legal-Organizational Section

1982 – 1990, MÚ Ružomberok, SHMI, WRI

performed jobs:

• Lawyer
• Head of the Director ‘s Secretariat
• Head of Internal Control

Schools attended:

1983 – JUDr., State rigorous exam, specialization: Law

1982 – graduation, Faculty of Law, Comenius University in Bratislava

Mgr. Hana Krasoňová

Head of the Economic Department

Work Experience:
2011 – present, Institute of Virology BMC SAS and BMC SAS

Head of Economic Administration

performed jobs:

• conducting economic and financial activities
• economic analysis
• budget planning and monitoring
• creation of balance sheets for wages, assets, accounting, cashless payments
• drawing projects, cash register, material, and technical supplies, warehouse
• Procurement

2003 – 2011, Institute of Virology SAS

Officer

performed jobs:

• asset management
• payroll
• SF projects
• Procurement

1992 – 2003, IF spol. s. r. o., Bratislava

Officer

performed job:

• Foreign Trade

Schools attended:
2011 – Mgr., University of Economics and Management of Public Administration in Bratislava, specialization: Public Administration, Area: Management, Marketing, Finance and Currency

Ing. Jana Blahová, Ph.D.

Head of the Project Department

Work Experience:

06/2017 – present, BMC SAS

Head of the Projects Administration

12/2001 – 06/2017 Agency for Research and Development (APVV) in Bratislava

Positions:

• Management of the Project Financial Management and Control Department
• Head of the Program Department
• Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities project manager

09/1991 – 12/2001, Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine (ÚPKM) in Bratislava

independent researcher in the field of microbiology

Schools attended:

12/1997 – Study stay, Fogarty Scholar – University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA, Department: Environmental and Occupational Health Studies

Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
1995 – PhD., Faculty of Science, Comenius University in Bratislava, specialization: microbiology

1991 – Ing., Faculty of Chemical Technology, the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, specialization: food chemistry