About Paola Kučan Brlić

Paola Kučan Brlić, PhD

Assistant professor

paola.kucan@medri.uniri.hr

Paola Kučan Brlić is an Assistant Professor focused on preclinical translational cancer research. Since 2013, she has been a researcher at the Center for Proteomics. She holds a BSc in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Technology from the University of Trieste, Italy, and an MSc in Forensic Chemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Split, Croatia. Paola earned her PhD in Immunology at the University of Rijeka, with short-term training in Israel supported by a scholarship, and later carried out a mobility grant-funded postdoctoral stay in Italy. Outside the lab, Paola is a nature enthusiast, passionate vegetable gardener, and enjoys hosting friends.

Selected Publications:

    1. Lenac Rovis T*, Kucan Brlic P*, Kaynan N, Juranic Lisnic V, Brizic I, Jordan S, Tomic A, Kvestak D, Babic M, Tsukerman P, Colonna M, Koszinowski U, Messerle M, Mandelboim O, Krmpotic A, Jonjic S. Inflammatory monocytes and NK cells play a crucial role in DNAM-1–dependent control of cytomegalovirus infection. Journal of experimental medicine. 2016.
    2. Kučan Brlić P, Lenac Roviš T, Cinamon G, Tsukerman P, Mandelboim O, Jonjić S. Targeting PVR (CD155) and its receptors in anti-tumor therapy. Cellular and Molecular Immunology. 2018.
    3. Strazic Geljic I*, Kucan Brlic P*, Angulo G, Brizic I, Lisnic B, Jenus T, Juranic Lisnic V, Pietri GP, Engel P, Kaynan N, Zeleznjak J, Schu P, Mandelboim O, Krmpotic A, Angulo A, Jonjic S, Lenac Rovis T. Cytomegalovirus protein m154 perturbs the adaptor protein-1 compartment mediating broad-spectrum immune evasion. Elife. 2020.
    4. Reches A, Ophir Y, Stein N, Kol I, Isaacson B, Charpak Amikam Y, Elnekave A, Tsukerman P, Kucan Brlic P, Lenac T, Seliger B, Jonjic S, Mandelboim O. Nectin4 is a novel TIGIT ligand which combines checkpoint inhibition and tumor specificity. The Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2020.
    5. Karner D, Kvestak D, Kucan Brlic P, Cokaric Brdovcak M, Lisnic B, Brizic I, Juranic Lisnic V, Golemac M, Tomac J, Krmpotic A, Karkeni E, Libri V, Mella S, Legname G, Altmeppen HC, Hasan M, Jonjic S, Lenac Rovis T. Prion protein alters viral control and enhances pathology after perinatal cytomegalovirus infection. Nature Communication. 2024.

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