About Tihana Lenac Roviš

Tihana Lenac Rovis, PhD

Full professor

tihana.lenac@medri.uniri.hr

Tihana Lenac Roviš is a tenured professor at the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine. Her research focuses on tumor and herpesviral immunobiology, with expertise in protein biology, confocal microscopy, biochemical analyses, and monoclonal antibody development. She directs the Antibody Core Facility, overseeing antibody production and distribution (https://capri.com.hr).

Tihana has contributed as an associate to 15+ projects, including H2020 initiatives, and has led 10 projects as principal investigator, including national projects exceeding €100K. She has served as course associate for over 10 courses and led 9 teaching courses. She has supervised PhD candidates through funded mentorship programmes, including Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: 2013–2019 (P. Kučan Brlić), 2019–2022 (G.P. Pietri, Marie Curie Fellow), 2020–2024 (D. Karner), and 2025–present (E. Bellulovich). Her publication record includes 50+ papers, over 2,500 citations, and an h-index above 25. She has filed 4 patent applications (1 provisional, 3 PCT). Notable publications include coauthorship in high-impact journals (Science 2015, Nature 2024) and first or corresponding authorship (J Exp Med 2016, Nat Commun 2024).

Selected Publications:

    1. 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 Communications. 2024.
    2. Pietri GP, Bertuzzi S, Karnicar K, Unione L, Lisnic B, Malic S, Miklic K, Novak M, Calloni I, Santini L, Usenik A, Romano MR, Adamo R, Jonjic S, Turk D, Jiménez-Barbero J, Lenac Rovis T. Antigenic determinants driving serogroup-specific antibody response to Neisseria meningitidis C, W, and Y capsular polysaccharides: Insights for rational vaccine design. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2024.
    3. Worboys JD, Vowell KN, Hare RK, Ambrose AR, Bertuzzi M, Conner MA, Patel FP, Zammit WH, Gali-Moya J, Hazime KS, Jones KL, Rey C, Jonjic S, Rovis TL, Tannahill GM, Cruz De Matos GDS, Waight JD, Davis DM. TIGIT can inhibit T cell activation via ligation-induced nanoclusters, independent of CD226 co-stimulation. Nature Communications. 2023.
    4. 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.
    5. Lenac T, Budt M, Arapovic J, Hasan M, Zimmermann A, Simic H, Krmpotic A, Messerle M, Ruzsics Z, Koszinowski UH, Hengel H, Jonjic S. The herpesviral Fc receptor fcr-1 down-regulates the NKG2D ligands MULT-1 and H60. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2006.

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