Category Archive for : ‘Ongoing Projects’

Project title: Neuronal viral reactivation as a pathogenic driver of neurodegeneration: The dual-hit viral latency hypothesis

Call title: VolkswagenStiftung – NEXT – Rethink Neurodegeneration!

Funding source: VolkswagenStiftung

Main applicant:Prof. Dr. Martin Korte, PhD., Technische Universität Braunschweig

Coordinator: Technische Universität Braunschweig

Project partners:

Prof. Ilija Brizić, PhD, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine
Shirin Hosseini, Ph.D., Technische Universität Braunschweig
Eva Szegö, Ph.D., Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen
PD Dr. Iryna Prots, Ph.D., Universitätsklinikum Erlangen

Project implementation period: : 01.01.2027 – 31.12.2029

Total project value: EUR 1.725.440,00

Budget for MEDRI: EUR 287.400,00

Brief description:

The etiopathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, most prominently Alzheimer’s disease

Project title: Viral Priming of Neurodegeneration: How Early-Life Virus Infection Creates Latent Vulnerability to Neurodegenerative Proteinopathies

Acronym: PrimeND

Call title: VolkswagenStiftung – NEXT – Rethink Neurodegeneration!

Funding source: VolkswagenStiftung

Main applicant: Prof. Dr. Franziska Richter Assencio, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover

Coordinator: Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover

Project partners:

• Fran Krstanović, PhD, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine
• Christopher Käufer, PhD, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Germany
• Dr. Steffen Roßner, Paul Flechsig Institute, University of Leipzig, Germany
• Ofer Mandelboim, PhD, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

Project implementation period: : 01.11.2026 – 31.10.2031

Total project value: EUR 1.710.000,00

Budget for MEDRI: EUR 393.720,00

Project title: ILC stanice u humanim jajnicima: stanična obrana folikula i povezanost s infekcijom HCMV

Acronym: ILCOV-HCMV

Call title: MEDRI Research Support Fund

Call code: Research Support Fund 2026-2027

Funding source: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine

Applicant name: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Marija Mazor, PhD

Coordinator: Marija Mazor, PhD

Research Team, University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine:

Prof. Vanda Juranić Lisnić, PhD
Prof. Berislav Lisnić, PhD
Jelena Železnjak, PhD
Ivana Bertović, PhD
Prof. Marko Klarić, MD, PhD
Gabrijela Sopta Primorac, MD

Project implementation period: 07.09.2026 – 07.03.2028

Total project value: EUR 4.000,00

Brief description:

Virusne infekcije tijekom trudnoće predstavljaju značajan

Project title: Utjecaj latentne virusne infekcije na sastav imunoloških stanica meningi i kroničnu neuroinflamaciju

Acronym: LATVIRMEN

Call title: MEDRI Research Support Fund

Call code: Research Support Fund 2026-2027

Funding source: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine

Applicant name: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Fran Krstanović, PhD

Coordinator: Fran Krstanović, PhD

Research Team, University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine:

Mijo Golemac, MD
Leonarda Mikša, laboratory engineer
Andrea Mihalić, PhD student

Project implementation period: 07.09.2026 – 07.03.2028

Total project value: EUR 4.000,00

Brief description:

Iako se mozak dugo smatrao imunoprivilegiranim organom, danas je dobro poznato da imunološki sustav snažno utječe na moždani

Project title: The role of PTPIP51 protein in the regulation of cytomegalovirus infection

Acronym: CMV-PTPIP51

Call title: Postdoctoral Research Projects

Call code: PDIP-2026

Funding source: Croatian Science Foundation

Applicant name: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Ivana Bertović, PhD

Coordinator: Ivana Bertović, PhD

Project implementation period: 01.10.2026 – 30.09.2028

Total project value: EUR 100.000,00

Brief description:

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes severe congenital and life-threatening disease in immunocompromised individuals, yet no curative therapy or vaccine is available. A key gap in understanding CMV pathogenesis lies in how virus-induced remodelling of host cell architecture influences antiviral immunity. Cytomegaloviruses extensively reorganize intracellular

Project title: The Silent Threat: Impact of Acute and Latent Viral Infections on Development and Outcomes of Ischemic Heart Disease

Acronym: VIRAL-COR

Call title: Installation Research Projects

Call code: UIP-2026

Funding source: Croatian Science Foundation

Applicant name: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Marko Šustić, MD, PhD

Coordinator: Marko Šustić, MD, PhD

Research Team, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine:

Ivana Smoljan, MD, PhD
Iva Vladić, MD, PhD student

Project implementation period: 30.12.2026 – 29.12.2029

Total project value: EUR 200.000,00

Brief description:

Ischemic heart disease remains the leading global cause of morbidity and mortality. In recent decades, research has increasingly viewed its

Project title: PVR-Centered Tumor Membrane Complexes Integrating Immune Modulation, Adhesion, Signaling, and Proteolysis

Acronym: PVR-CORE

Call title: Research Projects

Call code: IP-2026

Funding source: Croatian Science Foundation

Applicant name: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Tihana Lenac Roviš, PhD

Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Tihana Lenac Roviš, PhD

Research Team, University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine:

Nives Jonjić, MD, PhD
Assoc. Prof. Vanda Juranić Lisnić, PhD
Prof. Hermann Altmeppen, PhD
Mijo Golemac, MD, PhD
Ema Bellulovich, MSc, PhD student

Project implementation period: 01.10.2026 – 30.09.2029

Total project value: EUR 194.000,00

Brief description:

PVR (poliovirus receptor, CD155) is an immune checkpoint ligand overexpressed in solid tumors.

PROJECT TITLE: Centre of Excellence for Viral Immunology and Vaccines (CerVirVac)

FUND: European Regional Development Fund

DURATION: 01.01.2024. – 01.01.2027.

COORDINATOR: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine

INSTITUTIONS IN THE NETWORK:
Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology of the University of Zagreb
Clinic for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Mihaljevic”, Zagreb

Total value of the project: EUR 1.443.315,13

Brief description:
The first operational period of this Centre of Excellence resulted in significant achievements and laid the groundwork for new research and objectives: (1) increasing capacity to conduct cutting-edge research in viral immunology and the development of vaccines and

Project title: Designing better cytomegalovirus-based vaccines: boosting mucosal immunity

Call title: Installation Research Projects

Call code: UIP-2025-02-5202

Funding source: Croatian Science Foundation

Applicant name: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine

Coordinator: Asst. Prof. Maja Cokarić Brdovčak, PhD

Research Team, University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine:

Jelena Materljan Franki, MD, PhD
Marko Šustić, MD, PhD

Project implementation period: 01.04.2026 – 31.03.2031

Total project value: EUR 299.980,00

Brief description:

The global COVID-19 pandemic underscored the devastating impact of respiratory pathogens and highlighted the urgent need to improve current vaccination strategies. In particular, it prompted interest in incorporating mucosal immunity into vaccine design, due

Project title: Immunoevasion strategies of cytomegalovirus: Modulation of MHC I and cytotoxic lymphocytes

Call title: Installation Research Projects

Call code: UIP-2025-02-2353

Funding source: Croatian Science Foundation

Applicant name: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine

Coordinator: Asst. Prof. Jelena Železnjak, PhD

Research Team, University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine:

Asst. Prof. Paola Kučan Brlić, PhD
Tina Ružić, PhD
Magdalena Medved

Project implementation period: 01.04.2026 – 31.03.2031

Total project value: EUR 299.420,00

Brief description:

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a widespread ß-herpesvirus that can persist in its host for a lifetime. One of its main strategies to evade immune response involves modulation of major histocompatibility complex